Yes Mal,

The short walk from the end of the Wests Rd extension to both the Pyrotechnics factory and the Ordnance factory was about the same so a single destination was logical.

Trams not turning into the Wests Rd extension continued a short distance along Cordite Ave to what is still the Route 57 terminus, outside the entrance to the Explosives factory.

The extensive area north of Cordite Ave/Raleigh Rd was promoted some years ago as a whole new suburb for the western side of Melbourne but nothing came of it. Transfer of ownership from Commonwealth to State was one matter but I think the sticking point was…. who was to meet the high cost of remediation?

Roger

From:tramsdownunder@... tramsdownunder@...> On Behalf Of Mal Rowe
Sent: Thursday, 26 August 2021 2:18 PM
To:tramsdownunder@...
Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] E Class Stabling in Maidstone

On 26/08/2021 12:36, Roger Greenwood wrote:

Mal ‘wondered about the exact site of the Pyrotechnics Factory’.

It’s location is shown on the route map forming part of my Footscray DVD. I used a fairly early street map for this purpose and the area defined for the new depot (corner of Williamson & Hampstead Rd) was shown as being full of suburban streets. The pyrotechnics factory fronted Hampstead Rd opposite Wattle Rd.

Thanks Roger - I should have checked that.

The Pyrotechnics Factory and the Ordnance Factory were in practice the same destination - the end of the short branch that ran south from Raleigh Rd just east of Wests Rd to Williamson Rd during the war.

I attach my pic of 676 and 180 playing around on the old terminus crossover during a TMSV tour in 1967.

Mal Rowe - who would like to see 180 make a return to the old site for the depot opening!