POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Destination rolls used on Sydney and Newcastle electric trams

Object No. 2005/68/1

The distinctive coloured symbols which appeared on many of the destinations signs displayed on the front and rear of Sydney's electric tams originated from the days of steam operation. They first appeared in May, 1881, in the form of coloured painted plates placed on the front of the steam tram motors above the painted destination name board. At night they were replaced by oil lamps with coloured shades. The different colour code adopted for each line or group of lines served several purposes. They provided easy identification of tramway destinations for passengers, who were illiterate, unable to read English or had poor eyesight. Furthermore, in the later years of steam operation, the codes enabled staff at the congested dead-end city terminal at the Bridge Street Yard to readily identify rapidly approaching trams and thus ensure they were quickly placed and shunted onto the correct track for the return journey. With the opening of the George Street electric line in 1899, larger glass-fronted and internally illuminated boxes were introduced on the ends of electric cars. These boxes had sufficient space for the display of the appropriate coloured symbols and the name of the terminus. The linen rolls were attached to rollers inside the top and bottom of the boxes and were turned by handles on the outside. Destination signs were also displayed on both side of all cars and conductors were required to ensure that both near and offside boxes always displayed the correct destination. On the coupled sets an intermediated termini was usually displayed on the first car. The side signs originally featured black printing on a white background but this was later replaced by white writing.