Visitor Count
since October 2001
New site opened
6.00pm AuEST
1 March 2010
visitor count then
was 2,788,100.
New site opened
6.00pm AuEST
1 March 2010
visitor count then
was 2,788,100.
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2 January 2012: A bit late, but I finally got a shot of the City Of Melbourne Christmas Tram, SW6.925, on City Circle duties, here seen west-bound in La Trobe Street and Queen Street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 606k |
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30 December 2011: Alerted by my son who was having to walk home from Port Junction, I grabbed a camera and headed out to see what whas happening. At the Beacon Cove terminus, C.3015 was shut down and C.3005 was live, but not going anywhere, the driver pointing would-be passengers to a (invisible?) replacement bus.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 475k |
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The cause of the problem was the derailment of D2.5019 at Montague. It had just been in the process of reversing direction and had commenced moving in-bound when the rear bogie derailed on the points on the cross-over at Montague. The rerailing crew were hard at work jacking up the rear bogie ("it's stuffed" was one worker's comment) and placing wooden supports under the derailed wheels.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 606k |
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C.3005 was summoned from the terminus at Beacon Cove and drove up towards the derailment "bang road" (wrong line): not something you see every day. A challenge for the driver as the level crossing actuators are not set for wrong-line running, necessitating a cautious approach and nosing out over the crossing. Non-existent road traffic certainly helped the crossing the road.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 581k |
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The front panel of D2.5019 was removed and a drawbar attached the stricken tram.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 497k |
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A similar front panel on C.3005 was removed and the drawbar attached. The jacks supporting the Combino were removed, leaving it sitting on wooden chocks. 3005 then took up the strain and gently dragged 5019 back up onto solid rail.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 580k |
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After checking for track damage (there appeared to be none), the rerailing equipment was removed and D2.5019 slowly moved forwards over the points, heading first for Southbank for a check before being transferred to Malvern for repairs.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 613k |
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24 December 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 544k |
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17 December 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 355,356k |
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17 December 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 432k |
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1 December 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 399k |
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1 December 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 322k |
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17 November 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 558k |
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17 November 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 579k |
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17 November 2011:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 609k |
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12 November 2011: D2s are an unusual tram on the 112 service, but have been appearing on weekends over the past month. Here's D2.5011 heading south along Clarendon Street at Park Street, South Melbourne.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 330k |
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23 August 2011: I drove along Fitzroy Street this morning and was surprised to see that all the scrolled supports have been removed as the new poles are being commissioned with straight cross-arms. This work is being undertaken overnight Mon-Wed nights this week. I find this interesting as I was told on several occasions whilst photographing the recent tram works that the poles would be replaced and new mouldings applied to their bases to simulate the old poles, but that the overhead supports would be refurbished and retained.
So something old, Something new" as W7.1015 rolls along Fitzroy Street, St Kilda (D2.5002 is in the background outbound on a 96). 1600 x 1000 pixels; 449k |
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23 August 2011: East of Loch Street, the new cross-arms are attached to the older poles. However west of Loch Street, the cross-arms are now attached to the new poles. This image shows D2.5002 and B2.2047 at the Fitzroy Stret superstop (between Loch Street and Park Street) with W7.1015 just werst of the superstop and Z1.34 in the background.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 449k |
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24 July 2011: 5123 has just run out from Southbank depot and is commencing its first run on route 96 to East Brunswick on a wet and wintry Sunday morning in Melbourne.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 339k |
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9 - 15 July 2011: Yarra Trams undertook tram track renewal and the construction of platform stops in High Street Westgarth over this week. Route 86 trams to Bundoora from Docklands were diverted along La Trobe Street, Victoria Parade, Brunswick Street, St Georges Road, Miller Street, over the "Hump" thence resuming its normal route along High Street and and Plenty Road in both directions.
In addition, a shuttle tram (route 00) ran from Spencer Street along Bourke Street to Clifton Hill on the "correct" route 86 path. Passengers for Smith Street and Clifton Hill were advised to catch this tram. Bourke Street passngers bound for Preston and Bundoora were also able to catch this route 00 tram and change to the diverted 86 tram at the intersection of Gertrude and Brunswick Streets, Fitzroy. I photographed trams both at the northern end of the diversion (St Georges Road -> Miller Street -> over the "Hump" -> High Street) as it's very unusual to see in-service trams using this line as well as tram activities in Fitzroy at St Vincent's Plaza and at the intersection of Brunswick and Gertrude Streets (where route 86 trams used Brunswick Street crossing their "proper" path at Gertrude Street). Click here for Yarra Trams' website information on this renewal. |
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17 June 2011:SW6 960 departs the Cavell Street stop on the Esplanade on a temporary route 79. Yarra Trams really should be ashamed of itself with the shabby appearance of this tram - peeling paint, cracking wood-work.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 424k |
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11 - 17 June 2011: The Queen's Birthday weekend saw massive tramworks as the tramline in St Kilda was renewed - all the way along Fitzroy Street from Canterbury Road to the Esplanade as far south as Cavell Street. Click on the image for a photo story. |
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12 June 2011:A pleasant Sunday morning as B2.2039 rolls north on Royal Parade. 1600 x 1000 pixels; 369k |
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11 June 2011:854 in green climbs La Trobe Street away from Docklands as City Circle liveried 888 follows from the bottom of the hill.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 369k |
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9 June 2011: It's only a couple of days before track renewal commences in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda.
D2.5019 heads for Acland Street as winter sun starts to dry off the overnight rain. A few minutes later...... D1.3521 and D2.5003 cross at the superstop in the middle of the street; the heritage-listed overhead structures highlighted well in the winter sun. 1600 x 1000 pixels; 423k |
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8 June 2011: SW6 937 - one of the Restaurant trams - makes a rare visit to Beacon Cove on a cold, wet night.
1600 x 1000 pixels: 465k |
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5 June 2011: 3028 waiting time at Beacon Cove. 7.00am and it's still dark - winter is here.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 202k |
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5 June 2011:Located at 357 City Road, South Melbourne, the former Port Melbourne Cable Car Engine-House building has been internally gutted and refurbished, but the façade has been beautifully restored with the renewed tuckpointing looking absolutely spiffy. I've been waiting for winter and a quiet day to be able to record the building with no cars, rubbish skips or leafy trees in the way.
I happened to drive past this morning before dawn and in the words of Meatloaf "two out of three ain't bad! 1600 x 1000 pixels; 369k |
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5 June 2011: Winter at Queen Victoria Market as Z3.134 is inbound at Victoria and Elizabeth Streets.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 369k |
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1 June 2011: Last rays of sunshine on the first day of winter light up Z3s 120 and 134 at the intersection of Kingsway and Park Street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 203k |
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21 April 2011: W7 1022 has just crossed Spencer Street bridge on its way to Docklands to take up duties on the La Trobe Street cross-city shuttle.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 423k |
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21 April 2011: Spencer Street south of Flinders Street and north of the Yarra. Citadis C2 5123 rolls inbound, passing new track stockpiled for track renewal that wil take place over the next few days of Easter.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 383k |
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21 April 2011: A brilliant sunny Autumn morning as 5004 heads into the city along Clarendon Street. High rise apartment construction as well as an extra hotel for Crown has dramatically changed the landscape of this part of Melbourne.
1600 x 1200 pixels; 458k |
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26-27 February 2011: Fiftieth Anniversary Commemoration Of Closure Of Sydney's Tram SystemAt its height, the Sydney tram system was the second-largest in the British Empire (after London). Yet within a few years, a bloody-minded State Government destroyed the system, the trams running into their depot for the last time on 25 February 1961. The Sydney Tram Museum at Loftus, south of Sydney held a 50th anniversary commemoration of the closure of the system by organising and operating a 2-day festival of Sydney trams, with an extensive timetable of frequent trams to both its Sutherland and Royal National Park termini. Visitors arrived from all over Australia and New Zealand to enjoy this magnificent festival of trams. For those of you who couldn't make it, here's a photo essay of some of the weekend's activities. |
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29 January - 6 February 2011:Finally, the Port Melbourne line is being upgraded - the wooden sleepered track that has been in place for probably 50 years is being completely replaced with new concrete-sleepered welded rail. Whilst the Australian-built trams have had no problem with the old, rough track, the fussy, delicate French Citadis crash, bang and rocked violently from side to side at any speed over 40 km/h (a curse of the 4-wheel tram design necessitated by the government mandating a 100% low-floor tram design). |
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Looking east along Docklands Drive as 856 uses the scissor crossover to reach the inbound terminus track, whilst in the background, 1020 is at the terminal super stop for Waterfront City.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 195k |
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A few seconds later, 1020 runs straight across Pearl River Road.....
1600 x 1000 pixels; 249k |
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....and pulls up beside 856. Note: both trams have passengers on board during this reverse. 856 will depart first, having been at the terminus under a minute, 1600 x 1000 pixels; 195k |
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As soon as 1020 departs, 2077 follows........
1600 x 1000 pixels; 209k |
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And within two minutes, 1000 arrives ........
1600 x 1000 pixels; 198k |
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And within another 6 minutes, there's another two City Circle trams side by side, 957 and 925 .....
1600 x 1000 pixels; 263k |
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9 January 2008: Three cable cars wait in Hyde Street at Beach Street. They will shortly roll across the intersection to be turned on the turntable.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 515k |
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9 January 2008: I always visit the Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse (1201 Mason Street) when I'm in San Franciso. The humming of the electric winding motors and the large wheels spinning never fail to fascinate.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 515k |
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9 January 2008: PCC car 1015 approaches a combined low-level/high level tram stop along the Embarcadero. The high-level platform provides disabled access for the heritage trams that call the "F" line their own. A lesson for Melbourne, perhaps?
1600 x 1000 pixels; 394k |
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8 January 2008: 1057 in Market Street at Powell Street. Trams here in Market Street share overhead wiring with trolleybuses (note trolleybus behind tram).
1600 x 1000 pixels; 275k |
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11 January 2008: Well, not San Francisco, but the airport at Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas: three images snapped while we rode the people movers waiting for our connecting flight.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 275k |
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3 November 2010: 5123 rolls through Bridport Street, Albert Park, returning to Southbank depot after the morning peak.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 398k |
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8 March 2010: 5111 turns out of Park Street into Fitzroy Street, St Kilda on a fine summer's morning. Two unusual items: the curve is not in regular use, and the C2 trams don't run on the 112 line through South Melbourne.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 607k |
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24 February 2010: A truck has collided with the railway bridge at the intersection of Flinders and Spencer Streets, closing the intersection and throwing morning peak traffic into chaos. Here 5106 is shown at Beacon Cove operating a shuttle service from there to the Conference centre in Spencer Street. It's unusual to see a C2 at Beacon Cove, and very rare to see them in revenue service on the Port Melbourne line.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 407k |
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29 August 2008: Another brilliant clear winter's day in Melbourne as 5111 rolls past the Palais theatre and Luna Park just a short distance from its terminus.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 377k |
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15 June 2007: c008, a Siemens Combino Plus on loan for evaluation by Melbourne's glacial tram-selection committee is city-bound in St Kilda Road approaching the Domain Exchange, on a cold, grey winter's morning.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 332k |
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15 June 2007: A few hours' later, the fog hasn't lifted as c008, returning to Malvern Depot, arrives at Melbourne's Grand Junction - the intersection of Balaclava and Hawthorn Roads.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 332k |
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14 November 2010: I travelled to Adelaide for a friend's funeral. Whilst in Adelaide, I was able to photograph a few trams. Here's Alstom Citadis 202 heading towards The Entertainment Centre along North Terrace.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 327k |
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14 November 2010: Flexity 111 in Victoria Square, bound for Glenelg.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 469k |
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14 November 2010: A short time later, Adelaide's 206 passes the historic Newmarket Hotel on its way to the Entertainment Centre.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 457k |
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14 November 2010: At South Terrace, Citadis 204 waits to run a shuttle service back to the Entertainment Centre as Bombardier Flexity 106 approaches the tram stop at South Terrace.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 434k |
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14 November 2010: Soon after, Citadis 204 arrives at South Terrace as Flexity 108 is out-bound on another Glenelg service.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 417k |
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14 November 2010: Citadis 206 rolls along Jetty Road past past "St Andrew's By The Sea" Church. It is only moments away from its terminus at Glenelg beach.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 368k |
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14 November 2010: A little later, 206 is departing Moseley Square at Glenelg as Flexity 107 arrives at the terminus.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 409k |
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9 November 2010: What a difference six months and lots of rainfall makes! Here's 237 departing Park Street terminus as 256 arrives under a thick canopy of green. Compare this shot to 255 at the same location in autumn foliage.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 441k |
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3 November 2010: 2015 accelerates away from Albert Park bound for the City and thence to East Brunswick on a #96 service.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 373k |
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3 November 2010: 5123 rolls through Bridport Street, Albert Park, returning to Southbank depot after the morning peak.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 398k |
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11 October 2010: A dead fuel pump on my car relegated mt to "shank's pony" for a week. Here B2.2043 outbound on a 112 service crosses 3015 Box Hill bound on a 109 service at the corner of Flinders and Spencer Streets, Melbourne. Above, A Metro X'trapolis is heading towards Flinders Street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 308k |
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3 October 2010: 2074 wearing a Carlton scarf heads across Victoria Street outside the Queen Victoria Market. Apparently there are five trams bearing scarves and liveries of five of the final eight teams. I've not yet spotted any others but they are:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 287k, 472 k |
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11 October 2010: 1020 on its first City Circle run is heading westwards over the intersection of Flinders and Spencer Streets, Melbourne. This image show the heavy steel and concrete beams protecting the bridge from truck drivers who fail to read the low clearance sighns.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 422k |
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14 August 2010: WWW @ Southbank - no, not a web address, but three W class trams resting in the new compound at Southbank at 5.30am on a bitterly cold but clear winter Saturday.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 275k |
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18 July 2010: The early morning Sunday winter's sun provides sharp, clear light, but will not be around long as the black threatening clouds of an approaching storm provide a contrasting backdrop to the maze of overhead. SW5 846 is running back and forth on driver training, whilst D2 class leader 5001 snakes its way out of the depot bound for East Brunswick on a route 96 service. In the background, W7 1005 awaits its call for duty.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 343k |
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July 2010: In July 2010, my son travelled to Italy as part of a school excursion. Though not particularly interested in trams, he turned his camera towards anything that came his way: herewith a portfolio of trams in Italy through the eyes of a non-enthusiast. |
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30 May 2010: As a prequel to the festivities at Malvern Depot, 44 and 84 were transferred from Preston Workshops to Malvern Depot. Click on the link for a photo essay of my record of the trip from Northcote to Kooyong. |
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1 May 2010: I hadn't seen any new liveried trams on Route #1 at or around Albert Park / South Melbourne until a few days ago: I'd walked out of the deli with coffee in hand to see B2.2165 cross B2.2007 right in front of me, both in new livery - aaargh, no camera. Plus I might've dropped my coffee.
This morning I snapped an inbound East Coburg-bound 2120 in new livery rolling out of Victoria Avenue into Bridport Street on a glorious autumn Saturday morning. 1600 x 1000 pixels; 393k |
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23 May 2010: A Melbourne "A" class tram, bearing the number 255, inbound on a route 112 {West Preston} service, departs the St Kilda terminus located in Park Street at Fitzroy Street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 568k |
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14 February 2010: Class leader Z1, looking clean in its white Yarra Trams paint job is city-bound in St Kilda Road at Alma Road on a sunny February morning - a "through the windscreen" shot.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 359k |
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3 January 2010: While holidaying on the Gold Coast, I took a day to visit the Ipswich Railway Workshops and the Brisbane Tram Museum. The weather ranged from mere heavy rain to absolute monsoonal torrential downpours with almost no visibility. The museum members were very friendly and even though I arrived just on closing time, showed me around and demonstrated their lovely stock.
Click here to view the Museum on Nearmap.com. On arrival, the first tram on display was FM.554, the last tram built for the Brisbane system. 1600 x 1000 pixels; 383k |
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3 January 2010: The interior of FM.554.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 271k |
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3 January 2010: FM.429 waits for its final run back to the shed.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 444k |
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3 January 2010: Interior shot of FM.429.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 204k |
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3 January 2010: I rode FM.429 up to the tram shed in pouring rain. Inside as real treat to see toastrack tram #65 and beautifully restored California combination car #47.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 262k |
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3 January 2010: From the protection of the tram shed, I looked out at the unique one-piece three-way fan retrieved from Brisbane's streets after closure of the system. Centre aisle tram #99 waits forlornly in the rain to be brought in.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 390k |
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3 January 2010: Centre aisle tram #99.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 417k |
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3 January 2010: Interior of centre aisle tram #99.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 417k |
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3 January 2010: 429 and 99 are now safely in the shed: the foreground shows the beautiful curving trackwork of the three-way fan.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 425k |
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3 January 2010: All safely on-shed, the doors close on another day at the Brisbane Tram Museum.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 294k |
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30 November 2009: I went out looking for a new-liveried tram this morning, today being the KDR takeover of Yarra Trams. I was unsuccessful and finally ran out of time, heading home after snapping SW6 928 pausing outside Parliament House in Spring Street at Bourke Street:
1600 x 1000 pixels; 446k |
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30 November 2009: A few minutes later, 3017 passes 5008 outside the Convention Centre (an Xtrapolis has just moved out of shot on the viaduct above, but the clouds were a bit slow in covering the scene before I squeezed off a couple of photos). The former VR Commissioner's building, now the Grand Hotel, looms in the background.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 526k |
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25 November 2009: SW6.953 negotiates afternoon peak-hour traffic in Chapel Street south of Dandenong Road as it passes another Melbourne icon, the Astor Theatre.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 2976k |
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19 August 2009: SW6.953 pauses outside the art-deco Astor theatre in morning peak-hour traffic on a clear winter's morning. Note the faded MMTB sign in the right foreground.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 455k |
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8 July 2009: A.255 inbound on a 112 pauses at the corner of Clarendon and Park Streets beside local watering hole, the Limerick Arms.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 236k |
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29 April 2009: An unknown W and SW6.977 in Chapel Street near High Street. It's the heavy traffic, not the speed of the trams that clogs this busy street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 440k |
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26 October 2008: 26 and 28 bask in spring sunshine beside Lake Wendouree.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 462k |
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26 October 2008: W4.671 along with 26 and 28 wait time at the terminus at St Aidans Drive.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 482k |
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26 October 2008: Classed "C" by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board. Sold to the SEC and renumbered 40 in 1951.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 591k |
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26 October 2008: W4.671 crosses 26 at the loop.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 537k |
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26 October 2008: Melbourne X1 class tram 466, built at Preston in 1927 and restored at Bendigo Tramways Heritage Rail Workshop in 2004. Ran at Ballarat till May 2010 when it was transferred to Bendigo, repainted red and shipped off to Auckland, New Zealand in June 2011.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 425k |
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21 July 2007: In winter, a cold still morning with fog always follows a previously warm day. And so it is as Z3.208 rolls towards its city terminus at the end of Elzabeth Street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 337k |
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15 June 2007: C008 rolls past the Palais Theatre and Luna Park on the Esplanade at St Kilda.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 455k |
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15 June 2007: A foggy morning as I wait at the Grand Junction in Caulfield for visiting Combino C008. Z3.176 is turning from Balaclava into Hawthorn Road, whilst in the background, Z3.126 is city-bound as C008 looms out of the fog.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 455k |
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15 May 2007: It's unusual to see a W on the St Kilda light rail. Here's SW6 class 870 turning into Fitroy Street from the light rail, probably returning to Glenhuntly Depot after a visit to Preston Workshops.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 276k |
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15 November 2005: The only photo I have of a tram on this north to west curve as 2106 turns from Clarendon Street into Park Street, South Melbourne. This curve has now been removed.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 383k |
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12 October 2003: Sydney tram R1.1808 on a rare excursion pauses in Spencer Street, awaiting its chance to turn west into La Trobe Street.
1600 x 1000 pixels; 319k |