Greetings from a former Croweater who still retains a few interests in SA, particularly as a member of the AETM.

Can anyone advise the current staus of the Glenelg H class fleet?

When I left Adelaide in the mid-90's, the fleet comprised:

351  Ex 380, renumbered May 1959
357
358
361  Ex 363, renumbered Nov 1971
363  Ex 361, renumbered Nov 1971
364
365
366  Ex 354, renumbered May 1968
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377  Ex 353, renumbered May 1968
379
380  Ex 359, renumbered 1960

In addition, I believe 378 had been converted to a restaurant tram and sold to a private operator.

Any updates greatly appreciated.

Ah yes, the numbering.

351 -> 380 -> 359 -> 351, one of the 5 recent refurbs, in service
352 scrapped
353 -> 377, in service
354 -> 366, scrapped
355 now at Bendigo awaitang restoration
356 at the Old Canberra Tram Company
357, 358 in service
359 -> 380, a recent refurb, in service
360 at the Tramway Museum in Museum service
361 -> 363, in service
362 at the Tramway Museum, operational but stored
363 -> 361, in service
364, 365 in service
366 scrapped
367, a recent refurb, in service
368, 369 in service
370, a recent refurb, in service
371, 372, 373 in service
374, a recent refurb, in service
375, 376 in service
377 -> 353, scrapped
378, restaurant tram, stored
379 in service
380 -> 359, scrapped

I do have a bit more information somewhere, I'll add it shortly.

Thanks Peter,

Do you (or other Railpage members) know whether TA has identified which of the H class fleet it will retain after the introduction of the replacement fleet?

Also, has TA / State Government announced what it proposes to do with the non-required H class trams? I know most of them have been rebuilt so many times that few of the original components remain, but there are a number of tram museums around Australia which would benefit from the acquisition of operational Adelaide trams.

Cheers.

They'll probably use the referbished Hs, as they've spent $1m a pop on em already.

TA refurbished 5 H's (351, 367, 370, 374 & 380), upgrading them to a modern control system (but keeping the 3 notch control stand and air brake handle as is) for ongoing use.

As to the other cars, I can't say much at the moment, except that there is a great deal of interest in them and I don't expect many (if any) to be scrapped.

What's happening to H378?
Ive herd that ita going to the museum. care to shed some light?

TransAdelaide now run tram and train services for The Office of Public Transport, known as Adelaide Metro.  The current TransAdelaide fleet stands of 21 trams, these being:

Millennium refurbs: 351, 367, 370, 374, 380

'80's refurbs: 357, 358, 361, 364, 365, 368, 369, 371, 372, 373

Restaurant tram: 378

non-refurbs: 363, 375, 376, 377, 379.

From your list, GM28, 366 has been scrapped.  It was sold to a local enthusiast and stored for some time out at Salisbury.  This enthusiast has now on-sold it, it is now located somewhere in the Adelaide hills.

The Millennium refurbs are the ones that have been refurbished in the past few years, incorporating a new chopper control system as previously mentioned.

Of the non-refurbs, 379 never had Adelaide Metro stickers applied - it appears to be being cannibalised.  Some parts are missing (can't remember which ones, doors IIRC).  363 appeared to have some work done on it, but after the work went down the back of the depot, where it still is.  It has a sign on the side: "$14990"  The sign is visible from the river side of the depot and IIRC, it has no crouzet equipment.  375, 376 and 377 have not been seen in traffic much now - I saw 376 in traffic during peak hour as a single on 2 March 2004.  The tram was cut-in from depot - I had boarded 374 as a single @ stop 17 during peak hour and observed 376 depart the depot ahead of us.  This is the last I have seen a non-refurb in traffic.  I don't know if any non-refurbished trams were used on the Adelaide Cup traffic - I was working that night and had spent the day down at Goolwa.

All other red cars are in regular traffic.  

Restaurant tram 378 is usually seen down the back of the depot with a tarp over it (protecting the interior I assume) but for the last week or so it has been in the workshops at the back of the depot.

TransAdelaide are generally running coupled sets during the day, but the odd single gets out.  A sighting of a single set during daylight these days is unusual.

I know of no recent accidents, 365 derailed near the 6th Ave crossing about a year ago (some photos on my website) but it's been back in traffic for quite a while.  In early 2002, 363 derailed at the Brighton Road crossover while shunting.  TA can't really afford to have too many trams out; with 15 operational trams (fitted with Air-Con) and a peak hour requirement of 12 they're cutting it fine.

All observations made from outside the depot premises and trackside.

Will make a trip to the depot tomorrow (during daylight) and re-check some of these observations for you as well.

a couple of re-checked observations:

378 has the tarp back over it.

379 has no pantograph.  That was all that I could see missing as it was blocked by 363

363 and 375 have no validators.  Validators could be installed at a moment's notice however as the mountings appear to still be in place..

363 has had the "$14990" sign removed from it.  Tram has evidence of a grafitti attack.

377 appears to still have validators installed.  376 was blocked by 375 and 377.

also, single cars were noticed running during the off-peak today (TA trying to make a liar out of me???)

I have heard that an American tram museum is possabily interested in getting their hands on a 2 car set.

Would be good to see an Aussie built "Interurban" style tram go to America, maybe even run on a preserved Interurban line alongside some of its American cousins. At least on the American trackage the H's could really strech their wheels at a reasonable pace.

What are the tram #s that have the TA Q&A signage on them?

TA Q&A Signage?

If by that you mean the Adelaide Metro advertisements - "How did we afford this?  We caught the tram to work!", there were orighinally 5 with this: 351, 367, 374, 380, 365.  However 365 and 380 have lost it leaving 351, 370 and 374.  

377 (out the back of the depot) has a banner for the National trust and 370 has that artwork on it.

What was done in the 80's and the millennium refurbs?

I have just come back from a trip to SA and noticed two distinct interior stylings. The tram that appeared to be of the Millennium refurb batch (367 iirc) was notably clean on the inside, had the distinct chopper whine on takeoff and appeared to have all new fittings & timbers (incl the brass surrounded "Stopping" light in the passenger saloons. Other trams ridden on (presumably 80's refurb) appeared a lot shabbier on the inside, and notably had standard bus style "Stopping" lights in the passenger saloon.

Unless I wasn't being observant on my trip a couple of years ago, the new things I noticed this time around were the bus style stopping indicators, and the single "ding" to alert the driver of your intention to stop at the next stop (replaced with a buzzer when the doors are opened, for the conductor).

What is notably different between the three styles of trams?

Search was my friend and it dragged up this old thread.

Tram 377 was spotted by myself on the back of a low loader truck heading towards the border as I was on my way home from my shop in the upper south east. My guess would be that it is heading in the direction of Ballarat/Bendigo/Melbourne.

Any suggestions peoples?

According to Trams Down Under (http://tdu.to) the disposal listing is:

371 & 372 ...................to PETS, WA
363-376-379................are going to Penrith in New South Wales.
364.............................is going to the AETM St. Kilda Tram Museum S. A.
365.............................is going to the St. Kilda Tram Museum, to be held for someone.
357-358.......................are going to STM Loftus N.S.Wales.
369.............................is going to Bendigo in Victoria.
361.............................is going to the Holdfast Council, Glenelg in
South Australia.
368.............................is going to the W2-538 group, Fitzroy, Victoria.
373 ............................to TMSV  Bylands Museum in Victoria.

...And no mention of where 377 is going although I did see at another forum that someone has suggested it is going to a private residence in Borrdertown which is the way the low loader was travelling.

Ok, here is a photo of the subject tram back in 1997 during one of my 'discretionary absences' from year 12 schooling! ahhhh, so many memories...

Can I ask a question. Has the shade of Tuscan on the trams been darkened over the past 5-6 years?

On the millenium refurbs, they have darkened the cars slightly.

None of the other trams have been painted at all, save for one of the 1970 refurbs (I think either 375 or 376 had a repaint a couple of years back) and maybe 372 for the Olympic Torch relay.