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M&MTB W No 220

M&MTB W No 220 in Collins Street, Melbourne (1973). Photograph Clive Gibson.

This tram was one of two prototype W class trams, numbers 219 and 220, built in 1923 at the M&MTB Holden Street Workshops in North Fitzroy. These cars formed the basis of what was to become the internationally recognised symbol of Melbourne, the W class tramcar, which proliferated into twelve different versions and over 750 vehicles.

These trams were designed to be easily mass produced, due to the planned conversion of cable tramlines to electric during the 1920s, and the massive planned expansion of the Melbourne system, which unfortunately did not eventuate as a result of the economic effect of the worldwide Depression. The W class were constructed by the M&MTB in both North Fitzroy and Preston Workshops, as well as private manufacturers James Moore of South Melbourne and Holden Body Builders of Adelaide.

Technically these trams were bogie drop-centre combination tramcars, a design type which was basically restricted to Australia and New Zealand. Mechanically simple and robust, examples of this basic design were in operation for over sixty years in the streets of Melbourne.

The W class were identifiable by the three equal width doorways which could be protected by canvas blinds in the event of inclement weather (not unknown in Melbourne), and by the drop centre wooden seats which were arranged in face to back pairs facing the middle of the car. This design was found to be non-optimal for passenger unloading, so all 200 W class tramcars were converted to the W2 style drop centre between 1928 and 1933, being reclassified into that class on conversion. There were two basic roof designs, No 220 being fitted with the earlier arch roof design, while later cars were fitted with a vent roof style which was standard on all subsequent W type tramcars.

Unlike many of its sister cars which were allocated to a single depot for their entire length of service, No 220 was allocated to a number of depots, including Essendon, Malvern, Kew, and Preston, before it ended up back at Malvern.

This tram was acquired by the TMSV in 1982, and is half way through re-conversion from a W2 class tram into its original condition as a W class, although work has been ceased due to concentration on other museum priorities.