On 16 May 2019, members of the Probus Club of Donvale Hill Incorporated visited the Melbourne Tramway Museum that is located in the former three storey high brick building that was constructed in 1915-16 at Hawthorn and was originally used as a Tram Depot for trams that ran on the Wattle Park and Burwood lines and later also on the Chapel Street to City and Richmond to Power Street lines.

The very knowledgeable tour guide began the tour by showing all a Cable tram and Trailer that was operated by using 2 levers. These did not have any doors or windows and consequently would have been very cold to travel on in the cooler months. One of the Club’s members can recall travelling on these trams and said how bumpy they were as they went around corners.

The next tram the group boarded was a Z class tram that had been completely decorated both inside and outside by people from India. It certainly was very ornate.

The group then inspected many other trams that were built between 1936 and 1994 and also the training room that was used for training tram drivers and conductors for many years.

Trams are now treated as an excellent way of moving masses of people and are continuing to be built at Bombardier Industries in Dandenong South.

This was an excellent tour.

All aboard the old Cable Tram  Trailer

All aboard the ornate  decorated Indian style Tram