Steam trams provided Sydney with its first form of motorised public land transport and came into use from 1879. These three models, comprising a steam tram motor, a double deck trailing car and a single deck one, represent the type of tram rolling stock used in Sydney in the last quarter of the 19th century.

The models are well crafted and built to operate in live steam by one of the founding members of the Hornsby & District Model Engineer's Society, Lowell (Bob) Cutcher. While model engineers regularly build model steam locomotives and stationary steam engines, Bob Cutcher chose to build a Sydney steam tram and trailing cars in 3½ inch gauge at a scale of ¾ inch to 1 ft. According to the "Model Engineer" magazine, this is an unusual choice of subject to model. Bob ran it in steam on the Society's model railway at Galston in the northern suburbs of Sydney. After his untimely death, Bob's widow, Audrey Cutcher, donated the models to the Museum in 1984.

Atkins, R. "The Sydney Steam Tram" in "Model Engineer" Vol. 143, 6 May 1977, pp.523-4.
Chinn N. & K. McCarthy, "New South Wales Tramcar Handbook 1861-1961 Part Two", South Pacific Electric Railway Co-operative Society Limited, Sutherland, NSW, 1976.
Simpson, Margaret "On the Move: A history of Transport in Australia", Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 2004.

Margaret Simpson
Curator, Science & Industry
July 2009

This fine steam tram motor model with two trailing cars was made by Lowell (Bob) Cutcher in 1970. It is part of a 4 unit set which originally also included a ballast wagon. Bob was a fitter and turner by trade and a founding member and driving force behind the Hornsby & District Model Engineer's Society, now the Hornsby Model Engineers Coop Ltd.

The models took two years to complete and as Bob said, "occupying a pleasant hour of his spare time each day". As well as this tram model, which operates by steam, Bob built a number of other models including stationary steam engines and a Beyer Garratt steam locomotive. He taught himself model making and during the 1970s helped build the Galston Valley Railway, a 1 km 5 inch gauge miniature railway running through the bush near Hornsby. The railway is used by model engineers who hold monthly public running days. There is a crossing on the railway called "Cutcher's Crossing" in Bob Cutcher's memory.

This steam tram motor model and trailing cars was donated to the Museum by Bob Cutcher's widow, Audrey Cutcher of Westleigh, New South Wales, in 1984. The models were displayed in the Transport exhibition of the Museum from 1988 until 1999.

This steam tram motor model represents the full-size Sydney trams which began operation in Sydney in 1879 when four motors were imported from the United States of America as a temporary transport measure to cater for the large numbers of visitors to the city for the Sydney International Exhibition of that year. These were in effect like little trains transferred to the street with a steam-tram motor hauling double-deck carriages. They comprised a small saddle-tank locomotive with four driving wheels enclosed in a wooden cab. Coke, and later coal, was carried in a bunker on the rear platform and water in the semi-circular saddle tank over the boiler.

The Sydney steam tramway was supposed to operate for only the six months' duration of the exhibition. However, it was so efficient and popular that an extension to Randwick was opened the following year. By 1894 the tramway network had increased to 65 km, the peak period of steam trams in Sydney. At this time there were over 100 steam-tram motors in service. Steam trams were also used at Newcastle, Maitland and Broken Hill in New South Wales and Rockhampton in Queensland.

The double deck trailing car tram model No. 3 represents the first trailers hauled by steam trams in 1879 for the Sydney International Exhibition. The full size trailers were made by Gilbert Bush Co. for J.G. Brill in 1879 and arrived on the ship "Dryad" on 3 September 1879. They accommodated 60 people of the lower deck and 30 on the upper one. The steam trams and trailers were only meant for a short period of operation and by 1886 the upper deck pillars were showing signs of decay. This saw the upper deck removed in 1887. The car was withdrawn from service in 1899.

The single deck steam tram trailing car model represents the C2 class (later B class) type car used with steam trams. The full size trailing car was built in 1891 by J. Morrison and sat 70 people. It operated on the Sydney steam tram system and after electrification was pulled behind an electric tram on the Manly network. In 1965 the car was preserved at the Steam Tram & Railway Preservation Society in Parramatta Park.

Model of Sydney steam tram motor No. 31A, 0-4-0, a C2 class single deck trailing car No. 191B, an A class double deck trailing car No.3, 3.5 inch gauge, with track, operating, metal / wood / fabric, made by Lowell (Bob) Cutcher, New South Wales, Australia, 1970

The model steam tram motor has a horizontal locomotive type boiler flanked with a semi-circular water tank and driven by two horizontal steam pistons located on either side of the frame. The body or cab extends from the firebox back plate to the smoke box front and has five glazed windows along each side. Access to the cab is through doorways at the back and front platforms. The front platform has "31A" in gold. Hinged sideboards conceal the side motion. The roof extends beyond the body at both ends but does not entirely protect the platforms. A clerestory surmounts the roof. Headlights are attached to the top of the roof at either end. A destination box is attached to the front apron featuring the Newcastle suburb of "Waratah" (although No. 31A was a Sydney tram). The roof has the chimney, boiler safety valve muffler, brake injector muffler, and two bells. The model is finished in vermilion for the body with fine gold lining. The roof and clerestory are brown and vermilion and the side panels are green with fine gold lining.

Specifications:
Outside cylinders: bore 11/16 inch (17.5 mm) bore, 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) stroke
Valve gear: Stephenson's
Wheels: 2.5 inch diameter (6.3 cm)
Boiler: 3 inch diameter (7.6 cm)
Boiler pressure: 60 p.s.i. (420 kPa)
Operating pressure: 30 p.s.i. (210 kPa)

The single deck steam tram trailing car model comprises a six compartment enclosed vehicle on two sets of four-wheel bogies. Each compartment has a pair of glass sliding doors. The compartments at each end are for smokers and are labelled on the outside. These are separated from the four non-smoking compartments by glass partitioning. Each compartment is fitted with wooden cross bench seats with wooden arm rests. There are 14 vertical and seven horizontal handgrips on each side of the exterior and a mock wooden destination board in the centre side of the roof. Other details include full length running boards and a hand brake at either end. The livery comprises upper panels of cream and lower panels of chocolate. The roof is dark tan with red and green lining and the running boards are grey and red. The model incorporates a water feed tank under the floor. The number "191B" is painted on the side of the car.

The double deck steam tram trailing car model is on two sets of four-wheel bogies. The upper deck has two longitudinal seats placed back to back and the ends are enclosed by a fixed canvas blind. Other than these the car's upper deck is open except for hand rails along each side of the car. Stairways are provided at either end of the car to serve the upper deck, which is covered by a metal canopy with scalloped valance. The bottom deck is made up of six open cross seat compartments protected with canvas blinds during inclement wether. The seats are fitted with metal arm rests. Other details include full length running boards and hand brakes at each end. The livery is chocolate and varnished wood and the No. "3" is painted on the aprons at either end of the car.

Made: Australia; 1970

B2566

1970