Foxton96
Melbourne SW6.944
Nostalgia from my Melbourne years (1978-1996), inbound No. 944 snapped turning from Miller St. into St. Georges Rd. in Preston near the Preston Workshops where it would eventually finish up being stored once withdrawn from service, where, as at October 2010, it was part of the ready reserve fleet.
SW6.944: In service 1949. Worked from Hawthorn, Glen Huntly and Preston depots, and apparently now currently stored at Newport Workshops along with many other trams of the W class fleet.
Tram: SW6.944
In Service: Thursday, 20th October 1949
Current Status: Stored
Operator: PTC (Ready Reserve)
Allocated Depot: Preston Workshops
Livery: MMTB Green and Cream
History and Events for SW6.944
1958
May O2 Overhaul
1962
December O3 Overhaul
1964
September O1 Overhaul
1971
January Headlights and Brake/Tail light units fitted to aprons
1983
May Livery changed to MET Green and Yellow
September O3 Overhaul
Why are most of the W class trams now stored?
In 1990, the National Trust classified all remaining W class trams, thereby making them Heritage items. A combination of the Trust, unions and the State Government put an end to W class trams being removed from Victoria. This means that the trams listed as being stored at Newport Workshops are sitting in a bloody big warehouse gathering dust and slowly rotting away instead of either being sold or donated to individuals and/or groups that would take care of them and restore them to their former greatness.
Another set of trams is listed as being part of the Ready Reserve fleet stored at Preston Workshops. These 50 trams were supposed to be kept for emergency services such as extras for sporting events etc. but 43 of them have been stored in the old Plate Shop at the back of Preston Workshops, all bar five are not on rails. SW6 936 is stored in the workshops yard as it would not fit in the Plate Shop. Another 7 have been stored at various suburban depots.
Melbourne SW6.944
Nostalgia from my Melbourne years (1978-1996), inbound No. 944 snapped turning from Miller St. into St. Georges Rd. in Preston near the Preston Workshops where it would eventually finish up being stored once withdrawn from service, where, as at October 2010, it was part of the ready reserve fleet.
SW6.944: In service 1949. Worked from Hawthorn, Glen Huntly and Preston depots, and apparently now currently stored at Newport Workshops along with many other trams of the W class fleet.
Tram: SW6.944
In Service: Thursday, 20th October 1949
Current Status: Stored
Operator: PTC (Ready Reserve)
Allocated Depot: Preston Workshops
Livery: MMTB Green and Cream
History and Events for SW6.944
1958
May O2 Overhaul
1962
December O3 Overhaul
1964
September O1 Overhaul
1971
January Headlights and Brake/Tail light units fitted to aprons
1983
May Livery changed to MET Green and Yellow
September O3 Overhaul
Why are most of the W class trams now stored?
In 1990, the National Trust classified all remaining W class trams, thereby making them Heritage items. A combination of the Trust, unions and the State Government put an end to W class trams being removed from Victoria. This means that the trams listed as being stored at Newport Workshops are sitting in a bloody big warehouse gathering dust and slowly rotting away instead of either being sold or donated to individuals and/or groups that would take care of them and restore them to their former greatness.
Another set of trams is listed as being part of the Ready Reserve fleet stored at Preston Workshops. These 50 trams were supposed to be kept for emergency services such as extras for sporting events etc. but 43 of them have been stored in the old Plate Shop at the back of Preston Workshops, all bar five are not on rails. SW6 936 is stored in the workshops yard as it would not fit in the Plate Shop. Another 7 have been stored at various suburban depots.