By Parker McKenzie
A vintage W-class tram will be the newest addition to the Acorn Bar and Restaurant, with the 1944 electric tram set to become an outdoor dining area.
Owner Tony Eastwood said because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has taken him two years to have the tram delivered.
“I finally got delivery yesterday on a low loader,” he said.
“I had to bring in two cranes to get it into position.”
The W-class trams were in use in Melbourne between 1923 and 1956 and there are currently 13 still operating in Victoria. The one relocated to the Acorn Bar and Restaurant came from the Newport “tram graveyard”, before it was rescued.
Mr Eastwood said the tram will be turned into an undercover dining area while maintaining its historical value.
“When you step into the train, it still has all the original inside,” Mr Eastwood said.
“It has the original ads for things like Violet Crumble they used to run in those days. You’re sucked back into the history of a really iconic tram that was running on the Melbourne circuit for years.”
The idea to turn the tram into an outdoor dining area started during the period of Covid-19 restrictions where indoor dining was prohibited or limited.
Manager Lisa Clarke said the installation went well, aside from one minor incident.
“There was a little bit of an issue with the truck getting stuck at the top of the driveway,” she said.
“The plan is that we’re going to do it up and it’s going to be where people can eat. We’re looking at maybe November or December for opening it.”
A total of 752 W-class trams were built, with some being sent as far away as San Francisco and Copenhagen. The trams were slowly phased out of use from the early 1990s. Mr Eastwood said he plans to attach an information board to help educate people about the history of the tram.
The Acorn Bar and Restaurant is located at 375 Forest Road, the Basin.
