Volume 24:
Editors note: Several articles on the road testing of early motor vehicles have come to light, indicating that Pymble Hill has a strong connection with the history of motor cars in NSW.
FIRST MOTOR CAR.
A GREAT MOVEMENT.
(BY HARRY GORDON.)
The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 10th July 1923
The brief history of the early model motor-car owned by Mr. August Gehde, published a recently In the "Herald," arouses interest in the first car to appear on the roads In Australia.
While a claim to the distinction has been made on behalf of a French engineer, who came to Perth about 25 years ago, the probability is that the first to appear here was a steam car constructed entirely at Armadale, Victoria, by Mr. H, Thompson, which was shown In Sydney at the Royal Show In 1900, and subsequently taken to Bathurst, and driven from there back to Victoria, via Fitzgerald's Mount, Blayney, Cowra, Young, Cootamundra, Bethungra, Junee, Wagga, and Albury.
The journey took ten days, from April 30 to May 9, and the occupants of the car on this first motor-car journey were the owner and Mr. E. L. Holmes, of Melbourne. The construction of this car took about two years, from 1896 to 1898, the first successful road trial being made in the latter year. About the same time Captain Harley Tarrant (Melbourne) was experimenting with the construction of a motor car, while a bold attempt was made In Sydney to convert a horse 'bus to motor power with disastrous results; the vehicle on a trial trip collided with a stone pillar at the gates of the Domain, and was broken to pieces.
The French car in Western Australia was a de Dion, which was imported and driven on the roads about Perth by an engineer sent out by a big firm in connection with some contract In tho west, which, however, fell through. The precise date is not available, but it is claimed to have been in the late '90's.
The first petrol motor-car to come to Sydney was a 3½ h.p. de Dion, with electric ignition, which Mr. W. J. C. Elliott landed in May, 1900, just 23 years ago, and after a great deal of trouble succeeded in driving about Sydney a few days later. Mr. Elliott, who had had a highly successful career as a racing cyclist, and built up a good business in the cycle trade in Sydney, made a trip to Paris and purchased the car there, at the same time obtaining as much instruction as possible in its control in the factory where It was constructed.
When put together in Sydney after being unpacked, however, many details had to be learnt by experiment and deduction, and for some time after the work of unpacking was complete the car absolutely refused to budge; in fact, it was not possible even to get the engine to fire.
At last it occurred to Mr. Elliott that he had heard some remarks made in Paris about timing the engine, and as he had already discovered that the batteries were providing the necessary spark for igniting the explosive mixture in the cylinders, he made some experiments with the contact breaker, one of which resulted in a back fire which nearly broke his arm. Reversing the position of the make and break gave the desired result, and the engine fired satisfactorily.
This car, after being driven in Sydney for some time, was sold, the buyer stipulating that as a road test it should climb the hill near Pymble railway station. The test attracted widespread attention, and a crowd assembled on the hill to witness the demonstration, people coming from far and wide on bicycles, and by every other means of locomotion, and lined the sides of the road, while the little De Dion panted valiantly over the hill, which today would hardly trouble the lowest-powered motor cycle in Sydney, The test was successful, and the sale was made, amid great enthusiasm.
TOP-GEAR QUALITIES.
Sydney Morning Herald Thursday 12th May 1927
There is a great deal in favour of the American car's quality of great flexibility on top gear when negotiating traffic especially, and this was brought home more than once in a suburban run made with Mr. Trevor Harvey on a new Chrysler Four, which is of 2796 c.c. a few days ago.
The car was taken around Centennial Park, and later a move was made out to Coogee, where Mr. Harvey has a pet hill, winding up the side of the big ridge between Coogee and Little Coogee, which, he said was something special, although viewed from the bottom it appeared rather easy compared with Arden-street or the Baden Hill. The car's top-gear climbing qualities, and also gear change, were both demonstrated on this hill, as a great deal of sand had been washed down on the worst corner, right at the bottom of the hill, and compelled some lightning changes.
Later in the day the writer took the car over entirely for a few hours, and made a run through the city over the Bridges road to Fig- tree, and up Burns Bay-road to the Lane Cove road, Pymble, and Wahroonga. It was proposed to cross the bridge into French's Forest at Roseville, but the road proved so bad after the recent rains that the visit was declared off sine die, and the concrete road followed out through Pymble.
On Pymble Hill, which is quite historic in connection with Australian motoring, as it was as the result of a demonstration climb of this hill in the presence of thousands of spectators that the first car imported here was sold, the car's top-gear qualities, even in the bands of a strange driver, were tested most practically, as descending traffic compelled two almost dead stops to be made, but the car picked up again to a speed of between l8 and 20 miles an hour, neither labouring nor straining, before reaching the top without any change of gear to assist the engine.
At Wahroonga there is a choice of two roads. The Lane Cove-road bends to the right, and goes on a couple of miles farther to Pearce’s Corner, where it ends in a junction with Peats Ferry-road. Almost straight ahead a road leads by the Sanitarium, and through the partially-settled, bushy country towards Beecroft.
Many years ago this road had been followed for some distance on a bicycle, and as an experiment the car was driven along it. For a mile or so it is very good, but then degenerated into a mere rough track through the trees, the fact that a car was going along It appearing to cause amusement to a party of telephone linesmen working in the vicinity. The bad road was not followed for any distance, however, and returning to a suitable spot a lunch basket was unpacked.
In the afternoon the car returned to town via the Lane Cove and Gordon roads, Crow's Nest, and Milson's Point punt. This road gave an opportunity of testing the compression as a braking system, which also proved satisfactory while the two-wheel braking system also acquitted itself well. The steering and shock absorbent qualities of the springing were also good, although the ear, perhaps because it was so lightly loaded, seemed to hove a tendency to roll slightly on corners. The steering, however, was delightfully light.
The car used was a touring model. There are also, of course, enclosed bodies, including coupes, coaches, and sedans. The car in which the drive referred to seemed to be satisfactorily light on petrol although this was not closely tested In any way.
HILL- CLIMBING CONTEST
Sydney Morning Herald Thursday 26th February 1914
The Sydney Bicycle and Motor Cycle Club will hold a handicap hill -climbing contest on Saturday afternoon. Members will rendezvous at Pymble Hill at 2.30 o’clock.
NORTHERN SUBURBS CONFERENCE
Sydney Morning Herald Thursday 2nd April 1914
Tho North Sydney Council, at last meeting received a letter from the Kuring gai Shire Council, enclosing the following resolution:-
"That this council favours the proposal of the City Council for the supply of electric light to North Sydney as a step towards the extension of the light to this shlre."
The clerk of the Mosman Municipal Council wrote stating that that council would be glad to co-operate in the matter of the conference on the subject of electric lighting.
The Lane Cove Council also intimated its pleasure at being represented at the conference.
The date has not yet been fixed.
KURING-GAI CLERK BEFORE COURT ON THEFT CHARGES
The Canberra Times Tuesday 29th April 1947
Arthur Havelock Hirst, 51, town clerk of Kuring-gai, appeared before the Hornsby Court today charged with the theft of council property and on a charge of having possession of goods suspected of having been stolen.
Mr. Boyd, who appeared for Hirst, said he thought that the evidence would show that "this was a very silly charge arising out of spite.”
The charges were remanded to May 28 on the application of the police.
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