RED, white and blue flags lined the roof of the number 26 Borough of Eaglehawk tram as it pulled into Charing Cross yesterday.
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The historic tram – the last of its kind to run as public transport in Bendigo – was one of three to re-enact its final journey to the depot 40 years ago today.
State Electricity Commission (SEC) trams number five and 28 joined the Eaglehawk tram which collected passengers from the Central Deborah Gold Mine.
The procession held a special significance for Rhonda Nickson, whose late father, Ron Nickson, was the driver of number 26 on its last day of April 16, 1972.
“I can remember he let me sit on his knee as we made our down Pall Mall,” she said.
“They (the trams) were exactly as I remember them.
“We lost Dad in 1986 but he would have been absolutely ecstatic that they have done all this today.”
Driver Stephen Kirkpatrick and conductor Joseph Gould, dressed in the traditional SEC uniforms, took the reins of number 26 yesterday.
“It’s the star of the show – the last tram to run from Eaglehawk,” Mr Gould said. “Although technically, tram number 28 was the last to run down Pall Mall, but it was just carrying staff.
“It’s affectionately known as the ‘wedding’ tram.”
Mr Gould said he hoped the trams would one day return to Bendigo as public transport and he was running a campaign to get them back.
Tram enthusiast and model collector Kevin Stuckey said he shared Mr Gould’s view.
“They don’t look out of place here,” he said. “The tracks are still there under the median strip on View Street. The trams would do particularly well there.”