Dec 2025 TAUT digital issue-compressed

European Light Rail Congress

TWO days of interactive debates... TWELVE hours of dedicated networking... ONE place to be

Espacio Mutua Tinerfeña –

La Laguna, Tenerife

Join key decision-makers, professionals and industry experts as they gather for two days of debate centred upon how new technologies are driving progress in sustainable transport.

For 2026 we are taking the European Light Rail Congress back to the beautiful Canary island of Tenerife, home of the Metrotenerife light rail system.

Metrotenerife provides modern and efficient public transport, with safety and the environment being key factors that contribute to improving the quality of life of the citizens of Tenerife and the surroundings. There are some very exciting expansion plans with their current lines in the North of the Island growing, as well as building new lines to connect more areas of the island and reduce the need for cars and reduce both congestion and pollution.

As an attendee, you will experience: Two days of presentations, panel debates and discussion from some of the sector’s most innovative and forward-thinking suppliers, manufacturers and operators, plus an expansive exhibition hall within the Espacio Mutua Tinerfeña in San Cristobal de la Laguna, which is very close to the tramway. An evening networking reception for delegates to maximise their networking opportunities is also included, along with an exclusive behind the scenes depot tour hosted by Metrotenerife. Convenient accommodation to the venue is very close with one hotel just 4-5 metres away, and another 450 metres away.

With bespoke sponsorship and exhibition packages also available, there has never been a better time to place yourself at the very heart of European light rail.

11-12

March

2026

NEWS

Helsinki chooses Stadler for new fleet; Melbourne opens new Maidstone depot.

448

SAARBAHN ’ S VDV TRAM TRAIN 452

Tony Streeter updates on the latest news from Saarbahn, where the new Stadler Citylink will enter service next year.

PAYING DIVIDENDS IN BRATISLAVA 454

Andrew Thompson looks at how 20 years of investment in the Slovak capital will result in a modern public transport offering.

TRACK TECHNOLOGY 458

Richard Foster considers some of the latest advances in track technology, and asks: could change the way we lay track?

SYSTEMS FACTFILE: BONN 467

This German city has grand plans for longterm environmental improvement. Neil Pulling finds out about fleet renewal and system expansion, which are part of these plans.

UKTRAM INTERVIEW 472

UKTram’s Chair, Steve Edwards, reflects on a year of growth and collaboration.

WORLDWIDE REVIEW 474

First of the new Twists arrives in Wrocław; Guangzhou celebrates three line openings.

CLASSIC TRAMS: PRAHA AT 150 478

Mike Russell visits the Czech capital marking 150 years of its iconic tramway.

GLOBAL LIGHT RAIL AWARDS 2025 – SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

TAUT relives the highlights from the industry’s celebration of excellcence and innovation.

Copenhagen is wonderful once again

The wide but congested main thoroughfares in Denmark’s capital city København (Copenhagen) have had something conspicuously absent for over half a century – trams.

They used to be the life and soul of the place, but disappeared back in 1972, seen then as irrelevant to the modern age. It is now very pleasing that light rail has begun its comeback, with the opening on 26 October of the first new generation route, a 13.1km (eight-mile) western orbital that straddles a motorway through the suburbs. The system is set to double in length by next summer, and a return to the city centre is also in the planners’ sights. The famous 1953 Franz Loesser film song ‘Wonderful Copenhagen’ has new significance.

As we might have feared, the terrible mishap on Lisboa’s funicular on 3 September that resulted in the loss of 16 lives could have been avoided, and was caused by the use of a sub-standard cable that broke apart in use.

The preliminary investigation report sends a salutary message to all gravitational systems that taking shortcuts can lead to disaster. Safety inspections should be much more often than in Lisboa, where no proper checks had been carried out for over a year, and record-keeping was also slipshod.

Among the many other lessons learned is that a completely failsafe stopping system must be developed for all funiculars that allows vehicles to be halted quickly instead of simply relying upon on-board brakes.

The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association

DECEMBER 2025 Vol. 88 No. 1056

www.tautonline.com

EDITORIAL

EDITOR – Matt Johnston matt@mainspring.co.uk

ASSOCIATE EDITOR – Tony Streeter tony.streeter@mainspring.co.uk

WORLDWIDE EDITOR – Michael Taplin miketap@mainspring.co.uk

SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS –Howard Johnston , Neil Pulling

WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS

Richard Foster, Andrew Grahl, Andrew Moglestue, Herbert Pence, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Alain Senut, Andrew Thompson, Witold Urbanowicz, Bill Vigrass, Thomas Wagner, Philip Webb.

PRODUCTION – Lanna Blyth Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 production@mainspring.co.uk

DESIGN – Debbie Nolan

ADVERTISING

COMMERCIAL MANAGER – Geoff Butler Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 geoff@mainspring.co.uk

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PRINT

Matt Johnston, Editor

Trophies and certificates from the 2025 Global Light Rail Awards are now proudly displayed in head office boardrooms and foyers all over the world, and where they are is all recorded in our special coverage in this issue of TAUT. Where will the prizes go to in 2026? Start getting your entries together now!

COVER: Stock with over 40 years of service life, Bonn's Düwag B100S 8454+8378 head south from Clemens August Straße on the Rhine riverside in Königswinter on 28 May 2025. Neil Pulling

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Neil Pulling

Mike Russell 478

German cities sign co-operation agreement

Germany’s three largest public transport companies – BVG in Berlin, Hochbahn in Hamburg and MVG in München (Munich) – have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a strategic partnership with the aim of jointly shaping public transport.

The agreement stresses collaboration, standardisation and forming new business models. It is to set common standards and approaches to digitalisation, artificial intelligence, automation and autonomous driving. Together, the three organisations serve over seven million residents.

A common app will be introduced for buses, trams, trains and shared mobility services. The targeted timeframe for implementing the proposed measures is 2030-35.

Vienna tramway extends again... with more to come

New line 27 in Austrian capital links Strebersdorf with Aspern Nord

Another service was added to one of the world’s largest tramways on 6 October when Wien (Vienna) marked the opening of line 27. The new 13.5km (8.4-mile) line links Strebersdorf with Aspern Nord. From Strebersdorf to Prinzgasse, line 27 shares tracks with line 26, before branching off onto a new, 2.4km (1.5mile) alignment that serves six additional stops. The terminus at Aspern Nord offers interchange with U-Bahn (metro) service U2 and S-Bahn commuter rail services.

At peak periods, line 27 operates every 6.5 minutes, giving a 3.5-minute headway on the shared section with line 26. The capacity of the tramway is 20 000 passengers/day.

The new section includes a three-lane green boulevard without motor traffic and 800m of grassed tracks, complemented by 300 new trees. At Aspern Nord, a 120m bridge carries the line across the railway in order to provide an interchange at the station.

The extension forms the basis

of an urban development area with up to 20 000 additional apartments planned. The City Council estimates CO2 savings of up to 1600 tonnes annually.

Line 33 (Josefstädter Strasse – Friedrich-Engels-Platz) was removed from the network on 6 October. This was to avoid duplication over existing tracks, following the opening of the line

12 extension on 1 September (TAUT 1055).

The Austrian capital’s network now totals 171km (106 miles) and is to further expand next autumn when the line 18 extension opens. This is to take line 18 from Schlachthausgasse to Ernst-Happel-Stadion, creating another interchange with line U2.

Lisbon crash report highlights uncertified cable

Portugal’s accident investigation body has found that the cable that broke in the fatal Glória funicular crash was not certified for use on public transport.

Gabinete de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes com Aeronaves e de Acidentes Ferroviários (GPIAAF) published its preliminary report into the 3 September accident in Lisboa (Lisbon) on 20 October.

It found that the cable had been inspected on the morning of the crash but that where it attached to the car had last undergone a safety inspection in September 2024.

GPIAAF also found that the cable was not fit for purpose nor certified for use on public transport.

Contractor MAIN had purchased the cable, the report said, in 2022 and was 337 days into its 600-day replacement

period. The report also said that operator Carris had no effective oversight of MAIN’s work and that there was evidence that maintenance tasks recorded as having been performed did not always reflect the physical work that had been carried out.

After the cable broke, there was no way of stopping the descending car despite the brakeman’s efforts on both pneumatic and hand brakes. The vehicle was carrying 38 passengers, 16 of whom were killed. The city council has assembled a team of Carris engineers, experts from universities and the civil engineering institute to develop new safety mechanisms and implement a new safety management system.

The

Politicians and management mark the inauguration of Wien’s line 27 on 6 October. It is to be operated by Siemens/ELIN ULF trams, but high-floor E2+c5s put in an appearance at peak periods. Wiener Linien

scene the morning after the crash. P. de M. Moreira

The CEOs of Berlin, Hamburg and München transit systems launch their co-operation agreement. R. Haas

Salvador receives first of 40 refurbished trams

CAF delivers Urbos for under-construction Brazilian system

CAF has delivered the first of 40 refurbished trams to the Brazilian city of Salvador. It carries the fleet number 3050 and a one-off multi-coloured livery.

Salvador has bought 40 CAF Urbos, built in 2013-14 for the failed tramway project in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso state, at a cost of BRL750m (EUR120m). These seven-section, 44m low-floor

trams are being refurbished at the CAF Brazilian factory at Hortolândia, São Paulo.

The city is building a threeline, standard-gauge, 36.4km (23-mile) tramway with 34 stops. The first part to be complete will be the 16.6km (ten-mile) section between Ilha de São João in Simões Filho and Calçada station.

Salvador’s whole BRL3.2bn

(EUR514m) tram project will replace and expand upon a run-down suburban heavy-rail network. When complete, it is is expected to carry 90 000 passengers daily. An initial monorail scheme was cancelled in 2023 for technical and financial reasons.

Funds released for more Brazilian light rail

Brazil’s Federal Government is to fund the Niterói light rail project with BRL450m (EUR72m). The 5km (three-mile) light rail line is to link the Barreto district to the city centre, with ten stops.

Mayor of Niterói, Rodrigo Neves, said: “This project will make mobility more sustainable, reduce traffic, and improve the quality of life for the people of Niterói.”

Stage 2 of the scheme comprises an 11.8km (sevenmile) extension to Charitas. The city is due to get a metro link to Rio de Janeiro; the mouth of Guanabara Bay separates the two cities.

Costa Rican capital San José opts for tram-trains

A EUR707m international finance package has been agreed to meet the cost of upgrading two railways across the Costa Rican capital of San José to tram-train operation. One 1067mm-gauge line runs 27km (17 miles) southeast to Cartago and Paraiso while the other runs 22km (13.7 miles) north-west to Heredia and Alajuela.

Both lines currently use diesel trains but will be modernised and electrified, with a new streetrunning link between San José’s Atlantico and Pacifico railway stations. A total of 28 new LRVs will be required.

The current train service carries about 3.4m passengers/ year. However, the tram-trains are expected to carry 36.5m passengers/year. Funding came from the European Investment Bank Global, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the Green Climate Fund.

Costa Rica’s President, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, said: “The electric train is no longer just a dream, or a promise left on paper. Today, it is a concrete and viable decision, financially backed by three international entities that believe in Costa Rica and its people.

“Unlike previous proposals that were unsustainable, this one is solid, fiscally responsible and will not require state subsidies... the train of progress doesn’t wait – we’re all on board.”

Dublin’s MetroLink approved

Ireland’s planning body, An Coimisiún Pleanála, has granted a railway order for Dublin’s MetroLink. The 18.8km (12-mile) line is to run across the Irish capital, from Estuary Station and a 3000 space park-and-ride site in the north, to Charlemont and a connection to the Luas’ Green Line in the south.

The bulk of the line will be underground. Towards the northern end, there is to be a mixture of surface running, cuttings and cut-and-cover tunnels. A viaduct will take the line over Ward River. MetroLink is also envisioned to be fully automated. Costs have not yet been established, although it is set to exceed the EUR9.5bn that was projected in 2021.

Alstom has joined FCC, John Laing, Meridiam and RATP in forming a consortium to bid for the project.

Florence tram approved

The final design for the Piazza della Libertà to Rovezzano railway station section of Italy’s Firenze (Florence) line T3 has been approved.

Construction of the Libertà –Bagno a Ripoli section started in January. The new 6.1km (four-mile) tramway will link the underconstruction part of T3 to new parking facilities by the station. The existing car park will be expanded by 140 spaces while the new 350-space Rovezzano Intermodal Hub is under development.

The EUR360m project is to include a 1.2km (0.7-mile) section (Piazza delle Cure to Largo Gennarelli) without overhead wires. A firm order has been placed for three Hitachi Rail Sirio trams with batteries, costing EUR12m (there’s an option for 11 more).

UK report praises benefits of rail systems

Rail brings GBP41.2bn (EUR47m) per year of Gross Value Added to the UK economy, according to the Campaign for Better Transport’s new report, Making The Connection: Rail And The Sustainable Growth Opportunity

Other findings include that the rail industry raises GBP14.2bn (EUR16bn) of tax and that between GBP2.50-4.00 (EUR2.84-4.54) is generated for the wider economy for every GBP1 (EUR1.13) invested.

The report also highlighted Nottingham’s tram system as a paticular success story.

The first ex-Cuiaba CAF tram for Salvador at CAF Hortlândia. CAF

A diesel train, operated by Costa Rica’s Incofer, arrives at San José. Incofer

Copenhagen has trams once again as Avenios launch 13.1km line

Expansion set for 2026 will more than double the Danish capital’s network

Trams have carried passengers around the Danish capital for the first time in 53 years.

The new 13.1km (eight-mile) line between Ishøj station and Rødovre-Nord, via Vallensbæk and Glostrup, opened on 26 October. The first passenger journeys were accompanied by live music.

The 29 Siemens Avenio trams now run every ten minutes, serving the line’s 12 stops. Built in Serbia, each 36.9m low-floor double-ended four-section vehicle can accommodate up to 290 passengers (64 seated).

København’s (Copenhagen’s)

first-generation tramway operated through the city from 1863 to 1972. This western orbital line follows the general line of Ring 3 motorway through the suburbs. It is designed to provide interchange with the radial S-tog services at several points.

By next summer, the line will have been extended north to Herlev, Gladsaxe, Lyngby and Lundtofte. This additional 14.9km (9.3 miles) of line is to serve 29 new stops. A plan is being developed to further expand the system from Gladsaxe to Nørrebro, closer to the city centre.

Melbourne system opens new Maidstone depot

The world’s largest tramway is continuing to develop and expand. The new Maidstone depot for Melbourne’s 250km (155-mile) Yarra Tram network was officially opened on 16 October and, from 2026, will serve Lines 57, 59 and 82. Meanwhile, extensive work

Docklands B23 enters passenger service

Docklands Light Railway B23 209 entered service on 29 September. This was the first of 54 CAF-built trains to start running on the London system, despite an initial delivery taking place as long ago as 2023. Their entry into service has faced delays, culminating in a reduced timetable (TAUT 1052).

The new trains will replace B90/B92/B2K DLR stock, the oldest of which dates from the 1990s.

The B23s should all be in service in the UK capital by the end of 2026.

‘Tube’ stock disposal Transport for London (UK) has published a tender notice for a potential GBP13.2m (EUR15m) contract to dispose of Piccadilly Line 1973 Stock and Bakerloo Line 1972 Stock, plus unspecified “Heavy Haulage Vehicles”.

Withdrawal of 1973 Stock is due to start in 2026 as the 94 new Siemens-built trains begin to enter service.

took place on the Australian system’s Victoria/Elizabeth Street intersection from 6-26 October. A new level-access platform was built on Victoria Street at Queen Victoria Market and the platform on Elizabeth Street extended. A new east-west connection was also laid across Elizabeth Street.

Previously, lines from Victoria Street would turn either north or south on Elizabeth Street. Another construction project nearing completion is the 9km (5.6-mile) Metro Tunnel. This AUD15bn (EUR8.5bn) project involves providing an underground route for metro

train services, from a junction close to South Yarra and another just beyond South Kensington. Five new stations are being built, including a link to the main station at Flinders Street. A trial service running for five hours per day should start in December.

Frankfurt-am-Main rolls out Digital Train Control

Frankfurt-am-Main’s transport operator VGF has begun rolling out Siemens’ GoA2 Digital Train Control across the German city’s U-Bahn and tram networks. This comes after a year of trials on a short test loop.

The new technology will permit enhanced headways through a moving block system and promises to reduce energy consumption by 25%, thanks to automatic acceleration and braking. Above-ground parts of

the network will integrate with road traffic control equipment using Co-operative Intelligent Transport System technology.

VGF Managing Director Steffen Geers said: “We are pioneers here and the first transport company to connect these two technologies. For VGF, DTC is one of the most important innovation projects and a technology with which we will be future proof for years to come.”

Fitment of DTC to lines U4 and U5 should be completed by 2027.

The system should then be installed on Route A (lines U1-3 and U8) by 2030, and Route C (lines U6 and U7) along with the tram network in 2033.

A surface junction with mixed traffic that will be subject to integrated control. VGF

Trams returned to København (Copenhagen) on 26 October. This opening day scene is at Ishøj station. M. Sørensen

Helsinki chooses Stadler for replacement fleet

Tango from 2028 under EUR271m deal

Stadler has won the order for 63 trams for the Finnish capital.

The EUR271m contract with Pääkaupunkseudun Kaupunkiliikenne includes delivery of Tango low-floor trams plus a 30-year spare parts supply. There is an option for a further 120 trams.

It is expected that the 30 single-ended and 33 doubleended trams will be assembled at Stadler’s Polish factory, with delivery starting in 2028. The 30m single-ended trams will replace the 52 remaining highfloor Valmet trams (built 1973-87), while the 33m doubleended trams will be for new suburban lines in West Helsinki and Vantaa.

This is Stadler’s first tram order from Finland. Both versions will bincorporate all-motored, rotating bogies.

Ansgar Brockmeyer, Executive Vice-President for Sales & Marketing at Stadler, said: “The Helsinki Metropolitan Area

has a tradition of trams that have defined urban mobility through the decades. We are honoured that the Stadler Tango Nordic has been selected to carry this legacy forward and help shape the future of public transport in this region.”

However, Škoda Transtech has submitted a formal complaint to the Market Court of Finland, claiming that Pääkaupunkseudun Kaupunkiliikenne unfairly dismissed its bid.

Petr Novotný, CEO of Škoda

Group, said: “The decision to exclude one offer at the very end of a two years’ tender procedure, without having a chance to be evaluated, does not fulfil basic principles of equality and fairness and completely distorts competition.”

Pääkaupunkiseudun Kaupunkiliikenne has said that Škoda’s bid failed to meet the tender’s technical requirements.

The first of an order of 23 Škoda Transtech X54 – 630-637 –have recently entered passenger service in the Finnish capital.

Vietnamese island to gain light rail

The Vietnamese island of Phú Quốc is to build its first light rail system. It is already home to the world’s longest cable car line, which, at 7.9km (five miles), connects it and neighbouring islands to the mainland.

Phase 1 is set to connect Phú Quốc International Airport with the APEC Conference Center.

Of that 17.7km (11 miles), 1.3km (0.8 miles) will be elevated with 2km (1.2 miles) underground.

The An Giang Provincial People’s Council approved the project on 24 October. The Vietnamese state is to contribute VND6.2tr (EUR202m) to it with the remaining VND2.6tr (EUR85m) coming from private investors.

DC Streetcar to close in 2026

Closure of Washington DC’s DC Streetcar has been brought forward to 31 March 2026, instead of 2027 as previously announced. The 3.5km (2.2mile) line in the US capital opened on H Street, linking Union Station to Oklahoma Avenue, in 2016.

Mayor Muriel Bowser had announced on 28 May 2025 (TAUT 1052) that the budget to subsidise the free tram service

would not be renewed when it expired in April 2027. Now, the 2026-27 budget allocation has also been deleted and so the line will close earlier than planned, with a reduction in service taking effect from 4 January.

Initially, the line was to have been replaced by electric buses. However, it seems that these plans have also been dropped.

CAF criticised by UN

The United Nations Human Rights Office has added Spanish tram and train builder CAF to its database of businesses “involved in certain activities in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory”. CAF’s involvement comes through its part-ownership of the TransJerusalem J-Net consortium, which built Jerusalem’s Red Line through East Jerusalem, which the UN recognises as “Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

Although it has not commented after being added to the list, CAF said beforehand: “CAF is fully aware of the complex legal and ethical implications linked to the Jerusalem Project… As a preliminary measure prior to the signing of the contract related to this Project, CAF conducted a legal analysis through consultations with independent and highly regarded experts, including professors of International Law and United Nations specialists, who confirmed the absence of any breach arising from CAF’s participation in the Project.”

German ticket safe

A group of German Transport Ministers has adopted a package of measures to secure the future of the Deutschlandticket until 2030. The ticket offers unlimited travel throughout Germany on local and regional buses, trams, metro, S-Bahn and regional heavy rail services. Currently, some 14m people pay for a Deutschlandticket subscription.

The line is due to open in 2027, in order to serve the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. News outlet VN Express reported that the line will also promote sustainable travel and urban development on the island, reduce pollution and encourage “green tourism” throughout the 2030s.

From January 2026, the price will increase to EUR63 per month. This had risen from EUR49 to EUR58 in January 2025. From 2027, the price will be dictated by an index, using data of wages and energy costs. The federal and state governments are to contribute EUR1.5bn annually to subsidise the tickets until 2030.

The Helsinki Tango Nordic has been designed by Finnish studio Aidan. Stadler

An Inekon tram of DC Streetcar on H St. B. Cudahy

VDV TRAM-TRAIN PREPARES TO ROLL OUT

The first Stadler Citylink procured under a joint programme is to enter service in 2026. TAUT brings the latest from a groundbreaking project.

In Saarbrücken in summer 2025, the superlatives were on display.

More than 300 people came to the unveiling of the first Stadler Citylink to arrive in the German city, at which the mayor described the tram-train as an ‘ambassador’ for his ‘euro-metropole’.

Meanwhile the MD of operator Saarbahn called the moment a ‘milestone’, and the Saarland region’s mobility minister said that travel in the area will become even more attractive and sustainable.

They are quite some claims – but they’re not unreasonable.

Saarbahn is one of six customers in Germany and Austria that have together agreed a framework for tram-train procurement. Acting under Germany’s Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen umbrella body, in 2022 Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe GmbH, Albtal-VerkehrsGesellschaft mbH (AVG), Saarbahn GmbH, Schiene Oberösterreich GmbH, Schiene Salzburg GmbH and Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb concluded a deal with Stadler that could ultimately result in the delivery of 504 vehicles. A first call off was for 264 Citylinks, and the agreement also includes a 32-year maintenance contract.

Saarbahn 2002 was ready for display at the InnoTrans trade show in Berlin during September 2024, while 2001 was unveiled in Saarbrücken the following June, ready for trials to start in the autumn.

By the end of 2025, more vehicles are expected to arrive in the southwest German city. In Karlsruhe around 100km (60 miles) to its east, AVG is expected to receive its first under the deal in the same timeframe.

Citylink Saarbahn passenger operations are then expected to start during the first half of 2026. Indeed, sources in Saarbrücken itself have suggested that up to four of the vehicles could be in service by the middle of the year.

“The Citylink will become an increasingly familiar shape across systems in both Austria and Germany.”

Some four years after the VDV contract was placed, the results are – literally – now being delivered. Indeed, it is a busy time for Stadler with its Citylinks. Although not part of the VDV consortium, Chemnitz in eastern Germany should also receive the first of its latest order by the end of 2025.

Standard… yet different

Once Saarbahn’s first vehicle does enter passenger operation, it and its 27 brethren on order for the 43.4km (27-mile)

cross-border German-French system will progressively replace the 28 Bombardier (now Alstom) Flexity Link vehicles that currently provide services. Delivered only to Saarbahn as the sole customer for the type, these date from 1997-2000.

However Saarbahn’s contract with Stadler allows for fleet expansion as well as renewal: it has an option for further Citylinks.

Opened in 1997 and subsequently extended, Saarbahn replicates part of the old Saarbrücken tramway (closed 1965), combining this with heavy rail tracks to create a route between Lebach-Jabach in the north and Sarreguemines in the south. While the vast majority of the line runs within Germany, the final section from the penultimate stop at Hanweiler-Bad Richingen takes it into France, utilising the infrastructure of state railway SNCF.

In Germany, the central section between Walpershofen/Etzenhofen and Kieselhumes is on its own dedicated infrastructure, while north and south of those two points respectively, the route runs over Deutsche Bahn metals.

It is therefore a classic tram-train operation, as has now been developed for over three decades since the pioneering services began in Germany’s Karlsruhe in the early 1990s.

Given that this is a joint procurement, however, the Saarbahn is only one of the systems covered. While all vehicles will be based on the same standard 37m-long and 2.65m-wide 1435mm-gauge three-section

Saarbahn Citylink 2001 was shown off at InnoTrans 2024. Tony Streeter

Citylink, there will be differences to cater for local needs. This includes aspects such as voltages, platform heights, number of doors and seat/standee configuration.

Or, in Stadler’s words, the vehicles have “standard equipment and multifunctional zones that can be flexibly configured.”

For Saarbahn, the dual-system vehicles are to be fitted for 750V dc (Stadtbahn) and 15kV AC (main line) power supply, have four doors each side and 100 seats plus capacity for 133 passengers standing, at a density of four people per square metre. They will also be optimised for infrastructure with platform heights of 350mm-380mm.

In contrast, while most of the technical aspects will be the same, vehicles for AVG are being built for 550mm-high platforms, and will have 93 seats, plus capacity (at 4/m 2) for 136 standees.

That is an indication of the kinds of variation to be found across the future fleets, as this new ‘standard’ tram-train rolls out. For more on the respective specifications, see the panel below.

In future years, the Citylink will become an increasingly familiar shape across systems in both Austria and Germany, perhaps achieving a little for tram-trains what PCC or Tatra vehicles did for trams across Western and Eastern Europe respectively.

In a world in which there has been much criticism of light rail systems being formed around small, expensive, bespoke fleets, the VDV approach reminds us that standardisation and creation of larger orders bring their own advantages.

Perhaps these are lessons for systems outside Europe’s German-speaking nations?

VDV TRAM-TRAIN VEHICLE DATA

VDV Tram-train

STADLER’S VDV TRAM-TRAIN CUSTOMERS

Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH: Owned by the city of Karlsruhe, AVG is effectively a sister company of municipal operator Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe. It runs services over a wide network around the southwest German city, on a mixture of its own infrastructure and that of local tramways as well as Deutsche Bahn heavy rail line; depending on how it is measured, the so-called Stadtbahn network covers more than 650km (400 miles). With services launched in 1992, the ‘Karlsruhe Modell’ is a tram-train pioneer.

Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb: Currently under development, this tram-train system is expected to reach a length of around 200km (120 miles) around Tübingen and Reutlingen. Like Karlsruhe (the system of which serves as a template) these cities fall within the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Saarbahn GmbH: Opened in 1997 and centred

on Saarbrücken, this network now stretches for 43.4km (27 miles) – see main text.

Schiene Oberösterreich GmbH: The state of Upper Austria’s own infrastructure operator plans to use Citylinks on the under-development Regional-Stadtbahn Linz, which is to create a second north-south corridor through the city (complementing its tramway) and become part of the wider S-Bahn system. A public information exhibition on the project was to take place in November 2025.

Schiene Salzburg GmbH: This organisation was founded in 2021 specifically to manage tram-train vehicle procurement and create facilities for their maintenance; Citylinks are to be used on the Salzburger Lokalbahn.

Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe GmbH : Karlsruhe’s municipal transport operator, which operates the city’s tramway and is a partner in the Karlsruhe Modell tram-train network.

ABOVE: Once the frst vehicle enters operation for Saarbahn, the cross-border system will progressively replace its current fleet of 28 Bombardier Flexity Link vehicles, which date from 1997-2000. Pictured is car 1018 in Saarbrűcken city centre, near Johanneskirche. Neil Pulling

LEFT: The interior of the Citylink vehicles, as displayed at InnoTrans 2024. Tony Streeter

Source: Stadler

MAKING STRIDES IN BRATISLAVA

Andrew Thompson visits the Slovak capital, where 20 years of EU investment is starting to pay dividends for the public transport offering.

Slovakia’s capital Bratislava boasts one of only two light rail systems in this young country, which was created as a result of the ‘Velvet Divorce’. On 1 January 1993, that brought the break-up of Czechoslovakia after 75 years.

The city’s first electric tramway opened in 1895 during the Austro-Hungarian empire period, when Bratislava was primarily known as Pressburg in German, Prešporok in Slovak or Pozsony in Hungarian, reflecting its multi-ethnic makeup and multilingual characteristics. This was owed to its central location on the River Danube, with close proximity to both Vienna (Wien) and Budapest. Between 1536 and 1783, Poszony served as the capital of Hungary, and to this day southern Slovakia, including Bratislava, features a prominent Hungarian-speaking minority.

This vibrant history also explains why Bratislava has a metre-gauge tramway, when all other Czech or Slovak cities have standardgauge networks. Until a few years ago, this anomaly was cause for serious regauging considerations, but these have been officially abandoned due to prohibitive costs.

During the past two decades, Bratislava has made major strides in modernising both the vehicles and infrastructure of its

public transport system, taking advantage of generous EU grants and favourable investment conditions. From 2013-23, a total of 50 single-ended 29T LRVs were acquired from the Czech producer Škoda in three different batches. These are numbered 7401-7450 and were the city’s first trams with 100% low-floor access.

“It was not until the parallel Old Bridge was utilised as a light rail link, that Petržalka was finally linked to efficient mass transit in 2016.”

They are complemented by 40 doubleended, low-floor 30T, which are classified as 7501-7540. Škoda supplied the 30T in different sub-series in 2014-24, as a bespoke model tailored to the needs of the municipal operator DPB. The Bratislava tram fleet does still include high-floor legacy stock, mainly made up of Tatra T3 and T6A bogie cars, as well as the articulated Tatra K2 trams. These classic

cars dating from the 1970s, 80s and 90s operate in different variants with a number of degrees of modernisation. Though the 90 modern Škoda LRVs have marginalised the older Tatras, the high-floor cars will remain indispensable until future low-floor procurements have been completed. A framework tender allows up to another 60 Škoda ForCity 49m low floor cars to follow, subject to funding.

With a population of 480 000 in city limits and about 570 000 in the wider conurbation, Bratislava features one of the most densely-populated residential areas in Central Europe: the sprawling Petržalka district on the south bank of the Danube. This typical Socialist development with monolithic blocks of flats has a current population of 112 000 and is a reminder of the communist era in post-war Czechoslovakia. While the long rows of prefabricated buildings have been complemented by commercial glassfacade developments since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the Brutalist ambience of Petržalka remains unmistakable. For decades, Petržalka was only served by bus lines. These used the futuristic SNP Bridge as the main link to the larger part of the city on the north bank of the Danube. With its landmark ‘Flying Saucer’ atop the support tower, the SNP Bridge is an iconic engineering landmark from 1972, which has

LEFT: The journey time for the new south bank extension takes only six minutes from the previous terminus Jungmannova to the new end point at Južné mesto, illustrating how almost the entire new track alignment can take advantage of a segregated right of way, with the exception of road junctions. At the new – yet also unfinished – Pajštúnska stop, two Škoda cars (7526 and 7518) pass each other.

All images by Andrew Thompson, taken on 30 September 2025.

Dwarfed by the highrise Hotel Kyjev from 1973, double-ended Škoda 30T 7538 calls at Centrum in Bratislava's downtown shopping district.

not only become a symbol of the city, but also the entire nation. The 303m structure has the distinction of being the world’s longest bridge to have just one pylon and only one cable-stayed plane.

It was not until the parallel Old Bridge (Stary Most) was comprehensively reconditioned in 2013-16 and utilised as a light rail link, that Petržalka was finally linked to efficient mass transit in July 2016. The first cross-river tram line opened with a 2km (1.2-mile) extension from Šafárikovo námestie to Jungmannova, which included three new stops.

Some nine years later, on 27 July 2025, the 3.9km (2.4-mile) extension from Jungmannova to Južné mesto was finally inaugurated. This includes five intermediate stops and terminates in a green field near the Austrian border. This flat and empty space at the end of the Petržalka tenements was purposefully chosen, as it was well suited for building a new overnight stabling point and particularly large turning loop.

Given the fact that the extension from Jungmannova to Južné mesto passes mainly through wide open spaces between rows of residential buildings, it had to overcome few engineering challenges. The main structure is a purpose-built tram and pedestrian bridge over the Chorvátske rameno, an artificial canal near the new stop at Pajštúnska. The fact that phase two of the straightforward Petržalka light rail link took almost a decade to complete is thus down to bureaucratic and budgetary reasons.

Rather unimpressively, however, at the time of opening and coinciding with the launch of revenue tram services to Južné mesto, construction of none of the six new tram stops on the line had been completed.

RIGHT:

Bratislava

RIGHT: The Old Bridge (Stary Most) remains the most important structure in the Bratislava cross-river project, and is attractive as it is only designed for light rail, pedestrians and bikes. At night the span is illuminated with special, colourful effects. Here car 7505 runs outbound to Južné mesto. When the bridge opened in 2016, city planners were still considering the option of converting the tramway at some point to standard-gauge, hence the bridge was laid out with dual-gauge tracks. Since then, the conversion idea has been dropped on grounds of cost.

“With the completion of line 3 to Južné mesto, Bratislava’s tram network now has a size of roughly 46km, including two depots.”

TOP LEFT:

After unloading passengers at the new Petržalka terminus Južné mesto, car 7514 runs empty into the turning loop, where the driver will have a short pause. The busy and popular line 3 that serves the new extension on the south bank of the River Danube runs as frequently as every two minutes during weekday peak hours, and otherwise every five minutes during weekday off-peak times. On weekends or holidays it's every 7-8 minutes. The unfinished infrastructure is an indication of how it will still take several months for construction of the supporting facilities to be completed.

Passengers were greeted by unfinished construction sites with incomplete waiting shelters, electronic display boards that had not been activated, and trip hazards in the form of protruding cables or incomplete enclosures. It is a foregone conclusion that in some countries, tram services would not have commenced with the supporting infrastructure being in such an incomplete state. Even three months later, in late September 2025, there were no signs of construction works taking place to complete the unsatisfactory situation, the exception being the bicycle access ramp at Južné mesto, though this also appeared months from completion. It is clear that Bratislava city officials favoured launching overdue tram services on the new extension, over completion of public facilities. Even between the first test run to the new Južné mesto terminus in late 2024 and the final opening on 27 July 2025, a much longer than usual final authorisation period had passed.

With the completion of line 3 to Južné mesto, Bratislava’s tram network now has a size of roughly 46km (28.6 miles), including two depots.

By contrast, the city’s recent upgrades to its trolleybus network have gone more smoothly and been more visually impressive. With about 48km (30 miles) of overhead power lines, the trolleybus network is slightly more expansive than the tramway, and also includes crucial links to the airport and Vraku ň a railway station in the east of the city. The backbone is formed by trunk lines 61 and 71, which also use 16 double-articulated 24m high-capacity vehicles, supplied by the Škoda and Solaris consortium. These modern flagship trolleys were first introduced in 2023 and also serve the main railway station at Bratislava hlavná stanica.

BOTTOM LEFT:

The cross-river line 3 is entirely in the hands of the modern, low-floor Škoda cars, such as double-ended 7508 which passes historic landmarks in the Old Town on its way south to Petržalka.

As has become the norm around European cities, all of Bratislava’s modern trolleybuses feature powerful range extension batteries, allowing them to use the overhead catenary for in-motion recharging and flexibly run on and off the wires where there are construction sites or route deviations.

In 2026, the trolleybus system will celebrate its 85th birthday, as it first opened during World War Two in summer 1941.

GLOBAL LIGHT RAIL PORTAL

INNOVATION IN TRACK

Richard Foster looks at new developments in the field of track construction and installation –could these change the way we build our tramways?

Every issue of TAUT is full of new tramway construction projects from across the globe. Such is the pace of new light rail construction that one wonders how anyone has the time to develop new products or systems. But research and development is taking place all the time, and delegates at the 2025 UK Light Rail conference in Leeds on 22-23 July heard about innovations in track technology that have been used in cities across the UK, Europe and even Australia.

“What we’re trying to do is not to compete, but complement, existing operations. So we’re here to create a new system that’s affordable, that saves time.”

This is how Nicola Small, Very Light Rail Programme Director for Transport for West Midlands, described Coventry’s Very Light Rail programme. It’s easy to dismiss CVLR. Interesting, yes, but perhaps more of a footnote in the story of developing new light rail in the UK.

Yet it’s likely that many of those delegates who heard the CVLR team’s presentation will have left the auditorium with a completely different point of view on the project.

While the CVLR vehicle fairly bristles with new technology, what really grabbed

attention was the unique track slab system.

TAUT visited the 220m test track, laid in Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road, during the summer (TAUT 1051).

We discussed the minimal equipment needed to install the track slab and how it costs GBP7m (EUR8.4m) per km to lay, compared to the GBP50m (EUR57.44m) per km of a conventional tram system.

But it was only listening to Colas Rail Project Manager Hamish Falconer’s step-bystep description that you truly appreciated just how easy CVLR’s track slab is to install.

“Day 1 is the road planer turning up and milling out a 300mm-deep channel in the existing road,” Falconer said. “Now the beauty of that compared with the more traditional method of building tramways is that this doesn’t conflict with any of the existing utilities whatsoever. Everything that should have been laid within a road formation, should be – should be – much deeper than 300mm.

“The massive benefits that brings… are not to be under estimated.”

Falconer estimates that moving utilities can swallow between 15 and 20% of a tramway’s overall budget. And experience has shown that physically shifting those

utilities can take a year or more. This is also the part of the project that will cause the most disruption to residents.

“One of the beauties of only planing out 300mm is that, chances are, you’re still within the road formation. You’re not in the mud [underneath]. You do not need to do much… before you start rolling your track slabs into place.”

The slab is one of the system’s true innovations. Each one weighs just 1.6 tonnes. They can be lowered into position using a 14-tonne four-wheeled excavator, known in the trade as a ‘Rubber Duck’, “available from any good [plant] hire company”.

There are pre-cast holes in each corner. Levelling pins with steel ‘feet’ are pushed through them and then rotated to align the X/Y/Z axis.

Falconer explained that “when we were getting into the groove of this”, between 100m and 150m of concrete slab could be laid and aligned in a day. Rail installation followed, using welding techniques commonplace in tramway construction.

Another piece of innovation that particularly impressed Falconer was the drainage troughs that fit between the rails. They channel excess water through the

LEFT: The demands on track, and what the stakeholders require from it, can differ. Operators will require reliability, while passengers will want a smooth ride; those residing beside a route will favour the least possible noise. Pictured is a busy street scene in Aleksanterinkatu, Helsinki, Finland.

Tapio Haaja, Unsplash

RIGHT: What is unique about Coventry’s Very Light Rail is its track slab system, which requires minimal equipment to install, requires no moving of utilities, and costs just GBP7m per km to lay, as opposed to GBP50m. Tim Kendell

NOISE & VIBRATION

The following manufacturers and suppliers offer products and services designed to reduce noise and vibration:

Edilon)(Sedra www.edilonsedra.com

Kraiburg Strail www.strail.de

SEALABLE Solutions GmbH www.seal-able.com

Tiflex www.tiflex.co.uk

Trelleborg www.trelleborg.com

slab but, unlike other tramway schemes, additional drainage is not required.

“The beauty of keeping the construction depth to a minimum is that you’re not changing the environment,” Falconer explained. “It was a road before and it’s a road after – you’ve just put bits of steel in the middle of it, that’s all.”

Once the engineering team was happy with the slab’s alignment and all the rails were secured, the next task was to “lock it in”, using a special high-viscosity concrete, specially developed by manufacturer Cemex so that it can be pumped through pre-cast holes without leaving voids underneath.

“[You] fill underneath the slab [and] watch it rise up slowly around the edges. As soon as you’re around the edges, you’re locked in. [Now] move onto the next one and so on and so on.”

Although the CVLR car is battery-powered and thus there’s no risk of stray current, the rails still need some form of encapsulation in order to reduce noise and vibration, and to provide good interface with the surrounding surface.

Two types of encapsulation were used: “[One] was a very thick mastic asphalt, which was poured between steel shutters, and the other was a more commonly used polymertype material”.

Coventry’s VLR test track was simply that. It wasn’t an attempt to bring a façade-tofaçade regeneration to Coventry’s streets. Consequently, the finishing touch – the road surface – was simple asphalt.

“We installed asphalt here because it was to go back to being a road but this could be paved blocks [or] grass. Essentially, as soon as you’ve locked your [track] layout in place with your concrete, you come through with a paver and install asphalt.”

Sounds like a comparatively smooth process, doesn’t it? But it’s only when you

SLAB SYSTEMS

BELOW:

Coventry Very Light Rail approach change the way we think about light rail installation?

along a test track through the UK city earlier in the year. Laura Ridler

SLEEPERS

Slab track is not suitable for every light rail application. Luckily, there are numerous sleeper suppliers developing light rail-friendly and environmentally sustainable sleepers: Kraiburg Strail www.strail.de

PCM Railone www.railone.com

Sateba www.sateba.com

Trackwork Limited www.trackwork.co.uk

realise that the road planer was chopping out a 300mm-deep groove on 13 March 2025 and the VLR car was running on the test track on 23 May that you realise just how quickly 220m of track was installed.

“The general consensus,” Falconer told delegates, “is ‘this is quick’. Economy of scale applies. If this was twin track, if this was longer, I’m convinced we could do this even faster.”

Testing of the CVLR vehicle finished in July, but the rails still have a valuable job to do. The many sensors placed along the 220m route to test how the passage of the vehicle affected both the slab and the surrounding environment will now measure how the track copes with normal road use. A parallel development is proving that techniques such as moling, horizontal directional drilling and vacuum excavation should enable utility companies to access underground infrastructure without having to dig up the track; “keyhole surgery, if you like, through the top of the slab”.

The next phase is to build an 800m test track, from the railway station to the university, and this could use what the CVLR team is calling the ‘Plus’ version of its track slab. It’s called ‘Plus’ because it could take heavier trams.

“The idea,” said Colin Knight, Director of Innovation at Coventry City Council, “will be to bring a heavier tram or trams to Coventry so that we can run them on this and prove [it].

“What we’ve got here is a system that we know can be laid fast, with minimal disruption”. It could, he added, enable the GBP15bn (EUR17.2bn) that UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced was going towards transport projects back in June (TAUT 1052)

ABOVE: The first European use of macro-synthetic track slab was on London (UK)’s DLR system in 2005 –although it has since been used in Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Russia. Pictured is a DLR service arriving at Limehouse with car 73 leading on 15 August 2006. Roger Marks, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

“to be spent far more effectively and with greater speed”.

“I can’t emphasise enough that what we’ve done in Coventry is [a] game changer,” he said. “[This] slab can actually be a game changer in a national light rail programme.”

Concrete construction usually requires steel reinforcing rods or mesh to give it strength. While the steel does resist tensile forces, it’s expensive to produce and doesn’t have particularly great ‘green’ credentials. Plus, there’s the ever-present risk of socalled ‘concrete cancer’, when the internal steelwork starts to corrode.

Japan’s Hagihara Industries developed BarChip in the 1990s. This uses macrosynthetic fibres – tough, synthetic polymers – rather than steel. They’re mixed into the concrete so, unlike steel which has the concrete poured around it, they’re found throughout the depth of the concrete section. This means that they are better at resisting tensile forces and cracks are kept to a minimum.

The first macro-synthetic track slab was used in Japan in 2002. Its first use in Europe was on London’s Docklands Light Railway in 2005. Since then, it has spread to systems in Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Russia.

TRACK DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

Need help actually designing the track solution to meet your needs? Here are some people to try:

Name Active in

One of the most recent uses of macrosynthetic fibre-based track was on Parramatta Light Rail in Australia, where environmental sustainability was considered a very high priority. What was delivered on the 12km (seven-mile) line through the western Sydney suburbs achieved the highestever Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s ‘As Built’ rating – how well a project meets its proposed criteria. The use of 101 tonnes of BarChip R50 fibres rather than 2426 tonnes of steel saved 4815 tonnes of CO2

PreCast Advanced Track (PCAT) has used BarChip technology to produce slabs designed to fit all railway scenarios, from light rail to high speed. Of relevance here are PCAT’s City Metro and UGR (underground railway) slabs. City Metro comes in easily moveable slabs that only require a 280mm-deep trench to be milled into the road surface.

PCAT’s John Hammond explained how the slabs can be delivered to site using standard ro-rail vehicles and dropped in place using a specially developed robotic panel-lifter. This keeps all slab movements within the track footprint allowing, for example, trams to pass on an adjacent line. Using this method, some 200m of track

Web address

1stInrail Mainly UK www.1stinrail.co.uk

Alstom Global www.alstom.com

Cleshar Mainly UK www.cleshar.co.uk

Colas Global www.colas.com

Global Infrastructure Group Mainly Australia, Ireland, UK www.theglobalinfrastructuregroup.com

Haigh Rail Limited Mainly UK www.haighrail.com

Hochtief Global www.hochtief.com

Novus Rail Mainly UK www.novus-rail.com

Pod-trak Ireland, UK www. pod-trak.com

Rhomberg Sersa Austria, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, North America, Switzerland, UK www.rhomberg-sersa.com

Severn Partnership Mainly UK www.severnpartnership.com

SWGR Mainly UK www.sw-gr.com

TechnoTrack Engineer Mainly UK www.technotrackengineering.co.uk

VolkerRail Mainly UK www.volkerrail.co.uk

ABOVE: The finished trackslab along Autralia’s Parramatta line, which saw 2426 tonnes of steel replaced with 101 tonnes of PCAT BarChip R50. PCAT

RAIL

The term ‘rail’ is all encompassing, covering the rail itself as well as the ways to fix it in place or welding or joining it together. We’ve also included those who offer pre-made track sections such as switches and crossovers: Goldschmidt Smart Rail Solution www.goldschmidt.com

HIRD Rail Services www.hirdrailservices.com

Trackwork Limited www.trackwork.co.uk

Progress Rail www.progressrail.com

Voestalpine Group www.voestalpine.com

Washington Metalworks washington-metalworks.co.uk

ABOVE: Macro synthetic fibre reinforcement has become widely used for concrete track slabs and railways, which has led to a significant reduction in cost and construction time. PCAT

LEFT: A CAF Urbos 100 arrives at Yallamundi Stop along the Parramatta Light Rail route. This line is one of the most recent cases of macro-synthetic fibre-based track use, where environmental sustainability was considered a high-level priority. John Cowper, Flickr CC BY 2.0

ABOVE: Installing a tramway in Zaragoza required some innovative thinking, and Pandrol’s product range formed part of the solution for this Spanish city. The consortium in charge of its construction specified an embedded track solution that could be applied to grass or paved track sections, with minimal vibration, a low carbon footprint, and minimal maintenance. Tranvía Zaragoza

RIGHT: New technology is already being used to turn data gathered from across the Greater Manchester Metrolink system (UK) into meaningful information that can guide its maintenance programme.

Pictured is Exchange Quay Station,

14 April 2019.

Simon Edmunds, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

can be laid in urban locations per day.

Each slab contains pre-cast utility ducts and drainage channels. Rail still needs to be installed but it’s already set to gauge. Any voids under the slab are filled with what PCAT calls “an expanding geo-resin”.

City Metro slabs are designed for a 120-year life-span. Quite what public transport will look like in 2145 is anybody’s guess. But PCAT is already trying to anticipate the future.

It’s developing the 2.5m wide CITI slab that can be used with those tram-outline Bus Rapid Transit vehicles that authorities consider a cheaper alternative to a real tram.

Hammond explained how PCAT is working with German firm Magment, which is developing contactless charging for electric vehicles. Transponders in the slabs charge a receiver coil in a vehicle passing overhead; in theory, an electric vehicle has its battery charged without stopping. Whether this technology can be used to power a light rail vehicle remains to be seen.

Pandrol’s Business Development Manager Hamzeh Adinehvand posed the following question to delegates at the UK Light Rail Conference: who are the stakeholders in a light rail scheme and what are they going to want from the track? Passengers, for example, will want the smoothest possible ride. Operators want track that’s reliable; those living beside a tramway will want track that absorbs noise while being easy to install.

Sometimes the parameters imposed on a light rail scheme from stakeholders force innovative thinking, and Adinehvand described to delegates two scenarios where Pandrol’s product range formed part of the solution.

He started in the historic Italian city of Firenze (Florence), so historic in fact that it’s an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Two key parameters were insisted upon for the construction of tram lines 2 and 3: to limit digging as much as possible (a depth of 250mm was specified in places) and to keep noise and vibration down to specified levels.

It’s worth a quick reminder that levels of noise and vibration change depending on whether trams are running at ground level, on elevated tracks or in tunnels. Groundborne noise, for example, will be amplified through walls and floors, while an elevated section will affect the top floors of a property.

Given Firenze’s myriad historic buildings, elevated sections had to have a noise limit of no greater than 17dBv (at a frequency between 63 and 125 hertz) while the underground sections were limited to 20dBv at the same frequency. Pandrol was able to combine two parts from its QTrack range. The rail was encased in QTrack SP, where it was “continuously supported and fastened by elastic, high-quality, resinbonded rubber profiles with a unique shape and stiffness characteristics”. Under the concrete slab was FSM-L13, part of its Floating Slab Mat range. Made from resinbonded rubbers, FSM is what Pandrol calls a “high-performing vibration attenuation floating slab system” where the “concrete slab is elastically supported by a continuous resilient mat”. Underground parts of the system used QTrack SP and FSM-L06 to keep noise and vibration levels below the specified minimum.

Adinehvand then talked about Zaragoza, capital of the Spanish autonomous community of Aragon. Here, Tranvía de Zaragoza, the consortium behind line 1’s construction, specified an embedded track solution that could be applied to grassed or paved track sections. It would have to minimise ground-borne vibration, have a low carbon footprint, and be long-lasting while requiring minimal maintenance. Combining QTrack and Floating Slab Mat was considered to be the best way to meet those needs. Not onlywere the noise and vibration dampening properties of each taken into account, but they can be used under either grass or paved track and, given that the rubber used comes from recycled vehicle tyres, manufacturing of QTrack SP produces 15.6kg CO2/m 2 compared to the 35.5kg CO2/m 2 generated by that of an oil-based derivative.

Beyond the install

Of course, innovation is not just limited to the laying of new track. Maintenance of track assets is an important part of tramway operation, and any development that minimises the disruption to daily operations is surely to be welcomed?

Bilal Mohamed from Keolis Amey Metrolink explained how new technology is being used to turn data gathered from Manchester’s Metrolink system into meaningful information that can guide its

maintenance programme.

Data capture technology revealed that the rate of wear on the rails of the Eccles line is 0.5mm per year. This meant that 4km (2.5 miles) of track – or 8km (five miles) of rail – would be close to its minimum safety limit by 2025. Those rails could simply be returned to their original profile by running a grinder over them. But running a grinder over the whole network is expensive and time-consuming. It delays passengers and, on some sections, grinding might not be necessary.

Therefore, the results of the data gathering were analysed, to assess which rails were suffering from excess head-wear, side-wear and keeper-wear. This enabled targeted grinding to take place on the network as well as minimising how much metal was removed in order to return it to close to original profile.

It took just 73 shifts to carry out the targeted grinding, which was completed on 21 November 2024. Mohamed explained that this 8km (five miles) of rail has been given an eight year life extension, saving Metrolink GBP24m (EUR28m).

We’ve only looked in depth here at a handful of products and solutions. All the companies and organisations listed on these pages will have something to offer. So why not have a browse to find the ideal solution to meet your track needs?

One of the truths about track is that it requires careful monitoring to assess its condition and then specialist kit to fix it when repairs become necessary. Here is a selection of companies offering monitoring and repair equipment/ services: Abtus www.abtus.com

Aquarius Roadrail Technologies www.aquariusrail.com

Dual Inventive www.dualinventive.com L.B. Foster www.lbfoster.com Linsinger Maschinenbau www.linsinger.com Omnicom www.hitachirail.com

Schweerbau www.schweerbau.de Schweizer Electronic www.schweizer-electronic.com

www.torrenttrackside.co.uk Zwiehoff www.zwiehoff.com

Salford Quays, on

NEWS FROM THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT ASSOCIATION

The LRTA AGM: Sheffield 2025

By Paul Rowen

The Association held its AGM at the beginning of October in Sheffield. This was our first formal visit since the tram-train pilot to Rotherham was introduced. The weekend began with a reception at the South Yorkshire Transport Museum in Rotherham. Run by volunteers, the museum proved a mine of all-thingstransport, including a very detailed display on Sheffield’s original tram network. I was also delighted to discover a Rochdale Corporation bus resplendent in its crème and blue livery!

On Saturday morning several members braved the wet and windy conditions to ride the Sheffield Supertram system. A plus for many was free travel for those with a concessionary bus pass – you did not need to live in South Yorkshire! The AGM itself was held in the Mercure St Paul’s hotel, which is adjacent to the Town Hall. Also in the hotel was a visiting choir from South Wales who treated us that evening to singing in the bar. After the usual reports and elections, Reg Harman gave a very enlightening talk on the work which he and his wife Ruth had done which led to the development of Supertram. He is going to give an extended version of this

talk at one of our online meetings. Following this with votes counted, it was announced that Roger Morris, Mike Gibson and James Willis had been re-elected to Council alongside Secretary Colin Brazier.

The 88th Annual Dinner was that evening with Chair of UK Tram and former Chief Executive of South Yorkshire Transport, Stephen Edwards as the guest speaker.

The highlight, however, was Sunday’s visit to the National Tramway Museum at Crich.

Our coach party was welcomed by Vice President Colin Heaton, who presented us with special tickets emulating the LRTL London Tours of 1938 and 1952, as well as other useful information, and escorted us around.

On the Balcony of the Workshops we were welcomed by President Paul Hobson, who reminded us of our joint origins, and how the TMS and Crich had developed. Vice President Mike Crabtree described the fascinating restoration work going on in the museum’s workshops, so important to keep as many of the trams operational as possible.

The party enjoyed a ride on London County Council 1 ‘Bluebird’, magnificently restoratored, and took the opportunity for

a group photo at Glory Mine whilst not disrupting normal operations. It was also good to see car MET 331, founding member Jay Fowler’s original acquisition, sporting the LRTL headboard.

Having just had our AGM in Sheffield, it was good to see Sheffield 510 in operation.

Finally, bacon rolls and hot drinks were served in the pub. A memorable ending for a very enjoyable weekend.

ABOVE: Crich Vice President Mike Crabtree in the workshop

BELOW: Members alongside Bluebird at Glory Mine. Tim Kendell

THE LRTL 1953 TOUR OF IRELAND

In June 1953, the Light Railway Transport League (LRTL – now the LRTA), ran a week-long tour of Ireland in co-operation with the Irish Railway Record Society (IRRS). One of several highlights was a non-stop run on 10 June 1953, completed in just under 83 minutes, from Ennis to Kilkee on the West Clare Railway, using one of the 1952-delivered Walker railcars.

The tour was led by John Price, LRTL, and Cyril Fry, IRRS. The party of 35 (45 on the Dingle day) included IRRS members Geoffrey Wigham and Les Hyland, as well as many active LRTL members from the early days. Other well-known participants included the Jarvis brothers, Ron and Jim, the latter capturing rare colour images of the Tralee and Dingle.

Les Hyland emigrated to Australia in 1973, but in September 2014, on a visit to Ireland, he gave a talk on the West Clare to the IRRS in Dublin, illustrated with his own photographs, including one at Kilkee

TOUR PROGRAMME

on ‘LRTL Day’, reproduced here. However, pictures taken at Lahinch, also on that day, suggested that rather more had been taking place than merely the LRTL trip.

Reference to the IRRS’s collection of official Weekly Circulars revealed that 10 June 1953 was a rather remarkable day on the West Clare. In addition to the LRTL train, three other specials ran from Ennis to Lahinch in the morning and back in the evening for the Ennis Mental Hospital (EMH) Excursion. Each of these trains consisted of a railcar and trailer.

A fascinating railway operational conundrum was thus presented. With just four diesel railcars, how did they run a public service requiring three railcars, the LRTL special needing one railcar and a steam engine, and the three EMH trains, with the additional complication of all of the railcars being single-ended?

There was an answer, and much of it was verifiable from the travel notebooks of the late Geoffrey Wigham, which extend from 1920 up to the 1990s, with additional notes

By Michael J. Walsh

and memories from Les Hyland – almost certainly the last surviving participant on the tour, his very long life coming to an end only on 1 July 2025.

Les’ obituary appears in the IRRS Journal of October 2025, along with a graphic timetable showing West Clare train movements on 10 June 1953, as a tribute to Les’ particular affection for that railway. The same graphic and a complete account of the underlying research is also to be found on my website ferrobahn.com

The diligence of Messrs Wigham and Hyland has also enabled a largely-complete record of all of the Irish tour journeys to be compiled, with a view to website publication in due course, but the full story is far too long for this short article.

John Price reported on the 1953 tour as early as the August 1953 issue of Modern Tramway. It’s a good read, packed with facts and written in John’s inimitable style. A more immediately accessible summary of this article is currently to be found at

BELOW: Cyril Fry congratulates Driver Michael Donoughue after arrival at Kilkee on 10 June 1953, following the successful completion of the non-stop run from Ennis. John Price, with camera, is second right from Mr Fry. Les Hyland – IRRS Collection

rogerfarnworth.com. So, rather than revisiting detail already published, I will concentrate on the overall travel experience.

The Irish excursion was a combination of a study tour and shameless nostalgia. There was professional interest in diesel developments in Ireland, hence a visit to the recently-dieselised Bangor line in Belfast on the Saturday, and the trips using Walker Bros railcars on the Donegal, the West Clare and the Sligo Leitrim.

But it was nostalgia that drove the visits to the two remaining electric tramways in Ireland and the unique horse tram at Fintona. On the narrow-gauge, both of the remaining lines having roadside ‘tramway’ sections were covered.

For their journeys between the locations visited, the participants were given VIP status by the railway companies. Travelling from Dublin to the Cavan and Leitrim at Dromod on the Monday, they had First Class accommodation at the leading end of one of the new AEC railcar trains recently introduced on the Sligo route, with a driver’s eye view of the line ahead. They had a similar forward outlook on the lengthy crosscountry journey, again by AEC railcar, from Sligo to Ennis on the Wednesday.

From Limerick to Tralee on Thursday, there was a special bus from Limerick to Limerick Junction at 08:15, because the first train did not leave until noon. On the main line from Limerick Junction, the group then had a First Class carriage for their sole use, through to Tralee, and this facility was again provided from Tralee on the Friday, this time via the North Kerry route (very slow), the carriage being worked through to Limerick Junction. From there, another First Class carriage was reserved on the main line train as far as Portarlington, where they got off to visit a power station narrow-gauge railway. It is pleasing also to note that all of the service trains used during the tour ran closely to time, no mean achievement on a largely single-track network.

However, things were not so comfortable in between the main line trips. On the Cavan

and Leitrim on the Monday, the narrowgauge train hit a car at a level crossing, tipping it onto its side and pushing it a short distance along the railway. Happily no-one was injured, but a policeman appeared, notes were taken, then the car was manhandled off the track by the tour participants, and the train continued with just under an hour’s delay. Most of the British members on the tour would have seen National Service or were wartime veterans, so certainly not lacking in initiative when it came to clearing the line.

As an aside, Les Hyland recalls that John Price was regarded as rather dictatorial, and referred to among the group as ‘Johann Heinrich’, but as a national serviceman himself, John would have been well aware of the need for discipline on this ambitious railtour.

Meanwhile, back on track, the alreadylong Monday got longer with a bus to Manorhamilton, then the Sligo Leitrim railcar to Enniskillen, reached at 18.20, steam train to Fintona Junction, and the horse tram into the town. There was no onward connection by rail and a special bus brought the intrepid travellers to Omagh, for another wait of more than an hour until the final train to Derry, reached at 23.10.

Tuesday brought a start at 09.30, a steam train to Buncrana on the Lough Swilly Railway, which closed six weeks later. More steam from Derry to Strabane and then a long railcar day to Killybegs, 80.5km (50 miles), returning to Ballyshannon for 20.45, with a bus onwards to Sligo, so another latish arrival. On the final rail leg, Donegal to Ballyshannon, the tour railcar operated as a service train from Rossnowlagh, where it picked a up a church congregation returning from devotional exercises at the adjacent Friary – a rare railtour experience.

What is not recorded is whether the group had any breakfast the next morning in Sligo before their train left at 08.00. Sligo was a bit of a breakfast black spot. A promised early breakfast in Sligo for an IRRS tour in 1959, also coming from Donegal and heading

south, failed to materialise, but the day was saved by enterprising British participants, probably again national servicemen, who went into the kitchen, raided the supplies, and produced cooked breakfasts for everyone.

Indeed one of the features of the 1953 schedule was the more-or-less total absence of any obvious opportunity to obtain anything to eat during the day, and little chance of a substantial evening meal, given the late arrivals.

The Dingle journey was perhaps the least comfortable – by 1953, there were no narrow-gauge passenger carriages in Tralee, and the accommodation consisted of two vans with platform seats in the interior. But no-one complained. It was one of the great railtours – never to be repeated. The weather was glorious, sunshine all day and the long summer twilight, with the sun setting into the sea as the train ran in along the roadside section to Tralee.

The final day, Friday, was a bit anticlimactic with another early start, but a chance for the weary group to maybe nod off in their First Class carriages en route to Portarlington, where they needed to be wide awake for their trip in open wagons on a power station line. Then back to Dublin for an evening at Cyril Fry’s famous model railway in Churchtown, and it was all over.

This is an abridged version of an article that will appear in Tramway Review – the historical journal of the LRTA. It is published quarterly. For more information on how you can subscribe to TR go to www.LRTA.org/tr.

BELOW LEFT: A timeless scene recorded by the late Fr. Tom Davitt on Wednesday 29 April 1959; Hill of Howth tram no. 1 waits for passengers at Sutton Station on a spring evening before its departure for the Hill of Howth. Tom Davitt – IRRS Collection

BELOW: Great Northern Railway (Ireland) horse tram 851 at Fintona Junction; a scene from the 1950s. The motive power was unnumbered, but the current incumbent was always known as Dick , although most ‘Dicks’ were female, i.e. a mare. Les Hyland – IRRS Collection

LEFT: Belfast tour tram 340 in Gaffikin St, at the track fan of the Sandy Row depot on 6 June 1953. Several remarkably tiny children investigate the tram. Further down the street, a proliferation of Union flags indicate local allegiance. Des Coakham – courtesy Charles Friel

HOW TO INSTALL AN EFFICIENT TRAMWAY

Mike Ballinger asks if better efficiency could be the key to unlocking LRT schemes in the UK.

In the dim and distant past, the LRTA and its predecessor produced a number of publications on modern tramways culminating in an excellent booklet, Light Rail Transit Today. This was written by Mike Taplin as part of his qualification for the Chartered Institute of Transport and illustrated using pictures from Modern Tramway, the predecessor of TAUT, with drawings by the late Peter Walker.

The printers made an error in producing these and so the LRTA obtained a number of free copies. Some of these were rapidly acquired and used by the emerging Development Group, while other copies went to Passenger Transport Executives, especially in South Yorkshire and the West Midlands. These were promoting their tram schemes at that time and found it a useful tool for explaining what their project was about.

However, more recently, LRTA campaigning seems to have concentrated on detail such as tram-train, Very Light Rail, and hydrogen-powered systems. I noted that UKTram had applauded the case study on Nottingham’s tramway included in the Campaign for Better Transport’s recent report, Making the connection: Rail and the sustainable growth opportunity, but we have not produced and circulated anything the industry seems to have picked up and applauded. Meanwhile the construction and operation of two light metros (Tyne and Wear and Docklands) and five new tramway systems has not managed to ignite a national building of tramways as has happened in France.

Campaigners for tramways decried the late Alistair Darling for his scrapping of the Leeds, Liverpool and South Hants proposals when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, but he did make two points which are hard to argue against, namely:

• Projected costs of new schemes continued to rise, and...

• Projected patronage figures on existing systems were generally below what had been included in appraisals.

With regards to the latter there are, in this writer’s opinion, probably three reasons for this, namely:

• Lack of integration with other modes

• A lower density of housing in the UK compared with our neighbours

• Choice of a not-particularly-suitable route

So we looked at how I felt a tramway should be planned and installed. We drew on experience of looking at modern tramways over a number of years and seeing how they have developed. Just because someone does something it does not necessarily mean it is a good idea, and there are a number of systems that one would not want to replicate.

The West Midlands LRTA area therefore produced How to install an efficient tramway. Once created, it was reviewed by a small

number of transport professionals with a knowledge of tramways, and we were pleased with their response.

It is designed to explain to those who need to know how an efficient tramway should be planned and installed. The argument is put over as simply as possible, and we are the first to say it will not set the world on fire. Yet, it contains basic points that need to be made, and we hope that LRTA members and others find it useful in making those. Until these are understood there will be a dearth of trams, tram-trains, trams powered by batteries or hydrogen, and even VLR.

How to install an efficient tramway can be found at www.lrta.org/how-toplan-an-efficient-tramway/. If you want to print out a version with a blank background, this can be obtained from Mike Ballinger at mikeballinger@uwclub.net

MEETINGS & EVENTS

DECEMBER

Tuesday 2. Southampton 19.30. Steve Dungay finds some more fascinating North American webcam material. Junction Church (Former Railway Institute) Romsey Road, Eastleigh. GBP3. (LRTA/SEG)

Monday 8. Leeds 19.30. Andrew

Gill: Harold Smith 1910 Bradford trams. The Engine House Middleton Railway Moor Road, Leeds, LS10 2JG. GBP1 (includes light refreshments). Contact: enquiries@ lths.co.uk. (LRTA/LTHS) Monday 8. Liverpool 19.00. Annual festive meal. Advance bookings only. The Richmond Tavern, 23A Church Road, Liverpool,

Compiled by the LRTA. For a full list of the year’s events and meeting places, including online meetings, visit www.lrta.org

L15 9EA. Please contact: merseyside@tlrs.info. Cost GBP25. (TLRS/MTPS) Wednesday 10. Sussex 19.40. Christmas social evening. Southwick Community Centre, Southwick, BN42 4TE. Contact: sussex@tlrs.info GBP2. (TLRS/SEG)

Saturday 20. Nottingham,

14.00. Tramway films. Beeston Scout Hut, NG9 1GA. Contact: chair@tlrs.info. (TLRS) Saturday 20. Coatbridge, 13.00. Scottish trams show and tell & talk TBC. Cumbernauld Theatre, South Kildrum, Ring Road, Cumbernauld, Lanternhouse G67 2UF. Contact: scotland@tlrs.info (TLRS)

ABOVE: Bruno-Marek-Allee in Wien (Vienna), where route O meets route 12 in a redeveloped area. Mike Ballinger

SYSTEMS FACTFILE No.218

Bonn, Germany

With stock renewal in hand, expanding the scope and capacity of light rail operations form part of the Bonn administration’s long-term plans for environmental improvement.

At the southern end of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, Bonn was the seat of government for West Germany between 1949 and 1990. A population of 340 226 at the start of 2025 makes it around the 20th largest German city.

Although Berlin was restored as the capital for a unified Germany, the transfer of most government functions and overseas embassies spread over about a decade. Bonn’s international role was sustained by the United Nations expanding its presence. Any grandeur of capital status had been resisted in Bonn and, far from harmed by the changes, the economy expanded and it now has the fastest growth rate in Nordrhein Westfalen state. Absorbing neighbouring municipalities in 1969 led to Bonn

The newest SWB type, Škoda ForCity Smart 41T 2353 on Thomas Mann Straße on 28 May 2025. A junction for the routes taken by trams and Stadtbahn is just behind this building near the Stadthaus stop.

having districts on both sides of the Rhine. The river is about 400 metres wide at Kennedybrücke, the central of three widely-spaced road bridges and one of the two which also carry Bonn light rail tracks. As with Cologne (Köln KVB –TAUT 1048) about 25km (15.6 miles) to the north-west, the Bonn system integrates low platform trams and high platform Stadtbahn formats. Tram survival largely relates to some routes having settings not readily suited to Stadtbahn conversion. Tram and Stadtbahn have stretches of track sharing, including on the Kennedybrücke. Services run under the SWB Bus und Bahn brand, part of the city-owned SWE utilities parent body which originated in 1879. Bus operations began in

1925 and there are now around 50 SWB bus lines. Stadtbahn stock has one of two owners, SWB and SSB, the latter indicating Rhein Sieg Kreis, the authority almost wholly surrounding Bonn. In 1987 SWB Bus und Bahn became one of the 12 concerns united under the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS) identity. This led to Bonn coming under the VRS fare structure and their rail services being renumbered in the 6x-series. Two other Stadtbahn lines partly in Bonn have Köln KVB numbers, with 16 and 18 jointly delivered by KVB and SWE. Taking separate routes to Cologne for most of their length, these two lines have a brief overlap in the two cities. Unlike SWB, heavy rail does not have a local Rhine crossing, with each bank having separate main lines. The main station, Bonn Hbf, is in

Bonn

Words and pictures by Neil Pulling

THE FLEET

The fully low-floor Skoda ForCity Smart 41T is the newest SWB type, entering revenue service in January 2025. The first tram in an order for 28, plus 12 options, is numbered 2251. With rotating bogies, they have three sections, are 30.6 metres long and 2.4 metres wide. The proportionately short suspended centre section has two double doors on each side, with one in each end section. They are Bonn’s first air-conditioned trams and are internally signed for 200 passengers, 60 seated. In May 2022, SWB and SBB jointly placed a contract with CAF for 22 light rail vehicles (with ten options) for Stadtbahn services, similar to those ordered by Essencentred Ruhrbahn. Following testing and approval of two initial vehicles, they are intended for service from 2027 to increase service capacity; they follow the same configuration as the Stadtbahn B, but will have one full driving cab, intended to run as ‘back-to-back’ pairs.

RIGHT: ForCity Smart 41T 2354 emerges from the underpass with short-radius curves at both ends that runs beneath the main line just south of Bonn

ABOVE: Tram 9456 passes the Stadtbahn level at Bertha Von Suttner PlatzBeethovenhaus. Reconfigured in 2006, the platform has two levels on each face to handle both SWB light rail formats.

ABOVE: Southbound 8371+8452 emerge into pouring rain from the tunnel near Ollenhauerstraße. This stop was relocated when the underground section was extended in 2008 to avoid the road intersection in the background.

the city’s centre, sited on the western (left) bank. Currently being rebuilt and on a busy freight corridor, right bank Bonn-Beuel hosts local and regional passenger trains. Although with basic facilities, Bonn-Beuel has platform lengths to accommodate long-distance services if the left-bank line is unavailable. In 2002, Siegburg/ Bonn became one of four intermediate stations on the new Köln-Frankfurt (Main) high speed line, adding direct Cologne Bonn Airport services in 2004. With a sub-surface Stadtbahn terminus (titled Siegburg Bf) integrated with the station’s remodelling for its expanded role, Siegburg/Bonn joined Bonn Hbf and Bonn-Beuel as the system’s principal interchanges.

Trams started operating in Bonn during 1891 with horse-drawn services; electrification began in 1902. Today’s coverage by two full-service lines is configured over three arms converging near Bertha Von Suttner Platz-Beethovenhaus stop in central Bonn. The 8.8km (5.5-mile) line 61 is wholly on the left bank, with line 62 being a 12km (7.5-mile) crossriver service. Line 65 has infrequent services which are mostly to/from Bonn-Beuel, the stop nearest to SWB’s tram depot. Unlike sub-surface Stadtbahn at Bonn Hbf, trams have street-level platforms. South of here, line 61/62 tracks descend to a sharp reverse curve including a narrow underpass created in 1936 to cross the main line; the route beyond has a traditional street tramway nature. Although Bonn’s uni-directional stock had gone by 1995, a return loop remains in use at Quirinusplatz terminus in Dottendorf. Line 61’s northern end has the most recent tramway addition, a 1994 extension to Kopenhagener Straße where the stub-tracked terminus reflected the transition to bi-directional trams.

RIGHT: On a shared tram and Stadtbahn section, Düwag R1.1 9462 between staggered platforms at Oberkassel Mitte, amongst the 20% of SWB rail stops not qualifying as barrier-free.

LEFT: Köln KVB’s Stadtbahn B 2224+2219 by the main line near Bonn West, the penultimate line 18 ssouthbound stop.

Tram line 62 has a city centre section about 1.6km (one mile) long where tracks are shared with Stadtbahn. From the west, this begins at a junction between Stadthaus and Bertha Von Suttner Platz-Beethovenhaus. Between busy carriageways and with adjoining bus stops, Bertha Von Suttner PlatzBeethovenhaus was rebuilt in 2006. Including an information kiosk, the single island platform has two levels on each face to handle both SWB rail formats. The shared section ends east of the Rhine, where Konrad Adenauer Platz has separate platforms just beyond where tram and Stadtbahn diverge.

Bonn’s Stadtbahn was largely created by converting tram routes and local railways, adding connections and some re-positioning below ground. It was launched in 1975 between Bonn Hbf and Bad Godesberg, a prosperous southern borough which then contained several embassies.

Hbf.

Auerberg Kopenhagener Str.

Heinrich Hertz-Europakolleg

Auerberger Mitte An der Josefshöhe

Brühler Str.

Propsthof Nord

Innenministerium

Husarenstr.

LVR-Klinik

Chlodwigpl. Rosental Wilhelmspl.

Bonn West

Vilich

“

Adelheidisstraße

Bertha von Suttner Platz / Beethovenhaus

Konrad

Stadthaus

Thomas Mann Straße

Bonn Hauptbahnhof

Poppelsdorfer Allee

Königstraße

Weberstraße

Rittershaussstraße Haus der Jugend

Eduard-Otto-Straße

Pützstraße

Tramway Stadtbahn

Beuel Rathaus

Obere Wilhelmstraße

Adenauer Platz

Beuel Bahnhof

Universität / Markt

Juridicum

Hangelar West Hangelar Mitte

Vilich Mülhdorf

Bonn’s Stadtbahn was largely created by converting tram routes and local railways, adding connections and some re-positioning below ground.

Limperich Nord Limperich

Küdinghoven

Bundesrechnungshof / Auswärtiges Amt

Museum Koenig

Heussallee / Museumsmeile

THERHINE

Schießbergweg

Ramersdorf

Oberkassel Nord

Bergstraße

Loki Schmidt Platz

Ollenhauerstraße Olof Palme Allee

Rheinaue

Robert Schuman Pl.

Quirinusplatz

Max Löbner Str. / Friesdorf

BELOW: Retaining the special ‘old to new’ livery which marked the Stadtbahn B rebuilding, ZE-variant 7463 leaves Olof Palme Allee. Sited above a motorway, the stop was named after the Prime Minister of Sweden who was assassinated in 1986.

ABOVE: Vilich stop is near an under-construction station interchange for the right bank main line’s future Köln S-Bahn line 13 from Troisdorf.

Bonn

“The current livery is a more exuberant application of red and white than was used previously.”

BELOW: A relic of earlier operations and now withdrawn uni-directional stock, Quirinusplatz terminus in Dottendorf has a return loop with separate arrival and departure platforms.

NETWORK FACTS

Opened: 1891 (electric 1902)

Principal lines: 2 tram; 4 Stadtbahn

Depots: 2

Approx. weekday hours: variations by line

Main weekday frequency: 10 minutes

Gauge: 1435mm

Power: 750V dc, overhead supply Fleet: 100

City network/operator: SWB www.swb-busundbahn.de

Regional network : Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg www.www.vrs.de

Civic information: www.bonn.de

Tourist information: https://international.bonn.de and www.visit-bonn-region.de

LEFT: Currently timetabled only for Stadtbahn services, the Bonn Hauptbahnhof underground platforms retain a low-floor section if needed for tram service diversions.

ABOVE: Stadtbahn B 9375+9359 at Rhöndorf, a passing point between single-track sections along the Rhine’s eastern bank; main line Rhöndorf station is nearby.

ABOVE: A Stadtbahn B pair leaves the covered Siegburg Bf terminus on 1 August 2016. It is integrated with the Siegburg/Bonn main line station which was rebuilt for ICE high-speed rail services that began in 2002.

RIGHT: Close to the system’s tram depot, a pair of Düwag R1.1 cross at Beuel Bahnhof, the main line station on the right bank of the Rhine.

RIGHT: Kopenhagener Straße line 61 terminus in the Auerberg district is at the end of a 1994 northern extension which had an emphasis on serving residential areas.

ABOVE: An SWB Bombardier Flexity Swift K5000 pair with a line 16 service at Wurzerstraße in the southern tunnel section on the Bonn-Bad Godesberg route.

In extended form, this approximately 8km (five-mile) route with surface running and two in-tunnel sections carries lines 16 and 63. North of Bonn, line 16 takes the ‘Rheinuferbahn’ route to Cologne, which includes the KVB Stadtbahn depot at Wesseling. Bonn’s Stadtbahn depot, Dransdorf, is on the other Cologne route near line 18’s Robert Kirchhoff Straße stop. The right bank has adaptions of two railways which opened in 1911. The ‘Siegburger Bahn’ hosts part of today’s 30km (19-mile) line 66 between Siegburg and central Bonn. Already linking Bonn Hbf and Siegburg/Bonn, line 66 should add an interchange during 2026 with the opening of Bonn-Vilich station, about 200 metres from Vilich stop. The ‘Siebengebirgsbahn’ between Beuel and Bad Honnef has historically had a leisure aspect through serving the riverside resort of Königswinter and nearby Drachenfels peak. It now includes a four-stop overlap of tram line 62 and Stadtbahn line 66 between sub-surface Ramersdorf and Bonn Oberkassel Süd/Römlinghoven. This has some stops with low platforms only, requiring use of folding steps on Stadtbahn vehicles. With a second Rhine crossing at the Konrad Adenauer Brücke (‘Südbrücke’), line 66’s southern end has single track sections beyond Königswinter’s Clemens August Straße stop. Alternating services end here or at the system’s most southerly point, Bad Honnef.

SWB vehicle numbers indicate the build year in the first two digits. The current livery is a more exuberant application of red and white than was used previously; earlier liveries remain. In January 2025, new

Škoda ForCity Smart 41T trams were introduced – see ‘The Fleet’ – ending the service monopoly of the 65% lowfloor, three-section 28.6-metre long Düwag R1.1 (9451-9474). These were introduced in 1994 and established bi-directional trams as standard in Bonn. Poland’s Pozna ń MPK has already received some of the type displaced by the Škodas and, subject to condition, the rest should follow. The more numerous of two Stadtbahn types is the Düwag Stadtbahn B. Bonn has two versions of these remaining from an initial total of 75 received in series with detail differences between 1973 and 1994. In 2012 the first ZE -variant was presented, a product of the Zweiterstellung project for 25 comprehensively rebuilt early Stadtbahn B vehicles. The work completed by SWB was intended to extend their working life into the late 2030s at around half the cost of new equivalents. Externally, ZE stock is readily distinguished from other Stadtbahn B vehicles by an extension with light clusters below the cab windows. Used on the shared Cologne routes, there are 15 Bombardier Flexity Swift K5000 (0360-0374). Related to their ‘climate-neutral by 2035’ policy, Bonn’s administration supports public transport expansion to reduce reliance on private vehicles. Projects include ‘Westbahn’ to extend tram coverage to western districts, upgrading line 18, a northern line 63 extension and a 4.3km (2.7-mile) cross-Rhine cable car between the University Hospital and Ramersdorf. The Line 17 project is for an approximately 21km (13-mile) new Stadtbahn route between Cologne and Bonn on the Rhine’s right bank via Niederkassel.

ESSENTIAL FACTS

Local travel: Staffed SWB information points at Münsterstraße 18 (Cassius-Bastei building near Bonn Hbf) and at Bertha Von Suttner Platz-Beethovenhaus stop. The ‘Linienetz Bonn’ map combines light rail, bus and main line routes, zone boundaries and fare information. System coverage with ‘CityPlusTicket Bonn’ single from EUR5.00 and 24 hours from EUR11.90. If reaching Bonn by public transport and several journeys are anticipated, including other systems like nearby Cologne, passes will be better value: SchönerTagTicket NRW Single (24-hour pass) at EUR38.60; monthly subscription Deutschlandticket at EUR58 –an explanation of buying and using this ticket is included on www.seat61.com. (Prices as at October 2025).

What is there to see? Just off Münsterplatz, the central square in the core visitor area, the main tourist office is at 1 Windeckstraße. In print and online versions, the ‘Tourist City Map’ is recommended. The Ludwig van Beethoven birthplace is now a museum (www.beethoven.de). Another son of Bonn, Hans Riegel, conflated his and the city’s name for the Haribo confectionary brand: there is a central Bonn store and a factory outlet in Bad Godesberg. Besides line 66 Rheinaue stop, the 160-hectare Freizeitpark was developed from the venue of the 1979 Federal Garden Show. Served by regional trains and Stadtbahn, Königswinter features Rheinallee riverside promenade and Drachenfels peak with an historic rack railway (www.drachenfelsbahn.de)

BELOW: The southern end of line 66’s right bank’s twin-track section in Königswinter, where rebuilding of Clemens August Strasse stop was completed in 2023.

ABOVE: Representing a generational change in the SWB tram fleet, also adding capacity per vehicle, Bonn’s Skoda ForCity Smart 41T entered service in December 2024.

Interview

UKTRAM: LOOKING AHEAD

UKTram Chair Steve Edwards reflects on a year of growth and collaboration.

As 2025 draws to a close, the UK’s light rail sector finds itself in a pivotal position. Record passenger numbers and strengthened government engagement, along with growing regional investment have defined a year of consolidation and ambition.

For UKTram, the organisation representing and uniting systems across the country, it has also been a year of evolution, marked by new appointments and a renewed commitment to innovation and knowledge sharing.

UKTram Chair Steve Edwards reflects on the progress made and the opportunities that lie ahead for light rail in the UK.

How would UKTram summarise the current state of light rail in the UK?

“Although the current footprint in terms of the number of systems remains relatively small, where we have presence, those services are well used and perhaps more importantly are a vital part of the transport infrastructure that is supporting regional growth and productivity improvements.

“We continue to see plans for the extension of existing systems and ambitious plans for new systems, most notably in West Yorkshire. These are underpinned by government commitment to funding light rail, at a level not seen for some time.

How can (and is) UKTram working to bring that about?

“For our part, along with the knowledge-sharing activities that our members find so valuable, we are increasing our capacity to support innovation and stakeholder engagement, specifically aimed at raising the profile of light rail.”

Are there any recent UKTram successes or activities you would like to highlight?

“This year has been great for expanding the team. We have now recruited a Knowledge Manager, Stakeholder and Engagement Manager, and Digital Marketing Manager. These appointments are vital for strengthening our ability to support innovation and member collaboration and communication across the sector.

“The industry continues to innovate, both in terms of improving existing operations but also exploring new methods of construction.”

“The industry continues to innovate, both in terms of improving existing operations but also exploring new methods of construction – perhaps most notably the Coventry Very Light Rail programme which is challenging traditional construction methodologies and centred around delivering systems with smaller passenger volumes.

“The greater influence of regional authorities, and elected mayors in particular, through devolved funding and decision making is also helping to highlight the significant value light rail delivers for the economy of regions. The recent announcement of the creation of several new towns provides further opportunity to ensure light rail is at the heart of delivering integrated connectivity in these areas supporting their growth with efficient and environmentally sustainable mass transit solutions. All of this positions light rail at the forefront of supporting economic growth across UK Regions.”

What needs to change to improve that?

“Ensuring light rail has the right level of visibility, when compared to other transport modes, is important. This requires a level playing field when considering the relative analysis of cost/benefit between modes. In particular, a better understanding of the long-term benefits the permanence of light rail infrastructure has on economic regeneration. Existing systems provide the opportunity to do this but often that message does not get through entrenched views of low cost = bus, or fixed infrastructure equals heavy rail. There is a viable middle ground and the industry needs to come together to make that case more strongly.”

“We’ve also seen growth in our membership base, reflecting the increasing recognition of UKTram’s role in uniting and representing the light rail sector. Alongside this, we have renewed our partnership with Women in Transport, continued to work with Men for Inclusion, and joined the Campaign for Better Transport as Corporate Champions.

“Our collaboration with the wider transport community has also deepened through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Rail Forum and a new Corporate Partnership with the Permanent Way Institution (PWI), both of which strengthen cross-sector learning and alignment.

“There have been many highlights this year. Not least our sold-out UK Light Rail Summit, where over 130 delegates came together in Birmingham for a day of fantastic presentations and networking. The UKTram Board also visited the Coventry Very Light Rail test track earlier this year, seeing first-hand the innovative engineering work taking place.”

Given constrained budgets, why should light rail be invested in over other priorities such as defence, health, and education?

“I don’t think we should see investment in light rail as a competition between other areas of government spending which are under equal, if not greater pressure, but instead we should be focusing on communicating the outcomes that accrue from investment and in particular how that investment can support the government’s aims of growing productivity and meeting the challenges of net zero.

“A look at the benefits accruing from historic investment in light rail shows the impact it has on the economies of those cities, and the regeneration that has happened around those corridors. If we consider the travel demands of the new towns that are proposed, having affordable, fast, high-capacity, green transport solutions included in their design from the start is vital for their economies to function

efficiently. There are of course, difficult, short-term decisions for government, but given the duration of large infrastructure projects it is essential that investments are planned now, to realise the future productivity gains.”

What opportunities does UKTram see in political developments such as devolution to city regions?

“As mentioned, devolution has already made a significant difference in raising the profile of regional transport within both local and central government. Having a single, elected, representative provides a focal point for transport planning which directly supports local growth ambitions. It provides a clear, powerful voice to government in funding negotiations and prioritisation, and provides single accountability to the local community.

“Having single responsibility for decision-making across modes enables services to be designed and delivered around passenger needs and we can already see improvements such as integrated ticketing solutions which have proved to be so difficult to implement becoming reality.”

centres. All too often trams are competing for road space with cars and vans. Whilst the drive to move to electric vehicles is positive, it is not addressing capacity challenges in our urban areas. And whilst tailpipe emissions are reducing, particulate emissions and congestion are not being addressed. Giving over more space to public transport, in particular trams, and deterring car use would create far more capacity and increase passenger numbers.”

How do you see the position of UK light rail in five and ten years?

“Devolution has already made a significant difference in raising the profile of regional transport within both local and central government. ”

There have been many false dawns for UK light rail. Why will it be different this time?

“Simply because it is already happening and people can see the benefits: passengers are seeing the benefits through better integrated networks, simplified ticketing and journey planning and investment in new services; locally, politicians are benefiting through access to greater powers and devolved funding, with greater ability to focus on local priorities; and central government has clear accountability for decision making in the regions.”

What could the UK learn from other countries?

“There seems to be a much greater focus in many European cities on prioritising walking, cycling and public transport within urban

“In five years, we will see a number of projects currently in development entering live service – West Yorkshire, the West Midlands extension, Coventry and others. And in ten years we would hope to see an increasing number of projects for extensions to existing systems (for example South Yorkshire and Metrolink) as well as new systems that support new town development along with the fulfilment of existing aspirations such as West of England and Cambridge.”

And how do you see the position of UKTram in five and ten years?

“In terms of UKTram’s role, we will continue to provide the support for ongoing operations that our members value, but will look to play a more active advocacy role, along with partners across the industry, to make light rail the first choice for urban transport.”

“The progress made over the past year has been significant, and it’s thanks to the collective efforts of our members, partners and the wider light rail community.’’

Steve Edwards speaks at the UK Light Rail Summit in September 2025. UKTram

Worldwide Review

AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE. The picture of a Melbourne G class tram on p.434 last issue should have been credited to Greg King. PERTH. The Armadale commuter rail line reopened on 13 October, having been closed in 2023 for absorption into the METRONET network. The line now reaches Byford using 8km (five miles) of new railway. urbanrail.net

AUSTRIA

GRAZ. Alstom delivered 542, the first of 15 Flexity trams, on 6 October. The five-section, 33.8m vehicles are unlikely to enter passenger service until spring 2026. 5-minuten VORCHDORF – LAMBACH (Stern & Hafferl). Linzer Lokalbahn (LILO) cars 22.106, 22.107 and 22.114 were pressed into service during August to provide cover during a rolling stock shortage. These SGP vehicles were built in 1951. Car 20.114 had to return to the LILO in order to cover the start of the autumn school term, but the Vorchdorf-Eggenberg workshops managed to return 20.136 to service. EB WIEN (Vienna). An Alstom Flexity ran on line D for the first time on 22 October; 421 and 422 are the latest to be delivered. tramwayforum.at

BELGIUM

ANTWERPEN (Antwerp). Line 9 now runs Regatta – Silsburg, while line 15 now runs between Park & Ride Linkeroever and Park & Ride Boechout.

The Flemish parliament has allocated EUR110m to renovate pre-metro tunnels and a further EUR10m to ensure that the Pothoek tram subway can open as planned in 2027. A EUR92m funding package will pay for replacements for the last PCCs.

A farewell city centre shuttle for the last ex-Gent (Ghent) PCC is scheduled for 29 November.

OR, M. J. Russell BRUXELLES/BRUSSEL (Brussels). Line 35 now runs from Esplanade to Schaerbeek Gare. It uses the curves at the junction of Ave Princesse Elisabeth/Blvd Lambermont that have not been used by service trams since 2006. Lines 39/44 have used 11 7900-series articulated PCCs from Woluwe depot since September. Although Alstom continues to deliver low-floor trams, singlearticulated PCCs are still active.

A shortage of depot space has led to 26 metro trains being stored overnight at and between stations. T-2000

CHARLEROI. Opening of the eight-station line from Waterloo to Les Viviers is planned for April 2027. Testing and driver training should start in August 2026. T-2000 DE PANNE – KNOKKE. Gent (Ghent) Hermelijn trams 6333/36/38 are to remain on the tramway during the winter. T-2000

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

SARAJEVO. Delivery of the 25 Stadler Tango low-floor trams was completed on 28 September.

The EUR26m, 6.5km (four-mile) extension from Ilidža to Hrasnica is to open next summer. SV

BULGARIA

SOFIA. City delegates saw the first of eight 80m four-car air-conditioned metro trains at Škoda’s Plzeň factory on 1 October. Delivery of the EUR66m order started in November. Škoda

CANADA

MONTRÉAL. The private REM metro’s Deux-Montagnes branch is to open on 17 November. The line to de l’Anse-à-l’Orme is delayed until 2026. The Gazette TORONTO. Finch West LRT was handed over to Toronto Transit Commission on 30 October. It is due to open in December.

The latest 30-day revenue service demonstration – a full timetabled service but without passengers –for the 19km (12-mile) Eglinton Crosstown Line started on 6 October, but was marred by a collision a few days later. P. Webb

CHINA

CHANGCHUN. Metro line 2’s 10.6km (6.6-mile) Dongfang Square – Wukaihe Dajie extension opened on 28 September. urbannrail.net

FUZHOU. Services on the Binhai Express commuter rail line started on 29 September. The 61.5km (38.2-mile) line serves 12 stops between Fuzhou railway station, the airport and Wenling. urbanrail.net

GUANGZHOU. Three lines opened on 29 September: metro line 13 (Yuzhu to Tianhe Park), metro line 14 (Jiahewanggang –Lejia Road) and the Guangdong Intercity commuter rail line extension (Baiyun Airport North to Panyu/Guangzhoulianhushan). urbanrail.net

NANNING. Metro line 4 was extended by 4.5km (2.8 miles) from Lengtangcun to Longgang on 26 September. urbanrail.net

QINGDAO. The first of metro Line 8’s 120km/h (75mph) CRRC

Sifang Type B sets was unveiled on 18 September. RGI

SHANGHAI. Metro line 2 was extended by 1.7km (one mile) from Exhibition & Convention Center to Panxiang Road on 1 November. urbanrail.net

SHENZHEN. Metro line 6B was extended by 5km (3.1 miles) on 28 September from Guangming (line 6 interchange) to Guangmingchen (line 13 interchange). On the same date, line 16 was extended by 9.5km (5.9 miles) from Universiade to Yuanshanxikeng. The system now totals 609.6km (379 miles) with 428 stations. urbanrail.net

TIANJIN. The 26.5km (16.5-mile) north-south metro line 7 between Gulou and Saidalu opened on 28 September. urbanrail.net

TIANSHUI. Line 1 was extended east from the airport to Fenlukou on 26 September. urbanrail.net

XUZHOU. Automated metro line 6 started carrying passengers on 28 September. The 22.9km (14-mile) line links Tongshan District Hospital and Xuzhoudong railway station, using 24 trains supplied by CRRC Guangzhou. urbanrail.net

CZECH REPUBLIC

PRAHA (Prague). Construction tenders have been invited for 1.3km (0.8 miles) of new tram line along Vaní č kova to Velký strahovský stadion, for completion in 2027.

Delivery of Škoda 52T 9510 followed its exhibition at the TRAKO trade fair in Gda ń sk, Poland. Tram 9503 has returned to Škoda in Plzeň for assessment after running its 20 000km (roughly 12 000 miles) in public service. Trams 9501/05 are being used for driver training, while 9502 and 9504 have exchanged fleet numbers. The 52T passed type approval and homologation on 14 October.

T3R.PLF 8776 (rebuilt from 8321) entered service on 26 September. Lines 1, 6, 14, 17, 25 and 93 resumed operation past Výstaviště (Exhibition Centre) in

Holešovice from 1 October after completion of infrastructure work that started last January.

Trams on line XB replaced the metro between Florenc and Vysočanská on 28 October. dopravacek.eu, M. Baxter

DENMARK

KØBENHAVN (Copenhagen). Three companies have pre-qualified for the contract for operating the 43km (27-mile) metro from 2027-39: KBH Metro Partner –a consortium formed by RATP (Paris), SBS Transit/ComfortDelgro (Singapore) and Westbus (UK); Keolis; and Metro Service (Hitachi Rail/ATM Milano). BT

FRANCE

BREST. The 5.1km (3.1-mile) Gare Gambetta – Hôpital de La Cavale Blanche line B is to open on 14 February.

Alstom delivered the first new Citadis on 17 September. urbanrail.net LILLE. An order has been placed with Siemens for 57 two-car automated rubber-tyred VAL trains in a deal worth EUR446m. They are to be delivered by 2028. RGI LYON. Lyon’s 5.4km (3.4-mile) T6 extension from Hôpitaux EstPinel to La Doua is to open on 14 February 2026. urbanrail.net

MONTPELLIER. The EUR50m, 1.3km (0.8-mile) T1 extension from Odysseum to Gare TGV opened on 18 October.

Line 1’s first CAF-built tram was to enter service on 3 November. The 20.5km (12.7-mile) line 5 (Clapiers – Lavérune) is to open on 20 December. I lineoz.net PARIS. Cableway line C1 is to be inaugurated on 13 December.

Alstom completed delivery of T1’s 37 Citadis X05 in mid-October. MF19 metro trains entered service on line 10 on 16 October. DS ROUEN. Transdev has won a EUR1.2bn contract to operate passenger transport services from 2026-31. lineoz.net

China’s National Day at the end of October was marked by a series of metro openings, including the new line 6 in Xuzhou. The drivers are ready to set off in their new CRRC trains. Xuzhou Metro

TOULOUSE. The first two-car metro set for line C was delivered to the Alstom test track at Valenciennes on 10 September. YouTube

GERMANY

BERLIN. Contracts have been awarded to convert the disused 4.5km (2.8-mile) Siemensbahn from Jungfernheide to Gartenfeld to become part of the S-Bahn network. It is to open by 2029. BS BRANDENBURG. The first Škoda 48T trams ran in passenger service on lines 1 and 6 on 1 November. vbbr.de

CHEMNITZ. A farewell for Tatra T3D-M trams was held on 19 October after 56 years of operation. cs-dopravak DORTMUND. The last exBonn Stadtbahn-B car, 409, was withdrawn on 7 October. It has been donated to the police for training purposes. DS HAMBURG. Plans have been announced to extend underconstruction U-Bahn line U5 west from Volksparkstadion to Lurup and Osdorfer Born, with a target date of 2040. HHA

GÖRLITZ/ZWICKAU. A joint tender has been issued for new trams in place of the planned Sachsentram , which was to have been delivered by HeiterBlick. Görlitz wants eight with an option for six, while Zwickau wants six with an option for 12. Delivery is required before the end of 2028. DS KÖLN (Cologne) . A EUR700m contract for 132 Stadler high-floor HFx LRVs, plus 34 intermediate modules, was signed on 7 October. Delivery of the first ten, plus five modules, is to take place in 2029. They are to take over lines 4, 13 and 18 when all are delivered in 2032. lok-report.de LUDWIGSBURG. The planned 27.5km (17-mile) Stadtbahn ‘Lucie’ (Markgröningen – Pattonville, with a link to Stuttgart’s Stadtbahn) has been scrapped after the city council withdrew support. DS MÜNCHEN (Munich). A ground-breaking ceremony for the EUR360m Schwabing –Nord to Kierferngarten/Am Hart tramway extension took place on 2 October. Completion of the 5.7km (3.5-mile) project is planned for 2029. Line 23 will be extended north over the railway tracks and a new line (24) will be introduced linking Kieferngarten and Am Hart. Non-modernised R2e trams (2103/06/10) undertook their last passenger duties on 18 October. DS NAUMBURG. Burgenland district council has agreed to a tramway subsidy. The line will receive EUR120 000 in 2025, with increasing amounts in 2026-29. It has been integrated into the

public transport network.

The tramway now offers a wedding service. DS RHEIN – RUHR (VRR). VIAS Rail GmbH has been awarded the contract to operate lines S5, S8 and RE41 from December 2029, using 36 new Stadler FLIRT XL EMUs.

Stadler is to supply intermediate cars to turn three-car trains into five-car trains. lok-report.de SCHÖNEICHE. Tatra 28 and Stadtbahn-M 77 collided on 22 October. The accident is believed to have been caused by a false signal indication. DS

WOLTERSDORF. Gotha two-axle trailer 90 has gone to the Hannoversche Strassenbahnmuseum at Wehmingen. It ran a farewell tour in Woltersdorf on 25 October, with motors 30-32. DS WÜRZBURG. Manufacturing activity at HeiterBlick has stopped, with just two trams from the order for 18 delivered. They cannot be used because certification, which requires the participation of the manufacturer, is lacking. transphoto.org

HUNGARY

BUDAPEST. A contract has been awarded for the design of a northsouth light rail line, including 2.2km (1.4 miles) of double track along Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út. It is to link the current terminus of lines 12 and 14 with the terminus of lines 47 and 49. Construction could start in 2028. IRJ

INDIA

MUMBAI. Metro line 3’s 11km (6.8-mile) Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade extension opened on 8 October. urbanrail.net PATNA. Further to last month’s news, the start of passenger service on the new metro line was delayed until 7 October. skyscrapercity

IRAN

QOM. Three metro trains have been ordered from Wagon Pars in Arak. This is part of a project to develop domestic railway vehicle production. The trains are for Qom’s new metro line; completion of the first part, the 14km (8.7-mile) line A, is imminent. RGI MASHAD. An order for 60 threesection light metro cars for line 1 has been placed with Wagon Pars. RGI

IRELAND

CORK. Public consultation over the proposed route of Cork’s Luas has ended and the data is being analysed. Of the 1003 responses, 55% were satisfied with the proposed route although there were calls for the east-west system to be extended to Douglas,

Carrigaline and Rochestown as well as a north-south line to connect to Cork airport.

ISLE OF MAN

MANX ELECTRIC RAILWAY. The 50th anniversary of the end of mail transport was marked on 1-2 November. Mail vans 4, 11 and 16 were in action, carrying commemorative covers from previous events that were later auctioned to help raise funds. The line last carried mail on 2 November 1975.

ITALY

BOLZANO. Plans have been published for a two-line urban tramway linking the station with the city centre and hospital. It proposes battery operation along much of the alignment. Facebook MILANO (Milan). Line 7 was extended by 1.5km (0.9 miles) on 16 October. It links Via Roberto Tremelloni to a new terminus at Via Adriano. This is the first part of project Metrotranvia interquartiere nord, which aims to make an interchange at Cascina Gobba metro station on line M2, 1.7km (one mile) furthr on, in early 2027. Line 7 is now worked by doubleended Stadler Tramlink transphoto.org

ROMA (Rome). Infrastructure work at Porta Maggiore depot means that the system is suspended until 6 December.

Metro line C’s San Giovanni to Colosseo extension is to open on 8 December. The Colosseo – Venezia section is not yet complete. ATAC, urbanrail.net

TORINO (Turin). A parade of 25 trams is to leave Piazza Castello at 12.00 on 7 December in connection with the TTF25 ‘Trams from Past to Future’ conference. Museum trams are to offer public rides.

Alstom is to deliver four new VAL Boa trains for metro line 1 at a cost of EUR156m. ATTS, Alstom

KAZAKHSTAN

ASTANA. The first of 19 CRRC Tangshan four-car light metro trains was first tested on the 22.5km (14-mile) line on 29 September. Passenger service could start in late spring. RGI

LUXEMBOURG

LUXEMBOURG. The route of the planned 18km (11-mile) express tramway extension from Cloche d’Or to Belvaux was unveiled on 13 October. It is hoped to open the first section of the line to Foetz in 2029 or 2030. It will require 24 new trams. lineoz.net

MEXICO

GUADALAJARA. A EUR31.5m order has been placed with CRRC

Zhuzhou for 11 two-car LRVs. They will be used on lines 1 and 2. RGI MEXICO CITY. CRRC Zhuzhou has won a MXN5.85bn (EUR274m) contract for 15 EMUs for the 23km (14-mile) extension of Tren Suburbao from Felipe Ángeles International Airport to Pachuca. This is to open in 2027. RGI.

MOROCCO

CASABLANCA. An RER-style suburban rail network is to be created in time for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. It will comprise 130km (81 miles) of new, doubletrack railway covering three lines, including a link to the airport, and is expected to carry 12m passengers/ year. HyundaiRotem is to supply 48 double-deck EMUs. RGI

NETHERLANDS

AMSTERDAM. A track relaying programme on Alexanderplein and in Sarphatistraat started on 27 October and is to last until February. Lines 14 and 19 are diverted via Mauritskade. Line 7 terminates at Indische Buurt instead of Azartplein until April. Line 14 was withdrawn from 27 October until April. OR

NORWAY

TRONDHEIM. The NOK556m (EUR48m) project to rebuild Kongens gate, including the tram tracks, is in full swing. Completion is planned for November 2026; tram services are cut back to Nordre Ilevollen. LTF

POLAND

ELBLĄG. The PLN95m (EUR22m) contract for ten new single-ended air-conditioned trams was signed with Bozankaya at the TRAKO International Railway Fair in Gdańsk. The Turkish builder also exhibited one of 18 metre-gauge trams it is building for Ia ș i in Romania. RGI GDAŃSK. A 300m tramline is to be built along Klonowa to a new stub terminus at Wrzeszcz railway station. This will be part of a 4km (2.5-mile) line from Rakoczego/ Jaskowa. TP KATOWICE. A financing agreement was signed on 6 October for a six-stop tramline running south from Brynów to a new park-and-ride site at Kostuchna. The PLN88m (EUR20.6m) line should be built in 2026-28. TP KRAKÓW. Trams returned to Grunwaldzki bridge on 31 October. MPK has announced that it will no longer purchase second-hand trams; it is instead to acquire 90 PESA Twist 3.0

Final plans for a 28.5km (17.7-mile), 29-station automated metro have been unveiled. It is to run from Nowa Huta via the

Worldwide Review

railway station and city centre to Kurdwanów and Opatkowice in the southern suburbs. Construction could start in 2030; the cost is estimated at PLN14-15bn (EUR3.3-3.5bn). TP

POZNAŃ A PLN103m (EUR24.2m) contract has been signed to build a new tramline along Ulica Ratajczaka, for completion by the end of May 2027. It will be used by lines 9 and 19.

A 28-vehicle parade is to mark 145 years of trams on 23 November. TP

WARSZAWA (Warsaw). Trams on lines 4, 15, 16 and 18 returned to Marszałkowska and Grójecka on 13 October after 12 months of street renovation work. Lines 9 and 15 returned to P+R Krakowska the same day.

105Na tram 1006 received a special livery to mark the International Frydryk Chopin Piano Competition that takes place throughout October. Chopin was played from speakers inside the tram. TP WROCŁAW. The first of 16 more PESA Twist 146N trams was delivered on 21 October.

Škoda Group is to equip 31 19T trams with anti-collision system ACS.

A tender has been issued for the 1.4km (0.9-mile) tramway branch from Kosmonautów to the site of a new depot near Wrocław Sports Centre. TP

RUSSIA

KALININGRAD. Track replacement along Festivalnaya Alleja started in September, with work due to run until 31 December. Line 5 trams are diverted to Central Park.

J. Carpenter NOVOSIBIRSK. On 5 September passengers started using Leninskaya line’s Sportivnaya metro station. It is the first new metro station since 1992. urbanrail.net STARY OSKOL. It appears that tramway operation will continue

until at least 2028 (TAUT 1052); there is, apparently, no funding for replacement buses. transphoto.org

SOUTH KOREA

INCHEON. The 6.1km (3.8-mile) airport Maglev line, which closed during COVID, reopened on 17 October. It operates TuesdaySunday 10.00-17.00 only, with departures every 35 minutes. skyscrapercity

SPAIN

JAÉN. The refurbished tramline completed its first simulation of commercial service on 17 September. However, passenger service will not start until 2026. cadenaser.com

VITORIA-GASTEIZ. Euskotren has issued a tender for the supply of nine seven-section trams, with an estimated value of EUR64.8m. lok-report.de

SWEDEN

GÖTEBORG (Gothenburg). The 2.2km (1.4-mile) tramway branch from Frihamnen to Lindholmen is due to open on 14 December. It is served by line 10 to Guldheden and new line 12 to Mölndal. Line 2 will be adjusted to link Högsbotorp and Biskopsgården. urbanrail.net

SWITZERLAND

BASEL. A cross-party committee is calling for the elimination of trams from Barfüsserplatz – Marktplatz –Schifflände, with services re-routed. The last of 25 Stadler TINA trams, 4225, was delivered by rail on 1 October.

Schindler Be4/8 218 and Be4/6 227 are being retained as heritage vehicles. Blick.ch, A. Gutmann GENÈVE (Geneva). Line 12 is currently divided into two parts: Moillesulaz – Plainpalais and Blanche – Lancy-BachetGare. Shuttle buses run between Plainpalais and Blanche. Line 18 runs between CERN and Bel-Air, returning to Cornavin via Stand.

Line 17 is extended from LancyPont-Rouge to Lancy-Bachet via Grand-Lancy and Palettes. Trams for Moillesulaz run from Plainpalais to Bel-Air via Cirque and Stand. These arrangements are to continue until mid-December. The out of use turning circle at Nations is to be replaced by a stub terminus for line 15. P. Hofmann LA-CHAUX-DE-FONDS –GLOVELIER (CJ). ABeh4/4 311 arrived on loan on 8 October. It is being trialled as a potential replacement for Be4/4 615-7. Swiss Railways RHEINECK – WALZENHAUSEN (AB). Work to convert the 1.9km (1.2-mile) line to automatic operation will start in late 2026, taking a year to complete. EA ZÜRICH (SZU). The Uetlibergbahn reopened on 6 October after infrastructure renewal work. EA

TURKEY

BATMAN. Plans for a 37.7km (23.4-mile) four-line tramway network with 30 stops have been unveiled. Wire-free operation is planned using double-ended cars. It is expected to attract 56 500 passengers/day. RGI ISTANBUL. Metro line M3’s new intermediate station, Yıldıztepe, opened on 8 October. transphoto.org TRABZON. The government has announced that a 15.5km (9.6-mile) light rail line will be built along the seafront. The 7.8km (4.8-mile) Phase 1 could be operational by 2028, although, at the time of writing, construction tenders had yet to be issued. RGI

UNITED KINGDOM

BLACKPOOL. Illuminated car 726, HMS Blackpool, and Balloon 717 were returned to service for the Lightpool Festival from 15 October to 1 November. Due to its success, the tours of the Illuminations was extended until 29 November. A subsequent further extension until the end of the 4

January 2026 has been announced, with only 736 in service and car 717 held in reserve

CARDIFF. Transport for Wales hosted South Africa’s Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, Department for Transportation’s Deputy Director General, Ngwako Makaepea, and members of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) at Taff’s Well depot on 15 October. The visitors rode on a Class 756 EMU and explored the Class 398 tram-trains.

COVENTRY. The National Centre for Accessible Transport, led by Coventry University, has appointed Emma Partlow as its new Chief Executive Officer. Ms Partlow was previously Director of Engagement & Policy at accessible transport specialists Transreport.

GREATER MANCHESTER Infrastructure renewal continues. No trams ran between Crumpsall and Bury 25-30 October. Further work was scheduled at Trafford Bar on 1-2 November, meaning no trams ran between Cornbrook and Sale Water Park, East Didsbury or Old Trafford.

The Barton Dock Road tram stop at the Trafford Centre has been renamed Trafford Palazzo.

INDUSTRY. The Light Rail Safety & Standards Board has appointed Don McClurg, Edinburgh Trams’ Head of Safety and Standards, to lead a working group looking into reducing accidents on UK tramways.

LONDON (TRAMS). Engineering work meant no trams ran between Wimbledon and Therapia Lane 25 October-2 November.

LONDON (UNDERGROUND). A shortlist of 17 stations that could be converted to step-free access has been published. They are: Becontree, Blackhorse Road, Canons Park, Dagenham East, East Putney, Edgware Road, Hatton Cross, Hornchurch, Kentish Town, Plaistow, Putney Bridge, Ruislip, Snaresbrook, South

Fireworks mark the opening of the Kansas City Streetcar extension (Missouri) on 24 October. KSS

Moskva’s newest line, 90, requires the latest 71-911EM trams with batteries as the track is without overhead. S. Lanin

Harrow, Upton Park, Willesden Green and Wood Green. Feasibility studies are to take place.

London Mayor Sadiq Kahn has confirmed that there are no plans to widen the platforms at Clapham North and Clapham Common. His response came after Marina Ahmad, the Labour London Assembly member for Lambeth and Southwark, suggested that widening the 3.7m wide island platforms would be “better for capacity, the economy and safety”.

A petition to introduce female-only carriages has gained 12 000 signatures.

Transport for London organised tours of the Metropolitan Line’s Watford and Croxley stations on 2 November as both stops celebrated their 100th ‘birthdays’.

NOTTINGHAM. A one-month trial of an enhanced evening timetable started on 6 October. This included trams every four minutes between Highbury Vale and Nottingham station until 23.00, with trams every 11 minutes to other destinations. The usual evening timetable features an 11-minute headway.

SHEFFIELD. Bridge and lift shafts have been installed at Supertram’s new Magna tram stop. The GBP9m (EUR10.3m) project, adjacent to Magna Science Adventure Centre, near Rotherham, will deliver the tram-train network’s first new stop since 2018.

Rails were replaced along Infirmary Road 26-31 October.

Dogs are now permitted to travel on Supertram after 75% of those who took part in public consultation voted in favour. Over 6000 dogs have been carried since trials started in March.

TYNE & WEAR. A six-day closure took place between Benton and Wallsend (26-31 October) to enable renewal of 600m of track and a junction at Monkseaton.

Simon Dowling, a “tattoo enthusiast” from High Heaton in Newcastle, has had an image of one of the original Metrocars tattooed on his right calf.

Metrocars 4023 and 4078 have been used to haul the Metro’s Railhead Treatment Train.

WEST MIDLANDS. Validator poles are being installed at stops across the West Midlands Metro network as part of plans to install ‘tap-on tap-off’ contactless ticketing. This is due to be introduced in 2026.

Work on the Brierley Hill extension around the Merry Hill shopping centre was suspended in October to ease traffic congestion for Christmas shoppers. Traffic restrictions around the work sites will return in January.

The Wednesbury – Dudley section of the extension is to open next year.

USA

BETHESDA – NEW CARROLLTON, MD. Purple Line LRV testing started between the depot and New Carrollton in mid-September. D. Drum CHICAGO, IL. Chicago Transit Authority’s 78th anniversary on 1 October was marked by the operation of vintage elevated railway trains around The Loop.

Metra reopened 87th St/Woodruff station on 6 October, the last of three on the electric commuter line to be renovated.

J. May, Mass Transit CLEVELAND, OH. Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has exercised an option for six more Siemens S200 LRVs, adding to the 60 already on order. Mass Transit HONOLULU, HI. Four new stations have been added to the Skyline light metro. This is after the 8.3km (5.2-mile) extension from Aloha Stadium to Middle Street Transit Center opened on 16 October. The final segment to the city centre is to open in 2031.

J. May

KANSAS CITY, MO. The USD351m (EUR305m), 5.5km (3.4-mile) extension of the Kansas City Streetcar south from Union Station to the university opened on 24 October.

CAF has delivered trams 807-814. urbanrail.net

LOS ANGELES, CA. Opening of the 3.6km (2.25-mile) USD3bn (EUR2.6bn) automated peoplemover between the transit interchange and terminals at LAX airport is now likely to take place in June 2026. J. May MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL, MN. LRVs were transferred to the 85% complete Green Line Southwest LRT extension to Eden Prairie on 14 October for testing to start from SouthWest Station depot. Passenger services are likely to begin during 2027. J. May

NEWARK, NJ. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Doppelmayr automated people-mover at Newark Liberty International Airport took place on 7 October. This is to replace the AirTrain (opened 1996) in 2030.

Mass Transit NEW YORK, NY. The billionth subway rider of the year was carried on 14 October. This took place a month earlier than in 2023 and 2024.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted on 30 September to increase the base fare to USD3 (EUR2.60) from 4 January. A seven-day ticket will

cost USD35 (EUR30.04) while the monthly ticket is abolished.

The US Department of Transportation has suspended federal funding payments to the Second Avenue subway and Hudson tunnel while it investigates whether there were unconstitutional practices when awarding contracts. However, staff conducting the review were furloughed from 1 October, due to the government shutdown caused by budget disagreements.

MUSEUM NEWS

BEAMISH (UK). Gateshead 10’s bogies are nearly complete. The springs and associated cup/ control arms have been fitted, along with the brakes and refurbished motors.

BRIGHTON (UK). Brighton Tram 53 Society has proposed establishment of a “working tramway museum” at Stanmer Park in Brighton. The proposal will be sent to councillors along with other potential stakeholders. The museum would provide an operational base for the restored 1937-built Brighton 53.

J. May

A USD1.5bn (EUR1.3bn) order for 378 R268 metro cars has been placed with Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. Delivery is to start in 2028 and will allow the R68 and R68A trains to be withdrawn.

PITTSBURGH, PA. Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s board has approved a 2026 budget that does not involve service cuts or fare increases, by using USD106.7m (EUR93m) in state capital funds to cover operating expenses. J. May

PORTLAND, OR. The State Legislature approved an increase in the payroll tax that is TriMet’s largest source of operations funding on 29 September. However, given that the increase was only half as large as originally proposed and will expire in two years, TriMet says service cuts will still be needed if the Legislature does not approve more substantial funding in February 2026. In addition to reduced frequencies, TriMet plans to curtail the Green Line to run only between Gateway and Clackamas Town Center. Reductions could take place from March. S. J. Morgan SAN FRANCISCO, CA. Muni’s 30-car extension order for S200 LRVs, placed with Siemens in September 2021, has been cancelled. A total of 219 will be delivered by spring 2026.

The last Breda LRVs have been withdrawn.

A ballot is proposed to take place in November 2026 that would include a 14-year sales tax measure designed to raise USD1bn (EUR869m) a year for Bay Area Rapid Transit.

Caltran’s annual passenger numbers have risen from 6.2m to 9.1m after one year of electric operation on the commuter line to San Jose. RGI, S. J. Morgan, J. May SANTA ANA, CA. The first nonpowered test run on the Orange County Streetcar took place on 17 October. Passenger services are unlikely to start this year. Facebook ST LOUIS, MO. The proposed 9km (5.6-mile) Grand Boulevard to Chippewa Street light rail line has been cancelled. The USD1.1bn (EUR955m) project was deemed too expensive; bus rapid transit will now be explored. J. May

CRICH (UK). Restoration of Blackpool 298 continues. Refurbished leaf springs have been refitted to the bogie frames.

JENA (DE). Museum trams 101+155+207 were in passenger service on 1 November between Winzerla and Nordschule in connection with a model railway exhibition at the latter. JeNa OSLO (NO). The tramway museum Vognhall 5 at Majorstua reopened on 2 September after its building required NOK10.7m (EUR917 166) of renovation. SL95 low-floor tram 151 is now on display. LTF

SOUTHAMPTON (UK). Volunteers from the Southampton Tram Project have helped move surviving parts of ‘flattop’ tram 87 into secure storage. Parts from one end of the vehicle were recovered by the city museum from the tram, which had lain in a field since withdrawal in 1948.

STUTTGART (DE). Bad Cannstatt tramway museum celebrated 130 years of tramway operation on 18-19 September. DS

CONTRIBUTORS

Worldwide items for inclusion should be sent to Michael Taplin at Flat 8, Roxan Villa, 33 Landguard Manor Rd, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. Fax: +44 (0)1983 862810 or e-mail miketap@mainspring.co.uk UK and Ireland items, please e-mail: uknews@lrta.org

Acknowledgements are due to: 5-minuten, ATAC, Blick.ch Blickpunkt Straßenbahn (BS), BT, cadenaser. com, cs-dopravak, dopravacek. eu, Drehscheibe (DS), Eisenbahn (EB), Eisenbahn Amateur (EA), HHA, International Railway Journal (IRJ), JeNa, lineoz.net, lok-report.de, LTF, Mass Transit, Op de Rails (OR), Railway Gazette International (RGI), skyscrapercity, SV, Swiss Railways, The Gazette, Tram-2000 (T-2000), tramwayforum.at, transphoto. org, Transport Publiczny (TP), urbanrail.net, and vbbr.de.

TRAM CITY PRAGUE AT 150

If the Czech capital announces plans for a major tramway pageant, it is guaranteed to be a tip-top event. And so it was on 21 September, when celebrations marked 150 years. Mike Russell witnessed this unforgettable spectacle. 1

The Czech capital, Praha (Prague), has a long record of spectacular tramway parades. The city’s transport undertaking and the council are rightly proud of their tramway system and history, and take pride in displaying both its traditions and modernity to a wide audience in the city and beyond.

With the transport undertaking having its own dedicated archives department (where else can boast of such a facility?), planning for the pageant started as long ago as 2021. Following a four-year planning gestation period the actual realisation amply displayed the wisdom of extensive forward planning for an event destined to eclipse in scale all the parades that had gone before.

In fact, the tramway anniversary celebration was destined to occupy the whole of the weekend of 20-21 September. On the Saturday, the tramway company opened its depot doors to public inspection and the site chosen on this occasion was the extensive complex at Hloub ětín, recently reopened after major rebuilding.

Spaciousness of displays here was exemplary, the emphasis being on the newest examples of rolling stock, with just one pair of heritage cars (240+628) displayed for comparison purposes and several specialist works cars available for public inspection outside the covered premises.

Hloub ětín is directly served only by trams operating on route 12, so a special service of tramcars operating eight journeys per hour was superimposed between Palmovka metro station and the Hloub ětín turning-circle one stop beyond the depot. Despite this short-term service being awarded a route number (44) in the series customarily reserved for heritage operations, the rolling stock allocation was modern Škoda 15T cars.

Grand parade

The weekend’s main event was a cavalcade representing the 150-year history of tramways in Praha. This was no mere repetition or enhancement of previous parades and for good reason. Praha’s tramway history has its origins in the Karlín district. There, Belgian entrepreneur Eduard Otlet, following the work of local colleagues Zdenko Hrab ě Kinský and Bernhard Kollmann, inaugurated a pioneer horsedrawn car route on 23 September 1875 as far as the František I chain bridge near Narodni divadlo.

There also still exist fragments of the premises of the former horse-tram and later (1900-built) Karlín electric tram depot (in service until 1951). Also, the first commercial electric tramway route founded by local entrepreneur and inventor František K ř ižík, which linked Praha with Libe ň and Vyso č any from 1896, passed through this site. Its former depot and power-plant in Švábky Street also still exist (and were also in service for electric trams until 1951, when the opening of Hloub ětín depot brought the replacement of these old premises).

Mr. K ř ižík was also destined to be the founder of the first electric tramway operation in the city. This started operation on 18 July 1891 from Letná funicular to Královská Obora at Holešovice as an adjunct to a significant international exhibition, paving the way for the formation of the municipally-operated electric system which has operated the network since 1897.

A decision to line up the participating parade vehicles in Karlín district on the tracks of those original lines in Sokolovská Street between Urxova and Nekvasilova Streets was therefore highly appropriate, acknowledging the city’s debt to its

original tramway promoters. It was also rendered practicable by the nearby presence of metro line B, which provided an alternative means of transport into the city for local residents whilst normal tram services were suspended for the period before the parade set off at 11.00.

This consisted of two groups of cars.

The first group, supplied from the St ř ešovice tramway museum, initially proceeded eastbound along Sokolovská Street to Palmovka, a junction and metro interchange where the cars could turn and retrace their tracks to designated locations in Karlín for the lengthy public inspection period.

The second group comprised more modern cars supplied from various Praha depots; these arrived at Palmovka by various routes and then assembled in strict historical order behind the heritage cars. The logistics were impressive and amply demonstrated the professionalism of the entire event.

As might be expected, electric cars and trailers built by Praha’s own local manufacturer at its works in Smíchov dominated the opening stages of the parade; the products of František Ringhoffer’s factory formed the predominant rolling stock supplied to the capital and almost all other Czech cities that subsequently introduced electric tramways. Such vehicles also had significant export impact.

It could be said that many of the cars looked similar, especially in their red and ivory livery. However, closer inspection revealed important stylistic changes and developments incorporated over a similar time-span. All were beautifully turned out and, as a reflection of the standards of one of Europe’s finest tramway museums, all were in full working order. St ř ešovice was virtually emptied for the morning.

3

2. A very special duo of cars cross Mánesův most, with the saloon car 200 leading. It was built in 1900 by Ringhoffer for the Exposition Universelle Paris and later used in Praha for sightseeing and official events. Behind is open sightseeing car 500 of 1913. Mike Russell

3. Rustonka-built electric locomotive 4072 hauls two short-wheelbase two-axle trailers (3 and 5) from 1946 and 1917 respectively, once used for works duties. Luc Koenot

1. Ringhoffer car 88 dates from 1900 and is the oldest electric tram of the collection. It was in service until 1927, and was then used for rail grinding until the mid-1960s. It is seen turning into the loop at Spejchar. Andrew Thompson

4. Procession of the Ringhoffers: leading part of the cavalcade is car 297 of 1909, with other examples from this iconic car builder following. Crowds form on both footways of Mánesův most. John Scragg

5. Amongst the exhibits at Hloubětín depot open day was 9505, one of the latest series of low-floor articulated tramcars to be delivered to the city, which also took part in the cavalcade. It is a Škoda 52T ForCity Plus and stands for public inspection on one of the stabling tracks. Mike Russell

6. Emerging from the underpass at Vltavská towards Strossmayerovo náměstí is 6003, one of two Tatra T2R cars acquired from Ostrava for operation on heritage line 23; Praha itself never possessed a production fleet of such cars for regular service. Tatra T3 6102 follows closely behind. David Lawrence

7. Present-day tram tours of Praha are also conducted using T3 Coupé 5573. The Coupé here progresses eastbound along Sokolovská street, with the intention of turning at Palmovka to return and join the growing convoy of more modern cars forming the later stage of the cavalcade. Luc Koenot

8. Anyone who doubts the popularity of tramway festivals such as this need only look at the crowds gathering in Sokolovská street before the parade commences. Of course, it helps that Praha is a true tramway city and the electric cars of all ages are part of the normal scene. Luc Koenot

9. A fine view of Tatra T I 5002 crossing Mánesův most. Sister vehicle 5001, the first Tatra PCC car, is scheduled to return to the museum fleet next year after renovation. Currently there are six examples of this model in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Luc Koenot

10. Let loose for the day on the big city’s track was works car 5551, which normally resides as the Hostivař works shunter. Originally built in 1963 as a normal-sized Tatra T3M car (6285), since 1988 it has been rebuilt to its present shortened form along with the similar earlier conversion of car 6284. Luc Koenot

Classic Trams

As the cavalcade moved onto cars built in the post-World War Two era, the manufacturing base remained the same but the name changed to Č KD Tatra Smíchov. This firm continued to meet the capital’s needs for trams until 1998.

Only with the irtual collapse of Č KD was it necessary to find an alternative supplier and another internationally-renowned engineering firm, Škoda Plzen, stepped in. These latter-day products helped to bring the historical pageant up to date, with a total of 42 tram-sets on display (61 individual vehicles with trailers counted separately).

In this way the complete cavalcade acted as a showcase for the importance of Praha’s tramway manufacturing base for over a century – a base whose products have saved many a distressed tramway in central and eastern Europe – and particularly the distinctive design work of Mr František Kardaus.

Tatra remembered

The second portion of the parade featured examples of Tatra’s post-war products: the ground-breaking T I, with car 5002 as exemplar (restoration of sister car 5001

should be completed in 2026); a model T2R (6003) retrieved from Ostrava and restored for operation on heritage line 23, and former Bratislava K2 articulated car 394, in virtually original condition following its full-time use as a driver trainer in Bratislava. This has been newly redesignated 7000, because an example never featured in Praha’s own regular service fleet; it was re-gauged using bogies from Praha and Brno. Several examples of T3 variants were included and, as in all the best tramway parades, the convoy was completed by a selection of works cars, some evidently having been impressively cleaned for the occasion.

Seats were available on most of the museum vehicles that participated in the parade and it is understood that capacity was exhausted some time before the actual event. A programme book was issued free of charge to passengers pre-booked on the parade cars; these booklets set out in abridged form details of all the participating cars. There was however no special larger book available for sale this year, unlike at previous events.

The parade route, at around 12km (7.5 miles), was considerably longer than

that operated in 2015, and judging by the number of onlookers lining the streets this was much appreciated. Starting from Sokolovská Street in Karlín, vehicles travelled in close formation via Florenc, námě stí Republiky, Revoluč ní Street, Štefánik ův most, náb ř eží Edvarda Beneše, Malostranská, Mánes ův most, námě stí Jana Palacha, K ř ížovnická, Narodní t ř ída, Spálená, Vodičkova and Jind ř išská to Senovážné námě stí. They then processed via Dlážd ěná, passing the restored Masarykovo station (Prague’s oldest railway station – in service since 1845) back to Florenc and then via Tě šnov and over Hlávk ův most to Vltavská and Strossmayerovo námě stí.

There was a short pause on reaching Senovážné námě stí, where the horses were released from duties in hauling car 90 of 1886, subsequently attached to electric tramcar 240 waiting to join the cavalcade at Opletalova siding. The plan was then for all cars to proceed along Milady Horákové street near the 1978-installed three-track loop at Špejchar, where several cars of the cavalcade were scheduled to enter the loop for photography, with the remaining vehicles continuing to their depots.

11. Tatra K2 tram 7000 perhaps enjoyed its trip to carry passengers as it is a recent acquisition from Bratislava where, as car 394, it was the dedicated driver training car and thus retained many original features. Featuring the corrugated side panels characteristic of this model, it is seen negotiating Malostranská junction. Mike Russell

12. A rare example of a two-car set comprising vehicles from different eras is this one of motor car 2294 (Ringhoffer, 1932) and trailer 608 from the same works (1908). They pass in front of the façade of Masarykovo station. Mike Russell

13. Horse car 90, a Ringhoffer product of 1886, led the rolling stock in the main parade. Here it is in the early stages of the route in Sokolovská Street, leading some of the earliest electric cars. Andrew Thompson

14. The remarkable works train led by motor car 4053 of 1917 is shown hauling four open trailers, of which the third in line (5001) is the oldest, built in 1898. The view was taken in Smetanovo nábřeží, near Karlovy lázně stop. David Lawrence

In fact only some of the scheduled vehicles entered the loop, for a shorter period than programmed. Their failure to stand as predicted for around an hour at Špejchar was a rare instance of the company’s well-laid plans not being followed.

Great transport future

Praha today remains one of the world’s greatest tramway systems. It stands at the forefront of developments in electric traction, with extensions planned and a new subsidiary system of trolleybus routes (albeit partly using onboard auxiliary power) being developed to provide supplementary electric coverage to further reaches of the city. Younger readers who are still around in 2075 should have an even more extensive tramway pageant to follow.

A final word of thanks should be extended to all who arranged this great cavalcade, not only the many tramway staff who have been planning the detail for some four years but also the city council for its support.

Perhaps most importantly, nobody should overlook the massive contribution to the success of the event made posthumously by Lubomir Kysela (his obituary featured in TAUT 1032, December 2023), the former curator of the St ř ešovice museum. This unassuming but determined man gave Praha one of the finest tramway museums in the world and was reverently recalled with a tribute affixed to the bodywork of works car 4217, which used to be Mr. Kysela’s favourite help-mate and brought up the end of the parade in unrestored original state.

None of what the onlookers would have seen during the main parade would have been possible without Mr Kysela’s dedication; but for this modest man’s vital involvement the whole thing would have been a much lesser event.

With grateful thanks to Robert Mara of DPP for additional reporting.

15. A closer view of the 1913 sightseeing car 500, being followed in this case by 88 and 109 as they process slowly across Mánesův most. Car 500 must have enjoyed only a brief period in use for its intended purpose, having been delivered only one year before the outbreak of World War One. It would be wonderful if it could enjoy a short season in service once again. Luc Koenot

16. In a city of fabulous scenery and architecture the view from Mánesův most is breathtaking. Tramcar 3083, built in 1948 and the last of the traditional Ringhoffer products before introduction of the Tatra models, processes across the bridge with Tatra T I and T II cars following. The backdrop dominated by St Vitus Cathedral. John Scragg

17. A cavalcade of historic and modern vehicles that only a city such as Praha could muster – in this case with locally-built Tatra products as far as the eye can see. In the lead is T2R 6003, followed by the first T3 from series production (6102) and production models 6149 and 6340, ex-Bratislava K2 articulated car 7000 and T3SUCS 7292. Mike Russell

18. Ringhoffer car 240 of 1908 played a supporting role in the parade. Here it travels along Sokolovská street hauling horse-car 90 to its place as the leading car in the parade. Car 240 then retired to a stub track in the city centre ready to be reattached to the horse car after the horses departed. Mike Russell

IN YOUR NEXT ISSUE OF

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DART SILVER LINE GRAND OPENING

Morgan Lyons visits DART’s 42km, USD2.1 billion Silver Line upon its grand opening, as it looks set to transform the Dallas area public transit.

SYSTEMS FACTFILE: TYNE AND WEAR

Neil Pulling reports from the north-east of England as the Metro nears completion of fleet replacement and now has the prospect of extended system coverage.

+ Boston, US, update

+ Classics: Amsterdam celebrates 150 years

+ The latest news and analysis, system and technical development

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In Search of Perfect Curves

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Rotherham’s Trolleybuses Sixty Years Gone

Published to mark the 53-year story of this system, which operated from 3 October 1912 to 2 October 1965 and included rare (for the UK) joint operation of trolleybus services with the Mexborough & District Traction Company.

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The Streets of Dundee Trams and Buses in the 1950s

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