Wanganui 21 launch

Last weekend saw the launch into service of one of the most impressive
restoration (re-creation?) of a tram in this part of the world.

Trailer 21 from Whanganui in NZ was launched into service and Henry
Brittain of Wellington Tramway Museum was there to capture the attached
pics.

The quality of the work is outstanding, beginning with careful CAD work
by Leighton Chan to allow manufacture of missing parts, to selection of
high quality timber including rare NZ Kauri and a stunning paint job.

The trailer is 'convertible' meaning that it can be an open or closed
car - depending on the season.  The pictures show that.

The aluminium lower side panels and the windows slide up into the roof
for Summer.

The trailer was built by Boon & Co of Christchurch and entered service
around 1920.  It was hauled by electric trams  but will generally be
hauled by ex Sydney stem tram No 100 which also came to MOTAT from
Whanganui.  There is a prototype for stem haulage as that was needed
during a period when the power station failed in Whanganui.

Mal Rowe - grateful to Henry for the great pictures

Es on the main trunk

The annual Grand Prix circus took over a lot of Melbourne's trams over the weekend with regular passengers shunned in favour of the motor heads.

The changes meant that the E class made a rare appearance in Swanston St and St Kilda Rd.

A couple of pics ...

6093 on Princes Bridge - closed to all other traffic for both the Grand Prix and the Moomba festival.

6083 a D1 and another E in St Kilda Rd outside the National Gallery of Victoria.

Mal Rowe noting that the animated bird on the plantation seems to have little respect for the passengers

RE: [TramsDownUnder] How many tram drivers?

Or Whiteman Park? A few of us retirees only have one job, albeit unpaid, a tram driver at Whiteman park. 😊

Noel in Perth who will be taking one of the most colourful tramway identities ever for a ride on the tram tomorrow.

-----Original Message-----
From: tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Mal Rowe
Sent: Thursday, 26 February 2026 8:06 AM
To: TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>; Blogspot <mal.rowe.pcc980@blogger.com>
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] How many tram drivers?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics marked the 65th anniversary of the closure of Sydney's electric tram system with the attached graphic on facebook.

It shows the number of people employee as tram drivers by state as recorded in the last census.

Several people have remarked on the 8 "Sandgropers" who reported themselves as tram drivers.

Perhaps the 'trams' on Rottnest and at Pemberton are the explanation.

Mal Rowe who has travelled on one of the above.

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How many tram drivers?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics marked the 65th anniversary of the
closure of Sydney's electric tram system with the attached graphic on
facebook.

It shows the number of people employee as tram drivers by state as
recorded in the last census.

Several people have remarked on the 8 "Sandgropers" who reported
themselves as tram drivers.

Perhaps the 'trams' on Rottnest and at Pemberton are the explanation.

Mal Rowe  who has travelled on one of the above.

Re: Sydney "tram" signs was [TramsDownUnder] CBD and South East Light Rail

On 24/02/2026 15:32, 'TP' via TramsDownUnder wrote:
> Separate roads agencies in other states, legalistically following the
> legislation. The standard ideogram showing an old-fashioned
> drop-centre tram must also be extremely irritating to those trying to
> promote systems as "modern light rail". I remember when Canberra
> opened, the CEO of Canberra "Metro" (ironically named) was being quite
> passive-aggressive with journos referring to "trams".
>
The CEO may not like the term or the ideogram but Canberra uses the
Australian Standard signs and lights (with "T for Tram".

Mal Rowe in the city whose tram is the basis of the ideogram

Sarah Sands Engine House Brunswick

Last year Heritage Victoria approved the development of a seven storey building at the former Cable Tram Engine House (most recently Sam's Tyres) in Brunswick Road. 

Brunswick Community History Group (BCHG) and the Royal HistoricalSociety of Victoria both submitted objections to "this egregious example of facadism on an important historical building". 

Merri-bek Council approved the development with conditions of setbacks which would have preserved the appearance of the building and also prevented overshadowing of the buildings opposite. 

The developer objected to this condition at VCAT and was successful.

... adapted from a notice from BCHG

I have attached a rendering of the development from the public submission.

The west end of the former engine house is owned by others and the single storey section facing Black St fronts an active Yarra Trams substation as evidenced by the heavy traction current cables visible in the rendering.

Mal Rowe -  who will be interested to see how the developer handles issues with bordering on the substation.

Track renewal Spencer St and Bourke St

The triangular double track junction at the corner of Bourke St and
Spencer St Melbourne is being renewed.

First pic is an overview of work last night.

Second pic shows a couple of men carrying track gauges - an essential
and complex task in such a junction.

Work commenced late on the evening of Sunday 15th of February and will
be completed in time for first tram on Thursday 26th.

Details are at:
https://yarratrams.com.au/projects/bourke-and-spencer-streets-tram-infrastructure-upgrades


The junction was last renewed in April 2011, so has only lasted 15 years.

That rather short life is likely due in part to the Combinos that
traversed the junction until being banished to Brunswick when sufficient
E class trams were available to run route 96 from late 2014.

Mal Rowe still a trackwork voyeur