Wheels turn on light rail testing, with first tram rolling down George St

Light rail testing has hit another milestone, with a tram travelling down George St, in the heart of Sydney, for first time in sixty years.

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A tram has travelled down George St in Sydney’s CBD for the first time in six decades.

Early on Tuesday, light rail testing hit another milestone, as one of the city’s new vehicles ran from Alison Rd at Randwick to Town Hall.

Workers walk alongside a tram travelling along George St for the first time in more than 60 years.

A tram rolls into Town Hall in Sydney CBD on June 24, 2019. Picture: Supplied

It rolled up to its finish point on George St about 12.30am before moving through the complex Hay St intersection and headed to the new light rail maintenance depot at Lilyfield.

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the test marked the first time in 61 years since a tram had travelled along George St.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the test was a milestone.

The tram went on to the new stabling yards in Lilyfield.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance called the moment a “fantastic milestone” and a “relief”.

“It’s just great news for everyone and it’s a big sign that we’re not far off now,” he said.

“The trams through the city should never have been turned off in the first place. It was a very big public transport mistake made many decades ago.”

The new depot has been created at the site of the former Rozelle Rail Yards (pictured). Picture: Depot City of Sydney archive

Sydney’s old trams. Picture: Depot City of Sydney archive

This new milestone comes about six weeks after the State Government settled a bitter legal dispute with the light rail’s builders and operators, Acciona and ALTRAC, after agreeing a $576 million payout.

At the time Mr Constance said the agreement would guarantee first services would run between Randwick and Circular Quay in December, while the line to Kingsford would go online in March 2020.

The new light rail maintenance depot being developed at Lilyfield.

Hay St is where the Inner West Light Rail and CBD Light Rail will interconnect once services on the latter are up and running in December.

The new depot has been created at the site of the former Rozelle Rail Yards.

Up to six trams will be able to be serviced at any one time for wheel repairs and replacements and structural and mechanical repairs.

It also includes 1105m of track laid with a 114m powered section to be used for tram testing.

The city’s fleet of 60 new trams will be housed at the Randwick stabling yard, where 36 trams already reside ahead of the line’s predicted opening in six months.

Day testing between Randwick and Surry Hills is also set to begin this week.