H type Adelaide tram
The H type Adelaide tram, popularly known as Glenelg tram or Bay tram, was a class of 30 trams built by A. Pengelley & Co, Adelaide in 1929 for use on the newly converted Glenelg tram line. They remained in regular revenue service for 77 years before being replaced by Bombardier Flexity Classic trams in 2006.
History
The 30 cars were designated Type H by the Municipal Tramways Trust; However, "H type" is now in common usage among tramway enthusiasts. They were built in the Adelaide suburb of Edwardstown by A. Pengelley & Co to operate the Glenelg tram line, which opened on 14 December 1929. Previously the line had been a South Australian Railways broad-gauge, steam-hauled passenger railway line, mostly on a private reservation; conversion was to standard gauge and power by overhead electrical wire. They were also used on the Henley North line from 1935 and through to Kensington Gardens after these lines were through-routed in 1952.Between 1952 and 1956 all were repainted silver and carnation red, with interiors in Ashbury green. Most were returned to tuscan red, with varnished wood interiors, between 1971 and about 1989. Trams in both liveries are present at the Tramway Museum, St Kilda, South Australia.
In 1968, 366 and 377 were deemed surplus and scrapped. At the time, for operations management reasons all were run in coupled pairs, with an odd-numbered car being coupled to the next even-numbered car. This sometimes required cars to be re-numbered. Thus, for example, 353 and 354 were renumbered 377 and 366 to be married with 378 and 365 respectively. All services were operated by a crew of driver and conductor.
In 1986, the trams' trolley poles were replaced with pantographs. In 1990, 378 was fitted out as a restaurant car being repainted royal blue with gold lining. On 15 July 2000, 372 was used to convey the Olympic flame from Glenelg to Morphettville as part of the 2000 Summer Olympics torch relay.
Most of the type H trams were replaced during 2006 by new Bombardier Flexity Classic trams. However, five were refurbished in 2000. By 2012, only 351 and 367 remained; the other three were stored at Mitsubishi Motors Australia's Clovelly Park plant. In 2012, 351 was restored in tuscan red by Bluebird Rail Operations at Islington Railway Workshops. It briefly operated weekend services in August 2013. In December 2013, 352 returned from overhaul by Bluebird Rail Operations painted silver and carnation red. The only other recorded use of the pair was in February 2015, when they operated a charter. The final charter run was by 352 in December 2015.
To make room for new Alstom Citadis trams at the Glengowrie depot, in December 2017, 351 and 352 were moved to the Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure's Walkley Heights facility. In 2021 they were donated to the Tramway Museum, St Kilda and transferred there as the sixth and seventh H cars on site.
Characteristics
Sharing many of the characteristics of North American interurban cars of the first four decades of the 20th century, the cars' period ambience was carefully maintained during their government revenue service. Although they went through several refurbishment programs over the years incorporating updated features such as safety glass, fluorescent lighting and upgraded bogies, they ultimately retained varnished wood and etched glass interiors, a classic tuscan-red-and-cream exterior colour scheme, and neither heating nor air-conditioning in the passenger saloons. They operated in two-car sets and, in the 1930s, as triple sets.The Type H trams were the longest rigid-body trams remaining in service in Australia, and the second-longest ever built. After the retirement of the W2 trams from Melbourne's network, they were the oldest passenger trams in service in Australia.
Preservation
, 15 Type H trams were at museums:| Number | Owner | Status |
| 351 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda, SA | In traffic |
| 352 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda | In traffic |
| 355 | Private owner | Not operable, under long-term restoration at the Tramway Museum, St Kilda |
| 357 | Sydney Tramway Museum | In storage |
| 358 | Sydney Tramway Museum | In traffic |
| 360 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda | Operable, on static display |
| 362 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda | Operable, stored |
| 364 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda | Operable, stored |
| 365 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda | In traffic |
| 368 | Tramway Museum Society of Victoria | Stored |
| 371 | Perth [Electric Tramway Society] | Stored, under restoration |
| 372 | Perth Electric Tramway Society | Operable but yet to enter traffic |
| 373 | Tramway Museum Society of Victoria | On static display |
| 374 | Old Tailem Town Pioneer Village | On static display |
| 378 | Tramway Museum, St Kilda | Operable, on static display |