Transporting Sydney, one early bus at a time
We always get requests to see more photos from across the Sydney transport network here on the blog. Every month we are out and about taking hundreds of photos but very few of them ever actually make it the whole way from our cameras to the blog. To showcase some of these photos, we are proposing that we share some of our favourite photos with you at the end of each month. This way, our photos don’t go to waste and you get to see parts of the network that would otherwise be unknown to you.
Major changes are coming to the NSW transport network from tomorrow (Sunday 23rd September), with additional changes starting from next week (Sunday 30th September).
As we have previously reported these are very major network changes including a new bus network for the Bondi and Mascot areas as well as a new train network for the North Shore and Northern suburbs. You can find out all of the details at the links below
Sydney was once home to one of the largest tramway network in the world. Back at the hight of the operation, over 400 million journeys were made each year over 291km of track. Today we take a look back at the development of the Sydney Tramways.
The first tramway opened in Sydney in 1861. It was a horse drawn line between the Old Sydney Railway Station in Redfern and Circular Quay along Pitt Street. It was short lived and closed in 1866 after complaints about the damage the tracks caused to wagons and a fatal accident.
In 1879 the tramways returned, this time with a steam tram line between Redfern Station and Hunter Street in the Northern CBD. The success of this line quickly lead to many lines being developed throughout inner Sydney. Initially throughout the 1880s and 90s, the lines were built as steam lines.
From 1898 the network began to be electrified, with most of the System converted by 1910. Lines from Circular Quay to the Eastern and Inner Western suburbs throughout the life of the network. Many well known lines included the one to Bondi, which reached the Beach in 1894. The lines to Coogee and La Perouse line, which opening in Stages from 1880, being the first Suburban tram line in Sydney and containing what may have been the first tram balloon loop in the world. The lines reached Coogee in 1883 and La Perouse in 1902. The line to Ryde was the longest line in the network, at nearly 20km long.
From 1886 lines operated on the North Shore from Millions Point, until the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932, when most services were redirected to Wynyard and connected with the mains system south of the harbour. Lines from Manly began in 1903, and operated along the Northern Beaches seperate from the main system. Also isolated from the main system were the Southern suburbs lines, operating as rail feeder services for the Illawarra line.
The Tramway network reached its fullest extent in 1923, with over 291km of track. At the time nearly 1600 cars were in service at any one time. The network was the second largest in the Commonwealth of Nations, after London and the largest in Australia.
This article just scratches the surface in the development. For information on a specific line, let us know and we will give you information. 
The continuous 85 years that the State government has run bus services wasn’t actually the first time that Government had run bus services. Back in 1905, the Government Railway Commissioners began a motor omnibus service.
The Government Motor Omnibus Act, 1905, allowed the Railway Commissioner the power to construct, purchase or lease motor omnibuses and operate them on routes as approved by the governor. Orders were placed for four steam buses for Clarkson Ltd, of Chelmsford, England and were bodied by Angus & Son in Newtown. This practise of importing Chassis and locally building bodies continues with the government bus services today.
The first two buses, 18 passenger single deck 1M and 2M inaugurated government bus services in Sydney on 4 December 1905. They operated between Potts Point and Taylor Square on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, a distance of just under 2 kilometres. One bus would operate the service whilst the other would act as a standby in case of a breakdown. High costs coupled with low revenue saw the service ceased by 7 April 1906.
On 23 April 1906, double deckers 3M and 4M began their short lived life operating a 2.5 kilometre route between Dulwich Hill and Enmore. These busses were even more short lived than the original route, dealings service on 29 May 1906 due to the unsuitability of the chassis to the type of work.
After racking up losses of more than £6600 over just six months of operation, the buses were scraped at Randwick Workshops. This left the Railway commissioner to focus on Tramway and Railway operation and the bus network to a myriad of private operator for the next 26 years.
Here at Transport NSW Blog, we love receiving submissions from our loyal fanbase of readers. From featured bus route suggestions to photos, we want to see more. When we can, with the permission of the owner of the information, we can’t help but share stuff with the rest of our readers. Don’t forget to submit all your transport related questions and pictures for us to see.
Thanks to Cooper Crellin for the pictures on his recent flight to Europe
Busways services will be impacted by protected industrial action tomorrow, Tuesday 11th September 2018. This includes services in the Blacktown, Gosford, Penrith, Windsor and Wyong. This is being organised by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) over disagreements between Busways and the TWU caused by a new enterprise agreement.
Drivers will stop work from 6am to 7am and again from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Services up to 30 minutes outside those time periods to allow for drivers to get to and from their depots.
It is also understood that drivers will also not turn on the Opal readers at all tomorrow, allowing for a “fare free day” This will mean however that Real Time data information will not be available.
All school services will operate as normal.
Today we were out and about along the Light Rail line in Randwick. Here are some photos so you can see the great progress that has been made in recent months.
Busways services will be impacted by protected industrial action tomorrow, Friday 7th September 2018. This includes services in the Blacktown, Gosford, Penrith, Windsor and Wyong.
Drivers will stop work between 12pm and 1pm for a meeting, with some services cancelled as early as 11am and as late as 2pm to allow for the driver to get to and from the meeting site.
It is also understood that drivers will also not turn on the Opal readers at all tomorrow, allowing for a “fare free day” This will mean however that Real Time data information will not be available.
All school services will operate as normal.
Major service changes are occurring to bus and train services across Sydney and Newcastle from 30th September 2018. These changes are designed to improve reliability and connections as well as respond to changes in operation requirements surrounding the closure of the ECRL and the privatisation of Region 6 Buses.
Train Service Changes
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T1 North Shore Line |
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T1 Northern Line |
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Central Coast and Newcastle Line |
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T8 Airport & South Line |
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Bus Service Changes
| New Station Link Bus Services | |
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| Route | Details |
| SL1 | Epping to Chatswood via Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde
Monday to Friday Both Directions 4.30am to 6am: every 10 minutes 6am to 9pm: every 6 minutes 9pm to 12.30am: every 10 minutes Saturday and Sunday Both Directions 5am to 10am: every 10 minutes 10am to 7pm: every 5 minutes 7pm to 12.30am: every 10 minutes |
| SL2 | Epping to Chatswood via Motorway and North Ryde
Monday to Friday To Chatswood 6am to 10am: at least every 6 minutes To Epping |
| SL3 | Beecroft to St Leonards via Macquarie University and Macquarie Park
Monday to Friday To St Leonards To Beecroft |
| SL4 | St Leonards to Macquarie Universityvia Macquarie Park
Monday to Friday To St Leonards 3pm to 7pm: at least every 4 minutes To Macquarie University 3pm to 7pm: at least every 15 minutes |
| SL5 | Eastwood to Macquarie Park via Macquarie University
Monday to Friday To Macquarie Park To Eastwood |
| SL6 | Epping to Macquarie Park via Macquarie University
Monday to Friday To Macquarie Park To Epping |
| SL7 | Epping to Macquarie University Campus
Monday to Friday To Macquarie University Campus To Epping |
| Northern Bus Changes | |
| Route | Details |
| 136 |
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| 141 |
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| 169 |
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| 193 |
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| 270
271 |
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| Minor service adjustments will also be introduced on routes 586, 592, 596, 599 | |
| Eastern Suburbs and Inner West Bus Changes | |
| Route | Details |
| 357
(new route) |
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| 400 |
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| 410 |
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| 418 |
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| 420
420N (new route) |
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| 423 |
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| 461 |
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| 504 |
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| North West and West Bus Changes | |
| Route | Details |
| 251 |
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| 253 |
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| 285 |
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| 288 |
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| 292 |
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| 293 |
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| 294 |
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| 533 |
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| M54 |
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| 614X |
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| 637
638 |
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| 639 |
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| 640 |
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| M60 |
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| Minor service adjustments will also be introduced on routes 295, 501, 515, 546, 549, 553, 603, 605, 607X, 608, 609, 610, 610X, 611, 619, 626, 630, 632, 633, 635, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 644, 651, 661, 702, 705, 711, 714, 715, 728, 729, 746, 756, 757, 775, 780, 786, T72, 841, 858, 865, 866, N50, N70, N71, N80, N81, M61 | |
| Newcastle and Hunter Bus Changes | |
| Route | Details |
| 138
140 |
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| 261 |
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| 262
263 |
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| 266
(new route) |
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| 267 |
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| Central Coast Bus Changes | |
| Minor service adjustments will also be introduced on the following bus routes:
15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 30, 32, 32/4, 34, 34/2, 36, 37, 38, 44, 47, 50, 50/3, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 63, 64, 65, 66A, 66C, 67, 68, 70, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 95X, 96, 97, 98, 99 |
This month our featured bus route is Route 700 operated by CDC Hillsbus. Route 700 runs from Parramatta Interchange to Blacktown Station via Blacktown Road, Great Western Highway and Wentworthville.
This route dates from April 2, 1982, when a number of local bus routes from the 1925 bus numbering system were renumbered and re routed into the 700. This original service was operated by Western Road Bus Services. In 1987, the route was acquired by Toongabbie Buses and then later in December 1988, it was acquired by WestBus.
From December 3, 1994 the 700 was rerouted via Blacktown Rd direct, instead of operating via Hayes Road through Seven Hills. Subsequent changes of hands saw WestBus bought out by National Express Group and then later ComfortDelGro Cabcharge. In May 2004, the operating name of WestBus was changed to Hillsbus in the area which Route 700 operated.
In May of 2009, Route 700 was rerouted in the Westmead area, replacing part of rerouted 705, as a result of Ministry of Transport review of Region 4.
The service is operated out of the Hillsbus depot in Seven Hills. It has an average running time of 45 minutes outside of peak hours. It runs every 30 minutes between 6am and 11pm daily, with extra services in peak hours.
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