Colonial Tramcar Restaurant facts for kids
The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant was a special restaurant in Melbourne, Australia. It operated inside old W class trams that were changed into dining cars. It was a unique way to enjoy a meal while traveling through the city!
Contents
How It Started
The idea for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant began in 1981. The company bought an old tram, number 442, which was built in 1927. This tram had been used for 55 years by Melbourne's tram service.
Work to turn the tram into a restaurant started in 1982. The floor was made level, and a single entrance door was added. Inside, there were two dining areas: one for 12 people and another for 24. There was also a kitchen and a washroom in the middle. The restaurant trams were kept at the South Melbourne tram depot.
The restaurant officially opened on 2 November 1982. At first, only one tram was used. The tram driver was from the city's tram authority, while the restaurant staff worked for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. For a while, an extra person called a conductor had to be on board. This rule changed in 1992, saving the restaurant a lot of money.
The Trams and Their Journey
Later, two more trams, numbers 937 and 939, were added to the fleet in 1992 and 1995. These were SW6 class trams built in 1948. When the South Melbourne depot closed in 1997, the trams moved to the Southbank depot.
In 2006, tram 442 was replaced by another SW6 tram, number 938. Then, in 2011, trams 937 and 939 were replaced by 935 and 964. All the restaurant trams had a special burgundy (dark red) color. Each tram could seat 36 passengers.
The restaurant offered one lunch and two dinner trips every day. It was a popular spot, so people usually booked their tables far in advance. Passengers would board the trams at the Clarendon Street Junction stop, near the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.
The trams would then travel on certain tram routes through Melbourne city and some nearby suburbs. The ride was usually very smooth. Food was prepared off-site in a large kitchen and then brought onto the trams. Each tram had its own chef who cooked the food fresh as the tram moved. The menu offered a limited choice of dishes and drinks, but beverages were included in the meal price.
Awards and Recognition
The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant was very successful and won many awards. It won the National Tourism Award four times (in 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1993). It also won the Victorian Tourism Award nine times! In 1993, it was even welcomed into the Hall of Fame, which is a special honor for businesses that win the same award three years in a row.
End of Service
On 11 August 2012, there was a small incident when one of the trams caught fire in East Melbourne. Everyone on board, 30 diners and three staff, were safely taken off the tram.
The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant was also a pioneer. In 1985, it became the first restaurant in Melbourne to ban smoking.
Sadly, on 19 October 2018, the restaurant trams stopped operating. The tram network operator, Yarra Trams, announced that the trams could no longer run due to safety reasons. They did say they were looking into ways for the restaurant to continue as a "stationary dining experience," meaning it would stay in one place.
Images for kids
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W2 442 (01)
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SW6 937 (02)
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SW6 939 (03)
