Passenger Rail, Rail Supply, Rolling stock & Rail Vehicle Design

Third historic tram restored

W-Class Tram. Photo: Yarra Trams

Five key steps have gone into the restoration of a third W-Class tram, which was put back into service to operate on Yarra Trams’ City Circle line this week.

The refurbished tram will join two historic W-Class trams already returned to service to operate on the City Circle.

First introduced onto the Melbourne tram network in the 1940s and 1950s, the three W-Class trams are restored to as close to their original appearance as possible, according to officials, while passenger safety, comfort and reliability have been improved.

Each restoration involves extensive stripping down and rebuilding.The complete refurbishment of the third W-Class tram includes:

  • new impact resistant driver’s cabin,
  • removal of high voltage wiring from the driver’s cabin,
  • new electronics and wiring to allow for GPS surveillance and improved electrical performance,
  • a complete rebuild of the body to include better safety features, and,
  • painting and restoring the green and gold livery.

Victorian transport minister Jacinta Allan was among an official group which farewelled the tram as it left the Bendigo Tramways Depot & Workshop on Wednesday.

“W-Class trams have been running since the 1940s and thanks to the hard work of Bendigo Tramways they will continue to show passengers everything Melbourne has to offer for years to come,” Allan said.

“Trams have changed significantly in the past 70 years, so restoring them is not just about returning them to their former glory – it’s also about bringing them into the twenty-first century in terms of safety, reliability and comfort.”

The fourth W-Class tram is currently being refurbished at the Bendigo Tramways and is scheduled for completion in late 2015.

Member for Bendigo West, Maree Edwards, thanked local craftsmen and women who she said “have breathed new life into this historic tram.”