MMTB W3 Class Tram No. 663
The W3 class marked a structural turning point for the Melbourne tram: the first dropcentre cars built with steel frames and steel exterior panels rather than all-timber construction. Sixteen were built at Preston Workshops, numbered 654 to 669, riding on large 33-inch wheels intended to give a smoother, quieter ride. No. 663 entered service in November 1933.
The class’s Achilles heel was its No. 9 trucks. A motor beam mount broke free on sister car 656, letting the motor rotate up through the floor, and subsequent inspection found cracks and fractures across the class. Many W3s never ran again; 663 was among the few whose trucks were tested and strengthened, allowing a return to service. It was finally withdrawn in May 1976 after 1,614,312 miles, and was chosen for preservation at Haddon after careful inspection, arriving at the end of that month.
Early years at Haddon were not kind — with the carbarn not yet built, 663 stood in open storage and its roof structure deteriorated further. Decades later that roof became the centrepiece of a major restoration effort, described in detail on the 663 restoration page: the car went to Bendigo Tramways in 2009 for complete replacement of the plywood roof, followed by exterior repainting and interior refurbishment.
The plan recorded for 663’s completed restoration is the MMTB colour scheme of the 1930s, featuring a lighter green than the other cars in the collection wear — a subtle but telling piece of livery history.
Technical Details
| Builder | MMTB, Preston Workshops |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 27 November 1933 |
| Length | 14.33 m (47 ft 0 in) |
| Width | 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) |
| Weight | 16.0 tonnes |
| Seated passengers | 48 |
| Trucks | MMTB No. 9, 33 in tyred wheels |
| Traction motors | 4 × Metropolitan Vickers MV101 AZ |
| Compressor | Westinghouse DH16 |
| Mileage in service | 1,614,312 miles |
| Withdrawn | 31 May 1976 |
| Arrived at Haddon | 31 May 1976 |