The Enfield system was a separate group of lines based around a depot in Enfield, in Sydney’s inner south-west.
The system began as a steam tramway opening in 1891 between Ashfield station and Enfield. In 1901, this line was extended north to Mortlake, and in 1909 a branch to Cabarita Park was opened.
The system was electrified in 1912. Services operated from Ashfield station, through Enfield, north along Burwood Road. The line then turned into Crane Street, then Majors Bay Road and Brewer Street to Cabarita Junction.
The line was double track until this point, then it split into single-track branches to Mortlake via Frederick, Vanhee and Gale Streets and Tenneyson Road, and to Cabarita via Cabarita Road.
Services operated every five minutes between Ashfield and Wellbank Street in peak periods, and every 15 minutes (30 minutes at off-peak times) on the two branches.
After electrification, services were provided predominately by O Class trams after experimentation with other classes found that they were unable to operate the timetables due to topography challenges.
The lines closed in 1948, and were replaced by buses. Tramway infrastructure was removed throughout the route in 1951.
To learn more about Sydney’s tramways join us at the City of Canada Bay Museum, 1 Bent Street, Concord on Saturday, 4th April at 1:30 for 2:00 pm sharp start, when Peter Kahn from the Tramways Museum will be talking about Sydney’s Trams of Yesteryear.
