The restoration of a

1937 Leyland TD4 double decker bus

In this special feature section David, a museum member, shares his passion and expertise for restoring his beloved 1937 Leyland TD4 double decker bus. With wit and candour David reveals his dedication to authenticity and his strong commitment to restoring his bus to its original pre-war condition. Filmed in his workshop this section explores the process of restoration and the skills required to bring the project to completion.

Rare archive material

Sourced from original private collections the archival photographs focus on the three makes of Sydney double decker buses: the AECs, the Albions and the Leylands. Photographed in various Sydney locations these colour and black and white photographs reveal the buses in their historic context. Also featured is a collection of photographs of trams operating in Sydney from the 1920’s to the 1960’s.

The DVD also includes a rare compilation of original archival black & white and colour film footage depicting buses in operation in Sydney. It highlights some of the Manly bus depot activities during the second world war and also contains unique footage of trams operating in Sydney in the 1940’s.

Motorfest

A key event in Sydney’s annual calendar, Motorfest features one of the largest displays of vintage vehicles in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a major event for the museum and attracts thousands of visitors. As part of the festival the Sydney Bus Museum showcases a large part of its extensive collection by offering free vintage bus rides to the public in the city. This special feature shows the museum's preparations for Motorfest and its operations throughout the city: a culmination of a lot of planning.

The discovery and acquisition

of a1926 ‘White’ bus

Located in a rural barn in outer Sydney is one of the few survivors of Sydneys’ first government bus fleet - a 1926 White bus. This fragile relic was acquired by the museum in order to complete its extensive collection of historic Sydney buses. This special feature reveals the challenges involved in moving the delicate wooden frame bus from its remote location to its new home at the Sydney Bus Museum.

      Tempe Tram Depot – Brief History

Tempe was originally a quiet fishing village situated on the Cooks River. It is located approximately 9 kilometers from the city centre of Sydney.

Construction began on the depot at Tempe in 1911. The depot was built to service the then rapidly expanding southern suburbs of Sydney. The historic tram sheds are built in an imposing Arts and Craft style, with a castle-like facade. The imposing facade is typical of industrial architecture in early twentieth century Sydney.

The site originally consisted of the tram sheds, office buildings, pool rooms, tennis courts and extensive landscaped gardens. A war memorial was built in 1920 to commemorate those employees who fought in World War 1. It was originally situated at the centre of the yard and surrounded by a rose garden.

At its peak the tram depot employed over 300 people, many of whom lived locally. There was a strong camaraderie amongst the workers and an active social network who engaged in road races and sporting activities all associated with the prevailing culture of public transport.

Over 100 trams ran out of the Tempe depot to Dulwich Hill, Canterbury, Earlwood and the nearby terminus at Cooks River. These were known locally as the "greenlines". The depot closed to trams in 1954 but reopened later as a bus depot. The Tempe depot is significant in being the most intact tram depot remaining in Sydney. Sydney’s vast tram network was the largest in Australia and the trams ran in Sydney until 1961.