not required but may still be used as they can provide greater turn-around capacity than a stub terminus. Balloon loops enable higher line capacity (faster turnaround of a larger number of trams) and allow the use of single-ended trams which have several advantages, including lower cost and more seating. However, double-ended trams also benefit from the capacity advantage of balloon loops. Occasionally, balloon loops are used for reversing trains on lines with heavy grades and tight curves to equalize wear on both sides of locomotives and rollingstock. Such a balloon loop was constructed at Beech Forest on the Victorian Railways line from Colac to Crowes. Advantages Advantages of a balloon loop include: Smooth operation Trains can arrive and level at the same time, as long as there is an open platform. Reversal allows even wear and tear on the wheels. Eliminates need for brake test if locomotives uncoupled to carry out run around the move. Compared to stations with stub platforms, balloon loops allow: Fewer tracks and platforms are required. Arrivals into some platforms do not block departures from other platforms. Time is not lost while drivers change ends and reset the train for the other direction. If the driver changed ends and discovers a hidden fault, delays are less likely. Disadvantages Disadvantages of a balloon loop include: Very space-consuming. The sharp curves cause noise, as well as wear on wheels and rails. If the platform is located on the curve, the gap between the platform and railcar door is a hazard. On systems, where, for reasons of economy, the couplings are made non-reversible (e.g. by fitting the air brake pipe along one side of the car only), the use of a balloon loop will cause a proportion of the rolling stock to face the "wrong" way and it may not be possible to assemble a complete train in a depot, even if sufficient cars are on hand. Solutions On many systems with a balloon loop, the couplings and brake hoses are made reversible. At coal ports such as Kooragang in Newcastle, New South Wales the space inside the balloon loops is used for storing coal so that it is not wasted. At the Olympic Park station in Sydney, the loop is flattened where the platforms are located, so that the platform faces are straight. After the opening of a loop at Charing Cross (Embankment) in 1914 (replaced in 1926