Wash your mouth out Brian!

The older enthusiasts of the era were very much fans of the MMTB!

That’s why the MMTB (1919-1983) was honoured with “beloved” status – on par with the Pacific Electric in California and the Vicinal in Belgium.

It was good to grown up in a city that decided to keep its trams while everyone else was scrapping theirs! We had the strong presence of Sir Robert J H Risson. Plus of course two strong Liberal Party men – Sir Henry Bolte and Sir Arthur Rylah. Both absolute legends.

Sure we saw the demise of the SEC trams in Geelong and the “railway trams” in the 1950s but enjoyed riding ex-MMTB cars in Ballarat and Bendigo through the 1960s. Again, we must thank Sir Henry and Sir Arthur keeping them long enough for us baby boomer enthusiasts to experience and enjoy. But we did lose the single truck trams on the Footscray and Point Ormond lines. Fortunately they survived long enough for me to ride several times as a keen young (primary school) enthusiast. Thanks to my late mum for taking me tram riding in the late 1950s.

There were various pressure groups wanting the trams to go from Melbourne but nothing as strong as in Sydney (and other places). I don’t know of any enthusiast or enthusiast group that campaigned for (or even suggested) the removal of trams from Melbourne.

Mal’s picture raised memories of everyday operations of the MMTB half a century ago. Fortunately there were sufficient of us getting out and about in those days – taking pictures of normal, everyday tram workings. It’s good to see people like Mal sharing their work “for the benefit and education of future generations” [a 48 year old phrase borrowed many times from H E Cain – still on here Hal?)!

No doubt, Brian was taking the piss out of everyone on here. Keep up the good work BB!

Paul in Melbourne