Melbourne tram works
Sunday 4 February 2024
Trackwork and maintenance work from around the Yarra Trams network in Melbourne
Melbourne tramway overhead
Saturday 11 November 2023
A web of overhead wires is needed to supply the electricity that powers Melbourne's tram fleet
Melbourne tramway squares
Friday 24 March 2023
Melbourne has three 'tramway squares' where 1500 V DC powered trains cross the tracks of 600 V DC powered trams on the level. They are located at Glenhuntly, Riversdale and Kooyong, with the fourth at Gardiner since grade separated.
Melbourne tramway traction substations
Saturday 21 October 2023
As of 2009 there were 41 traction substations scattered around Melbourne, converting the AC mains power to the 600 V DC required by trams. (a different source in 2008 put it as 46)
Melbourne University tram terminus upgrade
Friday 9 February 2024
In February 2024 the tram sidings at the Melbourne University tram terminus were dug up and replaced.
Metro Tunnel tram replacement buses
Saturday 3 December 2022
Works on the Metro Tunnel at Anzac station have required Yarra Trams services on St Kilda Road to be replaced by buses, while the tram tracks are slewed around the work site.
Motorists delaying trams
Friday 15 March 2024
Wherever you go in Melbourne you are certain to find some moron who doesn't know how to drive, either queuing through an intersection or overhanging a tram lane, resulting in delays to dozens of tram passengers.
NaviLens
Tuesday 19 September 2023
In August 2023 Yarra Trams rolled out NaviLens codes along route 96 at tram stops and onboard trams, which when scanned by the matching app audibly provides passengers with information on their current location, routes serving the location, as well as live tram arrival information.
Night Network Melbourne
Tuesday 23 November 2021
'Night Network' is the brand name for all night trains and trams across Melbourne on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a revamped Nightrider bus service.
North Fitzroy Depot
Sunday 17 January 2021
North Fitzroy Depot on Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy closed in 1993, but reopened in 2008-2012 to stable W class trams used on the City Circle while Southbank depot was undergoing refurbishment.
Peel Street tram dewirement, January 2020
Friday 10 January 2020
On 10 January 2020 a truck took out the tramway overhead on route 58 at Queen Victoria Market, resulting in the route 57 and 58 trams being diverted, and the closure of William, Peel and Dudley Streets.
Poor service from Yarra Trams
Sunday 11 February 2024
It is hard enough to run a public transport service when sharing the roads with the incompetent motorists of Melbourne, but Public Transport Victoria and Yarra Trams manage to add their own screw ups to the mix
Preston Workshops and New Preston Depot
Tuesday 29 November 2022
Preston Workshops at the corner of St George's Road and Miller Street it was once the main workshops for the M&MTB, but following privatisation in the 1990s it became a dumping ground for W class trams. In 2016 it was reborn as 'New Preston Depot' - a running depot for the new E class fleet, replacing East Preston depot to supply trams for route 11 and 86.
Queensbridge Street tram works
Wednesday 27 May 2015
In May 2015 the tram tracks along Queensbridge Street were rebuilt, with a new platform stop constructed outside Crown Casino.
Rescuing a failed D2 class tram, October 2013
Monday 7 October 2013
On 7 October 2013 D2.2009 failed somewhere on route 96, so classmate D2.5020 was sent out on a rescue mission to drag the tram home to Southbank Depot.
Rescuing a failed D2 class tram, September 2012
Sunday 25 September 2011
On September 24, 2011 D2.5002 damaged it's pantograph at Showgrounds Loop, with D2.5017 being sent out to rescue it. After the pantograph couldn't be tied down low enough, the mechanics cut it off with an angle grinder.
Rescuing a failed Z3 class tram, October 2013
Monday 21 October 2013
On 21 October 2013 Z3.212 failed somewhere, so classmate Z3.126 was sent out on a rescue mission to drag the tram home to Essendon Depot.
Route 82 tram replacement buses
Wednesday 29 January 2014
During hot weather trams on route 82 between Moonee Ponds and Footscray are replaced by buses, freeing up the non-air conditioned Z3 class trams to fill in for failed air conditioned trams elsewhere on the Yarra Trams network.
School Strike for Climate 2019
Friday 20 September 2019
On 20 September 2019 trams across the Melbourne CBD were disrupted by the School Strike for Climate march.
Smashed up Melbourne tram stops
Sunday 3 March 2024
Melbourne has an endless supply of idiot motorists ready to crash into tram stops.
Snookered trams on Swanston Street
Wednesday 10 April 2013
Southbound Z2.101 was trying to turn from Swanston into La Trobe Street, blocked by a northbound tram across the intersection, with more northbound trams blocked by a tram shunting through the crossover, which couldn't move because of the tram stuck behind the turning Z2.101!
South Melbourne Depot
Wednesday 14 March 2012
South Melbourne Depot was located on the corner of Kings Way and Dorcas Street in South Melbourne. It was replaced by Southbank Depot in 1997.
Southbank Depot
Friday 24 February 2023
Southbank Tram Depot located on the Port Melbourne light rail line supplies trams to route 12, 30, 35 and 96.
Spare parts for Melbourne trams
Tuesday 29 November 2022
Spare bits and pieces for the fleet of Melbourne trams
Spencer and Collins Street tram works, 2023
Friday 30 June 2023
Between Friday 30 June and Monday 10 July 2023 the intersection of Spencer and Collins Street was closed for the rebuilding of the tram tracks.
St Kilda Road and Toorak Road West tram diversion works
Wednesday 11 October 2023
To make room for the Metro Tunnel station construction site at Domain Interchange, in June 2017 route 58 (formerly route 8) trams were diverted from Domain Road and Park Street to new tracks along Toorak Road West. Further track slews on St Kilda Road were completed in 2018 and 2019 to move the tram tracks away from works on the station box, with a final track slew completed in 2022 to move the tracks onto their final alignment beside the future station entrance.
St Kilda Road tram stop works
Friday 3 July 2015
In June 2015 new platform tram stops were constructed on platform stops on St Kilda Road at Grant Street and Coventry Street.
Stabled trams in Royal Park
Friday 7 February 2014
In February 2014 the tram tracks through Royal Park were used as a temporary stabling location while Essendon Depot was unavailable due to trackwork on Mount Alexander Road. As a result route 55 trams were replaced by buses
Stored trams at Newport Workshops
Monday 11 March 2024
With W class trams heritage listed and unable to be scrapped or exported to tram museums overseas, Newport Workshops has become a dumping ground while they await a final home.
Stuck van at the Swanston Street tram stop, February 2019
Monday 11 February 2019
A delivery driver headed north up Swanston Street came to the end of the road at Bourke Street, and decided to drive down the bike lane. He ended up driving his van the edge of the tram stop platform, getting stuck on the tram tracks. Northbound trams on Swanston Street had to run 'bang road' to the Flinders Lane crossover to escape the obstruction, with services delayed for 40 minutes until a tilt tray track was able to extract his vehicle from the predicament.
Swanston Street tram stop works
Thursday 19 December 2013
Between May 2011 and July 2012 new platform tram stops were constructed on Swanston Street at Collins, Bourke and La Trobe Street.
TMSV - Footscray tour 2012
Saturday 24 March 2012
On March 24, 2012 the Tramway Museum Society Of Victoria chartered Z3.185 in the Royal Tram livery to run a tram to commemorate the closure of the Footscray tramways.
The route was Brunswick Depot > Lygon Street > Franklin Street > Victoria Street > Royal Park > Showgrounds Loop > Footscray > Moonee Ponds > West Maribyrnong > Ascot Vale > Haymarket > Flagstaff Station > Footscray Road > Melbourne Central Station > Franklin Street > Victoria Street> Sydney Road > Brunswick Depot.
Tram Bar at the Arts Centre Melbourne
Thursday 5 February 2015
In 2011 retired tram SW6.969 was converted into a bar and setup at the Arts Centre in Melbourne, being removed a number of times, only to return again come summer. In February 2013 it appeared again as 'Tram Bar', which closed for good in January 2015.
Tram infrastructure of Melbourne
Wednesday 13 January 2021
Bits and pieces of tramway infrastructure from around the Yarra Trams network in Melbourne
Tram stop extensions for E class trams
Friday 1 January 2021
As part of the preparation for the longer E class trams entering service across Melbourne, tram stops along route 96 and La Trobe were extended to cater for their length.
Tram vs car on Nicholson Street, February 2012
Wednesday 8 February 2012
On February 8, 2012 a Mercedes headed southbound on Nicholson Street near Elgin Street managed to find it's way onto the tram tracks, with D2.5009 bashing in the entire drivers side of the car. More details at the Herald Sun - "Man, 60, in hospital after car-tram crash"
Trams stalled on section insulator
Monday 18 March 2019
The network of overhead wires used to power trams are divided into multiple electrical sections, so that faults can be isolated and maintenance work completed in safety. However if a tram stops with the pantograph resting in the middle of a section insulator, getting the tram moving again is hard work!
TramTracker across Melbourne
Tuesday 30 January 2024
tramTRACKER screens across the Melbourne tram and rail networks provides real time departure and disruption information to passengers.
Unsafe 'safety' zone in Ascot Vale
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Located on Epsom Road at Flemington Drive in Ascot Vale, stop 30 on route 57 seems to get wiped out by dimwitted drivers a few times a year. Southbound traffic is required to slew sideways to avoid a right turn lane, which seems to be too hard for some drivers, who plow straight into the safety zone fence.
Victoria and Nicholson Street tram works
Monday 28 April 2014
In April 2014 the route 30, 86 and 96 tramway junction at the intersection of Victoria and Nicholson Streets was rebuilt.
Victoria and Peel Street tram works
Sunday 24 June 2012
In June 2012 the route 55 and 57 tramway junction at the intersection of Victoria and Peel Streets was rebuilt.
W class tram at 'The Melbourne Store'
Tuesday 26 February 2019
There is a mockup W class tram located at the 'The Melbourne Store' outlet the Melbourne Airport international departures terminal.
W8 class tram trials
Monday 21 October 2013
In 2013 work the first two refurbished W class trams arrived in Melbourne - W8.946 and W8.959. Fitted with modernised traction, braking and suspension systems, the trams form a new class - W8.
Wellington Parade tram works
Friday 9 October 2015
In October 2015 a new platform tram stop was constructed on Wellington Parade at Jolimont station
Wild winds delay Ascot Vale trams, October 2013
Tuesday 1 October 2013
On the night of September 30 strong winds blew the roof from an apartment block in Maribyrnong Road in Ascot Vale, blocking trams on routes 57 and 82 until the wreckage was removed.
William Angliss Institute Tram Cafe
Friday 18 August 2023
In December 2022 retired tram SW5.764 was delivered to the William Angliss Institute on La Trobe Street to be turned into a cafe.
William Street tram stop crash, January 2012
Friday 27 January 2012
The driver of a southbound ute managed to crash into the 'safety zone' fence on William Street at Bourke Street, destroying it. Thankfully no passengers were there waiting for a tram!
William Street tram works
Thursday 2 January 2020
During November-December 2019 the tram tracks along William Street between Market Street and Dudley Street are being relaid, and new platform stops constructed at Bourke Street and Flagstaff Station / La Trobe Street.
Yarra Trams - Anzac Day diversions
Tuesday 25 April 2017
Every Anzac Day special tram services on routes 57, 59 and 19 from the northern suburbs run to the Shine of Remembrance on St Kilda Road via the little used section of track on Victoria Street between Elizabeth and Swanston Streets. In addition, routes 3a, 64 & 67 from the southern suburbs are diverted via Park Street, Kings Way and William Street to the Dudley Street sidings, due to the closure of St Kilda Road and Swanston Street.
Yarra Trams - diverted and out of place
Friday 16 February 2024
Usually Melbourne's trams stick to a home depot and set of usual routes, but when disruptions occur, trams can be sent along alternate routes in order to maintain a limited service.
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