SLOWLY but surely, the extension of Sydney's light rail line from Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill is starting to take shape.

The government has signed a contract with John Holland to design and build the line and it has also signed a deal with a French tram manufacturer to deliver 20 vehicles to run on the line.

Stationed … an artist's impression of the proposed Dulwich Hill interchange.

And it is showing draft designs of the nine new stations this weekend for public consultation.

The former Labor government under Kristina Keneally, said trams on the 5.5 kilometre light rail extension would be running by the end of this year. But last year, the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, said Labor had failed to do enough on the project.