W-11: Karachi to Melbourne
Vehicles of transport from camels to trucks have long been celebrated in the Indus valley, in the silk trade route between the east and west. Workshops in Karachi thrive on a busy trade of decorating trucks and buses for their owners with a variety of themes featuring landscapes, animals, movie stars, popular stories and mesmerising patterns. The Karachi minibus route called W11 is almost legendary because of the excessive decoration of its fleet of buses. These buses are characterised by stainless steel panel decorations, florescent sticker collages, brightly coloured plastics and flashing LED light patterns.
Did you know that Karachi had a horse drawn tram system till the 1930’s, and then petrol fuelled, till the 1970’s? Perhaps somewhere there is a W11 tram, a vehicle travelling Pakistan to Australia. How would these Karachi vehicle decorators invoke the spirit of this transport? As part of the cultural festival of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, a team of chamak patti vehicle decorators have transformed a Melbourne tram.
Find about how the project has brought together people in good spirt at W-11"Karachi to Melbourne"
Posted by tramtactic at August 24, 2005 01:28 AM
Comments
HEllo
i loved the tram trip in the New W11 Karachi to Melbourne Tram and i was amazed that how they moulded a tram into Karachi's Mini bus colours you shoul add more pictures and if you can add some more of the making pictures of this tram would be great but anyways still i loved it
Posted by: Qutaiba Sami at March 19, 2006 09:48 PM
W11 Karachi to Melbourne trip is simply superb.
Pakistan Zindabaad!!
(Long Live Pakistan)
Posted by: Zahra Lassi at March 25, 2006 02:04 PM
Thank you to the designers of the tram. It was a fantastic experience riding on the tram - I went twice and waited a third time for nearly an hour before I had to go to another commitment. I hope that the tram will stay running - it was an exhilarating experience that more people should be able to share. I have friends who will come down from Sydney just to ride it.
Good luck trying to keep the tram in a public place and hopefully running on a tram track. And thanks again to the artists.
Posted by: annette at March 28, 2006 04:34 PM
The tram was spectacular - the decorations and music made the journey an experience. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the high spirits, fun and joy could become part of the ongoing fabric of the city.
Please keep the Karachi W11.
Maybe even try some funky music for our daily commute - what a way to start the day!
Congratulations to all involved - a fabulous sensation for the senses.
Posted by: Pam at March 28, 2006 10:21 PM