Re: Port Elliot

[Chris Brownbill <cbrnbill@enternet.com.au>]

John McCallum wrote:
> 
> Chris Brownbill wrote:
> >
> > I've just returned from a jaunt to said place.
> <SNIP>
> > Finally, I can thoroughly recommend a ride on the Victor Harbor horse
> > tram.  Its a great re-construction and something a bit different.  I
> > must admit I hadn't realised the scale of the operation - they have 4
> > trams.  I only saw one in operation at any one time, but the track has a
> > double-track terminus at the up end and a crossing loop on the island so
> > I guess they could operate up to 3 trams at a time even without convoys.
> 
> Chris,
> Did you happen to see the points at the passing loop on ths island when
> you were there?
> They are most unusual in that they have no blades.
> 
> --
> John McCallum
> email: mccallum@unite.com.au
> DTE Director and member Melbourne PC User Group

YES - in fact I paid particular attention to them because I remember
reading in a history of the Ballarat tramways about how horses pulled
the tramcars into the loops simply by following the track centres - and
I wanted to see this in action and by god its true!  In the Ballarat
case apparently when they first replaced horse trams with electric trams
they had all manner of problems with the new trams derailing at points
because the electric trams had the tendency to remain on a straight path
whereas the horses pulled the trams into the curves.  A case of a
virture of older technology being overlooked!