Not wishing to flog a dead horse, but . . .

Further to this tale of balloon loops in Melbourne, prior to ordering what
later became the J class trams the P&MTT ordered and started constructing
trailers for their fleet. Quite some work was done on these before the
project was cancelled (and presumably the materials were incorporated into
the next batch of tramcars). According to sources (actual opening dates are
disputed, but not the years), the Caulfield loop opened in 1914 followed by
St. Kilda in 1916. The first of the J class entered service in 1915.
I would guess that the intention was to run motor-trailer sets between the
two loops, both of which experienced heavy loadings, but the later date of
the Esplanade loop being available for operations seems to indicate
otherwise.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that A class number 10 had its clerestory
lowered (date unknown, however photographs exist showing that it was built
with a full-height clerestory) in preparation for conversion to a
double-deck car - possibly for comparative testing with motor-trailer
combinations to assess which would be better.

X=X=X

[image: Inline images 1]

[TDU archive image - J class tram 71]

[image: Inline images 2]

[TDU archive image - A class tram 14]

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