Moomba Trams on Parade

Today (Monday 10 March 2002) was the Labour Day Holiday in Victoria and I took the opportunity to go into town and watch the "Moomba Trams on Parade".

I had a good vantage point on the northeast corner of Swanston and Flinders Street but it was not easy to take photos due mainly to the "security" personnel walking in front on and beside the moving exhibits. There were no police present that I could see and it seemed to be left to the "security" personnel and volunteers to supervise the crowd.

The parade crowd was estimated at 200,000.

The parade started at Grant Street and travelled across Princes Bridge to Bourke Street. There was a "street party" in Swanston Street and many of the trams captured a lot of interest.

Star of the day must have been Milano 1692 but Berlin 3007 looked pretty good especially parked beside Citadis 3014 during the street party. And we must not forget my personal favourite R 1808.

The line up after the parade was:

East track:

Bourke Street

Hawthorn 8 (Melbourne)

S 164 (Melbourne)

W1 431 (Melbourne)

R 1808 (Sydney)

Y1 613 (Melbourne)
C 3014 (Melbourne)

Little Collins Street

SW6 949 (Melbourne)*

Collins Street

SW6 885 (Melbourne)*

1042 (Preston Workshops!)

SW5 800 NIRVANA tram (Melbourne)*

Flinders Street

W7 1018 ALL GOODS (Melbourne)*
SW6 899 (Melbourne)*

West track

Bourke Street

Ballarat Horse Tram 1

S 164 (Melbourne)

X 217 (Melbourne)
1692 (Milan)
3007 (Berlin)

Little Collins Street

SW6 900 (Melbourne)*

Collins Street

SW5 759 KITCHEN (Melbourne)*

Flinders Lane

W6 984 (Melbourne)*

Yarra Trams Citadis 3014 was parked at the Collins Street superstop (eastbound track).

There was a range of entertainment reflecting the multi-cultural Australian community. The was some "tramway" street theatre at the City Square. Also displays by the Ballarat, Bendigo and Sydney tramway musem. The partially restored Bendigo battery car attracted considerable interest as I passed by.

The trams returned to Preston Workshops and Milano 1692 was spotted in St Georges Road about 1600.

The tram parade has been a feature of the Moomba festival for the past three years. It was described as a "trundling tribute to the iconic Melbourne tram".

Paul in Melbourne.