Brunswick tram depot

Brunswick tram depot is located at 807 Sydney Road, Brunswick,^[1] a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It was opened in 1936 for the electrification of the Brunswick and North Melbourne Cable tram line, is operated by Yarra Trams and is one of the eight tram depots of the Melbourne tram system.^[2]

History

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board granted a £30,030 tender in May 1935 for the construction of an electric tram depot at the corner of Sydney Road and Peverill Street – Brunswick depot. The depot was required to accommodate the electric conversion of the Brunswick and North Melbourne Cable tram line.^[3] The nine road depot, with associated workshop, storerooms, and staff mess-hall^[3] was completed and opened on 26 April 1936.^[1] Although the original plans had trams entering via Sydney Road, this plan was dropped in favour of the current arrangement with trams entering from the rear, via Cameron Street.^[1]

Plans were drawn up in 1989 to permit Brunswick depot to operate the Upfield railway line, which was slated to be converted to light rail. The plans proposed connections from the Upfield railway line to the Brunswick depot fan, a new station at Brunswick depot, and the addition of three outside storage roads. The planned light rail conversion was scrapped in 1994, so the plans were never implemented.^[1]

Brunswick depot was allocated to Swanston Trams, later M>Tram, with privatisation of the tram system in 1999, which followed the split up of the Public Transport Corporation in 1997.^[1] It became part of the Yarra Trams system when they took control of the entire tram network in 2004.^[4]

In 2009 Brunswick was named as Yarra Tram's fourth Greendepot. These depots are more water and energy efficient, with improved lighting systems, rainwater harvesting, and a variety of other water and energy saving measures. These initiatives are expected to lower Brunswick's water consumption by 2.5 million litres of water per year, and reduce the depot's carbon output. ^[5][6]

The Royal Tram used to convey Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during their visit in October 2011.

While visiting Melbourne in October 2011, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh travelled aboard a Z3-class tram, decorated as a Royal Tram. It was driven by a Brunswick driver, from Federation Square to Government House, along St Kilda Road.^[7][8][9]

Layout

Brunswick depot has 11 roads in total. Nine are under cover within the shed, while two are outside.^[1]

Rolling stock

Brunswick depot is home to 50 trams in total. This comprises of 17 B2-class trams, 15 D2-class trams and 17 Z3-class trams.^[1]

Routes

The following services are operated from Brunswick depot:

• Route 1 – East Coburg to South Melbourne Beach^[10]
• Route 8 – Moreland to Toorak Shared with Malvern tram depot^[11]
• Route 19 – North Coburg to Elizabeth Street^[12]

References

External links

• Yarra Trams
• Brunswick Tram Depot at the Victorian Heritage Database

Coordinates: 37°45′26″S 144°57′46″E / 37.7572°S 144.9629°E / -37.7572; 144.9629