Today
In mid-2000 all operating W class trams were removed from service following a series of incidents involving brake problems. Some returned to service in May 2001 on the City Circle route, with 25 operating in September 2003. The return of another 30 W class was announced in September 2003, with all to be in service by late 2003, but on more limited routes than before their withdrawal from service. All 53 were reintroduced to service by 2004. The reintroduction followed the installation of new braking systems, speedometers, and the imposition of a 40 km/h speed limit. The trolley poles were subsequently replaced with pantographs.
The condition of the W-class fleet was criticised by the Rail Tram and Bus Union in September 2008, with a demand for the State Government to repair or withdrawal them. A Yarra Trams spokesman said that the fleet met maintenance standards, but required more cosmetic work than other trams due to their wooden structure and age.
In January 2010, it was announced by the new transport minister Martin Pakula that the 26 W-class trams operating the inner city revenue services would be phased out by 2012, claiming that they were no longer suitable for revenue service and would be replaced by more modern trams. This prompted a new campaign from the National Trust of Australia to retain the W class trams in service. It was also proposed that unused W class trams could be better utilised by refurbishing and leasing them as "roving ambassadors" to other cities, with the claim that this could generate revenue for investment into the public transport system.
Following the Liberal election victory in 2010, Victoria government committed $8 million over four years for the restoration of W class trams in 2011, with options for new routes to be considered. The restoration is occurring at Preston Workshop (where many W class trams were originally built), with the resultant tram being dubbed W8s, they are receiving full rebuilds and many upgrades, including modernised braking and suspension.
Today 38 W class trams are in service on the Melbourne tram network, 12 run on the zero-fare City Circle tourist route, and 26 are used in revenue service, and about 200 are in storage. In revenue service they operating on the route 78 / 79 service from North Richmond to Prahran / St Kilda Beach, the inner city route 30 along La Trobe Street. Three W6 class trams have been converted for use on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant service which operate three meal services daily, the services can operate across the metropolitan system.
Read more about this topic: W-class Melbourne Tram
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