The Karachi to Melbourne tram or the W-11 tram is a retired Z class tram Z1 81 decorated by a team of professional Pakistani vehicle decorators, commissioned by the City of Melbourne for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Origin of the name
The name is based on the W-11 buses originally found in Karachi, Pakistan, which are a model of minibus famous for their entertainment value: decorated with lush designs and playing popular Pakistani or Indian music. Competition between buses has made these buses famous for their extravagant designs and entertainment.
The tram
As a showcase of Pakistani culture, Z class tram Z1 81 was commissioned for the Commonwealth Games, and a team of W-11 decorators were invited to decorate the tram at Preston Workshops. For the duration of the games it operated on the City Circle, playing Bhangra and Pakistani music. It returned to service in the summer of 2006/07 operating Friday night City Circle services.
It is currently on permanent display at the Melbourne Tram Museum at Hawthorn depot since June 2015.
References
- Last rides on the Karachi tram Melbourne 2006 25 March 2006
- Vehicle Decoration - The Karachi Decoration Project Australian Broadcasting Corporation 5 April 2006
- The Karachi Tram - back on the streets of Melbourne every Friday night during daylight savings Archived 15 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine Yarra Trams 23 November 2006
- "Yarra Trams Z1 Class No 81 'Karachi W11'". www.hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Melbourne Tram Museum @ Hawthorn Depot. 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
External links
Media related to Karachi to Melbourne tram at Wikimedia Commons
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