Editing Trams in Melbourne (section)

===W-class===
{{Main|W-class Melbourne tram}}

W-class trams were introduced to Melbourne in 1923 as a new standard design. They have two equal-wheeled [[bogie]]s, with all four axles powered by a separate motor; carbodies feature a distinctive "drop centre" section, allowing the passenger steps at the central doorways to be closer to the ground. A total of 756 W-class trams of 11 variants were built up until 1956, and they formed the mainstay of Melbourne's tramways system for 60 years.<ref name="Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board W Class No 380"/><ref name="Melbourne's W-class tram">{{cite web | url=http://www.railpage.org.au/tram/w.html | work=Trams of Australia | title=Melbourne's W-class tram | access-date=6 November 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011014944/http://www.railpage.org.au/tram/w.html | archive-date=11 October 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="W Class Trams – NatTrust">{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/64262 | work=[[National Trust of Australia]] | title=W Class Trams | access-date=6 November 2011 | archive-date=2 April 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402185647/http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/64262 | url-status=live }}</ref>

It was not until the 1980s that the W-class started to be replaced in large numbers, and by 1990 their status as an icon for the city was recognised, leading to a listing by the [[National Trust of Australia]]. Public outrage over their sale for tourist use overseas led to an embargo on further export out of the country in 1993, though recently{{when|date=June 2017}} some have been given or loaned to various Museums. Approximately 200 of the W-class trams retired since then remain stored, and the future use of these trams is unknown.<ref name="W Class Trams – NatTrust"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nattrust.com.au/content/download/81747/865020/file/Background_information.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014092904/http://www.nattrust.com.au/content/download/81747/865020/file/Background_information.pdf |archive-date=2009-10-14 |url-status=live | work=[[National Trust of Australia]] | title=W Class Trams – Background Information | access-date=6 November 2011}}</ref>

W-class trams have been sent overseas: five went to [[Seattle]] between 1978 and 1993, where they operated on Seattle's [[Seattle Waterfront Streetcar|George Benson Waterfront Streetcar Line]] from 1982, but suspended in 2005. Another nine are now part of the downtown Memphis tourist service, while several{{which|date=June 2017}} other US cities have one or two.<ref name="Melbourne's W-class tram"/> The [[Edmonton Radial Railway Society]] in [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]] received No. 930 in 1997, and currently operates it on the [[High Level Bridge Streetcar]] heritage line.

As of January 2015, there are approximately 230 W-class trams: about 165 are in storage, 27 are stored operational in "ready reserve", 12 run on the [[City Circle tram|City Circle]] (the oldest W-class tram in service runs on the City Circle) and 26 are used in revenue service.<ref>{{cite news |title=City not ready to lose its W-class act |author=Ruth Williams |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/city-not-ready-to-lose-its-wclass-act-20100227-pa8v.html |newspaper=[[The Age]] |date=28 February 2010 |access-date=6 November 2011 |archive-date=29 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729074924/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/city-not-ready-to-lose-its-wclass-act-20100227-pa8v.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2010, it was announced by the new transport minister that the 26 W-class trams running the two inner city routes, would be phased out by 2012, prompting a new campaign from the [[National Trust of Australia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Minister in, W-class trams out |author=Sarah-Jane Collins |url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/minister-in-wclass-trams-out-20100121-mo95.html |newspaper=[[The Age]] |date=22 January 2010 |access-date=6 November 2011 |archive-date=29 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729074554/http://www.theage.com.au/national/minister-in-wclass-trams-out-20100121-mo95.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nattrust.com.au/advocacy/campaigns/w_class_trams | work=[[National Trust of Australia]] | title=W Class Trams | access-date=6 November 2011 | archive-date=14 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814162114/http://www.nattrust.com.au/advocacy/campaigns/w_class_trams | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, it was proposed to better utilise the unused W-class trams by refurbishing and leasing them as "roving ambassadors" to other cities, generating revenue which could then be invested back into the public transport system.<ref>{{cite news |title=Activist ready to rattle to keep W-class rolling |author=Ruth Williams |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/activist-ready-to-rattle-to-keep-wclass-rolling-20100306-pptp.html |newspaper=[[The Age]] |date=7 March 2010 |access-date=6 November 2011 |archive-date=29 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729075405/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/activist-ready-to-rattle-to-keep-wclass-rolling-20100306-pptp.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011 the Victoria government committed $8 million over four years for the restoration of W-class trams, with options for new routes to be considered.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Coalition Government to save Victoria's W-Class trams |url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/719-coalition-government-to-save-victorias-w-class-trams.html |publisher=From the Minister for Public Transport |date=3 May 2011 |access-date=16 March 2013 |archive-date=14 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514202703/http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/719-coalition-government-to-save-victorias-w-class-trams.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Restoring W-Class trams|url=http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/metropolitan-tram-network/restoring-w-class-trams/|work=[[Public Transport Victoria]]|access-date=16 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130312122110/http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/metropolitan-tram-network/restoring-w-class-trams/|archive-date=12 March 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:SW5.728FlindersStreet.jpg|A SW5-class tram on [[Flinders Street, Melbourne|Flinders Street]]
File:W6 Melbourne tram, Nicholson Street.jpg|A W6-class tram on [[Victoria Street, Melbourne|Victoria Street]]
File:City-Circle-Tram,-cnr-Flinders&Elizabeth,-Melb,-12.08.2008.jpg|A W7-class tram on [[Flinders Street, Melbourne|Flinders Street]]
</gallery>