Y1-class Melbourne tram

Last updated

Y1-class
Melbourne Y1 Class Tram 611 Sydney Tramway Museum December 2023 2.jpg
Y1 611 preserved in operating condition at the Sydney Tramway Museum
Manufacturer Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board
Constructed1930
Number built4
Fleet numbers610-613
Capacity53
Specifications
Car length13.72 m (45 ft 0 in)
Width2.64 m (8 ft 8 in)
Height3.11 m (10 ft 2 in)
Wheel diameter838 mm (33.0 in) (as built)
711 mm (28.0 in) (as modified)
Wheelbase 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight20.1 t (44,000 lb)
Current collector(s) Trolley pole
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Interior of Y1 611 at the Sydney Tramway Museum Interior of Tram 611 at Sydney Tramway Museum.jpg
Interior of Y1 611 at the Sydney Tramway Museum

The Y1-class was a class of four trams built by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board built as a modified version of the Y-class to trial one man operation. Initially used on East and West Preston routes from Collins Street, from 1934 they were transferred to the Toorak line. From 1936 they were used on Burwood services from Camberwell depot. In 1933, 613 was used on Victorian Railways' Sandringham railway station to Black Rock line. [1] [2] [3]

In 1965, the class was transferred to Glenhuntly depot to avoid running into the city due to a lack of number boxes. [4] Withdrawn in 1965, they were retained as driver training cars at Hawthorn depot with 613 having just been overhauled at Preston Workshops. [5] In late 1990, 611 was briefly used in regular service out of Kew depot. [2]

Preservation

All four have been preserved:

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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.

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The Y-class was a one-member tram class built by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board. It entered service in September 1927 initially operating a 24-mile tourist service, before being used on regular services on the Burwood line and all night services from Camberwell depot in company with the Y1-class.

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The Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association is a tram preservation society in Haddon, Victoria, Australia.

References

  1. "60 Years of the M&MTB" Trolley Wire issue 186 February 1980 page 15
  2. 1 2 Cross, Norman; Budd, Dale; Wilson, Randall (1993). Destination City Melbourne's Electric Trams (5 ed.). Sydney: Transit Publishing Australia. pp. 31, 116. ISBN   0 909459 18 5.
  3. Y1 Class Vicsig
  4. "Hawthorn Depot Closed" Trolley Wire issue 97 April 1965 page 11
  5. "Melbourne Tram Notes" Trolley Wire issue 98 June 1965 page 13
  6. #610 Four Motor Tram Bendigo Tramways
  7. Welcome to Melbourne Y1 611 Sydney Tramway Museum
  8. M&MTB Y1 No 612 Tramway Museum Society of Victoria
  9. Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board Y1 Class No 613 Hawthorn Tram Depot