Fort Macquarie to Leichhardt

A ride on the Leichhardt Line.

The destination sign for this route consisted of a RED cross on a WHITE background with the locality on the top, it was also used for Sth Annandale, with the locality below the cross. All destination signs are as viewed from approaching view.

Well here are, seated in the front compartment of an "O" class tram, at Fort Macquarie, waiting for departure time, our final destination, is for you to choose, as we travel. Departure time arrives, the driver applies power and we swing around the front of the Building, with Benelong park on our left, we travel down the Eastern side, emerging at the front, where we pass the fence separating the Depot, from running rails. We continue along Circular Quay East, passing under the Cahill Expressway, with the First and Last Hotel on our left, to travel the length of Alfred Street, before entering a ballast section, enclosed by wooden fences, where we enter George Street via a trailing junction with the line coming from Millers Point. We continue up George Street, passing Wynyard Railway Station and the GPO before crossing King Street, as we head towards the end of the first Section at Market Street. Leaving this stop we continue along George Streeet, eventually arriving at our first facing junction Hay Street, here we cross over a line, leading from the "UP" George Street line, into Hay Street connecting with a track from our down line, which splits with one track entering Parker Street, and one continuing on to Pitt Street, the track entering Parker Street, emerging at Barlow Street, to join our Down line. This loop section was to enable trams that terminated at Railway Square to do so without disrupting through traffic. As we climb the hill towards Railway Square, and the end of the second section, we arrive at our second facing point junction, that of Quay Street, here the trams destined for Pyrmont (destination sign 2 RED Cirles with Pyrmont written below, Drummonye (a Rectangle split diagonally with WHITE on Left and RED on right and name above),Gladesville(as for Drummonye but with name below),and Ryde(same as for Gladesville) leave the main line, (this junction was controlled from Railway Square Signalbox, located above the waiting shed). We depart Railway Square and join the Broadway travelling West, climbing the hill towards Victoria Park we approach our third facing point junction controlled by the City Road, Junction Signalbox here trams with destinations such as Enmore, Earlwood, Marrickville and Cooks River leave the Main Western line. Passing through, City Road Junction, we come upon our fourth facing junction with tracks leading to Glebe Point(destination sign as for Pyrmont except writing above symbols), continuing along, what is now Parramatta Road, we arrive at the fifth facing junction, that of Derwent Street, where traffic heading towards Lilyfield (destination sign three connected squares RED,WHITE,RED with destination below symbols), Birchgrove(destination sign was a rectangle divided into 4 triangles, horizontal triangles RED vertical triangles WHITE, name above) and Balmain(destination sign rectangle divided vertically in two left square WHITE,right square RED divert. We however continue ahead reaching Ross Street,our sixth, a double junction,, (both facing and trailing, at this point an extra tram could be added to make a double set or a double set could be reduced to a single set, as these lines connected to the Balmain line and Rozelle depot) which is the end of the third section. Here our crew is relieved and head to the meal room located, at this point for a well deserved meal,( this being a major staff relief point), with a fresh driver and conductor we continue our journey. Still travelling West, we climb the hill from the junction of Pyrmont Bridge Road, until we reach Johnstone Street Annandale, the end of the fourth section. Leaving this point the tracks continue West until, just before we reach the intersection of Parramatta Road with Norton Street, Leichhardt, we pass over a connection from the Up line into Crystal Street, Petersham, the road being too narrow and the corner too sharp for double track, leading to the Canterbury line. At Norton Street, a line coming East, down Parramatta Road. swings around to join our down line, this is the second track from the Canterbury line. At this point we climb the hill until our arrival at the seventh Facing junction, this being Marion Street Junction, here trams destined for Haberfield, Fivedock and Abbotsford depart our line. This junction was unusual as the signalman was housed in a ground level accommodation with a lever frame outside, (with the lever being capable of being removed when the signalbox was unattended) signalling for the movements was done by means of a flags. This is the end of the fifth section, continuing along Norton Street we approach the a trailing junction at William Street, here tracks lead off up William Street to what was to be Leichhardt Depot, however it was decided that the area would become a tramway workshop, one problem not foreseen was the possible difficulty of towing a dead tram up the hill. We however continue along Norton Street and climb up the hill at the end, swing left into Lilyfield Road then swinging right, into Mary Street, after which a right turn into Perry Street, we continue along Perry Street, to its junction with Balmain Road, the end of our sixth section, and the start of the Callan Park Mental Hospital wall, which we follow until we reach the main gate of the hospital, where we terminate by stopping on the Down line, and awaiting our time to depart when we will cross back to the up line and retrace our steps. Fare for the journey 1/6 (One Shilling and sixpence which at change over later to decimal currency equalled 15c.) However the trams were gone before changeover. The fare scale for the Tramway system was:-