Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

Hi Peter,

You are clearly correct.  The building behind the Metropolitan Hotel is
still there and 554 was a long term GH car.

Thanks.

Mal - apologising  for my misleading speculation!

On 30/07/2025 15:37, Peter Bruce wrote:
> Mal and all, I reckon 554 is northbound on William St having just
> crossed Little Lonsdale, the pub visible on the SW corner of Little
> Lon is the Metropolitan Hotel currently closed I think. Perhaps 554
> has come from the Southside via Balaclava Rd and St Kilda Beach final
> destination City/Dudley St to form a southbound service . Maybe the
> driver has just forgotten to alter the destination!! St Kilda Beach
> via Balaclava Rd makes no sense southbound out of the City. I can't
> lay my hand on a Depot allocation but I think 554 might have been a
> Glenhuntly car. Thoughts?
>
> Peter Bruce.
>
>

[TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

From:	Graeme Cleak <gcleak@optusnet.com.au>

Peter,

The through service, West Coburg - St Kilda Bch began 3/2/1946 as 55, whilst short workings to either West Brunswick or Domain Rd were allocated 56. At some stage early 50's, the 'confusing' 55 northbound/56 southbound numbering was adopted for thru trips.

The 1956 timetable shows through trips only running in M-F peak hours, plus all Sat morning.

The 1962 timetable only has a handful of through journeys in M- F peaks, in 1964 ex West Coburg at 6.25, 6.37, 6.54, 7.08, 7.20, 7.36, 7.48am,  then 4.33, 4.42, 4.54, 5.09pm. They are gone by 1969, though there were still 2 or 3 Peak trips Dudley & William to St Kilda Bch till 1983 shown in later years as Routes 53/55.

Regards,

Graeme Cleak

 Andrew your memory is not defective, the service only operated southbound as route 56 to the Domain Road crossover. Route number 55 was available for a service beyond to St. Kilda Beach but I don't recall it ever being routinely operated and I started on the job at South Melbourne/Hanna St in November 1966. I think cars were supposed to show 55 running northbound services and 56 southbound. I don't remember but possibly there were some peak Beach services but that could have varied when a new block was introduced, perhaps an AM service running into Hanna St to go on the wheel grinder. That's just a guess though. I finished up on the Australia Day holiday 1977 at Camberwell. See attachment.

Regards,

Peter Bruce

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

A bit more searching shows that a southbound route 55 did run at least once!

554 is showing a destination of St Kilda Beach via Balaclava Rd,
southbound in William St.

The route number is nor readable, but the destination is clear.

The photo is one of many sold by TMSV sales in the 1970s.

Mal Rowe - not knowing who made the image.

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

On 29/07/2025 11:27, Mal Rowe wrote:
>
>  I certainly recall the occasional 56 in Melville Rd and even managed
> a pic some 57 years ago!
>
Found a pair of pics from a week later that show the practice.

344 has Domain Rd on both destinations, with route 56 on the south end
and route 55 on the north end.

Simple.

Mal Rowe still learning

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

 I certainly recall the occasional 56 in Melville Rd and even managed a pic some 57 years ago!

Mal Rowe - local lad

On 29/07/2025 11:09, Andrew Highriser wrote:

Thanks very much Peter. You did remind me that 55 was supposed to be used in one direction and 56 in the other. I am not sure if that happened or not. 

On Mon, 28 Jul 2025 at 21:24, Peter Bruce <p1.bruce@gmail.com> wrote:

 Andrew your memory is not defective, the service only operated southbound as route 56 to the Domain Road crossover. Route number 55 was available for a service beyond to St. Kilda Beach but I don't recall it ever being routinely operated and I started on the job at South Melbourne/Hanna St in November 1966. I think cars were supposed to show 55 running northbound services and 56 southbound. I don't remember but possibly there were some peak Beach services but that could have varied when a new block was introduced, perhaps an AM service running into Hanna St to go on the wheel grinder. That's just a guess though. I finished up on the Australia Day holiday 1977 at Camberwell. See attachment.

[TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

From:	Peter Bruce <p1.bruce@gmail.com>

 Andrew your memory is not defective, the service only operated southbound as route 56 to the Domain Road crossover. Route number 55 was available for a service beyond to St. Kilda Beach but I don't recall it ever being routinely operated and I started on the job at South Melbourne/Hanna St in November 1966. I think cars were supposed to show 55 running northbound services and 56 southbound. I don't remember but possibly there were some peak Beach services but that could have varied when a new block was introduced, perhaps an AM service running into Hanna St to go on the wheel grinder. That's just a guess though. I finished up on the Australia Day holiday 1977 at Camberwell. See attachment.

Regards,

Peter Bruce

On Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 20:52 Andrew Highriser <andrewhighriser1@gmail.com> wrote:

This below is from Wikipedia. I cannot remember route 55 travelling from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach in the early 1980s. Is my memory defective? 

Until November 1986, route 55 operated from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach via William Street, St Kilda Road and Fitzroy Street.^[2][3] Route 56 offered a truncated service that ran from West Coburg to Domain Road. Following the opening of a terminating platform at Domain Interchange on 14 November 1986, through-routing to St Kilda Beach was discontinued.^[4][5][6]

--
Y

[TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56

From:	Andrew Highriser <andrewhighriser1@gmail.com>

This below is from Wikipedia. I cannot remember route 55 travelling from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach in the early 1980s. Is my memory defective? 

Until November 1986, route 55 operated from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach via William Street, St Kilda Road and Fitzroy Street.^[2][3] Route 56 offered a truncated service that ran from West Coburg to Domain Road. Following the opening of a terminating platform at Domain Interchange on 14 November 1986, through-routing to St Kilda Beach was discontinued.^[4][5][6]

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Cable tram ride anyone>

A nice short video of the Portland cable tram is on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLWboDw69wc

Fwd: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Brisbane tram, 1968, 370 at Bardon

From:	'Roderick Smith' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

681201Su - Bardon (Brisbane, Qld) - the last tram, dropcentre 370.  Roderick Smith.
The party mood there was led by Bardon Lions Club.

UK tram nostalgia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJq5XGiSuJk

Roderick

Re: On the way to the Royal Standard

On 18/07/2025 11:40, Mal Rowe wrote:
> First shot shows 225 outside RMIT's Storey Hall annex - often referred
> to as the "Batcave".
>
Some find the RMIT Swanston St facade a bit "over the top", but that's
nothing new for the area.

The City Baths building was opened in 1904 and that is also a bit "over
the top".

Mal Rowe - noting the signs over the doorways for segregated bathing for
Men and Women.

[TramsDownUnder] Re: Melbourne vs Sydney

From:	Dale Budd <dale.budd@dbas.com.au>

Interesting comparisons of the two systems.

Just to be pedantic, the Sutherland-Cronulla railway did not open until 1939; but the Sutherland-Cronulla tramway had closed in 1931 (passenger services) and 1932 (goods services), so it was omitted from the 1933 map. Also gone by that year was the Arncliffe-Bexley line, closed at the end of 1926; and the Parramatta to Woollen Mills remnant of the former line to Castle Hill, also closed at the end of 1926. The Woollen Mills to Castle Hill section was converted to a railway in 1923 and extended to Rogans Hill. All very complicated. (We won't mention the Sydney Ferries Limited line from Parramatta to Redbank wharf.)

Correcting another comment, the 1933 map does show the lines to Clovelly, Maroubra and Bondi via Bellevue Hill; the latter is not specifically identified but it is there, joining the line from Bondi Junction at Campbell Parade.

Dale Budd

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne vs Sydney

On 21/07/2025 21:53, Geoffrey Hansen wrote:
> Was thought ever given to having express trams or an express team line?

In Melbourne the MMTB tried to get a third track in Flemington Rd. That
would j=have enabled express trams to and from the north west in peak
hours.  The City of Melbourne opposed it and won the argument.

The closest instance of an 'express' operation currently is the express
routing of special services to Showgrounds and Flemington Racecourse via
Flemington Rd rather than through North Melbourne.

Mal Rowe - occasional traveller on that service.

Fwd: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Melbourne vs Sydney

From:	David McLoughlin <mcloughlin.dj@gmail.com>

Tony P wrote:

>  Vermont South and Bundoora trips are well over the hour, whereas the longest trips in Sydney were probably Ryde at 1 hour and La Perouse at 50 minutes.  Ironically, Melbourne had a much more comprehensive suburban train system than Sydney, but those long tram lines slipped through the net. 

They didn't slip through any net, they were built Iin stages) long after the railway lines reached the extent you cite -- 2005  for the 75 and 1995 for the 86.  They were not built for people to take a long tram ride to the city, but for local transport.  A lot of Melbourne tram traffic is between places along the route. There are major shopping centres and education institutes along both the 86 and 75, major traffic generators. The Box Hill extension is another good example.  Box Hill has one of the city's busiest train stations, but the tram was extended there in 2003.  The main reason was to carry local traffic from Kew to Box Hill along Cotham/Whitehorse Road, not to compete with the train at Box Hill for city journeys. 

David McL, brought up in Box Hill long before the tram arrived.

Fwd: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Melbourne vs Sydney

From:	'TP' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

The Sydney map also doesn't include the Parramatta system of course.

There is the argument that some of those Melbourne tram lines might have been too long and that it's the job of railways to reach that far with a quicker journey. If a line is simply carrying people from suburbs to city without much turnover to and from other centres along the way, then you wouldn't want to be spending much more than an hour on the tram. Vermont South and Bundoora trips are well over the hour, whereas the longest trips in Sydney were probably Ryde at 1 hour and La Perouse at 50 minutes.

Ironically, Melbourne had a much more comprehensive suburban train system than Sydney, but those long tram lines slipped through the net. At that distance, it's more the case that a tram or bus should connect to the nearest rail rather than run more slowly than a train through to the city. Obviously there were unique circumstances in each of those cases.

Tony P

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Melbourne vs Sydney

On 21/07/2025 17:56, billbolt...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> This map may be more useful for Sydney, as it includes pretty much
> everything operating in 1933 except the line to northwards to Narrabeen.
>
> Also, the Sutherland to Cronulla steam tramway is not shown as it had
> been "upgraded" to a heavy rail line by that time.
>
Thanks Bill,

Here's the comparison with the 1933 Sydney map - and a more exact same
scale compilation.

Mal Rowe - amateur cartographer

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Re: 100 years ago today

Yes - good days, and a pleasant journey in a car with open doorways.

Mal Rowe - occasional passenger

On 21/07/2025 17:29, Peter Bruce wrote:
> I had a special fondness for the West Coburg line. When I was a South
> Melbourne/Hanna St depot trammie late '60s, early '70s we used to have
> some AM peak inbound runs on route 56. On every other road when two
> trams turned up together the waiting potential passengers would be all
> elbows all trying to board the first car. Whereas the residents of
> West Brunswick and West Coburg had uncommon common sense. They would
> separate into two roughly equal groups to join the two cars. Curves,
> hills and reserved track made for lots of interest too.
>
> .

Melbourne vs Sydney

I am aware that Melbourne's tram system size (in double track km) is now
comparable with Sydney at its largest extent.

It occurred to me to put maps of the two systems side by side and the
attached is the result.

They are about the same scale - Sydney might be a bit bigger.  I put the
central city at the same level on each map.

The difference in the area covered by tramways is remarkable - even the
older Melbourne system went further out than Sydney's.

I note that the Ryde line probably went further than shown on the map
and the map post dates Manly.

Mal Rowe - looking forward to some discussion.

Re: 100 years ago today

On 19/07/2025 15:36, Mal Rowe wrote:
> I made a special trip over the "Tramway Through the Park" in Melbourne
> today, marking the centenary of it's opening on Sunday 19th of July 1925.

There is a tramway major level crossing in Royal Park which has been the
scene of several serious collisions.

Saturday's pic shows a B and an E crossing Elliott Ave.

The shot with 205 shows the result when a truck "ran the red" a bit over
9 years back.

Mal Rowe - there to watch

100 years ago today

I made a special trip over the "Tramway Through the Park" in Melbourne
today, marking the centenary of it's opening on Sunday 19th of July 1925.

First pic shows the location of the terminus on opening day, in Dawson
St Brunswick at the corner of Daly St.

Melville Rd was still to be built - as a tramway and with the roadway added.

Second pic shows the 'tramway through the park' between the Flemington
Rd junction and Elliott Ave.

Third pic shows the city terminus in William St at Collins St.

Fourth pic shows W 231 on driver training duty the week before opening day.

If you want to read more, the history was written up in "Bellcord" by
Geoff Brown and is also available on the Melbourne Tram Museum site at:
https://www.hawthorntramdepot.org.au/papers/westcoburg.htm

Mal Rowe who enjoyed the ride even in today's cold weather

On the way to the Royal Standard

A couple of snaps at dusk last night:

First shot shows 225 outside RMIT's Storey Hall annex - often referred
to as the "Batcave".

Second shot shows the newly installed sign for "State Library Station"
on the Metro tunnel line.

The two staions in Swanston St are running well behind schedule.

Mal Rowe who enjoyed the company last night

[TramsDownUnder] Citadis trams on Sydney L1 Dulwich Hill line plus Watch For Trams sign

From:	'Matthew Geier' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

On 16/7/25 13:48, Geoffrey Hansen wrote:

Weren't the previous generation of trams eg R class also rigid in their design?

They were significantly shorter and had rotating bogies. The modern artics in Sydney have fixed bogies so the whole body has to twist to follow the track.


John Dunn altered the articulations on the Variotrams after the civil construction error was noticed when he did a walk through during construction. At that point it was still possible to alter the Variotrams to fix the civil stuff up. He added the ability to twist to a 2nd articulation joint.

The Urbos and Citadis are taking the curve via play the secondary suspension as they can not articulate in two dimensions at the same time.

A Citadis has already  popped out a suspension component while taking that curve. (It didn't derail, just bottomed out)

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TramsDownUnder] Re: Brisbane tram, 1968, 370 at Stafford

From:	'Roderick Smith' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

681201Su-Stafford-last.tram.to.Bardon-dropcentre.370-RoderickSmith.
Either I was conserving my last few flashbulbs for Bardon, or the flash failed to fire.
This was an almost-impossible negative to salvage.  Recognisable: a future BTM and Cotma stalwart, leaning above the heads of the others.

Roderick

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Citadis trams on Sydney L1 Dulwich Hill line plus Watch For Trams sign

'Matthew Geier' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

On 16/7/25 13:30, David McLoughlin wrote:

You will remember that the Citadises were drafted (reluctantly) into service on this line after Transport for NSW discovered serious problems with the CAF trams previously used solely for this line, caused by the very tight curve from the Railway Colonnade into Hay Street. Sydney gunzels had warned this issue would arise because of the tight curve and the use of the rigid-truck trams which replaced the Variotrams that were designed for the curve.

That wasn't what broke them. The Citadis don't like that curve either.

What broke them was the yawing at speed on the 'open' track systems - the bogie would slam into the bogie 'bump stop'. This 'bashing' caused fatigue cracks.

Exactly the same failure occurred in Birmingham and they don't have 'that curve', but they also run at speed on a former railway.

The original (repaired) CAFS plus some new ones appear available for service, so I was delighted to see Citadises (my fave tram model) still being used on the L1 as well as the L2 and L3 for which they were bought. Does anyone know why this is? There should be ample CAFs for the L1 line. Is it so drivers have experience of using both models.

Because not all the CAF cars are available for service.

The repairs apparently caused failures elsewhere in the body. The trams still yaw, so the stronger 'bump stops' just transferred the stress to elsewhere in the body structure, which then started to crack.

I also noted the trams go VERY slowly on the curve out of the colonnade, despite, IIRC, the curve having been rebuilt since the issue arose.

It was re-railed due to worn rails, it was not rebuilt. The co-incident vertical and horizontal curves so hated by modern fixed bogie trams is STILL there.

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Citadis trams on Sydney L1 Dulwich Hill line plus Watch For Trams sign

Visiting Sydney in recent days, I noted the continued use of some Citadis trams on the L1 Dulwich Hill line. At least two Citadises were in use amidst first-model and second-model CAFS as I made a return trip along the entire line from Central Station.

You will remember that the Citadises were drafted (reluctantly) into service on this line after Transport for NSW discovered serious problems with the CAF trams previously used solely for this line, caused by the very tight curve from the Railway Colonnade into Hay Street. Sydney gunzels had warned this issue would arise because of the tight curve and the use of the rigid-truck trams which replaced the Variotrams that were designed for the curve.

The original (repaired) CAFS plus some new ones appear available for service, so I was delighted to see Citadises (my fave tram model) still being used on the L1 as well as the L2 and L3 for which they were bought. Does anyone know why this is? There should be ample CAFs for the L1 line. Is it so drivers have experience of using both models.

I also noted the trams go VERY slowly on the curve out of the colonnade, despite, IIRC, the curve having been rebuilt since the issue arose.

I also visited Parramatta to ride the new system there; it opened last December so this was my first time in Sydney since it opened. I was delighted to see  "Watch For Trams" signs at pedestrian crossings despite Transport for NSW insisting that Sydney's trams are "light rail" not trams. I understand the use of "trams" in such signs is a legal requirement (though one that doesn't seem to bother TfNSW on the L1, L2 and L3 lines which have lots of "light rail" signs.

Photo attached of a CAF passing a Watch For Trams sign in Church Street Parramatta on route L4.

Kia ora

David McL

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No trackless trams for Canberra

The draft Environmental Impact Statement for stage 2B of the Canberra light rail is available at:

https://media.caapp.com.au/pdf/B9H9MLahAvGR/d05ab595-d65c-41e8-b92e-38fecf6d9a38/Draft%20EIS%20Part%20A%20Introduction%20and%20context.pdf?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLjwGdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHkIgqry2FO4jtVJMW7C3-ULd9NU88LxFcvaVaDAw5g0TmkyNSoqXx6E9cSHB_aem_-su2ML35n4B4Q46iQ-xbiQ

or https://tinyurl.com/yyj86yz3

Section 2 addresses the need for the project.

It includes the following statement on page 2-18:

Large capacity rapid buses with onboard guidance systems (i.e. 'trackless trams') have not been contemplated, since these are oversize and overweight vehicles which the road network is not designed for, nor are the vehicles permitted to operate on them.
Ultimately this strategic alternative would rely heavily on the continued operation and functionality of existing transport networks. According to the Light Rail Five Years On: Benefits Realisation Report 2024, 43% of passengers using LRS1 have never previously used the bus network, indicating a preference for light rail as a transportation option (Transport Canberra and City Services, 2024).

Mal Rowe - who agrees

Re: Small disruption (and the TDU get together)

On 13/07/2025 17:16, Mal Rowe wrote:
> Today I toured the magnificent Manchester Unity building in Melbourne
> ... and grabbed some tram snaps.
>
One of the snaps looks down from the roof of the building on the
Melbourne Town Hall clock, Collins St and the Regent Theatre.

... and of course a tram.

Mal Rowe - looking forward to catching up with some of you at The Royal
Standard Hotel on Thursday night.

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Small disruption

The driver of 3509 asked all the passengers to leave and terminated.

Immediately after that the FireBrigade truck moved away, but he still
headed back on route 5.

The next tram went through.

Mal

On 13/07/2025 20:02, Andrew Highriser wrote:
> Dealing with disruptions not terribly well in some areas. Some drivers
> were turfing passengers off at Flinders Street and some drivers
> allowed passengers to continue to Collins Street. The reverse happens
> with some drivers allowing passengers to board the terminating tram to
> travel in the opposite direction, and some not. I don't understand why
> there isn't a firm policy to what is happening weekly at the moment.
> Having perhaps already walked some distance to Collins Street, it is
> rather unfair to older people and those with mobility issues to say,
> 'keep walking to Federation Square' if they want a south bound tram,
> and they could have boarded the tram at Collins Street, Flinders Lane
> actually. The same happens when trams terminate at Latrobe Street for
> south bound passengers.
>

Small disruption

Today I toured the magnificent Manchester Unity building in Melbourne
... and grabbed some tram snaps.

First pic looks from the top floor of the building looking down on
Swanston St.

The eagle eyed will spot the fire brigade extinguishing a bin fire at
bottom right.

That halted trams. Second and third pics show 3509 short shunting at the
crossover just south of Collins St.

Mal Rowe - frequently seeing Yarra dealing with issues.

Re: FW: Another D car with an interesting travel history

On 11/07/2025 17:20, Dale Budd wrote:

But the question is, which car was it? Some years ago staff at Preston Workshops searched their records but could not find the answer. Does anyone have factual information identifying it?

 

According to Vicsig, 5001 was the only D2 to run in service in M>Tram Livery, but that is not definitive information, and it arrived in Melbourne before the date of the demonstration.

 

According to the franchise documents, 5001 entered service on 4 March 2004 and the next car (5002) didn't enter service until 3 June.

I have attached a pic of 5001 on 12 March - on a regular trip. It was advised to tram fans.

I have attached another photo showing a D2 at Preston on 5 October 2003, It was labelled (by me) as 5001 but it is in plain white with no number.  It has foam blocks attached to the sides. I notice that the vicsig site has references to events in late 2003 including clearance tests.  It then talks about a launch in 2004.

My explanation would be that the first tram seen at Preston and tested in 2003 was not 5001. It was another car - probably 5002 as I have a November 2003 photo showing a white test tram with what looks like "Wagon 5002" on a sticker on the windscreen..

The livery is the clincher - it's hard to imagine that the M-Tram livery would have been stripped off after the Taiwan visit then re-applied for service in Melbourne.

Mal Rowe - noting that only the first 4 D1 trams carried the full M-Tram livery with the M-tram name.

Fwd: FW: Another D car with an interesting travel history

From:	Dale Budd <dale.budd@dbas.com.au>

A week or so ago Mal raised the topic of car 3507, which went back to Germany to have repairs and to be the protype for modifications. The dates of its travels are in Destination Waterfront City.

One of the D2 cars was used by Siemens as a demonstrator in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in January 2004, in a diversion from its delivery trip from Germany to Australia. There is a little bit of information on Wikipedia.

The demonstration was unsuccessful from Siemens viewpoint because Kaohsiung ordered cars from CAF instead.But the question is, which car was it?  Some years ago staff at Preston Workshops searched their records but could not find the answer. 

Does anyone have factual information identifying it?

According to Vicsig, 5001 was the only D2 to run in service in M>Tram Livery, but that is not definitive information, and it arrived in Melbourne before the date of the demonstration.

Dale Budd

 

 

Fwd: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Brisbane tram, 1968, 370 at Stafford

From:	'Roderick Smith' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

681201Su - Stafford (Brisbane, Qld) - last tram to Bardon, dropcentre 370.  Roderick Smith.
This is a trailing view.  Locals are decorating the front.
The destination hasn't been changed, and never have been: By Bardon, the roll at this end had been souvenired.
Remaining trams from Stafford on this final night would have terminated at Light St Depot.


Roderick

Geelong 15

Bendigo No 15 was formerly Geelong No 15.

For several years it ran in the Geelong livery in Bendigo and the
attached pic captures that period.

Mal Rowe who quite like a bright red livery

Fwd: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Brisbane tram, 1968, 370 at Stafford

From:	'Roderick Smith' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com>

681201Su - Stafford (Brisbane, Qld0 - 370 to Bardon.  Roderick Smith.

Roderick

Art Tram 3023 of 2025

I managed to finally catch C2 3023 in Victoria Parade outside the Freemason's Hospital in bright sunlight today.

The artist is Maree Clark and she says:

Over two months in the Histology Department at the University of Melbourne, I examined river reeds under a microscope, looking at the structures within these cultural materials. This informed my work now you see me – seeing the invisible, a series of 397 micrograms of river reeds magnified. River reed necklaces were traditionally gifted to those passing through Country for safe passage and friendship. In this spirit, I hope that travellers encountering my work feel a sense of welcome and protection on their journey.

Mal Rowe - "mission accomplished" for this year

Re: [TramsDownUnder] Death of Geoffrey B Claydon

On 05/07/2025 21:32, Steven Altham wrote:
> Was Geoffrey involved with tramways & urban transit magazine as his
> name seems familiar to me??????
> Yes.
See: https://www.lrta.org/geoffrey-claydon-cb-llb-m-inst-ta-cmilt/

Fwd: [TramsDownUnder] A puzzle for you

Date:	Sat, 5 Jul 2025 19:57:58 +1000
From:	Andrew Highriser <andrewhighriser1@gmail.com>

3507 also missed out on the door upgrade whereby 'gravity' on steep hills caused the doors to attempt to close but fail, oscillating doors, as it was called. It's first outing in service after its return from Germany saw it return to the depot with a door fault when working on Toorak, route 8.

Re: [TramsDownUnder] A puzzle for you

Yes, that's what I had in mind.

I was told (by Ron S) that it was used as the prototype for strengthening the body after the Combinos developed cracks in the car frame.

Attached pic shows some of the bracing - which resulted in loss of some seats near the trucks.

Mal Rowe - not a fan of the Combinos (although I know drivers like them)

On 05/07/2025 15:40, Geoffrey Dean wrote:

Greetings All,

3507 was sent back to Germany for repairs to its body work after a collision with a road working machine.

It was also supposed to be 'upgraded', but this did not happen.

Once repaired it was returned to Melbourne.

On Sat, Jul 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM Mal Rowe <mal.rowe@gmail.com> wrote:

I suggest that Melbourne's Combino No 3507 is probably the most
travelled Combino in the world.

Yesterday's pic attached.

Why can I make this claim?

Mal Rowe - happy to hear another nomination.

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Re: [TramsDownUnder] A puzzle for you

Greetings All,

3507 was sent back to Germany for repairs to its body work after a collision with a road working machine.

It was also supposed to be 'upgraded', but this did not happen.

Once repaired it was returned to Melbourne.

On Sat, Jul 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM Mal Rowe <mal.rowe@gmail.com> wrote:

I suggest that Melbourne's Combino No 3507 is probably the most
travelled Combino in the world.

Yesterday's pic attached.

Why can I make this claim?

Mal Rowe - happy to hear another nomination.

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To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tramsdownunder+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/ed962a36-4451-4bdd-8a58-7e07957c6ef9%40gmail.com.

A puzzle for you

I suggest that Melbourne's Combino No 3507 is probably the most
travelled Combino in the world.

Yesterday's pic attached.

Why can I make this claim?

Mal Rowe - happy to hear another nomination.

Re: Art Tram 2017

On 01/07/2025 12:39, Mal Rowe wrote:
> It is the work of four women:  Laurel Robinson (Yorta Yorta,
> Wurundjeri), Amy Briggs (Yorta Yorta), Cynthia Hardie (Yorta Yorta)
> and Rochelle Patten (Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Baraparapa).
>
> The side shown is the work of Rochelle and Cynthia. The other side is
> different, so I will go back and grab another pic.

Here's the side with work by Laurel Robinson and Amy Briggs.

Mal Rowe who even watches footy now his grandson plays

Pyramid plates

Now that I have the attention of one TDU list member (Hi Mick!) here's
today's story of tram adventure in the GTCOTS.

My journey into the city was interrupted by an announcement that mt
route 59 tram was to be diverted via North Melbourne.

Tram Tracker reported track issues in Flemington Rd near the Royal
Childrens Hospital.

So, I hopped off the tram and grabbed the first attached pic.

There was clearly a problem with dirt in the point mechanism at the
crossover an 6027 had split the points.

R10 was not available.  I think it was dealing with another issue at the
corner of Lygon and Elgin Sts.

About three hours later later I came back to find that 6085 had been
brought in to tow 6027 and was in the final stage of re-railing the
tram. Second pic shows the pyramid plate that guided the last axle back
on the track being removed.

A little later the trams were uncoupled and 6085 went on its way (third
pic).

6027 then was used to test the crossover before it also went on its way.

Mal Rowe in a city where breakdown crews can deal with at least two
difficult issues at the same time.

Geelong Youtube video

A friend of mine heard Philip Mallis talking to David Astle on the ABC last night

He mentioned a you tube video "Why Geelong had trams and how they disappeared"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI_oilvf450

It's well worth a look with some good pictures (not all Geelong).

Mal Rowe sharing the news

Ballarat 42 towards the end

The attached pic is from the camera of Norm Cross and shows Ballarat 42
in Sturt St at the corner of Ripon St.

It may have been on a tour involving 42 and 27 but it is showing the
'right' destination.

42 went through a series of owners and was badly termite infected.  What
remains of it now serves as a private tennis pavillion.

Mal Rowe - hoping someone might suggest a date for the tour

Art Tram 2017

Art tram 2017 is based at Glen Huntly depot and was in Swanston St last
week.

It is the work of four women:  Laurel Robinson (Yorta Yorta,
Wurundjeri), Amy Briggs (Yorta Yorta), Cynthia Hardie (Yorta Yorta) and
Rochelle Patten (Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Baraparapa).

The side shown is the work of Rochelle and Cynthia. The other side is
different, so I will go back and grab another pic.

That will just leave 3023 from Kew depot for me to catch up with.

Mal Rowe - enjoying the views.