Waterfront Trams Arrive

 

UPDATE: First look at trams

Auckland’s two waterfront trams are arriving in port shortly.

They are on board the Hoegh Beijing from Melbourne and will be unloaded on Jellicoe Wharf in the next day.

The heritage tram from Bendigo will look like this

An old W2 and a X1 tram have been leased from Bendigo’s tram museum in Victoria for the waterfront tram circuit that will be operating in time for the RWC2011.

The trams will be removed from the vessel using mafi trailers, a roller trailer that is designed for transporting loose cargo. The trams are chained down to the trailers and driven off with tractor units. Once off the vessel the trams will be craned off the mafi tailers on to the ground, in readiness for the move to their end destination of Wynyard Quay.

Advertisements are already running for tram drivers for the service.

The trams will simply travel clockwise on a 1.5km circuit of Wynyard Quarter between Jellicoe, Halsey, Gaunt and Daldy Sts but Auckland’s Mayor and the Chairmen of both CCOs, Auckland Transport and the Auckland Waterfront Development Agency have before them a proposal from Auckland Council transport committee Chair Mike Lee to extend the waterfront tramline as far as Britomart “as soon as possible.”

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14 Comments

 
  1. Buffalo Bob says:

    They need to make sure they dont “charge like a wounded bull” with this venture…other wise Aucklanders won’t give a toss…..

  2. Luke says:

    anyword on the modern Japanese one?
    My worry is if we don’t show Aucklanders what a real modern tram is, and how smooth and comfortable the ride is, tram travel will remain a small gimmick.

  3. Ingolfson says:

    Luke, no word, as far as I know.

    The good thing is that once the tram tracks are in and operational, the light rail demonstrator can just as well run there a few months later. Less visitors, but many of these would be overseas guests anyway.

  4. Willuknight says:

    Why are they leasing from Brisbane, when Christchurch can’t even house their trams? Seriously, Ferrymead is trying to raise $100,000 so they can store the trams from the normal circut inside.

  5. AKT says:

    @Willuknight The same company in Chch is running this http://www.aktnz.co.nz/2011/05/30/want-to-drive-the-trams/
    @Luke Last report the plan was affected by the Jap quake

  6. Mark says:

    @AKT - someone said these tracks have an unusual /unique gauge? and that neither motat or other modern trams can run on them?
    any idea?

  7. Matt L says:

    Mark - They are using Melbourne trams which are standard gauge. There has never been any mention of a unique gauge.

    I had heard that Motat don’t want to release their ones as they were stretched for stock so perhaps the person who told you got some mixed messages.

  8. Sam says:

    How civilised…& so unlike Auckland and rugby… ;)

  9. Mark says:

    @Matt L
    thanks - it did seem strange. There was a very interesting proposal to extend this up to ponsonby/jervois rd/grey lynn. people have always talked about extneding to St Heliers - but going west as well would be good.

  10. Matt L says:

    Mark - I think it should go both way, going through Ponsonby then down to Western springs to link up with the Motat line in one direction and to St Heliers in the other direction would link up many of Aucklands tourist attractions on one line, Mission Bay, Kelly Tarltons, CBD, viaduct, North Wharf, Ponsonby, Motat, Zoo etc

  11. Carl says:

    @ Matt L totally agree with your mission bay route idea.

    if that was sorted, it would do wonders. Even when i was kid and when i was home the xmas just gone, I have always thought that to bean awesome idea.

    Imagine living in the city or anywhere for that matter and catching a tram to the parnell bars on a hot sunny day.

    that in itself is a day trip for anyone outside auckland city.

  12. Mark says:

    Matt L - yes agree re both ways.

    people always talk about our waterfront - but opening up a tram connection would be great for not just tourists, but also links rail via Britomart for locals.

    If you look at the success of the millions spent on parnel baths/re-sanding beaches, a tram link would really be making a statement.

    We need to keep tourists here longer - in summer they could easily use a day doing waterfront/beach baths…..

    That east/west route - St Heliers to Grey Lynn, would be multi purpose - commutters during the peak am/pm, tourists during the day, and tourists and locals on weekends.

    It would also help Vector Arena and the waterfron with an easy connection to eateries/bars before and after events there.
    I would have thought it would be easy to get a business case to justify the investment.

    And as part of that, we should just reclaim Quay St from cars/trucks. All port traffic sent up Grafton, and other traffic either there or through Customs St. A Tram/Shared space for Quay St would be brilliant.

  13. Matt L says:

    Mark - The fact it would have good all day patronage is one of the reasons I really like the idea. It makes better use of the infrastructure. The only other route that should be considered is Dominion Rd due to the number of buses that go along there at all times of the day, it would provide increased peak capacity and also be great for the town centres along the way.

 

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