If it's a bit tongue-in-cheek and a cheeky PR boost that's OK, but there
are of course older continuous systems and I can think of at least a dozen
systems that are more successful, some wildly so. By UITP's ratings,
Melbourne is one of the more modest achievers - not up the top but far from
being the worst, somewhere in the middle. It's the unrealised potential
that Melbourne has that most stands out to my eye. It could achieve much
much more than it does now if State governments put their back into solid
and ongoing commitment to it.

Tony P

On Sunday, 9 December 2018 14:17:18 UTC+11, Mal Rowe wrote:
>

> Have you ever wondered why Melbourne's tram network is the most

> successful in the world?

>

> Wonder no more - a new book by Aymeric Perfrement explains it all, and

> it's available now for your enjoyment.

>

> I was at Melbourne Tram Museum late in November for the book launch (see

> attached pic) and am most impressed by the outcome of Aymeric's work

> over 12 months since he first had the idea and became an overnight

> zealot for the cause of Melbourne trams.

>

> Here are a few extracts from my comments at the launch:

> "This new book is a significant (and fun) contribution to the story.

> Aymeric has brought good humour and a commitment to research to us in a

> fresh way that will delight many - although a few may see it as a bit

> light-hearted.

> We hear people refer to Melbourne's iconic trams. Aymeric just says they

> are the “most successful in the world”!

>

> ...

>

> Aymeric’s book is a worthy contribution to the continued telling of tram

> stories and the embedding of tram legends. I commend it to you, and to

> all who believe our trams ARE iconic."

>

> The 98 page book has a large number of photos, by Aymeric, from the MTM

> archives and by me.

>

> It's available at the Melbourne Tram Museum shop and can also be

> ordered on line through Amazon, Angus & Robertson, Booktopia, Book

> Depository and Readings. ISBN is 978-0-6482709-0-4

>

> Aymeric can be emailed at:melbourne...@... <javascript:>

>

> Mal Rowe - who with Warren Doubleday worked with Aymeric on the final

> edit.

>

>