Trams on the St Kilda Light Rail (2013); Combino's, Bumblebee's, and new E's - Melbourne Transport

In this video we see some trams on the St Kilda Light Rail in Melbourne's inner south east, located along tram route 96. Recorded in November 2013 it was a vastly different time on the former railway line with a variety of different tram models seen on the route.
The D2 Class trams (Siemens Combino's) were the mainstay on the route, supplemented by the odd C2 Class tram (Alstom Citadis 302's), which were nicknamed the Bumblebees due to the yellow livery they inherited from their former operator in Mullhouse, France. At the time the E Class trams (Bombardier Flexity Swift's) were brand new, being in service for less than two weeks. We also see a couple of oddites, including seeing smaller A & D1 Class trams on the route. We see trams at the former St Kilda, Albert Park and South Melbourne railway stations, as well as a stop on Fraser Street.
Fast forward to 2022 and things have certainly changed. Today the E Class trams are now the mainstay on route 96, with the D2's having been cascaded onto other routes (mainly route 19). The C2's are still around on the route but have since lost their iconic bumblebee livery; having been placed into the PTV livery. The A Class can still be found on the route on the rare occasion, but the D1's certainly won't.
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[@ThebusofdoomFSX]

This is a 1080p re-upload of my original Trams on the St Kilda Light Rail video uploaded back in 2013. It was one of my most popular videos at over 96 thousand views.
This particular re-upload was requested by a viewer. If there's any videos that you want me to re-edit and re-upload let me know and I can consider it.

[@aidanthomas2510]

Jeez you're taking me back with this one Alex. I remember riding the combinos on this route back in 2007/8 when as a young 7 or 8 year old me & my nan would take a ride down to St Kilda from the city. I remember the 'bumblebees' too, my nan took a newspaper clipping out about them coming here we were very excited for them. Honestly I wish they'd kept them in that livery. That was back when you could get a seat on the route, nowadays it most certainly is the busiest route. This would have been recorded at about the time my dad was delivering to the supermarket next to St Kilda Station, that was actually an IGA back then it's been a Woolworths Metro since about 2015. I didn't ride a combino for years until about 2016 when, on a trip to Carlton with my mates one day we rode one on one of the routes going up Swanston St. Wow this video brings back memories, thanks for re-editing and re-uploading it.

[@idealzain4l404]

wonderful spotting there mate

[@dianaraisa9420]

I want tram, I miss it so much in my town💙😿💕

[@HybridBell]

I love this video. Thank you friend.

[@Mark-f7o]

I'm showing my age when I say I remember riding the trains along there.🙁

[@melbournepublictransportvl8743]

I love the old 96 trams, seeing the three classes on the same route was really cool, but riding the d2 was definitely not cool

[@aidanthomas2510]

I loved the livery but they weren't comfortable

[@krisdevos8452]

d1 was worse

[@TheLostProbe]

as much as it sucks that the 96 is now pretty much served by just 1 tram class, with not much variety, I don't think anybody misses the D2s with their shitty ride quality and low number of seats

[@derhampaul1117]

Anyone for junkie town