The W-class trams are a family of electric trams built by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) between 1923 and 1956. Over the 33 years of production, 752 vehicles spanning 12 sub-classes were constructed, the majority at the MMTB's Preston Workshops.
The Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust (PMTT) was a former tram operator in Melbourne, Australia. The trust was formed in 1907, with its first line operating in 1910. Its functions were taken over by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board in 1920.
The Hawthorn Tramways Trust was a tram operator in Melbourne, Australia. Its assets and liabilities were transferred to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 2 February 1920.
The earliest trams in Australia operated in the latter decades of the 19th century, hauled by horses or "steam tram motors". At the turn of the 20th century, propulsion almost universally turned to electrification, although cable trams lingered in Melbourne. In cities and towns that had trams, they were a major part of public transport assets.
The city of Geelong in Victoria, Australia, operated an extensive tramway system from 1912 until 1956, when the service was replaced by buses. Unlike Victoria's other major regional cities, Ballarat and Bendigo, which have kept some track and trams as tourist attractions, no trams or tracks remain in Geelong.
The Ballarat Tramway Museum is an operating tramway museum, located in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The museum is run by volunteers and has a fleet of trams which operate on part of the original horse tramway around Lake Wendouree and the Botanical Gardens. It has a large research collection, archive of information and more than 3,500 items about the Ballarat tramways. The trams in Ballarat operated on a large network through the city from 1887 until 1971.
Melbourne's tram classification system is based on classes originally devised by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (M&MTB). At first this was largely based on the order in which the original tramway operators had introduced each different type of tramcar between 1906 and 1920.
The B-class was a class of 12 trams built by James & Moore & Sons for the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (PMTT). Numbered 21-24 and 84-91, the former four taking numbers vacated when O class trams were sold to the Hawthorn Tramways Trust in 1916.
The C-class was a group of 11 trams built by Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide for the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (P&MTT) in 1913, numbered 25 to 35. All retained their fleet numbers when passed to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (M&MTB) on 2 February 1920, after it took over the P&MTT. They were designated C-class sometime after October 1921, and by late 1923, all M&MTB drop-end-and-centre Maximum Traction trams were grouped together as C-class trams. The 22E Maximum Traction trucks were of JG Brill design, although manufactured by Brush in England.
Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (P&MTT) tram No.36 was one of a batch of ten Maximum Traction bogie cars built in 1914 by Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide. Although the lowest numbered of this group, it was the last to enter service, and was the first P&MTT tram to be equipped with 2 x 65 hp GE 201G motors. Subsequently, all other P&MTT Maximum Traction bogie cars were later retro-fitted with the same type of motors. The 22E Maximum Traction trucks were of JG Brill design, although manufactured by Brush in England.
The E-class was a group of 10 trams built by Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide, for the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (P&MTT) in 1914, numbered 36 to 45. Number 36 was converted to a different form by the P&MTT circa 1916, and was later designated D-class. All retained their fleet numbers when passed to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (M&MTB) after it took over the P&MTT on 2 February 1920, and they were designated E-class sometime after October 1921. By late 1923, together with other all M&MTB drop-end-and-centre Maximum Traction trams, they were re-classed as C-class trams. The 22E Maximum Traction trucks were of JG Brill design, although manufactured by Brush in England.
The H-class was a class of ten trams built by Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide for the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (PMTT). All passed to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 2 February 1920 when it took over the PMTT becoming the H-class retaining their running numbers. In 1931, number 63 was sold for further use on the Ballarat network and placed in service as number 18.
The J-class was a class of twenty trams built by the Meadowbank Manufacturing Company, Sydney for the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (PMTT). All passed to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 2 February 1920 when it took over the PMTT becoming the J-class retaining their running numbers.
The M-class was a class of 17 trams built by Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide for the Hawthorn Tramways Trust (HTT) as numbers 1 to 10, and 33 to 39. All passed to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 2 February 1920 when it took over the Municipal Tramway Trusts, becoming the M-class and being renumbered 107 to 116, and 183 to 189.
The N-class was a class of 10 trams built by Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide for the Hawthorn Tramways Trust (HTT) as numbers 11 to 20, all passed to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (M&MTB) on 2 February 1920 when it took over the HTT, becoming the N-class and being renumbered 117 to 126.
The O-class Melbourne tram were a group of four trams built in 1912 by Duncan & Fraser (Adelaide) for the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust (P&MTT) upon the recommendation of W. G. T. Goodman, Chief Engineer and General manager of the Adelaide tramways. They were allocated P&MTT fleet numbers 21 to 24. At the time of their introduction, they were by far the largest street-vehicles in Melbourne, and earned the nicknames Zeppelins and Dreadnoughts. Proving to be less than satisfactory in service, they were later sold to the Hawthorn Tramways Trust (HTT) in August 1916 as "surplus to requirements", however P&MTT soon ordered replacement tramcars. Coincidentally they retained their fleet numbers whilst at Hawthorn.
This article describes the tram types in Adelaide that have operated for the past 144 years: from early days when they undertook a major share of the public transport task before car ownership was well established; through the 49-year period when only one tram line operated; to the city's 21st-century tramways revival.
The Adelaide D type tram was a class of trams operated by the Municipal Tramways Trust on the Adelaide tram network from 1910 until 1958.
The F type Adelaide tram was a class of 84 bogie, drop centre, combination trams built between 1921 and 1929 for the Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT). All bar three were built by A Pengelly & Co, Adelaide with 262, 283 and 284 being built by the MTT's Hackney workshops. The first 50 were built as the F type, while the last 34 were classified as the F1 type, the latter having an all steel as opposed to partly wooden underframe. Some remained in service until the network closed in November 1958.
The Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association is a tram preservation society in Haddon, Victoria, Australia.
