SW2 Class Breif History.
Graeme
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 10:10 AM
I am glad to see such a good responce to the SW2
postings,and that it has renewed fond memories of the group members that had the
pleasure of operating these cars in service,and they have shared them with the
group.this is great and I feel what it is all about.
With the interest shown and questions asked I felt
it necesary to go back into the books and do a breif history about the SW2
class.
Car 436 was rebuilt from a W1 class design and
fitted with sliding doors to test slideing doors for the planned fleet of SW6
class cars,this was carried out in 1938 and the SW2 class was born.The remaining
three W1's still not coverted were 426,432 and 478 .These were also
coverted to the SW2 design bringing the total to four.
It would not be till 1953 W2 644 would be converted
to the SW2 class after serious accident damage followed in 1955 by the last
conversion of W2 275 after it was damaged in a colision with a
Victorian Railways tram at St Kilda station,and rebuilt to the SW2 in 1955.Both
of these cars were rebuilt to the W7 style of seating as well as half drop metal
windows similiar to the W7's but not the same.These cars were to be prototypes
for the conversion of the entire W2 class fleet to the advanced design but
was dropped due to cost of the project.(My opinion this would have been better
applied to the W5 fleet at the time.)
Depot Allocations these may not be entirely
accurate given car transfere's over the years and towards the end as new cars
were arriving
Kew 436
Camberwell 426,432,478.
Malvern 275,
Preston 644.
Present Location's
436 New Zealand,
426 PETS in Perth Western
Australia
432 Maitland Tramway Park.N.S.W.
478 State of Wisconson USA.
275 Bendigo trust.Victoria.
644 TMSV. Bylands Victoria.
I hope this breif history is a help and clears up
some questions raised ,Trucker Graeme.
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