Schools, community groups, not-for-profits and other public institutions are being encouraged to acquire a retired tram from the Victorian Government under an expression of interest process starting May 28.
Melbourne’s iconic W-Class trams will be included in the Retired Trams Strategy, which will see an expressions of interest process run until July 6.
Under the new strategy potential bidders will be asked how they would restore, repurpose and maintain an old tram, with the goal of preserving the retired vehicles for future generations.
This follows what the state describes as a “careful examination” of the 237 retired trams by an expert Stakeholder Reference Group, which in turn developed the strategy to bring the trams out of storage at the Newport Railway Workshops.
134 of the retired trams will be made available to the public as part of the expression of interest.
Other retired trams including the Art Trams, Advertising Trams, and a small number of other trams will be preserved for potential re-purposing in the future.
Many retired Melbourne trams have been repurposed in the past, with some now used as cafes and classrooms, among other purposes.
The state said anyone is welcome to express their interest but said community groups and educational institutions were particularly encouraged to apply.
“Over the years trams have transported millions of Victorians, connected our communities and are an integral part of our rich heritage,” Victorian public transport minister Jacinta Allan said.
“If they’re not going to be used on the network, we want to keep these trams accessible to the community. These Victorian icons will now be available to come to life once again and preserved for future generations to enjoy.”
Allan said expressions of interest will be assessed by an independent panel against a weighting system, which gives priority to those trams that will remain accessible to the public and provide a demonstrable community benefit.
More information is available at victrack.com.au/trams.