Re: Spies, Lies and Olympics - ABC-TV, 31/5

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Michael Kurkowski (mk@netstra.com.au) wrote:
> Bradley Torr <btorr@bigpond.nospam.com> said:

> >I wish the documentary would have gone into more detail re: Olympic
> >transport arrangements. There were lots of shots of buses transporting
> >athletes, etc. to and fro the Olympic village - but where *WAS* the
> >Olympic village? It looked very Housing Commission - perhaps Heidelberg?

> Correct, it was in fact Heidelberg West.

The story of transport arrangements for the 1956 Olympics would require a
whole series of its own, of interest to transport fans but not to many
others.

Last night's doco did have some nice pics of the then new later series W
class trams, and AEC Regal Mk IV buses. IIRC, the Mk IVs were ordered
specifically for the Olympics. Also a few brief shots of suburban Tait
trains.

There were a lot of specials from the country which ran to Jolimont and
then empty around the Inner Circle. They were all originally timetabled
for diesel locos, but most ended up with R class steam locos. The country
depot 'big wheel' drivers were piloted around the Outer Circle by North
Melbourne goods drivers. Some trains changed locos at Flinders St to E
class electrics working in pairs, although at the time weren't officially
allowed to haul passenger trains!

Cheers
David