Sydney's The Spit to Manly Tramline (& Punt & Bridge)

A video on the history of The Spit To Manly Tramline. One of the most interesting lines on the former Sydney Tram System - because during the life of the line the direction of peak travel changed. And it was a line that you could get to the centre of Sydney relatively directly from either end.

Videos on this channel are not meant to be 100% accurate historical records. Having said this, we do try to ensure its factually correct by using multiple sources from what we think are credible books, websites, blogs and articles..

Sydney tramlines didn't use colours (or even route numbers) to denote lines - instead they used the 'termini' of each line as its name. We have selected colours just to differentiate the lines visually on the maps.

[zonabrown]

Knew the Mosman suburb so well very nostalgic

[zanelindsay]

An interesting and very nicely done presentation, Thank You for posting!

[billhenderson]

As a bus driver in the 1980s there used to be a a bus parking lot between West Esplande and Gilbert Street. The parking lot had an old wooden shed with a toilet for the drivers and a very old clock. Interesting there were tram lines imbedded in the ash felt .With governments selling off public assets this became part of the redeveloped Manly Hotel site. Hence part of the reason for the shambolic disposition of buses parked willy nilly around Manly today.

[RangaTurk]

The line from Botany Road through Matraville and Chifley will prove to be an excellent and surprising subject when the main tram line from the city to La Perouse via Maroubra Junction is discussed. Unfortunately, these Northern Beaches lines don't make it to the 1950s but it would have been great if they did.

[RGC]

Hi Marty, interesting to see that a lot of the reservation on this line is still there Thanks for sharing another excellent video. Take care. Rob in Melbourne Australia.

[Andrewwestwood-vini]

Really interesting presentation, thank you. I live on George Street, Manly and would be intrigued to know what the dotted lines denote around where the tram did a horseshoe bend ?

[andrewburns]

Hi Marty. There are two rosettes still attached to either end of the facade of 363 Sydney Road, Balgowlah.

[ktipuss]

The tracks of the old Manly Wharf tram terminus were still in place in the late 1970's in a laneway linking The Esplanade and Gilbert Street, and located between Belgrave Street and Eustace Street and parallel to them. It's shown as an unnamed alley on a replica 1926 street directory, but looks like it was since sold off and serviced apartments built over it (and presumably the tracks lifted). It was doubled tracked but probably just a terminating spur to park trams off The Esplanade actual terminus. I do have a slide of it somewhere but can't find it right now.
I suppose it was actually the property of the NSW Transport Dept whicj, when it became part of the NSW Public Transport Commission, sold off the laneway to the developers of those apartments.

[robertthomson]

What is a rosette? What did it signify?

[doubledee]

I wonder where Balglo'la' is? A suburb previously unknown to me (and to most others watching as well).

[Andrewwestwood-vini]

Aha, very interesting thank you very much

[robertcoleman]

👍👍👍👍💯😇🍺 My late father told me about the manly network he said he loved ridding on it.