You've done it again, great shots of our beloved trams in a rather austere
city. I agree with your thoughts re architects.
On Mon, 10 May 2021, 00:38 Yuri Sos, trams4me@...> wrote:
> The unseasonable weather was supposed to turn seasonable later in the day,
> plus I had shopping to do so onto the 109 and into the City. With the sun,
> really bright I thought I'd look for some photo opportunities in what is
> turning into a series of unimaginative glass and steel canyons (does
> Australia no longer have architects with flair and care for the city
> environment? Obviously not).
>
> Disembarked at Spencer Street and started walking westward towards what
> used to be Melbourne Yard a long time ago..... I got as far as Wurundgeri
> Way before spotting B2.2008 looming up behind me. Lo and behold W8.983 on
> a City Circle service was coming the other way.
>
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/2008_983_flinders_west_a7r3_07296.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.52MB)
>
> For those unfamiliar with the area, the ANL building is located on the
> south side of the Yarra to the east of the Charles Grimes bridge and is
> part of the South Wharf shopping, convention and hotel precinct. The next
> six towers are Mirvac-built residential towers located west of Montague
> Street between Lorimer Street and the Yarra, I believe is also called
> South Wharf.
>
> As the trams crossed,I was able to photograph them with 983 now past 2008
> yet both in the patch of sunlight. The former VR Goods Shed was in deep
> shadow so I didn't bother for a shot there (will go back late in day in
> summer - as an aside, it's a pity it wasn't converted into a Tram Museum -
> it would have been perfect location, close to city for visitors and on the
> City Circle to be able to run heritage trams from time to time).
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/983_2008_flinders_west_a7r3_07319.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.65MB)
>
> Short time later A1.246 heading towards the City on a 70 Wattle Park
> service...... no Es here today according to TramTracker, mores the pity).
> In the background is the Spanish style "Mission to Seafarers" building
> built in 1917 to provide Christian services to seafarers far from home:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/286_flinders_west_a7r3_07332.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.65MB)
>
> I walked back to Flinders Street West to board the next tram which
> happened to be B2.2095 heading for Vermont South arriving through an
> autumnal archway:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/2094_flinders_west_a7r3_07360.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 2.31MB)
>
> Detrammed at Elizabeth Street and walked up to Lonsdale Street. I took
> quite a few photos but not happy with the composition and/or (lack of)
> light). However, the sun was bright on the Michael's corner. Michael's
> Camera Store has been a fixture here for over 100 years and has recently
> succumbed to the pressure of online retailing killing off conventional
> "bricks and mortar" retailing. Here's B2.2094 heading for Airport West:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/2059_elizabeth_lonsdale_a7r3_07413.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.29MB)
>
> And now for something completely different: I don't normally do portrait
> shots of trams, but here's an unknown Z3 northbound in Elizabeth Street
> crossing Lonsdale Street. Taken from the overbridge between Emporium
> (formerly Myer) and Melbourne Central (formerly Daimaru - which tells you
> how long it's been since I've been here <g!>). Where did that big blue
> monstrosity come from? At least the Myer clock is still in place:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/z3_unk_elizabeth_lonsdake_a7r3_07430.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.29MB)
>
> From same place with an unknown B2. Mitchell House, an iconic Art Deco
> building built in the 30s to house the Mitchell Brushes company (see, there
> is a tram link - queue photos of the Mitchell Brushes freight tram). Fell
> into disrepair but lovingly restored and repurposed as a commercial
> building.
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/b_unk_elizabeth_lonsdale_a7r3_07446.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.97MB)
>
> I made my way up to Swanston Street and the State Library tram stop
> (stupidly called Melbourne Central Station stop; the shopping centre is not
> central and the tram and train stations are grossly misleading). A1.245 on
> a route 3a East Malvern service departs against a background of autumn
> foliage:
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/245_library_a7r3_07462.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 2.58MB)
>
> D1.3521 departs the Library stop on a route 3 service to East Malvern.
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/3521_lil_lonsdale_a7r3_07479.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.95MB)
>
> I walked up to La Trobe Street: now this was a serendipitous surprise:
> 2019 Art Tram D2.5002 eased round the curve from La Trobe Street in
> Swanston Street (not in service of course). Could it be heading back to
> Preston to be restickered either into Yarra Trams Crystal Swamp or a 2021
> Art tram (first release of the next tranche of art trams is only a couple
> of weeks away). Again massive new skyscrapers in the background, while the
> work site of the crane is for the Melbourne Metro tunnel:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/5002_latrobe_swanston_a7r3_07495.jpg
>
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.74MB)
>
> I thought this was going to be a non-E day, but here's E.6036 crossing
> Swanston Street heading for St Vincent's Plaza. The ugliness of what
> passes for architecture, especially opposite the graceful State Library, is
> depressing.
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/6036_latrobe_swanston_a7r3_07528.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.68MB)
>
> A1.256 on a "Not Taking Passengers" service heads south along Swanston
> Street: most of these As look quite weatherbeaten and in need of some
> maintenance and paint, but maybe they're to be replaced by the thus-far
> mythical F class. The conical structure in the background encloses the
> shot tower, a central feature of the shopping centre):
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/256_swanston_latrobe_a7r3_07541.jpg
>
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.85MB)
>
> You again! W8.983 clattered over the tram square heading down La Trobe
> Street:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/983_latrobe_swanston_a7r3_07626.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.72MB)
>
> A brisk walk down Swanston Street saw me arrive outside Flinders Street
> just in time to catch and snap E2.6061 on a route 70a service crossing in
> front of Flinders Street station (the Victorian Arts Centre spire in the
> background). I hadn't consulted TramTracker for a couple of hours so the E
> must've been a later arrival to service: a pleasant surprise, nonetheless,
> and the road closures prevented vehicular photobombing:
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/6061_flinders_a7r3_07647.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.31MB)
>
> Having a few minutes to suss out a location, I photographed B2.2118
> rattling over the tram square with the "Australia 108" super tall
> skyscraper (tallest in Australia) and the " Eureka" building to its right
> (third tallest building in Australia behind Queensland's Q1) towering over
> the station:
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/2118_flinders_a7r3_07670.jpg
>
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.18MB)
>
> There's always heavy tram traffic at this intersection and Z3.186 crosses
> D1.3515 with several other trams in the background:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/186_3515_flinders_a7r3_07682.jpg
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.41MB)
>
> Clouds are starting to build as I walk across Princes Bridge and
> photograph Z3.199 inbound, the Victorian Arts Centre and spire on the left
> and Australia 108 and Eureka in centre background:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/199_princes_bridge_a7r3_307799.jpg
>
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.19MB)
>
> Tiring now, I headed for home, a B2 along Flinders Street, then sat at
> Batman Park waiting for my 109. Tram gods had been so good to me today
> with the sun, the serendipity of spotting 5002 and one final bonus was
> E2.6090, one of the ten most recent deliveries I had missed on Wednesday,
> rolled into the stop. I rode it to Clarendon Junction and photographed it
> as it left the stop:
>
> https://gallery.steam4me.net/albums/trams/2021/6090_clarendon_jcn_a7r3_07848.jpg
>
> (2,000x1,250 pxl; 1.57MB)
>
> Then a mad dash back to Clarendon Junction stop to catch my 109 home, the
> driver kindly waiting as I ran for the tram, although gonging at me tohurry
> up!
>
> I hope you enjoyed my walking tram tour of Melbourne's CBD and have seen
> more than kust trams of our beautiful city.
>
> Yuri.
> --
> Gallery at https://tinyurl.com/trams4me
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