# H type Adelaide tram

The H type Adelaide tram was a class of 30 trams built by A Pengelly & Co, Adelaide in 1929 for use on the newly constructed Glenelg tram line. They remained in regular revenue service until replaced by Bombardier Flexity Classic trams in 2006.

## History

The 30 H types (numbers 351 - 380) were built locally by A Pengelly & Co in 1929 to operate the newly converted Glenelg tram line which opened on 14 December 1929. They were also used on the Henley North line from 1935 and through to Kensington Gardens after these lines were through-routed in 1952.
Between 1952 and 1956 all were repainted silver and carnation red, before being returned to tuscan red from 1971 with the last repainted in 1986.
In 1968, 366 and 377 were deemed surplus and scrapped. At the time, for operations management reasons all were run in coupled pairs, with an odd-numbered car being coupled to the next even-numbered car. This sometimes required cars to be re-numbered. Thus 353 and 354 were renumbered 377 and 366 to be married with 378 and 365 respectively. All services were operated by a crew of driver and conductor (driver and two conductors on coupled sets).
In 1986, the trolley poles were replaced with pantographs. In November 1990, 378 was fitted out as a restaurant car being repainted royal blue with gold lining. On 15 July 2000, 372 was used to convey the Olympic flame from Glenelg to Morphettville as part of the 2000 Summer Olympics torch relay.
Most of the H type trams were replaced during 2006 by new Bombardier Flexity Classic trams. However, five H-class (351, 367, 370, 374 and 380) were refurbished in 2000, with the intention of retaining these cars for special weekend and holiday operations. By 2012, only 351 and 367 remained; the other three were stored at Mitsubishi Motors Australia's Clovelly Park plant.
In 2012, 351 was restored in tuscan red by Bluebird Rail Operations at Islington Railway Workshops and briefly operated weekend services in August 2013. In December 2013, 352 returned from overhaul by Bluebird Rail Operations painted silver and carnation red. The only other recorded use of the pair was in February 2015, when they operated a charter. The final charter run was by 352 in December 2015.
To make room for new Alstom Citadis trams at the Glengowrie depot, in December 2017, 351 and 352 were moved to the Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure's Walkley Heights facility. In 2021 they were donated to the Tramway Museum in St Kilda and transferred there as the sixth and seventh H cars on site.

## Characteristics

They share many of the characteristics of American interurban streetcars of the 1950s and their heritage ambience has been carefully maintained. Although the H type trams have been through several refurbishment programmes over the years (incorporating more up-to-date features like safety glass, fluorescent lighting and upgraded bogies), they still retain varnished wood and etched glass interiors, a classic tuscan red and cream exterior colour scheme and neither heating nor air-conditioning in the passenger saloons.
The H type were the longest rigid-body trams remaining in service in Australia, and the second-longest ever built. With the widespread retirement of the W2 trams from Melbourne's network, they were the oldest passenger trams in service in Australia.

## Preservation

Several H-class trams have been preserved around Australia
| Number | Location | Comments |
| 351 | Tramway Museum | On static display. |
| 352 | Tramway Museum | Operational in regular traffic. |
| 357 | Sydney Tramway Museum | Stored at Canberra Railway Museum. Tram may have been sold. |
| 358 | Sydney Tramway Museum | Out of service and awaiting parts. |
| 360 | Tramway Museum | Operational. Currently out of traffic. |
| 361 | Bridgewater | Privately owned. Formerly stored at Glenelg. |
| 362 | Tramway Museum | On static display. |
| 363 | Lethbridge, Victoria | Privately owned. |
| 364 | Tramway Museum | On static display. |
| 365 | Tramway Museum | Operational in regular traffic. |
| 366 | Woodside, South Australia | Privately owned. |
| 367 | Tramway Museum | |
| 368 | Tramway Museum Society of Victoria | Formerly stored at Newport Workshops East Block. |
| 369 | Bendigo Tramways | Not in use. Advertised for sale in 2023. |
| 370 | ??? | Withdrawn in 2009. |
| 371 | Perth Electric Tramway Society | Stored at PETS - Whiteman Park, WA |
| 372 | Perth Electric Tramway Society | Currently under restoration for operation - PETS - Whiteman Park, WA |
| 373 | Tramway Museum Society of Victoria | |
| 374 | Old Tailem Town Pioneer Village | Near the village entrance. |
| 375 | Uncertain | Tram was believed to have been scrapped in 2006. |
| 376 | Bridgewater | Privately owned. Formerly at Glossop School. |
| 377 | Uncertain | Privately owned. |
| 378 | Tramway Museum | On static display. |
| 380 | Uncertain | Withdrawn in 2009. |

## In popular culture

* 351 and 378 can be seen in the music video to Taiwanese pop singer Amber Fang's 1990 single "Ai qing de gu shi" (Love Story), which was filmed in Adelaide.