James Hall Transport Museum

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James Hall Transport Museum
Johannesburg-tram-001.jpg
The last tram ran from 1906 to 18 March 1961.
James Hall Transport Museum
EstablishedFebruary 1964;59 years ago (1964-02)
Location La Rochelle, Johannesburg, Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Coordinates 26°14′03″S28°03′13″E / 26.23406°S 28.05355°E / -26.23406; 28.05355
Type Transport museum
FounderJames Hall, City of Johannesburg
CuratorGaisang Sathekge
Website jhmt.org.za

James Hall Transport Museum (JHTM) is a transport museum that aims to preserve and promote the history of over 400 years of transport in South Africa in particular, and Africa in general. It is the largest transport museum in Africa. It is located at Pioneers' Park beside the Wemmer Pan in La Rochelle, Johannesburg, South Africa. [1] [2] It was established in 1964 by Jimmie Hall and the City of Johannesburg. [3] [4]

Contents

Exhibits

Carts (1870-1910)

The museum exhibits carriages from the period 1870 to 1910. These include Cape carts, two-wheeled carriages that were specially adapted for use on the South African roads; also rickshaws, hearses, mail coaches and ox wagons. [5]

Levis motorcycle. Levis motorcycle-001.jpg
Levis motorcycle.

Bicycles and Motorbikes (1886-1960)

Some of the two-wheeled vehicles housed within the museum are penny-farthings, tandems, tricycles, and vintage and classic motorcycles. [6]

Buses and Coaches

This collection includes several double decker buses formerly used in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. There are vehicles from Daimler, Leyland, AEC and Guy. A 1952 RT double-decker London bus has been preserved, in working order, and is used for sightseeing tours. It also has a 1958 Guy double-decker diesel bus, one of 30 ever produced. [7]

Fire Engines and Equipment (1877-1960)

The exhibit has a range of fire engines and firefighting equipment, from a 1913 Merryweather Steam Pump to a 1947 Dennis with an 8-cylinder Rolls-Royce engine. Others include the 1936 Magirus Deutz with a 45-metre extension ladder and a Ford Thames fire engine from the Randburg Fire Department.

Firefighting artefacts included in the exhibit are extinguishers, fire buckets, fire alarms, hand pumps, and hoses, and the original alarm board and switch box mechanism from the Berea Fire Station. [8]

Other fire engines include:

Motor Vehicles (1900-1980)

Clement-Panhard: Type VCP (1900), Chassis No. 328, Engine No. 328; completed the 1928 Emancipation Run with an average speed of 22 kph. Clement Panhard-001.jpg
Clément-Panhard: Type VCP (1900), Chassis No. 328, Engine No. 328; completed the 1928 Emancipation Run with an average speed of 22 kph.

The museum has variety of motor vehicles with the oldest being a 1900 Clément-Panhard. [4] The Clément-Panhard took part in the 1928 Emancipation Run and finished with an average speed of 22 kph. [9] It has a 1959 Mayoral Rolls-Royce. [4]

Steam-driven vehicles

The museum has a number of steam powered vehicles on display. From "Texas Jack", a famous steam tractor used in the Witwatersrand mines. A Sentinel steam wagon served to transport coal and haul away scrap at the mines. [10]

Other vehicles include:

Trams and Trolley Buses (1896-1986)

The museum houses the first horse-drawn tram which was in use in Johannesburg from 1891 to 1902. It had maximum speed of 11 kilometres per hour (6.8 mph), drawn by two horses on a track laid in the middle of the road.

The museum also has the last tram ever ran from 1906 to 18 March 1961, and double-decker electric trams on display. [11]

Other trams and trolleybuses include:

See also

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References

  1. "James Hall Museum of Transport in Gauteng".
  2. http://www.bonaccordsteamclub.co.uk/James%5B%5D Hall Museum of Transport.pdf
  3. Jameson, Tarryn (7 February 2021). "Visit The James Hall Museum of Transport". Joburg.co.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Play in Joburg - James Hall Museum of Transport". City of Johannesburg.
  5. "Animal-Drawn Vehicles | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  6. "Bicycles and Motorcycles | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  7. "Buses and Coaches | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  8. "Fire Engines | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  9. "Motor Cars - Veteran, Vintage and Classic | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  10. "Steam-driven vehicles | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  11. "Trams and Trolley Buses | The James Hall Museum of Transport". jhmt.org.za. Retrieved 9 March 2023.