The Karachi to Melbourne tram or the W-11 tram is a retired Z class tram Z1 81 decorated by a team of professional Pakistani vehicle decorators, commissioned by the City of Melbourne for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The name is based on the W-11 buses originally found in Karachi, Pakistan, which are a model of minibus famous for their entertainment value: decorated with lush designs and playing popular Pakistani or Indian music. Competition between buses has made these buses famous for their extravagant designs and entertainment.
As a showcase of Pakistani culture, Z class tram Z1 81 was commissioned for the Commonwealth Games, and a team of W-11 decorators were invited to decorate the tram at Preston Workshops. For the duration of the games it operated on the City Circle, playing Bhangra and Pakistani music.[1] [2] It returned to service in the summer of 2006/07 operating Friday night City Circle services.[3]
It is currently on permanent display at the Melbourne Tram Museum at Hawthorn depot since June 2015.[4]