W-class Melbourne Tram

W-class Melbourne Tram

W class trams are family of electric trams built by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board between 1923 and 1956. Over the 33 years of production 752 vehicles spanning 12 sub-classes were constructed, a majority at the MMTBs Preston Workshops in suburban Melbourne, a facility that is still used for tram maintenance.

They continue to operate on the tramway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, where they are used on the City Circle tourist route, the North Richmond to Prahran / St Kilda Beach route (Routes:78/79), the St Vincents Plaza to Docklands route (Route:30) and the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant fleet. The W class tram is a cultural icon to Melbourne, those that remain in Melbourne are classified by the National Trust of Australia.

As well as Melbourne, W class trams operate on tourist and heritage systems across the world. A number of older variants have been withdrawn from service and later sold to cities such as Seattle, Copenhagen and Savannah, and private enthusiasts.