Today's historic photo of the day: Just six weeks before her withdrawal, SW2 class #tram no 644 runs a depot-bound trip in Moreland Rd, Brunswick, Vic, October 31 1987.
644 was one of the famous W2 series of trams that, for 60 years from 1927 to 1987 personified Melbourne. They were the most numerous class of tram and were so reliable that they probably are in no small part responsible for the survival of Melbourne's tram network through the decades when so many other cities abandoned trams.
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No 644's history however is a bit different to most other W2s. Built in 1930, she ran as a standard W2 until damaged in a collision in 1953. She was then re-built as an SW2, which involved removal of the narrow centre door, and fitting of mechanical sliding doors to the remaining two doors on each side of the dropcentre. Four W1 class trams had, in 1938, been converted to SW2 class and their success had led to sliding doors being standard for all new trams starting with the SW6 class in 1938
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Conversion of 644 from W2 to SW2 in 1953, some 15 years after the conversion of the original four, was to be the prototype for the conversion of the entire W2 class fleet to match the standards of comfort offered by enclosed saloons on newer trams. However, only two W2s were converted; 644 in 1953 and 275 in 1955.
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Whilst successful, no further W2s were converted, the remaining W2s lived out their lives in original open-centred state, and 644 became a bit of an oddity. The conversion did however extend 644's operating life, and she remained in regular service until late 1987, just six weeks or so after this photo was taken, making it one of the last trams from the W2 family in service. After withdrawal she was loaned to the Tramway Museum Society of Victoria, and she is still at the Bylands museum today.
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This section of track in Moreland Road Brunswick remains in service and today and carries route 6 trams as well as providing access to Brunswick Depot for route 19 trams running along Sydney Road. You can see the Sydney Road intersection in the background of this shot.
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