Historical information

The original line to the Essendon Aerodrome was constructed in 1943 to serve the airport and aircraft construction. It was funded by the Commonwealth Government. By 1976, patronage to the airport terminus in Vaughan St had dropped, the crossing of the highway to the Tullamarine Airport opened in 1970, was dangerous, and the highway needed to be widened. The new terminus was a short distance to the north between Mathews Ave and the Highway. This series of photographs show the operation of a tram service during the changeover. Trams ran from the Niddrie crossover near Keilor Road to a temporary terminus just short of the worksite, with cars running "bang" road or the wrong way for one trip along either line. This would have been controlled by an Inspector at the Niddrie end. The work was done over a 7-hour period, including changing the overhead over. Work would have been completed after the changeover period.

.1 - W5 800 at “temporary” Essendon Airport terminus, Cnr Mathews Ave, Vaughan St. after running “bang” road or the wrong way to this point from the Niddrie or Keilor Road crossover. Curves have been removed.. Has an Inspector chatting to a man with a hat standing alongside the tram. The shelter has a City of Keilor logo on it.
.2 - W5 684, taken from the overbridge at the TAA stop - during the changeover of the tracks. Tram running “bang” road from Niddrie to the temporary terminus.
.3 - SW5 787, temporary terminus in Mathews Ave, about to return to Niddrie as an “up” car on the “down” line.
.4 - MMTB Track gang commissioning and placing rails at the new terminus with scrubber 10 waiting. Overhead in position with overhead for the curves partly removed. Mobile Crane on the left-hand side moving a formwork piece into position
.5 - 10W cleaning new track at the new terminus.
.6 - Rail Scrubber 10W at work cleaning head of rails where new concrete section. Has a TAA bus on the right side.
.7 - W5 783 is about to be the first passenger tram to the terminus, at 3.50 pm About 20 workmen are completing the inbound or up track.
.8 - W5 783 about to be the first passenger tram to the terminus, at 3.50 pm About 20 workmen are completing the inbound or up track.

Significance

Yields information about the last day of the operation of the original Essendon Airport tram line and the works done for the new terminus.

Physical description

Set of 8 Kodachrome cardboard mount colour slides of the relocation of the Essendon Airport tram terminus 7-10-1976, by Ron Scholten.

Inscriptions & markings

All slides have detailed descriptions on the rear