Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association

The Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association was established 1974 as the Haddon Tramway Workshops and it was incorporated as the Association in May 1984.[2] Among its primary goals is the preservation of historic tram cars, some of which are on site at the museum. The Haddon location was selected as it was large enough to allow for construction on the trams.[3] From 2001-2004, the Association oversaw the restoration of Tram No.41, the first electronic tram to be returned to operating condition. It had been out of service since 1958 and at the museum since 1977.[4][5][6] A 35 metres by 14 metres shed was completed in 1979. For a time it also owned an ex M&MTB AEC Regal III and two Leyland OPS1s buses. A 650-metre demonstration track was opened in November 2000.[7]

The museum, which opened to visitors on a regular basis in the late 1990s, allows visitors to see the collection of historic trams as well as have a behind the scenes look at the restoration process. It includes a 650m full-scale track on which operate W class trams that were part of Melbourne's public transportation system. The space is occasionally used for artists who want to encompass tramcars in their work.[8] The museum's first purchase was a former Ballarat tram. It subsequently purchased a number of trams from the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (M&MTB) and one former Victorian Railways tram.[9][10] Six of the museum's eight cars are fully functional, including a restored "rescue car".[3][11][12]