English Electric Canberra

English Electric Canberra

English Electric Canberra

An early aeroplane taking off from a sandhill.flight, aeroplane, fisher-folk, pioneer aviation

James Russell Thompson (1818-1886) a successful mining investor and stockbroker of the Ballarat Stock Exchange, gifted the pavilion and the statues within, as a 10,000 pound bequest to the City in his will. The pavilion, designed by architect T.E. Molloy on an octagonal plan with a convex curved roof, was constructed in 1887, and houses the statues Flight from Pompeii, Rebekah, Susannah, Modesty and Ruth. The pavilion is a major feature of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, and unique in Victoria. It is a favourite subject for photographers, and Mrs Strange has captured it surrounded by massed small begonias. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library. botanical gardens, lake wendouree, james russell thompson, statuary pavilion, weighing machine

A four motor bogie drop centre combination tram of the Melbourne W2 class. Body built by the James Moore and Co. of South Melbourne as a W2 class tram. Delivered to the MMTB Preston Workshops where the electrical and mechanical equipment was fitted. Issued to traffic 18/4/1928. Allocated to Essendon Depot. The tram was part of the Transporting Art project suggested by the artist Clifton Pugh (1924-1990) in Jan. 1978 to the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Cr. Irvin Rockman. The concept was enthusiastically supported by Victorian Premier Rupert Hamer. Clifton Pugh's tram was the second tram to appear. Described by the artist as "The apostle birds in flight, as if the tram has run into a group of them and they're flying along the sides. Then I found the route was to be through Collingwood and Hawthorn football territory and one cannot be one-eyed in that worlds, there are a magpie and a hawk on each side." The tram was retained by the State and stored until 2015 when it was transported to the Museum's Offsite store. Formal ownership was transferred to the Museum during 2019. Conservation planning for the tram's return to service and the restoration of the artwork is underway. 1986 - withdrawn from service following a minor accident and stored. In 2015 tram relocated to the Museum's offsite store and during 2019 transferred to ownership of the Museum. See btm.org.au/trams/504.html for further detail. Photos - i1 - Ray Marsh 1978 i2 - Alastair Reither - 3/6/2015 showing the damaged side. i3 - Clifton Pugh on board his tram. Photo from the Diners Club Signature Magazine April/May 1982, from an article titled Moving Masterpieces. Photo courtesy of the Melbourne Tram Museum. See Destination Citytrams, w2 class, transporting art, tram 504