Railways and Tramways of Australia
W8 Class
W8 Class tram 1010, Queen’s Bridge, Melbourne, 15 January 2017.
Road numbers:
856, 888, 925, 928, 946, 957, 959, 961, 981, 983, 1000, 1010
Operator:
Yarra Trams, Melbourne
Gauge:
1435 mm
Year of entry into service:
2013
Number built:
12
Type:
Bogie, drop-centre saloon
Manufacturer:
Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board; Ansair
Manufacturing location:
Melbourne, Vic
Motors:
4 x GE 247 AX2 30 kW
Weight:
17.7 t
Length:
14.2 m
Seats:
48
The W8 Class consists of SW6, W7 and W8 Class trams that were refurbished from 2013 to form the new W8 Class. The refurbishment was carried out by Bendigo Tramway Workshops and involved modernisation to incorporate a range of features, including improved safety through a strengthened underframe and driver’s cab, improved electrical controls, and installation of a public address system. They are allocated to Southbank depot and are in service on the City Circle route as heritage trams representing Melbourne’s tramway history, but with modern features required to operate on the network.