Port Adelaide - Transport

See Also:

Adelaide - Transport

If Cobb and Co can run a coach
For ninepence to the Bay,
Why should Port railway passengers
Have twice as much to pay.
(Register, 10 August 1869, page 2h.)

Ferries
Miscellany
Railways
Tramways

Ferries

An Essay of Port Adelaide Ferries

The township of Bridgewater was created by Alfred Watts in 1855 on "the nearest high ground to the Port" which he declared possessed an "unlimited supply of fresh water...", while its neighbour, Birkenhead, was the joint creation of Thomas Elder and John Hart in 1861. They claimed it to be a "healthy site" in the immediate vicinity of Port Adelaide.

In 1875 a disgruntled citizen suggested that "this part of Adelaide is nothing more than a long, narrow estuary creek of shallow water" and went on to have a tilt at the authorities in the City for their lack of interest in the Port:

It is the old story of "vested interests". The wealth of the colony is centred in Adelaide... These are not at all interested in the old Port... and their unanimity for one object influence the Government and are predominate in the House of Assembly, and so it is they have kept things as they are and oppose all change...

However, some Portonians with an eye for business, profit and incidental progress had different ideas for, by 1877, it became obvious that some cheap form of transportation was necessary across the river to Port Adelaide for the convenience of residents of the two towns. Accordingly, on 4 January of that year a meeting took place at the Ship Inn under the presidency of the Mayor, Mr David Bower. Thirty interested people attended and Mr Christie explained the origin of the scheme and referred to recent Government promises to erect approaches on both sides of the Port River. In addition to Mr Christie other foundation members of the proposed company were Messrs J. Walker, D. McKendrick, R. Lindsay, W. Harris and J.M. Sinclair.

Within a short time the Port Adelaide Ferry Company was founded and a tender accepted for the construction of a ferry boat by Messrs McCallum (or McAllan) Smith and Co. The specifications provided for a vessel 40 feet long, 10 feet abeam in the midships diminishing to six feet. Seats were to be fitted on both sides to accommodate 60 passengers and, to avoid the need for turning the ferry, it was to have a screw propeller and rudder at each end.

To provide access and egress the existing landing steps at the end of Commercial Street were extended and at Birkenhead a 200 feet long pier was constructed. The one-way fare was set at one penny per trip.

The trial run of the ferry, appropriately called Unique, took place on 26 October 1877 and a few days later the ferry service was formally opened by the former Colonial Treasurer, Mr R.D. Ross.

From the start it was well patronised and, in June 1878, a dividend of two shillings a share was declared. Earlier, on New Year's Day, 1878, the ferry's resources were "severely taxed" for 4,300 passengers were accommodated and:

The man in charge appears to have been roughly handled and in the rush he was forced under foot and bruised; his watch was damaged and the chain lost... [After this unfortunate event] a policeman was stationed on the steps to prevent overcrowding. In later years the company was plagued with problems until, finally, due to lack of patronage the company was wound up in 1890 when, in a reflective statement, it said that the service was "at first conducted by steam ferry but latterly by boats."

Sources
Register, 4 September 1875, pages 5e-f, 5 January 1877, page 5d, 25 June 1877, page 5c, 30 August 1877, page 4g, 27 and 29 October 1877, pages 5a and 5c-6a, 4 January 1878, page 5b, 13 June 1878, page 5d, 18 December 1890, page 5a. The ferry continued under the auspices of the Marine Board - see Register, 26 and 28 December 1895, pages 3h and 5b, 11 December 1896, page 5b, 29 January 1897, page 3d, 6 August 1897, page 4h. Also see 3 January 1900, page 4i, 24 February 1900, page 10i, 2, 16, 21, 22 and 26 March 1900, pages 5a, 5b, 3g, 4g and 3d.

General Notes

Information on boatmen and their charges is in the Register,
20 April 1854, page 2e:

To charge a shilling for a journey of a hundred yards is coming it a little too strong, even for gold-digging times.

The launching of a ferry punt is reported in the Register,
5 October 1854, page 3d.

A deputation urging the need for a ferry to and from Le Fevre Peninsula is reported upon in the Advertiser,
24 January 1876, page 6f.

Information on the Port Adelaide Steam Ferry Company is in the Express,
24 November 1879, page 2e.

A meeting in respect of a proposed ferry company is reported in the Register,
5 January 1877, page 5d; also see
30 May 1877, page 4g,
2 June 1877, page 5e,
25 June 1877, page 5c,
30 August 1877, page 4g,
27 and 29 October 1877, pages 5a and 5c-6a - the latter describes the opening of the ferry and on New Year's Day of 1878:

The man in charge appears to have been very roughly handled and in one rush he was forced under foot and bruised; his watch was damaged and the chain lost...

See Register,
4 January 1878, page 5b,
13 June 1878, page 5d,
16 June 1879, page 5b,
16 December 1879, page 5b,
Express,
8 July 1887, page 2c,
Register,
18 December 1890, page 5a (winding up of company),
26 and 28 December 1895, pages 3h and 5b (leased from Marine Board),
11 December 1896, page 5b,
29 January 1897, page 3d,
6 August 1897, page 4h.

"The Ferry Fracas" is in the Express,
17 and 18 February 1888, pages 2f and 3d; also see
6 September 1888, page 2f.

Also see Express,
12 December 1899, page 2c,
20 March 1900, page 3g,
Register,
3 January 1900, page 4i,
24 February 1900, page 10i,
2, 16, 21, 22 and 26 March 1900, pages 5a, 5b, 3g, 4g and 3d,
17 June 1901, page 6g,
11 and 19 June 1903, pages 6f and 4f,
1 and 9 July 1903, pages 4g and 4f,
18 and 23 December 1903, pages 6i and 4g-6g,
3 and 4 May 1904, pages 4e and 5i.
A photograph "At the Ferry Steps" is in the Chronicle,
6 January 1906, page 29.

Also see Register,
8 January 1909, page 4f,
5 February 1909, page 4i,
2 April 1909, page 4f,
11 June 1909, page 4g,
18 March 1911, page 12f,
20 September 1911, page 12h,
29 July 1916, page 6e,
9 and 26 August 1916, pages 8g and 8h,
21 April 1922, page 6f,
20 May 1922, page 11b.

Information on three operating ferries is in the Register,
21 September 1900, page 4h; also see
27 September 1900, page 4h,
2 October 1900, page 4g,
26 August 1901, page 4g,
19 December 1902, page 4h,
28 August 1903, page 4g,
3 June 1904, page 4e,
17 June 1904, page 6g,
19 July 1904, page 4f,
Express,
11 April 1913, page 2g,
Advertiser,
18 July 1913, page 8e,
Register,
24 September 1920, page 8a,
Advertiser,
26 January 1922, page 9g.

"Vehicular Ferry - Needed at Port Adelaide" is in the Register,
20 May 1922, page 11b.

A photograph of a Birkenhead ferry is in the Advertiser,
22 February 1929, page 18,
Chronicle,
2 March 1929, page 16.

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Miscellany

A complaint about a sandhill impeding traffic is in the Register,
28 July 1838, page 4:

Those whose business takes them to the Port must have witnessed the treatment of the poor bullocks in bringing a load over the sand - what swearing, tearing and lashing there is!

Information on the "Comet" is in the Register,
14 February 1850, page 3d:

[It is] a handsome commodious vehicle built by Mr Matthews of Weymouth [sic] Street for our "crack whip", Mr Charles Tanner. It is adapted for the comfortable conveyance of twelve passengers inside, and five, besides the driver, outside.

Further information on early transport to and from Adelaide is in the Register,
6 February 1918, page 9b.

A letter in respect of inherent dangers of "Port Carriers" operating at night is in the Register,
28 April 1868, page 2h:

It was not until the public cried "shame" from the frequent loss of life that gas lamps were erected on the wharfs at Port Adelaide. Must we shut our eyes to the necessity of all drays having lights till more life is sacrificed...

Also see Port Adelaide - Port Road

The subject of lights on vehicles in the metropolitan area is discussed in the Register,
19 April 1872, page 3e and
12 March 1873, page 5a; also see
25 February 1876, page 5c.

Local transport problems are traversed in the Observer,
13 July 1914, page 8c.

"Tram and Train and the Port" is in the Register,
10 May 1929, page 6c.
Also see Adelaide - Railways and Adelaide - Electric Trams

Local transport problems are traversed in the Observer,
13 July 1914, page 8c.

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Railways

Also see:
South Australia - Transport
Adelaide - Transport

A proposed railway from Adelaide is discussed in the South Australian Record,
8 May 1839, pages 188 and 192.

"Railroad to Port Adelaide - Formation of a Company in London" is in the Register,
31 August 1839, page 4d; also see
28 September 1839, page 5c,
9 November 1839, page 5a,
18 July 1840, page 7b,
6, 10, 13, 17 and 24 January 1849, pages 2e, 2d, 2a, 4a and 4d,
7 March 1849, page 2e,
16 and 23 May 1849, pages 3e and 2e,
20 June 1849, page 2d,
11 and 18 July 1849, pages 2c and 2c-e,
15 August 1849, page 4b,
24 and 28 November 1849, pages 2e and 3a,
5 December 1849 (supp.), page 1b.

Also see Register,
4 and 29 January 1850, pages 2c-e and 2c,
21 March 1850, page 2d,
11 June 1850, page 2b,
10 July 1850, page 2d,
4 October 1850, page 2d,
12 May 1851, page 2d,
23 August 1851, page 2e,
15 and 30 September 1851, pages 2c and 2b,
25 July 1853, page 3a,
18 August 1855, page 2e,
9 February 1856, page 2e,
Register,
24 August 1855 (supp.).

Earlier references to the construction of the line are in
Parliamentary Paper
50/1853, 75/1853, 87/1853, 94/1853, 99/1853.
Reminiscences are in the Register on
5 July 1915, page 6d.

An obituary of Isaac Puddy, "the first superintendent of the Port Adelaide railway", is in the Register,
10 November 1905, page 4h - it includes historical information on the Port railway and others in South Australia.

"The First Train", the reminiscences of H.W. Hayman, is in the Register,
25 November 1905, page 9g.
Reminiscences of the early railway are in the Register,
30 October 1920, page 12g; also see
5 February 1921, page 6h,
6 June 1922, page 10d.
Historical information on the first railway is in the Register,
22 July 1927, page 15c.

An obituary of George Poyzer, "fireman of the first locomotive that ran from Port Adelaide to Adelaide", is in the Observer,
3 August 1907, page 40e.

"Our First Railway" is in the Chronicle,
28 October 1899, page 22d.
"A Red Letter Day - Our First Rail Journey" is in the Register,
5 February 1921, page 6h.

"Public Works - Adelaide City and Port Railway" is in the Observer,
10 February 1855, page 7h.

Also see South Australian,
30 January 1849, page 1b,
6 February 1849, page 3a,
6 and 9 March 1849, pages 2a and 2a,
19 June 1849, page 4b.

Railway working expenses and traffic returns are discussed in the Register,
11, 17 and 18 August 1855, pages 2h, 3f and 2e.
Level crossings are discussed on
24 November 1855, page 2d.

Further information on the railway is in the Register,
19 and 21 December 1855, pages 3c and 3c,
18 and 31 January 1856, pages 2g and 2h,
1, 9 and 12 February 1856, pages 3h, 2e and 3h,
1, 16, 22 and 23 April 1856, pages 2h, 2e, 2e-3c, 2e and 3g,
13 June 1856, page 2f,
24 July 1856, page 2e,
23 August 1856, page 3f,
14 and 31 October 1856, pages 3c and 2c,
6 November 1856, page 2f.

Trial trips on the railway are reported in the Register,
8 and 14 April 1856, pages 2f and 3d;
its opening on
21 April 1856, page 3c.

A complaint, under the heading "The Port Railway and Water-Cresses", is in the Observer,
23 August 1856, page 7c.

"Mismanagement on the Port Railway" is in the Chronicle,
27 February 1875, page 11e,
Express,
22 February 1875, page 2b.

An editorial on the railway appears in the Advertiser,
24 April 1878, page 4e; also see
25 April 1878, pages 4d-7a,
1 May 1878, page 7d.
An accident is discussed in The Lantern,
2 November 1878, page 10.
A sketch of an accident is in Frearson's Weekly,
10 April 1880, page 97.

"A Railway Jubilee" is in the Advertiser,
19 April 1906, page 5i,
Register,
21 April 1906, page 10a.

Reminiscences of the early railway are in the Register,
30 October 1920, page 12g.

Historical information on the first railway is in the Register,
22 July 1927, page 15c.

"A Red Letter Day - Our First Rail Journey" is in the Register,
5 February 1921, page 6h.

Parliamentary Paper 194/1855-56 has a report and map re a tramway to the "Sea Beach" at Semaphore, while Parliamentary Paper 200/1855-56 has a petition concerning rail fares.

Information on locally manufactured railway carriages is in the Register,
25 October 1855, page 2h,
Observer,
27 October 1855, page 3g.

A complaint about train time-tables is is in the Register,
15 October 1866, page 3c (see earlier reference in
Parliamentary Paper
200/1855-56); also see
Chronicle,
2 January 1886, page 9e.

A reader of the Register complains of the excessive fares payable on the Port line - see
1 April 1871, page 5b,
30 September 1872, page 6c,
11 May 1874, page 6b;
a schedule of fares, etc, is listed on
4 April 1871, page 7d; also see
3 February 1873, page 5b and
Chronicle,
23 February 1878, page 15c.

"Mismanagement of the Port Railway" is in the Express,
22 February 1875, page 2b.

An irate passenger airs his grievances on 23 February 1875, page 6d:

... It requires a prize fighter to get a ticket and when one is obtained it requires two prize fighters to get one person into a carriage - to be almost smothered to death... The traffic has quite outgrown the capacity or capacities of the present wooden-headed officials...

Also see Advertiser,
22 and 25 February 1875, pages 2d and 3c,
The Irish Harp,
5 February 1875, page 3c,
The Lantern,
22 February 1875, page 4b.

Railway time tables, etc, are in the Register,
22 March 1875, page 5d; also see
2, 3 and 7 April 1875, pages 6f, 6e and 6c,
12 May 1875, page 7f,
31 May 1879, page 7b.
Comment on the fares appears on
5 June 1883, page 6e,
Express,
30 and 31 December 1885, pages 6d and 2g.

Information on the railway station is in the Observer,
3 April 1875, page 8b.

"Railway Discomfort" is in the Register,
14 April 1877, page 5e; also see
14 and 18 April 1877, pages 4d and 5g,
14 April 1897, page 6e.

An example of nefarious passenger practice on the railway is in the Register,
12 April 1878, page 5f,
while information on the railway station appears on
20 June 1881, page 4g.

An accident on the Port railway is reported in the Register,
14 February 1878, page 5g,
6, 15 and 16 April 1880, pages 4e-5f, 4d-5f and 5b,
Chronicle,
10 April 1880, page 7e.

Information on the railway station is in the Register,
24 March 1880, page 5d; also see
13 May 1880, page 5a.

Railway matters at Port Adelaide are discussed in the Express,
17 April 1883, page 3e.

"Killed by a Train" is in the Register,
19 November 1883, page 5a.

Improvements in the Port Adelaide railway station yard are discussed in the Register,
17 January 1884, page 7a,
6 December 1884, page 7b.

"Trains v Trams" is in the Chronicle,
6 December 1884, page 9b.

"Electric Trams - The Port Adelaide Scheme" in the Express,
3 September 1912, page 4a.

"Blunders on the Port Railway" is in the Register,
18 June 1885, page 4h; also see
23 June 1885, page 5b.

"The Port Railway Goods Tariff" is in the Register,
3 September 1885, page 4f.

Railway fares are discussed in the Register,
30 and 31 December 1885, pages 7a and 5a-6e,
2 August 1886, page 5a.
A Victorian's impressions of the railway are in the Register,
15 September 1887, page 5a.

"Locomotive Workshops" is in the Register,
10, 12 and 21 December 1888, pages 7d, 4g and 5b,
4, 12 and 17 January 1889, pages 4f-7d, 5a and 5b-6f.

An interesting letter on "Body Smuggling" on the Adelaide railway is in the Register,
29 December 1888, page 7c.

Railway facilities at the Port are discussed in the Register,
27 July 1889, page 6c,
30 December 1891, page 5c.

An accident on the Port railway is reported in the Chronicle,
19 July 1890, page 12b; also see
26 July 1890, pages 4e-8e.

The stables used by shunting-horses are described in the Register,
27 and 28 January 1892, pages 4h and 5g.

A list of station-masters on the Port line and their wages is in the Register,
13 December 1893, page 5b.

Trains in the streets are discussed in the Advertiser,
27 November 1893, page 6c.

An obituary of John Bawden is in the Register,
2 August 1899, page 5d,
Observer,
2 September 1899, page 4d.

"Grievances at the Railway Station" is in the Weekly Herald,
11 November 1899, page 7b.

"Carriages Dirty - Fares High" is the title of a complaining letter in the Register,
7 June 1901, page 7g and
the overcrowding of the trains on
31 October 1906, page 5e.

Information on the train service is in the Express,
31 May 1904, page 4b.

Proposed electrification of the railway is discussed in the Register,
22 June 1904, page 7c.

"The Drunks' Train" is in the Register,
8 and 17 November 1911, pages 15d and 9f.

"A Street Train - Its Removal Advocated" is in the Register,
25, 28 and 29 May 1912, pages 17f, 10a and 10e.

"Port Railway Problems" is in the Observer,
1 June 1912, page 38a.

Information on a new railway station is in the Observer,
5 April 1913, page 46,
Register,
3 April 1914, page 8f,
28 April 1916, page 4h,
2 May 1916, page 4d.
"New Port Station" is in The Mail,
22 April 1916, page 5b.

"Port Adelaide Street Railway" is in the Register,
24 May 1917, page 6d,
15 and 25 June 1917, pages 7e and 7g,
19 July 1917, page 7g,
26 September 1917, page 6g.

"Danger of Street Trains" is in the Advertiser,
28 June 1917, page 7a.

"St Vincent Street Railway - Removal Demanded" is in the Register,
15 June 1917, page 7,
19 July 1917, page 7g.

A photograph of a viaduct across the Port River is in The Critic,
27 December 1922, page 19.

"Port Dock Station - Proposal to Close It" is in The Mail,
24 March 1923, page 2g.

"Port & Henley Trains" is in The News,
11 January 1930, page 6g,
"Transport Duplication" on
24 June 1931, page 6d.

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Tramways

Also see Adelaide - Transport - Tramways

The opening of the Port Adelaide tramway to Queenstown and Alberton is reported in the Register,
19 April 1879, page 5c,
16, 23 and 31 May 1879, pages 5c, 1d (supp.) and 7b,
19 July 1879, page 6d;
sketches are in Frearson's Weekly,
7 June 1879, page 129.
Details of a trial of a steam motor are in the Register,
16 May 1879, page 5c; also see
31 January 1880, page 5b,
8 February 1881, page 5g,
21 May 1881, page 5e.

A proposed tramroad to Adelaide is discussed in the Register,
21 June 1888, page 3.

A proposal to substitute a tramway for rail at the Port appears in the Register,
18 November 1891, page 5c; also see
20, 24, 26, 28 and 30 November 1891, pages 6f, 5b, 3f, 7g and 6h,
8 December 1891, page 7c.

A proposed tramway system is discussed in the Register,
2 July 1912, page 6g,
3 September 1912, page 7a,
8 November 1912, page 6e,
26, 27, 29 and 30 November 1912, pages 10b, 9c, 5g-6e and 11b,
2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 December 1912, pages 10i, 5c, 12f, 8e and 6g,
22 August 1913, page 7c,
Chronicle,
27 December 1913, page 43,
Advertiser,
22 October 1914, page 6g.

"Tram System for Port Adelaide" in the Register,
22 December 1911, page 5f,
"Electric Trams - The Port Adelaide Scheme" in the Express,
3 September 1912, page 4a,
Register,
3 September 1912, page 7a,
8 November 1912, page 6e,
26 and 29 November 1912, pages 10b and 5g-6e,
4 December 1912, page 12f,
22 August 1913, page 7c,
19 December 1913, page 6g,
10 July 1914, page 8e,
15 and 20 August 1914, pages 8f and 10b,
30 October 1914, page 4d,
2, 3, 7, 20 and 28 November 1914, pages 4c, 4e-7f, 8e, 4e and 8g,
29 March 1915, page 6d,
15 April 1915, page 4f,
5 November 1915, page 4f,
20 and 29 January 1916, pages 4e and 10g,
9, 20, 22 and 23 March 1916, pages 7f, 5b, 7c and 4d,
20 April 1916, page 4e,
8 July 1916, page 8f,
7, 15 and 19 December 1916, pages 4f, 6f and 7c,
12 January 1917, page 4f.
The opening of electric trams is reported in the Observer,
14 April 1917, page 28,
The Critic,
11 April 1917, page 13 (photographs).

"Tram System for Port Adelaide" in the Register,
22 December 1911, page 5f,
"Electric Trams - The Port Adelaide Scheme" in the Express,
3 September 1912, page 4a,
Register,
3 September 1912, page 7a,
8 November 1912, page 6e,
26 and 29 November 1912, pages 10b and 5g-6e,
4 December 1912, page 12f,
22 August 1913, page 7c,
19 December 1913, page 6g,
10 July 1914, page 8e,
15 and 20 August 1914, pages 8f and 10b,
30 October 1914, page 4d,
2, 3, 7, 20 and 28 November 1914, pages 4c, 4e-7f, 8e, 4e and 8g,
7 December 1914, page 3h,
29 March 1915, page 6d,
15 April 1915, page 4f,
5 November 1915, page 4f,
20 and 29 January 1916, pages 4e and 10g,
9, 20, 22, 23 and 24 March 1916, pages 7f, 5b, 7c, 4d-7f and 3f,
20 April 1916, page 4e,
23 and 31 May 1916, pages 4f and 9c,
3 and 24 June 1916, pages 8g and 9a,
21, 23 and 24 February 1917, pages 4e, 6d and 7d,
13, 27 and 31 March 1917, pages 4d, 3d and 11b,
3 and 4 April 1917, pages 4d and 8e,
27, 29 and 31 March 1917, pages 3d, 6e and 11b,
2 and 3 April 1917, pages 6e and 3c;
photographs are in The Critic,
4 November 1914, page 21.

The opening of electric trams is reported in the Observer,
14 April 1917, page 28; also see
Register,
11 May 1917, page 6e,
3 April 1918, page 9c,
25 November 1921, page 6g,
8 September 1922, page 11f,
9 December 1922, page 8f.
Photographs are in the Chronicle,
14 April 1917, page 30.

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