Balaclava Junction
Balaclava Junction is the only extant grand union junction in Australia. Located at the intersection of Balaclava Road and Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North on the Melbourne tram network, trams can go in all directions from all directions.[1][2]
It is the only surviving example of a grand union in the southern hemisphere. Adelaide previously had three grand unions, but none exist today.[1]
Balaclava Junction dates from November 1913, originally being built by the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust, at the time it was the most complex junction on the network. It has been rebuilt a number of times since opening, most recently in 2005 by Yarra Trams.[1][3]
Tram routes 3, 16, and 64 all travel through Balaclava Junction.[4][5][6] Route 3 runs east-to-west along Balaclava Road, Route 64 runs north–south along Hawthorn Road, and Route 16 curves from westbound Balaclava Road to northbound Hawthorn Road. Route 3d trams heading to or from Glenhuntly tram depot use the north to west curve. The east to south curve is not used regularly, although was renesed when the junction was last renewed in April 2005.[7][8]
In 2007 it was placed on the Victorian Heritage Register.[9]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Grand Union Tramway Junction". Heritage Victoria. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ↑ City Section Trolley Wire issue 200 June 1982 page 26
- ↑ "Tramlines Issue 3". Yarra Trams. May 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ↑ "Route 3". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ↑ "Route 16". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ↑ "Route 64". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ↑ Renewing North Caulfield's grand union tram junction Railway Digest June 2005 page 36
- ↑ Balaclava Junction Transit Australia June 2005 page 187
- ↑ Balaclava Junction Grand Union joins heritage register Railway Digest June 2007 page 16
External links
[edit]
Media related to Balaclava Junction at Wikimedia Commons