On 22/09/2017 3:55 PM, Tony Gallowayarg@... [TramsDownUnder] wrote:
> I’d call it an “amusement park ride fake olde timey” type livery - try hard and bogus.

>

> It dates from the Kennett era, doesn’t it ?

>

Yes.

As part of the 1992 election campaign, Jeff Kennett promised free tram travel in the city.
After the election, in early 1994, he 'fulfilled the promise' by starting the City Circle service around the perimieter of the CBD.

.... "Oh, did you think I meant free travel on ALL trams in the city?"

See Daniel Bowen's comments on fares at:
https://www.danielbowen.com/tag/fares/
... just search for Kennett.

The grateful public responded by cramming the City Circle trams to get a cheap ride and making it a bit squeezy for the tourists.

A few election cycles again another promise, this time by Labor, gave us the current Free Tram Zone.
In the same web page linked above, Daniel makes the point that free tram travel in the CBD is primarily a benefit for motorists.

Anyway, here's a pic of 888 and 3502 in 2003 - with the latter in another example of the rapidly cycling liveries of Melbourne trams.

Mal Rowe - noting that 888 has a high likelyhood of surviving because of the attraction of a ride for Chinese tourists