Hawthorn tram depot
Hawthorn tram depot was built in April 1916 by the Hawthorn Tramways Trust (HTT). It was built on the corner of Power Street and Wallen Road, Hawthorn, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The depot was close to the junction of the HTT's two main lines. It was taken over by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) in 1920. In 1925 the depot was used as a school to teach tram drivers and tram conductors. In 1940, the building was also used to make uniforms for MMTB staff.
Hawthorn tram depot viewed from Wallen Road | |
Location | |
---|---|
Location | Wallen Road, Hawthorn |
Characteristics | |
Owner(s) | VicTrack |
Operator(s) | Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board |
History | |
Opened | April 1916 |
Closed | 13 February 1965 |
The depot closed as a running depot on 13 February 1965,[1][2] but was kept in use for training and uniform manufacture until the 1990s.
In August 1998, Transport Minister Robin Cooper announced the site would be redeveloped as a residential complex by the Urban Land Corporation, with part of the depot to be retained as a museum.[3] The museum was opened by Transport Minister Peter Batchelor on 19 January 2003.[4][5]
In 1996 the depot was added to the Victorian Heritage Register.[6]
Friends of Hawthorn Tram Depot
The tram museum is owned by VicTrack, but the museum is staffed and run by the Friends of Hawthorn Tram Depot. This group is a volunteer, non-profit group set up to preserve the history of Melbourne's trams. The museum has 17 fully restored trams.[7] The collection also includes one of Melbourne's original cable trams.
References
- "Hawthorn Depot Closed" Trolley Wire issue 97 April 1965 page 11
- "Friends of Hawthorn Tram Depot: Melbourne Tram Museum @ Hawthorn Depot". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- "Melbourne News" Trolley Wire issue 275 November 1998 page 11
- "Museum opened at Hawthorn Depot" Trolley Wire issue 292 February 2003 pages 25/26
- "Friends of Hawthorn Depot" Trolley Wire issue 294 August 2003 page 22
- "Victorian Heritage Database". vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au. 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- "PTV Corporate". corp.ptv.vic.gov.au. 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.