HADDON:During the 1970s, Melbourne's trams were rapidly being scrapped - but a small group of enthusiasts decided to save some of these transport relics

摘要

Hundreds of thousands of people ride Melbourne's trams every day. The city has the world's biggest tram network in use, with more than 250km of track, yet few Melburnians give a second thought to the carriages that take them to work, to home or out for the evening. There is a certain type of enthusiast, however, who is obsessed with these unique pieces of transport history. Just 110km away from the city centre, in the township of Haddon, a group of dedicated tram lovers is working to rescue some of the trams deemed too old for service.Tony Smith is the secretary of the Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association (MTPA). His love of trams runs so deep that he and wife Jaqueline's home is tram W3 656 (its class and specific number). The driver's cabs at each end are now wardrobes and the passenger section has become two narrow bedrooms and a living room. Their compact house is on a l.2ha property that is also the headquarters of the MTPA and houses eight other trams from Melbourne, as well as a 60Om demonstration track.