Tag Archive for 'Sydney Harbour Bridge'

Sydney’s double deck buses are back

Published on September 3, 2012 by Margaret Simpson in Object of the week. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
This Leyland Titan bus No. 2769, in the Museum's collection, operated in Sydney and Newcastle between 1954 and 1976. Collection of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, B2235, gift of New South Wales Public Transport Commission Store, 1976.

This Leyland Titan bus No. 2769, in the Museum’s collection, operated in Sydney and Newcastle between 1954 and 1976. Collection of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, B2235, gift of New South Wales Public Transport Commission Store, 1976.

The NSW Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, announced on 23 August 2012 that double deck buses are back on Sydney’s street for a trial. How did this all begin? The first private motor omnibus licence was issued on 21 April 1907 by Warringah Council to John Williams for his motor bus service from Manly to Pittwater. At this time Sydney was deeply in love with its trams. However, skills brought back by returned First World War ex-servicemen, who had gained experience with the new-fangled petrol-engined trucks in Europe, saw the rapid introduction of petrol-driven motor buses. By 1930 it was said that in Sydney there were 606 licensed buses run by 129 operators on 209 routes and running 221 services in the metropolitan area alone. Of these, 115 were in direct competition with Government trams! So serious was this threat to the established government tram routes, (the revenue was urgently needed to pay off the infrastructure loans), that legislation was passed which taxed many private operators off the roads.
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Celebrating an 80 year old coathanger

Published on March 19, 2012 by Anni Turnbull in Object of the week, Technology, transport and Urban development. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .
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Sydney Harbour Bridge from Dawes Point, Photography Jean -Francois Lanzarone Powerhouse Museum

What’s the fuss you say?

Well today is the birthday of an Australian icon, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, fondly known as the coathanger. Now eighty years old the Bridge has become a symbol of Sydney and of Australia, its arch shaped structure adding definition to the beautiful harbour and inspiring songs, artworks, photographs and poems like this one by Dorothy Auchterlonie’s (Green) 1940 poem Kaleidoscope:

Twinkle Twinkle little stars
On a million motor- cars
Along the Harbour Bridge so high
Like a coat-hanger in the sky

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Speak Up- the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Published on July 1, 2009 by Erika Taylor in Object of the week. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , .
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Collection, Powerhouse Museum

What is this block of marble? a geiger counter? what does it have to do with the Sydney Harbour Bridge?

Well, it is in fact a microphone! and the very same microphone used at the official opening ceremony of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 19 March 1932.

As always Matthew Connell tells it best:

What makes the microphone especially significant is that it was signed by ten of the dignitaries officiating at the launch, including the NSW Premier Jack Lang, NSW Governor Philip Game and the Bridge’s Chief Engineer, JJC Bradfield.

Thanks to this simple device we are able to hear their voices today and witness the unveiling of a great Aussie icon, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which symbolised progress, pride and hope for people at a time of great economic depression. Two months after the signatures were engraved on the microphone, Governor Philip Game sacked the Lang Government after Lang decided to default on loan repayments to the Commonwealth in favour of spending to stimulate the New South Wales economy. ..

Note: A big thank you to Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW who provided some of the images used in the youtube clip and to the National Film and Sound Archive’ & ‘Australianscreen Online’ who kindly provided the footage.