Ballarat 37 – heavy overhaul – Completed

This tram, haling from provincial Victoria has been restored for operation at Loftus. Unlike Sydney C37 which has been in the workshop beside it, this isn’t a total rebuild, but more of a heavy refurbishment. Ballarat 37 has been displaced from the pit road a few times during it’s refurbishment by higher priority jobs.

Yes, we had two trams numbered 37 in the workshop at the same time.

7th November 2012

Three of the ‘workshop crew’ in the pit under Ballarat 37 just after attaching the newly fabricated lifeguard trip gate.

Mick Duncan. Actually since Mick (self confessed grease monkey and pit man) is in the photo (he’s the one on the left), he’s not the photographer. He got some one else to take the photo with his camera. Thanks who ever you are.

September 2014

Ballarat 37 returned to the workshop and has been placed over the pit. Soon work will start to rewire the car.

February 2016

After much hard work by many people, Ballarat 37 moved under it’s own power on Wednesday the 17th of February. It was originally planned to make a test run to the National Park on Saturday the 20th, but a midday rain storm put an end to that idea and B37 hid in the workshop extension out of the rain.

Below shows it on the traverser heading back to the workshop.

While there are still many small jobs to make this car available for use, the end is well in sight.

37 returning to the workshop after it’s brief outing.

Test run – Saturday 27th February 2016

The weather was good, so 37 finally did its test run; running over all lines to see how the car would handle. After its brief run, it was returned to the running shed, it’s place taken in the workshop by W2 249 which needs attention after it’s route number box had an altercation with a low tree branch.

Photos of the test run taken by Scott Curnow:

12th March 2016

After some final checks and adjustments, Ballarat 37 ventured out again to make a test run to both terminus’s of the tramway. The tram performed well and will shortly be fit for traffic again.

The car will be stored until a special day to celibate it’s 100th birth day can be organised. This is set for some time in the next couple of months.

The paintshop crew still have some minor touch ups to complete, particularly on the interior – but the car is now otherwise fit for regular use and the project is complete.

Matthew Geier

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