There are now very few quality new trams with swivelling bogies under 30
metres available from any manufacturers outside Czech Republic.

Tony P

On Tuesday, 24 November 2020 at 16:45:08 UTC+11 Mal Rowe wrote:

> On 24/11/2020 16:19, TP wrote:

> > Finally a breakthrough. They won't be accessible though unless they

> > have the platforms to go with them. The "another variety" of tram

> > worries me. As long as it's not less than 30 metres. 45 metres would

> > be good.

>

> There's another 50 E class available under the current contract options,

> so my guess is that will be taken up.

>

> The other 50 may well be more like a B in terms of capacity - the

> closely spaced route in the south east don't need big trams like the

> Es. Trams greater than 30m in length would be extremely problematic in

> the CBD - the blocks of the Hoddle grid are not big enough in the

> north-south streets to fit in the platform stops.

>

> The budget reports indicate that the trams will be built in Melbourne,

> so Dandenong (under its new Alston ownership) looks like being busy.

>

> I have attached part of a plan from a 1983 report by the (then new)

> Metropolitan Transit Authority which shows a new Airport West Depot.

>

> The plan was to sell off Essendon Depot and build anew. The biggest

> negative aspect of this proposal - identified in the proposal - was the

> amount of 'dead running' to serve the West Maribyrnong and Footscray

> routes. However, there's not really other options in the area.

>

> Kew, Malvern and Camberwell were also to be sold, however, those plans

> revolved around a new depot at Wantirna South and a greatly expanded

> South Melbourne depot (on the old site). Since that time, heritage

> issues have become much more prominent, so I doubt that these three

> depots will be closed.

>

> The only real heritage aspect of Essendon Depot is the 1906 carbarn and

> that could be relatively easily re-purposed.

>

> Mal Rowe - close to the locus of change

>

>