• Mood: blank
• Music: 'Friends Are Evil' by Jesu

Because trams are all kinds of awesome

I've posted some of my photos of trams recently, but it was really just a mishmash, whatever I photographed when I was out. So today, I thought I'd do a proper run-through of the tram fleet for the out-of-towners, using my admittedly very rudimentary and basic knowledge. I'm sure anybody with more of a clue can easily correct and enlighten me. This is, after all, just an exercise in generorkish fun, and trams cheer me up. I should also get around to posting some of my railway photos soon too. I haven't taken many, just around Royal Park and Spencer Street stations, but it'll be a change of pace at least.

So without further ado, here's more of my shitty photography with a veneer of being informative.

	Front view The W class is the traditional Melbourne tram. They only run a few routes nowadays. There are numerous subclasses, many of which are withdrawn, and I don't know the differences between most yet. Those in service are the more recent subclasses, I think built in the 1940s-50s.
	Side view Side view of the W class, showing its traditional green and cream livery.
	City Circle trams Some of the W class trams are done up for the free City Circle, which runs around the CBD. I think they are the most attractive trams in the city, challenged only by the restaurant trams.

Z3 class There are three subclasses of the Z class: the Z1, Z2, and Z3. The Z1 and Z2 look virtually identical and I unfortunately lack a photo of them. The Z3 class is depicted here, and in many of my previous photos as it is the primary class on my route. I can't decide whether the W or the Z3 is my favourite type of Melbourne tram. After the Ws, the Zs are the oldest trams; the Z1-2s date from 1975-79 and the Z3s 1979-84.

Z3, two B2s, and Flinders Street Station I rather like this photo. In the distance is part of Flinders Street Station, Melbourne's most beautiful building. It is seen down Elizabeth Street from the Bourke Street intersection. The closest tram is a Z3, and in the distance are two B2 class trams, which we'll get to later.

	A class tram The A class followed the Z class and were built 1984-87. There is in fact the A1 and A2 subclasses, but visually they look identical to me, though I rarely encounter the A class in the usual course of my travels. Accordingly, this shot from Spencer Street Station is one of only two A class shots I have.
	A and Z3 class trams And here's the other A class photo! This shows the front of an A class tram at left and a Z3 at right. The A class tram is in a stabling siding in the middle of Swanston Street on the northern side of the main Melbourne University stop.

	B2 class tram The B class consists of two B1 prototypes and roughly 130 B2s. I have to look closely to identify the B1s, I can tell them apart more easily from inside than out. They are essentially an extended, articulated form of the A class.
	B2 articulation A B2 tram turning from Bourke Street on the right onto Spencer Street, demonstrating its articulated qualities. The B class was built between 1984 and 1994. They're the other class that runs on my route, so are over-represented in my photography.
	A B2 meets a D2 In this photo, a member of the only articulated high-floor tram, the B2 class, meets a more modern low-floor articulated tram, the D2 class. They will be covered later.

	Front of a C class The C class is the first low floor class. Fucking ugly "light rail" beasts. I find them unattractive, flagrantly designed to look modern for no apparent reason, as the classic appearance of the City Circle trams is both more attractive and more popular.
	A more side-on view of the C Here's a more side-on view. Of the two low floor classes currently in service, I think externally they are less attractive than the D class but internally more comfortable. They were built 2001-02.

	Front view of a D2 The D class of articulated trams has two subclasses. The D1 class has three sections, while the D2 class - seen here - is longer and has five sections.
	D2 class tram rounding corner Here's a view of the D2's articulation. These trams were built in 2004. The D1 trams preceded them in 2002.

We also have five new trams coming, on loan from France until 2011 ahead of a government plan to procure more trams. Amusingly, some French leaves have delayed the introduction of these trams to service. I'm looking forward to seeing them around and photographing them. I hope they retain the yellow livery seen in The Age's article. It's much more attractive than the bland fog grey and white that Yarra Trams currently uses on most of the other trams.