B class Melbourne tram

History

In preparation of the conversion of the St Kilda and Port Melbourne railway lines to light rail, two prototype B1-class trams were built in 1984 and 1985. They were followed by 130 B2-class trams built between 1987 and 1994. All were built in Dandenong, by Comeng and later ABB. They were the first articulated trams on the Melbourne tram network, and the B2-class were the first air-conditioned trams.

On the request of the Victorian transport minister, who wished the last of the B-class order to be low-floor trams, an articulated low-floor design was developed by Comeng from 1989. The tram was to ostensibly utilise the components from the B-class and be partially low-floor, with internal stairs over the bogies. The design progressed quite far, with concept art, design schematics, and a mock up produced, and work on the first body shell commenced. The project was cancelled in 1990, with the new transport minister opting to finish the full B-class order instead of the low-floor variant; this was on the back of disputes between Comeng and the Public Transport Corporation, a cabinet reshuffle, and ABB's acquisition of Comeng. The prospect of low-floor access was raised again in the late 1990s when the Public Transport Corporation considered adding a low-floor section to the B-class trams, between the two sections. However, at a cost of $700,000 per tram it was not considered cost effective, and not carried out.

Yarra Trams announced in late 2013 that $4.4 million in funding had been secured from Public Transport Victoria to upgrade the B-class fleet. Seats are being removed and replaced with 'lean seats' as fitted on C and C2 class trams, that will increase capacity by seven to nine passengers while providing space for prams and shopping carts, while extra hand rails will also be installed floor to ceiling, and seats will be re-covered. These changes are aimed at increasing capacity while providing better use of space and flow through the vehicles. Step-well lighting was also improved, providing better visibility by changing to LED lighting. The program aimed to add capacity of approximately 1,100 passengers to the B-class fleet and was completed in early 2014. In June 2015, Yarra Trams and Public Transport Victoria announced the installation of an automated passenger information system, similar to that used on the E class fleet, commencing with B-class trams at Camberwell depot. This programme also changed over the entire B class fleet destination displays from the previously fluorescent-lit dot-matrix to the more visible, bright orange LED type seen on the Z3 class fleet. The end of the B2-class tram production line with tram B2.2128 saw the last Melbourne-built Melbourne-run tram for 12 years, with the E-class being its successor.

B1-class

The B1-class comprises two trams built as prototype light rail vehicles built by Comeng in 1984 and 1985 for the St Kilda and Port Melbourne light rail conversion projects. Both B1s are fitted with air compressors and air brakes (the only other trams currently in service also fitted with air brakes are the W class), and were originally fitted with both trolley poles and pantographs. They were originally built with dual height steps to allow for level boarding at railway platforms and street level, but both have had these features removed, with low floor stops build adjacent to the railway platforms instead. They have a very similar interior to proceeding B2-class, except they have no air-conditioning, and are fitted with opening windows and different sun shades.

B1 2001 was delivered to the Metropolitan Transit Authority on 7 February 1984 and entered service on 19 December 1984, while B1 2002 entered service on 17 December 1985. Both had compressor issues in the early to mid 2000s, but were later rectified, both of which were based at East Preston depot.

In 2016, both B1-Class trams were meant to have been replaced by E-class trams made by Bombardier Transportation after an organized farewell tour was hosted by Yarra Trams on 2 February 2016. However, as of August 2016. B1 2001 is still in service while B2 2002 is in storage.

B2-class

Following the B1-class trams, an order of 130 B2-class trams was completed by Comeng (later ABB) between 1987 and 1994, originally for the light rails they quickly spread across the system. Although quite similar to the B1-class, they differed in several ways, they were the first Melbourne trams to feature air conditioning, include dot-matrix destination signs, and although the electronics of the B2-class were similar to earlier Z3 and A-class trams, they were fitted with gate turn-off control systems.

In August 1999, the Melbourne tram network was privatised, and the B2-class fleet was divided between Swanston Trams (later M>Tram) and Yarra Trams. Both companies began their own repainting and refurbishment program that saw new liveries and internal colour schemes. Following M>Tram ceasing operations in 2004, all B2-class trams went to Yarra Trams.

In 2003 Yarra Trams refitted ten B2-class trams with the "Apollo" seating layout, in which some seats were replaced with "bum racks" (similar to those seen in the C-class trams), in an effort to increase passenger capacity. All B2-class trams remain in service and are painted in either the Yarra Trams livery, or have all-over advertising applied.

Use

B1-class trams operate on the following routes:

B2-class trams operate on the following routes:

B-class trams operated on the following routes prior to their abolition:

The Cascade Program involves the gradual transfer of B-Class trams from other depots receiving modern trams (e.g. Southbank, New Preston, Brunswick) primarily and initially to Glenhuntly Depot, in order to replace their now defunct Z1/2 class fleet.