P.W. Gentry wrote about Stockport’s trams in the July 1949 issue of Modern Tramway.
He says: “Besides possessing several interesting features of its own, the Stockport system today commands added attention as the last last surviving member of that once network of standard gauge undertakings encircling Manchester. It is an unusually pleasing system by virtue of its compact and simple arrangement, its focal point being Mersey Square.” [1: p123]
The article in Modern Tramway caught my attention because for about 9 years I worked in Stockport as a highway engineer.
This is a second article looking at Stockport Corporations Tramways. The first article which looked at the history of the network and followed one axis of that network can be found here. [2]
Mersey Square was the main hub of Stockport’s tramway network and appeared as a schematic plan in Gentry’s article in The Modern Tramway. …
Before looking at the remaining tram routes operated by Stockport Corporation it is worth noting the trams which Stockport Corporation used to operate the network. P.W. Gentry listed these as follows:
This table is taken from Gentry’s article. [1: p126]
Edgeley to Mersey Square and Mersey Square to Reddish andGorton
This first axis of the network was covered in my first article about Stockport Corporation Trams, here. [2] Two further axes are worth our attention: the first, below, that between Gatley and Bredbury; the second that between Manchester and Hazel Grove.
Gatley to Mersey Square and Mersey Square towards Bredbury
Tram services entered Mersey Square and crossed the Mersey. Services to the West of the town commenced here and ran along Princes Street to Bridge Street. That length of the network is covered in an earlier article which can be found here. [2]
We resume this article at the Northeast end of Princes Street and its junction with Bridge Street and then follow the route to Hyde.
This completes the length of the tramway from Stockport to Hyde. The next article in this short series will cover the line from Manchester to Hazel Gri
References
P.W. Gentry; Stockport Corporation Tramway; Modern Tramway, Vol. 12 No. 138, June 1949, p123-126.
Harry Postlethwaite, John Senior & Bob Rowe; Super Prestige No. 14, Stockport Corporation; Venture Publications, Glossop, Derbyshire, 2008. This document is made freely available by MDS Books as a .pdf: https://www.mdsbooks.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Stockport_Download_1.pdf, accessed on 14th January 2025.
P.W. Gentry wrote about Stockport’s trams in the July 1949 issue of Modern Tramway.
He says: “Besides possessing several interesting features of its own, the Stockport system today commands added attention as the last last surviving member of that once network of standard gauge undertakings encircling Manchester. It is an unusually pleasing system by virtue of its compact and simple arrangement, its focal point being Mersey Square.” [1: p123]
This article in Modern Tramway caught my attention because for about 9 years I worked in Stockport as a highway engineer.
We know that tramways arrived in Stockport in the 1880’s from the Manchester direction when “the Manchester Tramways and Carriage Co, Ltd., [opened] a horse-car service into Mersey Square via Levenshulme.” [1: p123]
In 1889, the Stockport and Hazel Grove Carriage and Tramway Co. Ltd. was formed and “instituted horse car services southwards to Hazel Grove and Edgeley at Easter 1890.” [1: p123]
Stockport tramcar No. 5, dating from 1901, is preserved at the Heaton Park Tramway. The lower saloon of tramcar No. 5 was recovered from a field, where it had been used as a hen house, in 1971. It was restored by the ‘Stockport 5 Tramway Trust’. It now runs on the Heaton Park Tramway, a tramway museum in Heaton Park, Manchester. [2]
Stockport Corporation began tramway operations when, in 1890, “an Order under the Tramways Act was obtained for the construction and operation of electric tramways. Work commenced in Sandy Lane on 12th February 1901 and the three routes projected were opened in stages.” [1: p123]
Woodley Route: to Woodley Station by 26th August 1901; and Pole Bank by 30th May 1902.
Reddish Route: to Sandy Lane by 3rd September 1901; to Holdsworth Square by 30th May 1902; and to the Bull’s Head in Reddish by 25th November 1903.
Cheadle Route: to the Robin Hood on Brinksway by 23rd January 1902; to Cheadle Heath Bridge by 25th July 1903; to Cheadle Green by 5th May 1904; and to the Horse & Farrier, Gatley Green by 24th May 1904.
In parallel, negotiations secured the purchase of the horse tramways. First, the Levenshulme line (which was electrified by Manchester Corporation by 1903 and maintained by them). The Stockport & Hazel Grove undertaking was purchased in 1994 for £14,000 and electrified by 5th July 1905.
Tram service No. 35 was by then running from Manchester to Hazel Grove.
Mersey Square was the main hub of Stockport’s tramway network. …
The National Library of Scotland retains three digital versions of the OS 25″ mapping:
An extract from Map: Cheshire X.15; Ordnance Survey, 25 inch to 1 mile; revised: 1907; published: 1932 which shows Mersey Square as it was in 1907. It seems as though publication of this map was delayed for 25 years! [6]An extract from Map: Lancashire CXII.9; Ordnance Survey, 25 inch to 1 mile; revised: 1917; published: 1922, which shows Mersey Square as it was in 1917. [7]An extract from Map: Lancashire CXII.9; Ordnance Survey, 25 inch to 1 mile; revised: 1934; published: 1936, showing Mersey Square as it was in 1934. The tram depot has been enlarged and the additional depot on Heaton Lane constructed. Heaton lane Depot is accessed via the branch West off Wellington Road. [8]
The sequence of extracts from the Ordnance Survey’s 25″ series of maps shows the development from 1907 to 1934. The most significant changes in that period were: the dualling of the trackwork on the A6 South of the Square; and the development of the Tram Depot. As can be seen from the map extracts, the main depot building was widened to reach the river bank and then extended Southwest towards Mersey Square. A surprising change appears in the latest extract – the conversion of the dual track work on Chestergate where it passes under the A6, Wellington Road to a stretch of single track.
Mersey Square in 1932, seen from the West. This image was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 19th January 2021 by Chris Paul. [13]
The 1930s to the 1970s saw major changes to the centre of Stockport. The River Mersey was culverted from Mersey Square, Northeast to Bridge Street and a dual carriageway road was created along the line of the River Mersey. This new road was not used by trams but it altered traffic arrangements at Mersey Square while it was in use.
The construction of Merseyway in the 1930s is nearing completion in this photograph which was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 18th October 2020 by Dave Moran. [12]The view Southwest from Bridge Street, showing the dual carriageway over the River Mersey in the mid-20th century. This image was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 26th June 2020 by Julian Ryan. [9]Merseyway was built on a series of reinforced concrete portal frames spanning the river. Given the positioning of the vehicles on the structure, this image probably comes from while the road was closed. The image was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 26th September 2018 by Marilyn Ann Cronshaw. [11]Merseyway is seen from the Southwest, looking Northeast in the mid-20th century. The tram depot is on the left. This image was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 10th August 2020 by Keith Povey. [10]A final view of Merseyway as a road across the roundabout at its Southwest end in Mersey Square. The photograph was taken from Wellington Road and it was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 6th October 2020 by Mark Lloyd. [14]Mersey Square seen from the Southeast in 1948. The oddly shaped roundabout at the end of Merseyway is on the right with the old fire station above it. This image was shared on the Memories of Stockport Facebook Group on 28th August 2023 by Michael Sidebottom. [15]Traffic emerging from Mersey Square onto Wellington Road (A6). Manchester is away to the right, Hazel Grove to the left. Heaton Lane Tram Depot is beyond Wellington Road on the right of the image. This photograph was shared by Marilyn Ann Cronshaw on 24th June 2015. [16]Mersey Square, Stockport in the 21st century. [Google Maps, January 2025]
By July 1905, the network was “in its final shape, with a total route mileage of 19.46. Of this, however 2.51 route miles (Vernon Park Pole Bank) was the property of Bradbury and Romiley Urban District Council, 1.64 miles (Cheadle Heath Bridge Gatley Green) belonged to Cheadle and Gatley U.D.C. and 0.88 miles to Hazel Grove and Bramhall U.D.C., all these sections being leased to Stockport Corporation for operating purposes. The total length of track over the system as a whole was 34.03 miles, and the cost of track construction averaged the modest figure of £7,227 per route mile.” [1: p124]
In addition to joint working with Manchester Corporation, a similar arrangement was made with “The Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Transport and Electricity Board, Pole Bank being the point of connection between the two systems. Stockport cars were operated through to Hyde Town Hall from 1st January, 1903, when the Pole Bank Hyde line was the property of the Oldham, Ashton and Hyde Electric Tramways, Ltd., a B.E.T. subsidiary, but it was not until 1923, when this undertaking sold out to local authorities and the Hyde – Pole Bank section was taken over by the Joint Board, that mutual through running could be started. A joint S.H.M.D.-S.C.T. service was introduced in March 1925, between Hyde and Edgeley via Mersey Square and continued until the Joint Board ceased to operate trams on 26th May, 1945. Thereafter, Stockport maintained the service unaided until 2nd March, 1947, when buses took over and the trams were cut back to Vernon Park.” [1: p124]
The withdrawal of the through services into Manchester occurred in the late 1940s but, Gently says, “luckily, only one section of the purely local system [had] suffered likewise, that being the Cheadle-Gatley section, on which buses were substituted on 21st September 1931. An early trolleybus route to Offerton was given up as impracticable many years [earlier].” [1: p124]
Wikipedia tells us that the fleet of tramcars steadily increased, with the Corporation owning a total of 87 double-deck electric tramcars through the life of the system, [3] although the highest number at any one time was 85 [4] and numbers settled down at 82, “all of which [were] of the single-truck top-covered vestibuled type with an average seating capacity of 60. Only 26 cars [had] open balconies, and these [were] used only at peak periods; ten of them [had] reversed staircases. The 56 totally enclosed cars [included] 30 which [were] fully upholstered on both decks, the seats being particularly deep and comfortable. The car [equipment comprised] Westinghouse, DK.30 or DK.35 motors and Dick, Kerr DB.1 (form K3) controllers, and hand-operated track brakes [were] fitted on account of the steep gradients. In 1944, the fleet numbering was re-arranged with the primary object of grouping together between 1 and 29 all those cars which, on account of a low bridge near Bredbury, had low-built top-covers, these being identified by a large H (denoting “Hyde,” the route concerned) on either side of the headlamp.” [1: p124] This was needed until abandonment of the lines beyond Vernon Park rendered this unnecessary. [5]
Most of the network survived the Second World War but was progressively closed in 1950 and 1951, only surviving for a short while after the Modern Tramway article of 1949. … “The Crossley Road to Hazel Grove route was the first to go, on 14th January 1950, followed by the Edgeley to Vernon Park route on 3rd March 1951, the Cheadle route on 10th April 1951 and finally the Reddish line on 25th August 1951.” [3]
Wikipedia also explains that: “The Corporation also ran a small trolleybus line, using three vehicles which collected current from the overhead lines using the German Lloyd-Kohler system, the only use of this system in Britain. The route opened in 1913, but the onset of the First World War made obtaining spare parts from Germany impossible, and it ran intermittently, due to maintenance problems. It was replaced by motor buses in 1920.” [3]
It is interesting to note that the deals made with adjacent networks “allowed long journeys to be made by tram, with the route from Hazel Grove to Seaforth Sands near Liverpool being 51.5 miles (82.9 km). One lady is known to have travelled between Liverpool and Stockport for pleasure on several occasions, although it took almost a whole day to reach her destination.” [3]
Gentry noted that Stockport’s track was “double throughout on the Levenshulme, Cheadle Heath, Edgeley and Hazel Grove routes and mostly so on Reddish except between the top of Lancashire Hill and Clare Road; this latter section, together with Princes Street and most of the Vernon Park route [was] single-and-loop. The rail used [weighed] 101 lbs. per yard. The chief depot [was] located in Mersey Square, with a subsidiary depot nearby in Heaton Lane.” [1: p124]
Trams ran through St. Peter’s Square and down the ramp into Mersey Square. The tram stop was in the centre of the paved area with both the Tram Depot and the Fire Station close by.
Reddish Road then turns to the North and later to the Northwest.
Another extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1934 (this sheet published in 1935). The tram tracks turned with Reddish Road as the road ahead led to Reddish Station forecourt. [36]As this next extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1934 shows, trams followed Reddish Road over the railway via Reddish Bridge and on to Holdsworth Square. [36]North of Holdsworth Square trams ran North along Gorton Road crossing the LMS & LNER Joint Railway between Manchester and Hayfield adjacent to that line’s Reddish Station. The location is shown on this extract from the 1934 25″ Ordnance Survey. [37]
The next map extract and photograph show the terminus of the route we have been following from Mersey Square to Gorton. …
This first article has looked at the history of Stockport Corporation’s Tramways and has highlighted two of the tramway routes operated by Stockport Corporation. The line from Edgeley to Mersey Square and the line from Mersey Square to Gorton. Subsequent articles will look at other routes operated by the Corporation.
References
P.W. Gentry; Stockport Corporation Tramway; Modern Tramway, Vol. 12 No. 138, June 1949, p123-126.
Harry Postlethwaite, John Senior & Bob Rowe; Super Prestige No. 14, Stockport Corporation; Venture Publications, Glossop, Derbyshire, 2008. This document is made freely available by MDS Books as a .pdf: https://www.mdsbooks.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Stockport_Download_1.pdf, accessed on 14th January 2025.
The June 1950 issue of The Modern Tramway carried a report by A. A. Jackson on the tramways in the French port of Marseilles.
Marseilles sits in a natural basin facing West into the Mediterranean and surrounded by hills on three sides. Jackson’s article was based on personal observations in 1945 and later information provided by D. L. Sawyer and N.N. Forbes. He writes:
“The suburbs extend to the lower slopes of these surrounding hills and they are connected to the centre of the city by a tramway system that is now the largest in France. The original operator was the Compagnie Genérale Française des Tramways (Réseaux de Marseille) but the tramways have been under sequester since 1946. The route mileage at the present time is kilometres and the gauge is standard (i.e. 1.44 metres).
The important dates in the history of the system are:
1873: First horse tramway. (This date is questioned by other sources with 1876 being quoted for the first use of horse-drawn trams. The French Wikipedia entry talks of planned routes dating from 1873 but the concession only being awarded in 1876.) [2][3][16]
1876: C.G.F.T. acquired the tramways (excluding the Aix interurban).
1890: Electrification begun.
1904: C.G.F.T. acquired and electrified the steam railway, L’Est-Marseille.
1907: Allauch (12 km.) and La Bourdonnière (12 km.) routes opened.
1910: Electrification completed. Le Merlan route opened.
1922: First rolling stock modernisation began.” [1: p134]
These dates are not comprehensive. Jackson was writing at the end of the 1940s and could not be expected to cover later events. It is worth noting Wikipedia’s comment that, “Unlike most other French cities, trams continued to operate in Marseilles, even as through the 1950s and beyond trams disappeared from most cities around the world. The original tram system continued to operate until 2004, when the last line, Line 68, was closed. Trams remained out of operation for three years between 2004 and 2007, in advance of the effort to renovate the tram network to modern standards.” [2]
The Tramways of Marseilles in 1949. [1: p134]
Wikipedia says that “the network was modernised by the constant introduction of newer tramcars, to replace the older ones. In 1938, thirty-three trailers were recovered from Paris. These meant that reversible convoys could be operated. In 1939, the tramway company owned and operated 430 tramcars, 350 trailers and 71 lines.” [2]
A 1943 proposal would, if it had been realised, seen tunnels provided in the centre of Marseilles, the busiest lines would have been brought together in two tunnels. This project did not come to fruition.
Wikipedia continues: “In 1949 a further modernisation occurred. The first articulated tramcars was designed and built (Algiers tramway possessed articulated SATRAMO tramcars). These were created by joining two older tramcars. These tramcars remained unique [in France] until 1985 when Nantes tramway opened.” [2]
The city council did not want to keep its network of trams. The haphazard modernisation of tramcars was evidence of the council’s intentions. “The process of replacing tramways with trolleybuses and buses began after World War II in 1945 and accelerated from 1950. The first closures meant that Canebière was tramway-free from 1955. The last closure occurred on 21st January 1960.” [2] But not all lines closed. …
Line No. 68 opened in December 1893 and is the only tramway line to remain in service during the later part of the twentieth century. It “stretched from Noailles to Alhambra, serving La Plaine, the Boulevard Chave, the La Blancarde railway station and Saint-Pierre cemetery. The central terminus [was] situated in a tunnel. This tunnel, built in 1893, [was] unique in France and was built to give access to the city centre, avoiding the narrow streets of some of Marseille’s suburbs. Because of the problems involved in converting the line to bus use it was decided to keep the line operational.” [2]
Line 68 [was] 3 km (1.9 mi) long and was out of use for a few years. The decision to modernise it was taken in 1965 and the line had reopened by 1969 when twenty-one PCC tramcars were purchased and the whole track relaid. “The first of the PCC cars arrived on 26th December 1968 and the first tram went into service on 20th February 1969. The last of the old tramcars was withdrawn that spring. Modernisation resulted in an increase in passengers. Numbers increased from 4,917,000 passengers in 1968 to 5,239,000 in 1973.” [2]
The PCC cars were later modernised in 1984. Three new cars were delivered and all cars made into double cars. The line operated successfully until 2004 when it closed for reconstruction. After refurbishment, “the short section between La Blancarde and Saint Pierre was reopened as part of a new network on 30th June 2007. The section along Boulevard Chave to Eugène Pierre [reopened later the same year] … the tunnel to Noailles was … [reopened in] …summer 2008.” [2]
Returning to Jackson’s article of 1949/50, he continues:
“The longest route is that to the industrial town of Aubagne, 17 km. inland (service 40) and this is further extended 14 km. eastwards by an original trolley-bus route (to Gémenos and Cuges). The Aubagne tram line, which also carries the associated service 12 to Camoins les Bains (12 km.) and a short working to St. Pierre (service 68), begins at the Gare Noailles, a sub-surface tramway station in the centre of the city and the trams leave this station in tunnel, proceeding thus for 1 km. with no intermediate stop, to emerge on a quiet, broad boulevard before branching, (service 12 to Camoins, 40 to Aubagne). After the junction, each of these two lines continues outwards on roadside reserved track for most of its length. The origin of these important suburban arteries was the steam railway L’Est Marseille which was constructed in 1892 from the Gare Noailles to St. Pierre, and converted to an electric tramway by the C.G.F.T. in 1904. Bogie cars and trailers provide a fast service on these routes and the local services to St. Pierre are worked by single-truck cars, One so often hears aesthetic criticism of tramways that it is interesting to note that a well-known League member once explored the Marseilles system and left the city, blissfully unaware of the existence of this interesting sub-surface terminus.” [1: p134-135]
“The other City termini are in side streets off the main thoroughfare La Canebiere (Boulevard Garibaldi, Alliées Leon Gambetta, Cours Belsunce, Cours Joseph Thierry) also opposite the Préfecture, and on the two main streets leading north out of the city (Place Jules Guesde and Place Sadi-Carnot). To cross the city involves a change of cars in all but one instance, the sole remaining cross-city service being No. 41, Chartreux St Giniez. Coastal lines extended to L’Estaque in the north-west and to La Madrague in the south, the latter serving the popular beach and pleasure resort La Plage du Prado (rather similar to Sunderland’s Sear burn route). Other lengthy routes (mostly with rural termini) are: Chateau Gom bert (5), La Bourdonnière (1) Allauch (11), Les trois lucs (7), Le Redon (24) and Mazargues (22 and 23). The circular service, No. 82, serves the residential and coastal areas to the south of the city and enjoys wide roads and unrestricted run ning over most of its length; it traverses the scenic Corniche for part of its run. This is one of the few routes on which cars may be seen running without the almost inevitable trailer. In the older parts of the city many of the streets are narrow, but the greater part of Marseilles is planned on the usual French pattern and therefore possesses wide streets and boulevards well suited to tramway operation. As in Italy, the track in the boulevards is often placed against either curb, well away from the main traffic stream, and in such places the parking of cars is strictly controlled to ensure that tramway operation is unrestricted. At boulevard intersections such as the Rond Point du Prado there are well planned circular layouts joining all tracks. Four-wheeled trolleybuses of standard design and small oil buses have replaced the trams on a number of strictly urban routes unsuitable for tramway operation (the oil bus substitutions are presumably an intermediate stage with the eventual intention that they be replaced by trolleybuses). These trolleybus and oil bus substitutions retain the old tramway services numbers although in certain cases the original tramway route has been extended or slightly modified. Mr. D. L. Sawyer, who was in Marseilles recently, reports that the trolleybuses are not unaffected by the daily shaking up they receive from the rough, uneven street surfaces which gives one cause to reflect that an effective trolleybus installation in many European cities would prove to be a very expensive business as the traditional street surfaces would need to be completely replaced with a surface rather more kind to the not-so-sturdy trolleybus. The tram tracks, which suffered badly from war time neglect, were very noisy in 1945, but they have now been put in excellent condition.” [1: p135-136]
The “Régie Départmentale des Chemins de Fer et Tramways des Bouches du Fer et Tramways des Bouches du Rhône formerly operated a reserved-track roadside electric tramway from Marseilles to the university and cathedral city of Aix en Provence, 29 km to the north. This line was physically connected, by end-on junction, with the Marseilles system, and its Marseilles terminus was at the Place du Change, by the Vieux Port. The dark blue and silver bogie cars, towing one or more heavy bogie trailers, operated an hourly service with a journey time of just under 90 minutes. The Aix terminus was at the extreme end of the main street, the Cours Mirabeau, at the Place Forbin, and the depot and works were situated at the Pont de l’Arc, Aix. This line was converted to trolleybus operation during the winter of 1948-49 and the main trunk road has thus been burdened with additional vehicles. Mr. Sawyer states that the trolleybuses have reduced the journey time considerably; this is hardly surprising as the trams they have replaced were not modern and the number of stops on the tram route was unnecessarily large. New tramcars and a certain amount of track re-alignment would probably have produced an even greater improvement than the trolleybuses it is certain that they would have been a better investment.” [1: p136]
Jackson reports on the rolling-stock in use on the network:
“The rolling stock of the Marseilles system is an interesting mixture of semi-modern and modernised cars, painted blue and cream and mostly of single-truck design. The trailers approximately equal the motor cars in number and are of even greater variety; one type, a covered toastrack, is known locally as ‘Buffalo’ and is very popular during the hot Mediterranean summer. Extensive use is made of twin-units in Marseilles thus obviating the necessity of shunting at termini. The cars are fitted with deep throated hooters and the sound of these, together with the clanging of the bells that announces the changing of the traffic lights is a characteristic of the city. The rolling stock is housed in five depots, all marked on the map, viz., Arenc, Les Catalans, Les Chartreux, La Capelette and St. Pierre. The repair and construction workshops are at Les Chartreux. The high price of materials and the financial situation forbid the purchase of new trams under present conditions and the current programme is therefore concerned with the rehabilitation of existing equipment. A fine and bold beginning has been made in car No. 1301, placed in service in the summer of 1949. This is an articulated car, built from two of the more modern motor cars and the result is a vehicle of pleasing and efficient appearance, 21 metres in length with a passenger capacity of 175 (35 seats) and a maximum speed of 50 km. per hour. One driver and one conductor only are needed (a saving of 35 per cent on personnel against the motor car and trailer type of unit); loading is through the front entrance, unloading through centre and rear exits. The car is double-ended and the doors are pneumatically controlled, one by the driver and the other two by the conductor. The tram cannot start until the central door is closed.
The tickets are issued on the usual carnet system and the books of tickets can be purchased at a reduced price at kiosks and tobacco shops, a book of twenty 5-franc tickets costing 85 francs. Two tickets are taken by the conductor for one section, three for two sections, and four for three sections or over. After 9 p.m. and on Sundays the rate is increased by one ticket and on special journeys to the Sports Stadium and Race Course, a minimum of five tickets is taken. The length of the sections is short and it is only on the longer suburban routes that the all-over fare becomes cheaper. Many cars are equipped for “pay as you enter” (although to use the word “pay” is not entirely accurate as the carnet system means that the conductor rarely handles money). On the Aubagne route (No. 40) a special fare tariff is in force; the complete journey requires five tickets costing eight francs each. Transfer tickets are not used as they have been declared unsuitable for Marseilles.” [1: p136-137]
The French Wikipedia entry for the trams of Marseilles gives some significant detail relating to the trams used on the network. The original, early, rolling-stock delivered between 1891 and 1925 was “cream-coloured, the colour adopted by the CGFT on all the company’s networks. All the motor cars had open platforms and could be transformed in summer, with the glass frames on the side walls being replaced by curtains. The numbers were painted in large figures on the four sides of the vehicles.” [16]
Two axle trams: [17]
No. 501 to 524, “Saint Louis” motor car, 1891-95, power: 2 × 12 hp , empty weight 6.7 tonnes, ex No. 201 to 224 before 1900; (Drawings can be found here. [18])
No. 525, prototype “K” engine, 1891-95, power: 2 × 27 hp, ex No. 301 before 1900;
No. 526-530, “P”, 1898, power: 2 × 27 hp, ex No. 1 to 5 Marseille Tramways Company
From 1925, the engine bodies were modernized. They were rebuilt with closed platforms and their capacity was increased. The trucks (chassis) remained original, but the electrical equipment was reinforced to gain power. This fleet was completed by two series of new engines. All modifications were made according to the criteria of the “Standard” type, a standard defined for vehicles to use the future tunnel network. [17][24]
Bogie trams: [17]
1200, prototype of a closed platform tram;
1201-1231, 1924, transformation of the “C” trams, 1002-1033, power: 4 × 32 hp, empty weight 16.4 tons;
2001-2004, 1929, known as “Pullmann”, delivered new, power: 4 × 42 hp, empty weight: 21.5 tonnes.
Trailers
The number of trailers varied between 400 and 500 depending on the period. The majority of trailers had 2 axles and were numbered in the series 1 to 500. These included: open trailers called “Badeuse” with side access to the rows of transverse benches; and closed trailers with access via end platforms. [17]
In addition there were a number of bogie trailers:
138-153, 1899, transformed into tram cars;
2051-2054, 1928, accompanying the “Pullmann” engines 2001-2004;
2201-2233, 1937, purchased from the STCRP (Parisian network) and coupled to the 1200 locomotives;
2551-2572, 1944, of the “Standard” type, coupled to the 1200 motor cars. [17]
Jackson continues:
“In 1945, overcrowding of trams had reached a peak as there then existed no other means of public transport and the number of cars in service had been reduced by the shortage of electricity and lubricants and the ravages of war-time lack of maintenance. Passengers were then to be seen riding on the steps, on the bumpers, on the roofs and even standing tightly jammed between the trailer and the motor car, precariously balanced on the couplings; indeed it was often difficult to see the cars for the passengers. This is only mentioned as a tribute to the sturdiness and reliability of electric tramways which here, as in many other cities all over the world, continued to operate and bear the brunt of all the city’s passenger traffic long after war conditions had forced other means of transport out of service.” [1: p137]
“With regard to the future, it is encouraging to know that the main tramway routes will be retained and modernised and that modern tramway equipment and reserved track routes of the electric light railway type will be a feature of the Marseilles of the future-a fine tribute to the planners of the original tramway system. It is officially recognised that trolleybuses would be unable alone to cope with the heavy traffic of this great French port, and only a small number of tram routes remain to be converted to trolleybus operation. Further tramway subways, including one under the Canebière, were proposed some years ago and it may be that these will, after all, be built as they would be considerably less expensive than the tiny network of underground railways that is part of the current plans.” [1: p138]
It is worth a quick look at the development of Marseille Metro further below.
Jackson also provides details of the different services in place in 1949 (his list was correct as at May 1949, but omitted some all-night services and short workings):
Line 23, Tram No. …34 (first digit not visible) in Place Castellane. This image is made available under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0). [30]
The 21st Century
Marseilles modern tram network was inaugurated on 30th June 2007. The first phase of the new Marseille tram network opened on that date. It consists of one line linking Euroméditerranée in the northwest with Les Caillols in the east. Between Blancarde Chave and Saint-Pierre stations, it runs on part of the former Line 68.
“In November 2007, the portion of the old Line 68 between Blancarde Chave. and E-Pierre (near the entrance to the tunnel) reopened, and two lines were created. Line 1 links E-Pierre and Les Caillols, and Line 2 runs from Euroméditerranée to La Blancarde, where a transfer between the two lines was created. La Blancarde train station is a transit hub: a station on Line 1 of the Marseille Metro opened in 2010, and it has long been served by TER regional trains to and from Toulon.” [2]
“In September 2008, Line 1 was extended to Noailles via the tunnel formerly used by line 68. This tunnel now carries a single track since the new trams are wider than the [PCC trams]. In March 2010, Line 2 was extended 700 metres North from Euroméditerranée-Gantes to Arenc.” [2]
“In May 2015, the 3.8 km (2.4 mi) Line 3 was inaugurated. It shares Line 2 tracks between Arenc and la Canebière where Line 2 turns west. Line 3 continues South on new track through Rue de Rome to Place Castellane. Line 3 extensions south, 4.2 km (2.6 mi) to Dromel and la Gaye, and 2 km north to Gèze are planned. Tram Line 3 will therefore continue to run parallel to the Dromel-Castellane-Gèze Metro Line 2, which may limit its ridership.” [2]
Rolling-stock: “Customized Bombardier Flexity Outlook trams are used on the new tram line[s]. Composed of five articulated sections, they were 32.5 m (106 ft 8 in) long and 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) wide. Twenty-six were delivered in 2007.[2][3] They were extended by 10 m (32 ft 10 in) by adding two additional articulated sections in 2012. [6] In 2013, six new Flexity were ordered for the T3 line.” [2]
“Their exterior and interior appearance was designed by MBD Design. [6] The exterior resembles the hull of a ship, and the driver’s cabin resembles the bow. A lighted circle displays the colour of the line the tram is on. Inside the tram, the floor, walls, and ceiling are coloured blue, and seats and shutters are made of wood.” [2]
“The tram network is run by Le Tram, a consortium of Régie des transports de Marseille and Veolia Transport. The proposal to privatize the operation of public transit was unpopular, and resulted in a 46-day transit strike.” [7]
Marseilles Metro
The Marseilles Metro is independent of the tram network. It consists of two different lines, partly underground, serving 31 stations, with an overall route length of 22.7 kilometers (14.1 mi). [10] Line 1 opened in 1977, followed by Line 2 in 1984. Two stations, Saint-Charles and Castellane , each provide interchange between lines. [11]
Modern Tramway talks, in 1949, of the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (SHRT) Lines as “A high speed electric light railway entirely on reserved track, connecting a beautiful high class residential district with the centre of a large city. affording such speedy and efficient service that the car-owning suburban residents prefer to use it and park their cars on land provided by the line; a system which makes a handsome profit and has recently taken delivery of 25 of the most modern type of electric rail units in the world [which] are only some of the outstanding facts about Shaker Heights Rapid Transit.” [1: p101]
Two images from Modern Tramway which show: first , a station in Shaker Heights which shows the central reservation and a car of standard type; second, a PCC car equipped for multiple-unit operation, one of a fleet of 25 delivered in 1948. [1: p112]
The network was created by the Van Sweringen brothers and purchased after their bankruptcy, and a period of 9 years in receivership, by Cleveland City Council in 1944. [2]
The official ownership details down the years are:
“1913–1920: Cleveland & Youngstown Railroad 1920–1930: Cleveland Interurban Railroad 1930–1935: Metropolitan Utilities 1935–1944: Union Properties (47%), Guardian Savings and Trust (33%) and Cleveland Trust (20%) 1944–1975: City of Shaker Heights 1975–present: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.” [4]
The SHRT connected the city of Cleveland, Ohio, with the largest residential area known as Shaker Heights, six miles East.
The Van Sweringen brothers planned the line “in the early 1900’s as part of a land development scheme, … to serve the district that would grow up on the Heights and beyond, and the charter was obtained in 1907. The land development was planned around the line, and the engineers allowed for a railway area 90 feet wide through the property with 50 feet of open space each side of the tracks (room for four tracks and a grass verge on each side). Building was delayed by the First World War and the line was not opened until 11th April, 1920.” [1: p101]
On 20th July 1930, Shaker Rapid Transit cars began using the Cleveland Union Terminal (CUT), after the Terminal Tower opened. [12]
Before this, on 17th December 1913, trams began operating on the first 1.6-mile segment in the median of what would become Shaker Boulevard, from Coventry Road east to Fontenay Road. [12] The line was grandly named ‘The Cleveland & Youngstown Railway’.
In 1915, the tram service was extended to Courtland Boulevard. In 1920 it became apparent that the plan to link Cleveland to Youngstown would not succeed and the line was renamed as ‘The Cleveland Interurban Railway’ (CIRR). In April of that year, the Van Sweringen brothers opened a segregated (trams separate from other rail and road traffic) line from East 34th Street to Shaker Heights with their trams using the urban tram (streetcar) network to reach the city centre. [12]
“In 1923, the Standard Oil Company built the Coventry Road Station for $17,500. … In 1924, the Shaker trains were referred to as ‘the private right-of-way rapid transit line’, but calling it ‘the rapid’ probably dates back further than that.” [12]
The historic station at Tower City (1927 onwards) was the early terminus of the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit Lines which were extended along the Cleveland Waterfront.
The modern Tower City Station is the central station of the Cleveland, Ohio RTA Rapid Transit system, served by all lines: Blue, Green, Red and Waterfront. The station is located directly beneath Prospect Avenue in the middle of the Avenue shopping mall. The station is only accessible through the Tower City Center shopping complex. [13]
The first cars were ordinary tramcars from the Cleveland City system, specially refitted for fast service. “In July, 1930, the SHRT (which had formerly entered the city over street tracks) was brought into the main line railway terminus over existing railway tracks. By this time the line extended for 9.5 miles from the Union Terminal Building in Cleveland to Green Road, at the far end of Shaker Heights; in addition, there was a branch line to Moreland.” [1: p101]
The two lines in the suburbs were extended. The Moreland line in 1929, eastward from Lynnfield (its original terminus) to Warrensville Center Rd. The Shaker line, in 1937, was extended from Warrensville Center Rd. to a new loop at Green Rd. [2]
“Under the main floor of the Union Terminal Building, the SHRT tracks are adjacent to the main line railway platforms. The six miles out to Shaker Square are on an ascending grade along the valley of the Cuyahoga river, and are entirely on private right-of-way; from Shaker Square onwards, the line runs through a grass reservation in the centre of Shaker Boulevard as far as Green Road Terminal.” [1: p101]
“The branch to Moreland, a suburb of smaller type property, diverges about 500 feet east of Shaker Square station, running in a south-easterly direction; at this terminus are storage yards with car parking facilities inside a U track formation.” [1: p101]
“The overhead is compound catenary out to East 55th Street, Cleveland, and normal trolley-wire elsewhere; the line is signalled throughout and road crossings are well spaced.” [1: p101]
The journey from Green Road outer terminus to the Union Terminal Building in downtown Cleveland “is covered in 22 minutes including 16 stops en route. The six miles from Shaker Square down into Cleveland (which include four curves with speed restriction) are covered in 8-9 minutes by non-stop cars. The up-grade increases the express timing on the outward journey to Shaker Square to 12 minutes.” [1:p101]
“When the City Council bought the line in 1944, the Director of Transportation, Mr. Paul K. Jones, began to modernise the existing fleet and to look around for new cars. He chose PCC cars with multiple unit equipment, and after trial runs in 1946 with a PCC-MU car ordered for Boston’s tramways, he ordered 25, to be modified to suit the SHRT’s demands and these were delivered towards the end of [1948]. They have Sprague Multiple Unit Control and are equipped for MU operation in trains of up to six cars. Other details are: Seating capacity. 62; overall length, 52ft. 7in.; overall height, 10ft. 4in.; width, 9ft.; truck wheel base, 6ft. 10in.; livery, canary yellow.” [1: p101]
A new $60,000 sub-station was built by 1949 in Shaker Heights which ensured adequate power for the PCC cars. Other improvements undertaken were “the doubling of car parking space at stations and an increase in service frequency.” [1: p101]
Extensions of the SHRT were, in 1949, considered likely; at that time, the line had been graded beyond Green Road as far as Gates Mills and steel poles had been erected part of the way. (This extension never occurred even though the preparatory work had been undertaken.) [7]
The Moreland Branch had been graded south to the Thistledown Race Track beyond Warrensville and there was little doubt, at that time that this extension would be completed. It turns out that this extension also never came to fruition.
“In Cleveland itself, the City Council … asked for 31 million dollars for the purpose of financing extensions of its city lines east and west of the city. The East Side line was laid out and partly graded by the original builders of the SHRT; it left the Heights line at East 60th Street and needed, at the time of writing of the article in Modern Tramway, only a few months’ work to complete.” [1: p101]
“Snow [had] no effect on the operation of the SHRT and the line [carried] on when local bus and trolley bus lines [had] ceased … in the severe winter of 1947-8; and all the year round, as mentioned before, the owners of the $75,000 homes of Shaker Heights [left] their cars behind and [travelled] into town by the faster and more reliable means so amply provided.” [1: p102]
“In 1955 the Cleveland Transit System (which was formed in 1942 when the City of Cleveland took over the Cleveland Railway Company) opened the first section of the city’s new rapid transit line, now known as the Red Line. It used much of the right-of-way and some of the catenary poles from the Van Sweringen’s planned east-west interurban line adjacent to the NYC&StL tracks. The first section of the CTS rapid transit east from Cleveland Union Terminal included 2.6 miles (4.2 km) and two stations shared with the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit line, necessitating split platforms with low-level sections (for Shaker Heights rapid transit cars) and high-level sections (for CTS rapid transit cars).” [4]
In the 21st century, the Red Line (formerly and internally known as Route 66, also known as the Airport–Windermere Line) is now “a rapid transit line of the RTA Rapid Transit system in Cleveland, Ohio, running from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport northeast to Tower City in downtown Cleveland, then east and northeast to Windermere. 2.6 miles (4.2 km) of track, including two stations (Tri-C–Campus District and East 55th), are shared with the light rail Blue and Green Lines; the stations have high platforms for the Red Line and low platforms for the Blue and Green Lines. The whole Red Line is built next to former freight railroads. It follows former intercity passenger rail as well, using the pre-1930 right-of-way of the New York Central from Brookpark to West 117th, the Nickel Plate from West 98th to West 65th, and the post-1930 NYC right-of-way from West 25th to Windermere.” [5]
The Red Line is shown on the four extracts from OpenStreetMap below. [5]
These four map extracts show the full length of the Red Line from the airport in the West to East Cleveland. [5]
In the 21st century the two original Shaker Heights routes form the Blue Line and the Green Line as part of Cleveland, Ohio’s Rapid Transit System.
“The Blue Line (formerly known as the Moreland Line and the Van Aken Line, and internally as Route 67) is a light rail line of the RTA Rapid Transit system in Cleveland and Shaker Heights, Ohio, running from Tower City Center downtown, then east and southeast to Warrensville Center Blvd near Chagrin Blvd. 2.6 miles (4.2 km) of track, including two stations (Tri-C–Campus District and East 55th), are shared with the rapid transit Red Line, the stations have low platforms for the Blue Line and high platforms for the Red Line. The Blue Line shares the right-of-way with the Green Line in Cleveland, and splits off after passing through Shaker Square.” [3]
The Blue Line from Cleveland to Shaker Heights shown on OpenStreetMap. [3]
“The Green Line (formerly known as the Shaker Line) is a light rail line of the RTA Rapid Transit system in Cleveland and Shaker Heights, Ohio, running from Tower City Center downtown, then east to Green Road near Beachwood. 2.6 miles (4.2 km) of track, including two stations (Tri-C–Campus District and East 55th), are shared with the rapid transit Red Line; the stations have low platforms for the Green Line and high platforms for the Red Line. The Green Line shares the right-of-way with the Blue Line in Cleveland, and splits off after passing through Shaker Square.” [4]
Tram cars used on the Shaker Heights lines since 1920 include: the 1100-series and 1200-series centre-entrance fleet; the colourful PCC cars; and the current fleet of Breda LRVs which have operated the line since 1982. [15]
Cleveland’s 1100-series and 1200-series center-door cars were built in the mid-1910s. “Not only were these cars distinctive and immediately identifiable as Cleveland cars, but many of them outlasted the Cleveland street railway itself. This was because the suburban streetcar route to Shaker Heights, barely on the drawing board when the center-door cars were built, bought a handful of 1200-series cars to hold down service when it was new. For years these cars were the backbone of service to Shaker Heights until the last of them were finally retired in favor of PCC cars in 1960.” [16]
Cleveland’s PCC Trams began arriving in the late 1940s, as we have already noted. PCC (Presidents’ Conference Committee) trams were streetcars of a design that was first “built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful domestically, and after World War II it was licensed for use elsewhere in the world where PCC based cars were made. The PCC car has proved to be a long-lasting icon of streetcar design, and many remain in service around the world.” [17]
The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit network purchased 25 new PCC cars and 43 second-hand cars. A total of 68: the original 25 Pullman cars were extra-wide and had left-side doors. The second-hand cars were: 20 cars purchased from Twin Cities Rapid Transit in 1953; 10 cars purchased from St. Louis in 1959; 2 former Illinois Terminal cars leased from museums in 1975; 2 cars purchased from NJ Transit in 1977; 9 ex-Cleveland cars purchased from Toronto in 1978. PCCs were used until 1981. [17]
The Cleveland Transit System had 50 PCCs purchased new and 25 second-hand. The second-hand cars purchased from Louisville in 1946. All Cleveland’s cars were sold to Toronto in 1952. Of these, nine cars were (noted above) sent to Shaker Heights in 1978. [17]
Pullman Standard PCCs “were initially built in the United States by the St Louis Car Company (SLCCo) and Pullman Standard. … The last PCC streetcars built for any North American system were a batch of 25 for the San Francisco Municipal Railway, manufactured by St. Louis and delivered in 1951–2. … A total of 4,586 PCC cars were purchased by United States transit companies: 1,057 by Pullman Standard and 3,534 by St. Louis. Most transit companies purchased one type, but Chicago, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Shaker Heights ordered from both. The Baltimore Transit Co. (BTC) considered the Pullman cars of superior construction and easier to work on. The St. Louis cars had a more aesthetically pleasing design with a more rounded front and rear, compound-curved skirt cut-outs, and other design frills.” [17]
“Both the Cities of Cleveland & Shaker Heights purchased PCC trolleys after WWII. Cleveland operated theirs from 1946 to 1953 before they sold them to the City of Toronto. Shaker Heights operated their PCCs for a much longer period – i.e. from 1947 up until the early 1980s.” [18]
Cleveland’s Breda LRVs are a fleet of 34 vehicles operating on the Blue, Green and Waterfront lines. One is shown below on the Blue Line and one on the Green Line. [19]
The LRVs were purchased from the Italian firm, Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie, to replace the aging PCC cars. They were dedicated on 30th October 1981. [3]
The cars consist of two half bodies joined by an articulation section with three bogies. The two end bogies are powered, and the central bogie under the articulation section is unpowered. “The car is slightly more than 24 m (79 ft 10 in) long, is rated AW2 (84 seated passengers and 40 standing), and can travel at a maximum speed of 90 km/hr (55 mph). This speed can be reached in less than 35 sec from a standing start.” [20]
Overall length: 79ft 11in.
Width: 9ft 3in
Tare weight: 84,000lb
Acceleration: 3mph/sec.
Service braking: 4mph/sec.
Emergency braking: 6mph/sec.
Each LRV “is bidirectional with an operator’s cab at either end and three doors per side. The passenger door near the operator’s cab is arranged to allow the operator to control fare collection. The 84 seats are arranged in compliance with the specification requirements. Half the seats face one direction and half the other. Each end of the car is equipped with … an automatic coupler with mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic functions so that the cars can operate in trains of up to four vehicles.” [20]
In 2024, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority board approved “the selection of Siemens Mobility for a contract to replace the Breda light rail vehicle fleet. … The planned framework contract with Siemens Mobility would cover up to 60 Type S200 LRVs, with a firm order for an initial 24. … The high-floor LRVs will be similar to cars currently used by Calgary Transit, with doors at two heights for high and low level platforms, an infotainment system, ice cutter pantographs, 52 seats, four wheelchair areas and two bicycle racks. … The fleet replacement programme currently has a budget of $393m, including rolling stock, infrastructure modifications, testing, training, field support, spare parts and tools. This is being funded by the Federal Transportation Administration, Ohio Department of Transportation, Northeast Ohio Areawide Co-ordinating Agency and Greater Cleveland RTA.” [21]
References
Shaker Heights Rapid Transit Lines; in Modern Tramway Vol. 12, No 137, May, 1949, p101,102,112.
The first three articles in this series covered the network as it was established by the beginning of the First World War. These articles can be found here, [1] here [2] and here. [3]
The fourth article looked at the period between WW1 and WW2. It can be found here. [4] This fifth article covers the period after WW2 to the eventual closure of the network.
The Network during World War 2
During the war period, new work was suspended and maintenance was reduced to a minimum; tunnels were used as air raid shelters, and the service schedules were redistributed to avoid the tunnels. Suburban lines acquired considerable importance for the transport of evacuees, especially in the morning and evening. The transport of goods also became important and some older trams were adapted to accommodate the service. Fruit and vegetables were transported to the central market and to the local markets. Building materials for urgent works were carried, as we’re a variety of other goods. Examples of these adapted vehicles can be found close to the end of this article. [36]
After WW2 and the Decline of the Network
The modernization of the tram network, covered in the fourth article in this series, was abruptly interrupted by the Second World War which saw significant damage to the network and rolling stock. After the War the Littorio depot-workshop was renamed for ‘Romeo Guglielmetti’, a tram driver and martyr of the partisan resistance. [19][20: p238-239] .
The poor condition of much of the network resulted in trams being restricted to main arteries and the introduction of trolleybuses on the rest of the network. Trolleybuses were trailed in 1938 but it was 1949 before planned introduction occurred. obsolescence and degradation of large parts of the network were the reasons that led to the choice of maintaining the tram only on the ‘main lines’, introducing tolleybuses as replacements for the tram on the secondary lines. In reality the project had already begun before the conflict (the first trolleybuses had been activated in 1938), [20: p227] but only in 1949 was the decision planned in detail. [21: p88]
Trams were removed from the central area of the city where trolleybuses were perceived, not being tied to tracks, to be more flexible and better able to negotiate heavy traffic. The lines in the hills were also converted to a trolleybus service (the rubber-wheeled vehicles, having greater grip, guaranteed quicker restarts and with less energy expenditure. [19][20: p255-256]
The result of these changes was effectively to create two different networks (East and West), linked only by a line along the coast as shown on the map below which shows the tram network as it existed in 1956. [19][21: p93]
By 1956 trams served the following routes: [21: p126]
1 Banco San Giorgio – Voltri 2 Banco San Giorgio – Pegli 3 Banco San Giorgio – Sestri 4 Banco San Giorgio – Pra’ Palmaro 5 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Rivarolo 6 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Bolzaneto 7 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Pontedecimo 9 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Rivarolo 10 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Bolzaneto 11 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Pontedecimo 12 Banco San Giorgio – Prato 13 Banco San Giorgio – Giro del Fullo 14 Banco San Giorgio – Staglieno 15 De Ferrari – Galleria Mameli – Nervi 17 De Ferrari – Prato 18 De Ferrari – Staglieno 19 De Ferrari – Borgoratti 20 Bolzaneto – Pegli 21 De Ferrari – San Fruttuoso 22 Bolzaneto – Pra’ Palmaro 23 De Ferrari – Quezzi 24 San Fruttuoso – Sestri 26 Quezzi – Rivarolo 42 De Ferrari – Galleria Mameli – Sturla 43 De Ferrari – via Giordano Bruno 44 Banco San Giorgio – Borgoratti 45 De Ferrari – San Martino – Sturla 50 San Martino – Sampierdarena 51 De Ferrari – San Francesco d’Albaro – Nervi 52 Brignole – San Francesco d’Albaro – Nervi 53 Brignole – San Francesco d’Albaro – Priaruggia
The tram terminus on Via Gordiano Bruno. This line does not appear on the map above but is included in the list of services above as Line No. 43. The road in the foreground is Corse Italia, (c) Public Domain. [5]
In the period after WW2, there was a dramatic increase in private car ownership and as a result increased congestion in the city centre and on main arterial routes. Conflicts between trams and private vehicles became regular occurrences and there was increasing wear of the rails.
Despite efforts to adapt the network to the needs of car traffic, the 1949 plan was soon overtaken by events: the economic ‘boom’ then underway was leading to an enormous increase in private motorisation, which had not originally been envisaged on such a scale.
After a few years, even the so-called ‘power lines’, which had been planned to be maintained, revealed all their inefficiency: almost the entire network ran in a mixed manner with road traffic, leading not only to continuous conflicts between trams and private vehicles, but also to an ever-increasing wear on the rails. [20: p265]
Thus in 1956 the decision was taken, despite significant opposition, to manage the decline of the network and to introduce a replacement bus network. Buses had become preferable to both trams and trolleybuses because of their unconstrained movement, not hampered by rails or overhead lines. [19][20: p265]
Bolzaneto in the 1950s: in this postcard view, UITE No. 954 travels along via Pastorino, the main street of Bolzaneto, in service on Line No. 10 to Piazza Banco San Giorgio. Note the traffic policeman in the middle of the roadway. [7]
The removal of the tram lines began in 1964 with the closure of the Ponente and Val Polcevera lines. [21: p105] This also led to the closure of the Galleria Certosa. After a long period of disuse, Galleria Certosa was reopened in the 1990s and used by the Metro. [19]
“In 1965, the city acquired the remaining holding and the UITE’s activities were transferred to the Azienda Municipalizzata Trasporti (AMT).” [16][17]
However, “the municipalisation of the Company, … did not bring the expected results. The last UITE balance sheets showed a substantial positive balance, the subsequent AMT financial statements showed increasingly significant deficits. This was not, however, unique to Genoa, it was a phenomenon common to many public transport companies which, subordinated to the electoral needs of the parties in government in a local area, saw fare policies being dictated by political imperatives, often only partially covering operational expenses. Additionally: the speed of the general traffic, through which trams had to travel, decreased due to congestion; inflation became a significant factor; lines were established serving new residential areas; personnel costs increased significantly; and AMT were expected to acquire and run services beyond the immediate Genoa conurbation.” [17]
On 18th July 1965, lines along the coast road, which included the terminus in Piazza Caricamento, were closed and, on 10th November 1965, the last line on the East side of the city centre was closed. [21: p106]
Only two lines in the Bisagno valley remained in operation – Line 12 (Via Brigata Bisagno – Prato) and Line 13 (Via Brigata Bisagno – Giro del Fullo) which were left until last because they served as a connection to the Guglielmetti workshop, where the trams were progressively concentrated and decommissioned. Both Line 12 and Line 13 ran along the right bank of the River Bisagno. [19][21: p106]
One of the last trams in service on the Genovese tram network is at the Giro del Fullo tram terminus in December 1966. This image faces North and was shared by Renato Michelina Dore on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 9th July 2022. [6]The same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]A tram heading for the Prato terminus of Line No. 12. This image was shared in monochrome on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Domenico Fornara on 24th March 2021, (c) Unknown. [9]A similar view looking Northwest on Via Struppa in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2023]The tram depot at Prato – truly the end of the line in the Bisagno valley, (c) Public Domain. [8]The site of the depot is now the rear area behind Palazzetto Dello Sport Lino Maragliano This view looks East from Via Prato Verde. The terracotta building on the right is that sports centre. the building in the centre is the tram shed and the tall building beyond remains intact in the 21st century as well. [Google Streetview, April 2019]
Tram services in Genoa ceased definitively on the night between 26th and 27th December 1966, with the last runs of Line 12. [19][21: p110]
Genoa’s tram network was in operation from 1878 to 1966, during this time it was the main public transport service in the Ligurian capital.
Rolling Stock
AMT claims to record details of all the trams used on the network throughout its history. [20: p653-660] This list, however, does not appear to be exhaustive as photographs exist of trams with numbers not included in this list! These are noted below. ……
Trams No. 1-45 (AEG/SATO) were two-axle cars built by Grondona, Comi & Co. in 1899/1900. They were later rebuilt by the UITE between 1922 and 1927. [19]
Tram No. 7 after its rebuild by UITE, (c) Public Domain. [33]
Trams No. 46-55 (AEG/SATO) were two-axle cars built by Miani, Silvestri & Co. in 1900. These were rebuilt by Piaggio in 1926. [19]
Trams No. 56-75 (AEG/SATO) were two-axle cars built by Officine Meccaniche in 1901. These were rebuilt by Piaggio in 1926. [19]
Trams No. 76-100 (AEG/SATO) were two-axle cars built by Reggiane Boker in 1907.
Trams No. 79 was built by Reggiane Boker in 1907. [31]
Trams No. 100-110 (SFEF) were two-axle bidirectional cars built by Miani, Silvestri & Co. in 1895. The image immediately below shows one of these trams bearing the number 111. This suggests that the range of numbers taken by these trams was wider. [19]
Trams No. 101-110 were replacement two-axle bidirectional cars built by Bagnara in 1925. [19]
Two trams passing on Corso Torino – trams No. 25 and 197. According to AMT (as reported by Wikipedia.it), tram No. 25 was built by Grondona, Cornish & Co. in 1899 (see above) and tram No. 197 was built in 1897 (see below). [24]
Trams No. 171-200 were two-axle bidirectional cars built by Grondona, Comi & Co. in 1897. [19] Might this class be more numerous? Perhaps 111-200? Given the numbering of these trams, in the year of build quoted a little too early? [19]
Trams No. 363, 364 (SFEF) were two-axle bidirectional cars built by Savigliano in 1893. These vehicles were converted into trailer-cars in 1900. [19]
Trams No. 387 and 388 were prototypes received in 1929/1930 along with Trailer No. 389. ………
UITE 400 Series Trailers
I have not been able to find information about this series of trailer cars.
UITE 600 Series Trams and Trailers
I have not been able to find information about tram cars in this series. However, numbers 621-650 were trailers which were used with the 700 series trams below.
UITE 700 Series Trams
Given the success of the prototypes No. 387 and No. 388 and the trailer No. 389 of 1929 and 1930, UITE purchased 50 bogie-trams, 25 constructed by Ansaldo (Nos. 751-775) and 25 constructed by Piaggio (Nos. 776-800) and 30 trailers supplied by Carminati & Toselli (Nos. 621-650). [36]
Trams No. 751-800 were bidirectional bogie-cars built in 1931. These were known as ‘long Casteggini’ type trams. [19]
Trams No. 801-820 (UITE) were bidirectional bogie-cars built by Piaggio in 1932. These were known as ‘short Casteggini’ type trams. [19]
Trams No. 821-850 (UITE) were unidirectional bogie-cars built by Piaggio in 1934. These were known as ‘long Casteggini’ type trams (originally built as trailer-cars). [19]
Tram No. 821 at the tram terminus at Bratte in Bolzaneto. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Enrico Pinna on 14th October 2023. [22]
UITE 900 Series Trams
The 900 series electric tramcars were designed by the Unione Italiana Tramways Elettrici (UITE) and built by the UITE and other companies, also known as ‘Littorine’ or ‘Genova’ type, were a series of bidirectional, metre-gauge tramcars in service on the Genoa tram network .
The vehicles were designed in 1939 and 94 vehicles entered service on the Genovese network in 1939 and 1940. They were in service until 1966. Six (or possibly seven) other vehicles were built to the same specification and sold to Breda and used elsewhere. Five (or perhaps six) were put to use in Belgrade and one in Innsbruck.
Builders were: UITE, Piaggio, Bagnara, Ansaldo, Breda; bogies were from TIBB and CGE workshops. These vehicles were 13.56 metres long, 2.15 metres wide and 3.12 metres high. They had 25 seats and could accommodate a further 85 people standing. They weighed 18.6 tonnes empty. They had 4 No. 45hp Ansaldo LC 229 electric motors.
In exchange for the units sold to Breda in 1940, UITE received four two-bodied articulated units which went on to form the 1100 series. They were the first articulated trams used in Genova. [15]
UITE 1100 Series Trams
There were four of these articulated units (1101-1104) which were supplied to the UITE by Breda in 1942. These units operated in Genova until 1965/1966 when they were sold to Neuchâtel and continued in service there until 1988. Built by Breda with electrical parts supplied by TIBB, the units were 20.65 metres long and accommodated 33 people seated and up to 142 standing. They weighed 27 tonnes empty. [14]
These were numbered 1221-1250. They were reconstructions by UITE in 1948-1949 (in an unidirectional, articulated form) of the 221 to 250 series. They were known as ‘Lambrette’ trams. [19]
UITE 1600 Series Trams
These were numbered 1601-1678. They were reconstructions by UITE in 1949-1950 (in an unidirectional, articulated form) of 600 and 400 series cars. The old two-axle cars of the 600 series were joined to trailers of the two-axle 400 series. The transformations were decided in order to have large-capacity vehicles with significant management savings compared to a complex consisting of a tractor and trailer, which required the presence of two ticket collectors. [13][19]
These units were 16.80 metres long with a capacity of 24 seated and 104 standing passengers. They weighed 18.2 tonnes unladen and were powered by 2 No. 70hp motors. They served on routes in Ponente and the Bisagno and Polcevera valleys. They received several improvements to electrical equipment, resulting in enhanced power and speed, in 1958 and 1960. [13]
UITE 1700 Series Trams
These were numbered 1700-1715 They were reconstructions of pairs of two-axle cars in 1954 and 1955 They were bidirectional units. [19]
These units were obtained by joining two old two-axle carriages with a small suspended central body in between. The resulting configuration, quite common for the time, was nicknamed ‘two rooms and kitchen’ (‘due camere e cucina:) and allowed for large-capacity cars to be had at little expense. The transformation, designed by the engineer Remigio Casteggini of UITE, was carried out on some cars by the UITE workshops, on others by Piaggio of Sestri Ponente. The first six entered service in 1954 , followed by another nine the following year. [12]
Tram No. 1703 was one of 15 in the 1700 series. This image was shared by Giovanni Valente on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 6th April 2022, (c) Unknown. [34]
These units were 20.88 metres long and had capacity for 26 seated passengers and 127 standing. They were 26.5 tonnes unladen and were powered by 4 No. 45hp motors. [12]
The 1700 series units were employed primarily on Line No. 1 (Piazza Banco di San Georgio to Voltri. [12]
The first three articles in this series covered the network as it was established by the beginning of the First World War. These articles can be found here, [1] here [2] and here. [3]
We have already noted that there were changes to the network above which occurred before WW1, particularly the second line to Piazza Sturla in the East, the additional line to Sampierdarena in the West and the Municipal line to Quezzi in the Northeast.
In this article we look at the network from World War 1 to the beginning of World War 2.
After WW1 and into early WW2
In 1923, driving on the right was imposed on roads throughout the country (until then, individual cities had discretion over the matter). Genoa complied on 31st August 1924. The change did not cause major upheavals in the tram service as it had always been undertaken by bidirectional carriages with doors on both sides. [19][21: p56]
In the mid 20s the autonomous municipalities between Nervi and Voltri along the coast, up to Pontedecimo in Val Polcevera and up to Prato in Val Bisagno, were annexed to the capital and a ‘Greater Genoa’ was formed. The entire tram network fell within the new municipal area. [19]
During this time UITE remained as a private company but the City acquired a majority of shares. [19][20: p223] and began to direct the development of the company and the network. [19][21: p62]
In 1934, major reform of the network took place. Trams ceased to use Via Roma, Via XX Settembre, and Piazza de Ferrari. The piazza saw major change – the lifting of the ‘tramway ring’ allowed, first, the planting of a large flower bed, and later (in 1936) the construction of a large fountain designed by Giuseppe Crosa di Vergagni. The trams were diverted through Piazza Dante and Galleria Colombo which was newly opened. [20: p224] At the same time new lines crossing the city were activated, with the aim of better distributing passengers in the central areas. [19][21: p62] The following year the trams also abandoned Corso Italia, in favour of a new route further inland which also included the new Galleria Mameli. [19][21: p125]
The modernization of the network included renewal of the fleet of trams. That renewal commenced in 1927 with the introduction of ‘Casteggini’ (trolley/bogie trams – named after the UITE engineer who designed them). These were followed in 1939 by modern ‘Genoa type’ trams, [20: p657] built first as single units and then, from 1942, in an articulated version. [19][20: p660]
In 1935, the large Littorio depot near Ponte Carrega (Val Bisagno) came into operation. In 1940, workshop facilities were opened at the depot. [20: p237-238]
Italian Wikipedia tells us that after the changes made in 1934, the following list covers the tram routes on the network: [19][21: p125]
1 Banco San Giorgio – Voltri 2 Banco San Giorgio – Pegli 3 Banco San Giorgio – Sestri 4 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena 5 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Rivarolo 6 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Bolzaneto 7 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Pontedecimo 8 Banco San Giorgio – Sampierdarena – Campasso 9 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Rivarolo 10 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Bolzaneto 11 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Pontedecimo 12 Banco San Giorgio – Galleria Certosa – Certosa – Sampierdarena – Banco San Giorgio 13 The reverse of Line 12 14 Banco San Giorgio – Cornigliano 15 Banco San Giorgio – Pra 16 Brignole – Corvetto – Pegli 18 Marassi – Bolzaneto 21 Dinegro – Manin – Staglieno 22 Manin – Corvetto – Piazza Santa Sabina 23 De Ferrari – Marassi – Quezzi 24 Corso Dogali – Manin – Corvetto – Principe – Corso Dogali (circulating clockwise through the hills) 25 The reverse of Line 24 (circulating anti-clockwise through the hills) 26 Dinegro – Principe – via Napoli 27 Corso Dogali – Manin – Corvetto – Tommaseo 28 Principe – Corvetto – Via Atto Vannucci – Banco San Giorgio 30 De Ferrari – Foce 31 Banco San Giorgio – Staglieno – Prato 32 Banco San Giorgio – Molassana – Giro del Fullo
33 De Ferrari – Piazza Verdi – Staglieno 34 Piazza della Vittoria – Staglieno – San Gottardo – Doria 35 Piazza della Vittoria – Staglieno 36 Piazza della Vittoria – Ponte Carrega 37 De Ferrari – Piazza Verdi – San Fruttuoso 38 De Ferrari – Via Barabino – Boccadasse 39 De Ferrari – Sturla – Nervi 40 Banco San Giorgio – De Ferrari – Albaro – Quinto 41 Piazza Cavour – Via Barabino – Corso Italia – Priaruggia 42 De Ferrari – San Francesco d’Albaro – Sturla 43 De Ferrari – San Francesco d’Albaro – Lido 44 Banco San Giorgio – De Ferrari – Borgoratti 45 De Ferrari – San Martino – Sturla 46 De Ferrari – Tommaseo – San Martino 47 De Ferrari – San Francesco d’Albaro – Villa Raggio 48 Piazza Cavour – Piazza della Vittoria – San Fruttuoso 49 De Ferrari – Tommaseo – ‘Ospedale San Martino 50 San Martino – Brignole – Corvetto – Sampierdarena – Campasso 51 Quezzi – Brignole – Principe – Galleria Certosa – Rivarolo 52 San Giuliano – Brignole – Principe – Dinegro 53 Tommaseo – Brignole – Principe – Sampierdarena – Campasso 54 Sturla – Albaro – De Ferrari – Banco San Giorgio – Dinegro 55 Foce – Brignole – Principe – Dinegro 56 Marassi – Brignole – Principe – Dinegro
The lines marked with a red ‘X’ are those which closed in the city centre with the reorganisation of 1934, (c) Paolo Gassani. [8]
After 1934, Piazza Banco di San Georgio became the centre of the altered network (it was referred to originally as Piazza Caricamento). This was facilitated by earlier alterations to the network which included:
Piazza Railbetta, Piazza di San Georgio, Via San Lorenzo and Piazza Umberto 1
These earlier alterations included a very short line, shown on the Baedecker 1916 map of Genova, connecting Piazza Banco di San Georgio and Piazza Raibetta. In addition, a line along Via San Lorenzo and Piazza Umberto 1 made a connection from that short line to Piazza Raffaele de Ferrari which at the time was at the heart of Genova’s tram network. This three-way length of connecting tramways opened up the possibility of the significant revisions to the network which occurred in 1934. The 1916 Baedeker map is the first I have found which shows these links, early Baedeker maps available online do not show these lines. There is photographic evidence of these lines being in use by 1906.
An additional short line was provided from Piazza Galeazzo Alessi at the top of Via Corsica along Mura Sant Chiara, Mura del Prato, Viale Milazzzo and Via Alessandra Volta, as shown below.
Corso Italia was built between 1909 and 1915 [6] and the tram line to Foce was extended along Corso Italia sometime in the early 1920s. The tram line can be seen (dotted) on the map extract below.
Other links were added such as a line between Piazza Brignole and Piazza Giuseppi Verdi (outside Brignole Station). With the culverting of the Bisagno River in 1930/31, a link along Via Tolemaide from Piazza Verdi to meet the existing tramway which ran Northeast/Southwest on Via Montevideo and continued East towards San Martino, became possible.
Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari, Piazza Dante and routes East
We have already noted that Piazza Raffaele de Ferrari ceased to be the main focus of the network in 1934 and that trams were removed from Via XX Settembre and Via Roma at the time. What remained in the vicinity of Piazza de Ferrari was a single loop line were 11 lines from the East and Valbisagno terminated. The terminus was on Via Petrarca with a return loop through Via Porta Soprana and Via Antonio Meucci to Piazza Dante and then on to their destinations. The first image below shows the revised arrangements on the South corner of Piazza Raffaele de Ferrari.
Trams which originally entered Piazza Raffaele de Ferrari from the north along Via Roma were diverted from Piazza Corvetto along Via Serra toward Piazza Brignole. More about this further down this article.
A 600 series tram in Via Meucci on the return loop. The tram is approaching Via Dante where it will turn right to head East out of the centre of Genova, (c) Public Domain. [13]
Trams travelled up and down Via Dante and through Galleria Cristoforo Colombo to serve the East of the city and the coast.
When trams were diverted away from Piazza De Ferrari, those which used to travel down Via Roma were diverted along Via Serra and Piazza Brignole. A new length of tramway was built along Via Edmondo de Amicis to link Piazza Brignole with Piazza Verdi and Brignole Railway Station.
The station forecourt of Brignole Railway Station and the North side of Piazza Giuseppe Verdi became a significant hub within the new network inaugurated in 1934.
Looking East across the face of Brignole Railway Station in the 1960s with the tram station in the centre of the view. This image was shared by Gianfranco Curatolo on the C’era Una Volta Genova Facebook group on 20th August 2016. [29]Piazza Giuseppe Verdi and Brignole Railway Station in the 21st century. [Google Maps, December 2024]
East from Piazza Verdi (Via Tolemaide)
Major work was undertaken in the 1930s along the length of the River Bisagno from the railway to the sea shore. That full length of the river was converted and a broad boulevard was created.
Piazza Verdi (Brignole Railway Station), Viale Brigata Partigiane/Viale Brigata Bisagno, Via Barabino, Galleria Mameli, Via Carlo e Nello Rosselli and further East
The construction of Galleria Principe di Piemonte (later Galleria Mameli) allowed a further route East from the city centre to be exploited.
A summary of what was covered in the first two articles
In the previous articles in this short series we looked at the history of trams in Genoa (Genova) – both horse trams and electric trams. In the first article, we covered the story as far as the beginning of the First World War. That article can be found here. [1]
In that article we looked at the tunnels which the city created in order to facilitate access to different parts of the tram network.
That article also covered the Western Network (which is marked in green on the map below).
In the second article we looked at a large part of the Eastern Tram Network. That article can be found here. [2]
We still have to look at the remainder of the network and the history of the network through to its final closure in the mid-1960s.
In this article we look at the services provided on the route from Piazza Corvetto to Prato (via Piazza Manin and Staglieno) which appears in red on the map above and the blue lines which ran out of Piazza Raffeale di Ferrari along Via XX Settembre to Staglieno, Foce, Thommaseo and Nervi. Firstly, looking as those provided before the First World War.
The Years Before World War One – The Eastern Network
Before the start of World War 1, the Eastern network provided these services: [19]
I. Eastern Network:
21 De Ferrari – Manin – Staglieno 22 De Ferrari – Manin 23 De Ferrari – Manin – Castelletto 24 De Ferrari – Manin – Castelletto – San Nicholo 25 Circuit in the hilly suburbs 26 Piazza Principe – Corso Ugo Bassi 27 De Ferrari – Zecca – Principe 28 Caricamento – De Ferrari – Galliera ‘Ospital 29 De Ferrari – Carignano 30 Circular Raibetta – Brignole – Corvetto – Raibetta 31 De Ferrari – Staglieno – Molassana – Prato 32 De Ferrari – Staglieno – Molassana 33 De Ferrari – Pila – Staglieno 34 Staglieno – Iassa 35 Pila – Staglieno 36 Pila – Staglieno – Molassana 37 De Ferrari – San Fruttuoso 38 De Ferrari – Foce 39 De Ferrari – San Francesco – Sturla – Priaruggia – Quinto – Nervi 40 De Ferrari – San Francesco – Sturla – Priaruggia – Quinto 41 De Ferrari – San Francesco – Sturla – Priaruggia 42 De Ferrari – San Francesco – Sturla 43 De Ferrari – Villa Raggio – Lido 44 De Ferrari – Tommaseo – San Martino – Borgoratti 45 De Ferrari – Tommaseo – San Martino – Sturla 46 De Ferrari – Tommaseo – San Martino 47 De Ferrari – Tommaseo 48 Raibetta – Pila
II. Municipal line: De Ferrari – Quezzi
The Eastern network focussed on Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari. We looked at images from that piazza in the first article [1] about the trams of Genoa (Genova). At one time, Piazza de Ferrari was full of ‘circular tramlines’ and it was congested through much of the day.
Tram lines left Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari along Via Roma, to the Northeast and along Via XX Settembre. We covered most of those which radiated from the Northeast end of Via Roma (Piazza Corvetto) in the second article. [2]
This Article: The Rest of the Eastern Network
The line running from Piazza Corvetto to Prato will be covered in this article, along with those which ran out of Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari along Via XX Settembre.
As we have already noted in the second article in this short series, at Piazza Corvetto lines diverged to Piazza Carignano, Brignole, Manin and Acquaverde and Principe. The line to Prato ran Northeast from Piazza Corvetto through Piazza Manin.
Trams ran between Piazza Corvetto and Piazza Manin along Via Assarotti. [Google Maps, December 2024]Looking Northeast along Via Asserotti in the 1940s. Traffic is now driving on the right. Genova had vehicles driving on the left until 1923 when the national government imposed a common practice across the country, (c) Public Domain. [5]Later roadworks at the mouth of Via Asserotti on Piazza Corvetto. Behind the tram is Via Asserotti and to the right, Via S.S Giacomo e Filippo, (c) Public Domain. [3]A postcard view from the 1970s along Via Asserotti from Piazza Corvetto. This is an extract from an image shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Paolo Nuzzo on 12th July 2019. [4]Looking Southwest along Via Asserotti towards Piazza Corvetto, (c) Public Domain. [6]A similar view Southwest along Via Asserotti in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Piazza Manin, looking East towards the city walls. Via Asserotti is behind the camera to the right, (c) J. Neer, Public Domain. [8]A similar view in the 2st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Trams ran through the city walls under Ponte di Via alla Stazione per Casella. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Looking West toward Piazza Manin from outside the city walls. (c) Public Domain. [10]An earlier view looking West with a tram heading towards the camera, (c) Public Domain. [11]
Just East of Piazza Manin, trams passed through the old city walls & turned North following the contours of the side of the Bisagno Valley. This extract from the Baedeker 1906 map of Genova shows the route of the tramway as it heads North. The openstreetmap.org extract shows that the route is along Via Leonardo Montaldo. [13][14]
Trams ran North along Via Leonardo Montaldo. The road was built, initially through undeveloped land, to accommodate the tram service.
Trams from the centre of Genoa arrived at the junction shown above, both along Via Bobbio and Via Montaldo and then continued North and East up the valley of the Bisagno River, passing the Cemetery on the way.
The line which served the Gavette works ran up the East side of the River Bisagno, crossing the river on its approach to the works. It was primarily used for bringing coal to the works in the days when it produced town gas. The article about that railway can be found here. [44]
The terminus of the tramway is a little further East from the hospital/health buildings. These next few images take us to the end of the line in Prato.
Having arrived in Prato we have now covered all the ‘green lines’ and the ‘red lines’ on the network plan provided close to the start of this article. We still have to look at most of the ‘blue lines’. …..
Trams following the route North alongside the River Bisagno started and ended their journeys at Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari and travelled along Via XX Settembre and Via Luigi Cadorna to the location of Ponte Pila. What was once a bridge over the Bisagno River is now part of the culverted length of the river.
In the 21st century, the road North from this location is Viale Emanuele Filiberto Duca d’ Aosta (SS1). Facing North from Ponte Pila the large Piazza Giuseppe Verdi was to the left of the road. This remains as a large garden area. Further ahead on the left is Brignole Railway Station.
The next two images are difficult to location on the modern landscape as so much has change in the are around the River Bisagno. Most probably the building shown are on the line of the dual carriageway which sits over the culverted river.
The junction shown in the image above appears left as a satellite image [Google Maps, December 2024] and below as a Streetview image [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The satellite image shows the remaining length of the route (in blue) as far as Staglieno where it joins the route from Via Lombardo Montaldo (in red). Two views typical of this length in the 21st century are shown below.
Ponte Castelfidardo to Piazza Terralba
We saw a picture of a tram on Ponte Castelfidardo above, on a section of tramway not recorded on the map of pre-1902 tramways of Genova, but Line No. 37 is recorded as running to the area of San Fruttuosa which is the area to the East of the River Bisagno through which this tram ran so was inaugurated between the turn of the century and the start of WW1. We will also see further below that a municipally owned line crossed the bridge and ran out to Quezzi. This line was also put in service before WW1.
To the East of Ponte Castelfidardo trams entered Piazza Manzoni.. Piazza Manzoni led East into Piazza Giusti. The industrial railway from Terralba to Gavette crossed Piazza Giusti. Information about that line can be found here. [64] The photograph below shows a train of covered wagons, probably from the fruit and vegetable market on Corso Sardegna, heading into the goods yard at Terralba. In the picture is the tramway crossing the line of the railway.
A train of covered wagons, probably from the fruit and vegetable market on Corso Sardegna, heads into the goods yard at Terralba. In the picture is a tramway crossing the line of the railway. By the time of this photo, the tramway appears disused as cars are parked across it. [65]
After 1901 and before WW1 a significant extension was made to the route to Foce which took trams South of Piazza del Popolo to the coast and along Corso Italia. That line is illustrated (dotted) on the map extract from the Markilnfan.com Forum below.
This map extract comes form a slightly larger one on the Marklin.com Forum. That new line connected in the East with a later line which ran along Via Barabino and through Galleria Marneli. Phots of the construction work on Corso Italia show it being built immediately after WW1, so it is not strictly relevant to the period we are looking at. [111]
Piazza Thommaseo to Nervi
There were two possible routes to Nervi. That shown blue on the image below was one of these.
A second route can be seen on the map of tramlines in 1956 below. It is not clear when the alternative route began offering a service. We will look at this route later when we have followed the more northerly route as far as Piazza Sturla.
Before heading on towards Nervi along Via dei Mille we need to look back at the alternative route to Piazza Sturla. Trams using this route left Piazza Thommaseo. It is not entirely clear when trams began serving this route. An early, probably pre-WW1 image, shows a tram on Via Albaro near the church of San Francesco.
This satellite image shows Piazza Thommaseo on the left. The blue line shows the tram route as far as the Church of San Francesco. The image below shows a tram using the route between Genova (Genoa) and Nervi. [Google Maps, December 2024]A tram heading for Nervi is travelling along Via Albaro close to the church of San Francesco, (c) Public Domain. [85]The same location in the 21st century, also looking East. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Trams continued Southeast along Via Frederico Ricci and Via Paolo Boselli. [Google Maps, December 2024]Continuing, East-southeast trams ran along Via Pisa and Via Caprera to Piazza Sturla. [Google Maps, December 2024]Before the first world war, a tram heads for the city centre along Via Caprera over the old viaduct, (c) Public Domain. [84]The same view towards the city centre in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
Two different routes to the West of Piazza Sturla have been covered. We now go on from Piazza Sturla to Nervi, setting off along Via dei Mille.
The tram terminus in Nervi was in Piazza Antonio Pittaluga (once Piazza Vittorio Emanuele) Early in the life of the network the terminus was in the piazza, later it was in Viale Goffredo Franchini on the North side of the piazza.
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (later Piazza Antonio Pitta luga), Nervi, (c) Public Domain. [104]The tram terminus in what is now Piazza Antonio Pittaluga, Nervi, (c) Public Domain. [106]Piazza Antonio Pittaluga, Nervi, The terminus has, by the time of this photograph, been moved into Viale Goffredo Franchini on the North side of the piazza. (c) Public Domain. [88]Piazza Antonio Pittaluga, Nerve. Although busses have replaced trams by the time of this 1960s photograph, the tram tracks remain in place. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Gianfranco Dell’Oro Bussetti on 14th November 2019, (c) Unknown Photographer. [103]The tram terminus at Nervi in the mid-20th century. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Giovanna Levaggi on 13th May 2022, (c) Unknown Photographer. [87]The same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The Line to Quezzi
Partially in anticipation of taking control of the whole tram network before WW1, the municipality constructed its own line to Quezzi which used existing tram tracks as far as Ponte Castelfidardo. The transfer of the network to the municipality did not happen and this line, while remaining in the ownership of the city authorities was operated on their behalf by the tram company.
The first three articles about the trams of Genoa cover the network up until the First World War. Future articles will go on to look at the later history of the network and the rolling stock used.
I have not been able to identify the source of this image. It was sourced on line and is likely to no longer be within copyright. Please let me know if this is not the case.
The line between Nice and Monte Carlo opened in a series of stages. First from Monaco to Place d’Armes in Monte Carlo on 14th May 1898; then from Place Massena in Nice to Villefranche, on 1st February 1900; Villefranche to Beaulieu on 3rd November 1900; TNL trams were permitted to run on Monaco’s tramways from 28th May 1903; and the remaining length, Beaulieu to Monaco Place d’Armes opened on 7th November 1903. Over the next few years some single track lengths were doubled.
Trams for Monte Carlo began their journey in Nice a Place Massena. This postcard image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Ciccoli on 10th March 2016. [34]
Trams to Villefranche, Beaulieu and Monte-Carlo left the TNL station at Place Masséna and entered Rue Gioffredo sharing the double track with the urban lines to Gendarmerie and St. Pons. At Rue Defly, the route branched off to the right to cross the River Paillon to Place Garibaldi. The right bank lines to the Boulevard du Pont-Vieux and Abattoirs were crossed there. The line then ran along Rue Cassini to Place Cassini (today Ile-de-Beauté) where several urban lines serving the port terminated.
After leaving the port, trams headed towards Papacino and Deux-Emmanuel quays. With the Riquier line heading up Rue Arson, the Monte-Carlo trams began a steep climb along Boulevard Carnot on the western slope of Mont Boron.
Trams then headed down into Villefranche, which Banaudo reminds us, was the “military port of the House of Savoy and always a popular stopover for cruise and warships. The tramway passed above the dock and the citadel, … crossed ‘l’octroi’ and reached the Villefranche station located in the upper part of the town.” [1: p41] ‘L’octroi’ was the point where visas were granted and taxes were collected. According to the “Petit Robert de la Langue Française,” an ‘octroi’ was, historically, an “indirect contribution collected by a municipality on goods for local consumption (entrance fees).” [2]
This is the first of a sequence of 5 postcard views shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 10th July 2023, which show the approach to Villefranche and it’s customs house (l’Octroi), the entrance to the old town and the first 100 metres or so, of the RN7 heading East. [13]A little closer to Villefranche. [20]The approach to l’Octroi from Nice with a tram standing in front of the building. [13]Looking towards Nice, this view shows the Place de l’Octroi. The building on the left is l’Octroi, the road to the old town leaves past the photographer on the left of the picture. The RN7 and the tram route leave bottom-right. [13]Looking towards Beaulieu and Monte Carlo, the RN7 curves away from the tram stop in Villefranche. The road to the old town drops away to the right. [13]A closer view of the junction. [13]Turning a little to the left from the last image. [13]This picture shows approximately the same location as the last three monochrome images above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
At Villefranche station, according to Banaudo, “certain partial services had their terminus and a particular branch served a building materials warehouse, (un entrepot de materiaux de construction).” [1: p40]
Villefranche-sur-mer again. The road shown pale yellow on this image is the route of the old tramway. [Google Maps, October 2023]St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat runs south from the bottom of this image, which shows Beaulieu-sur-mer. The road shown pale yellow on this image is the route of the old tramway. Beaulieu’s port is top-right. [Google Maps, October 2023]Thomson TNL tram Nº 10 heads East from Villefranche towards Beaulieu, with the Mont Alban fort in the background. [8]Approximately the same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
To accommodate the trams, the RN7, the Basse Corniche, was widened using large retaining walls. The tramway, “skirted the bottom of Villefranche harbour and approached the base of Cap Ferrat. ” [1: p41]
The tramway junction where trams for St. Jean Cap Ferrat left the line to Monte Carlo. [12]The same locatiuon in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
“At the Pont-St. Jean, where the St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat branch turned away, [trams] arrived in the town of Beaulieu, where a centuries-old olive tree marked the entrance adjacent to l’octroi pavilion. Following modifications made during the First World War, the double track ended … shortly after [l’Octroi] stop. Crossing Beaulieu, the line followed Boulevard Félix-Faure (today Maréchal-Joffre), passed under the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia artery near the station then went down towards the seaside where it ran alongside the town hall, the church and the port.” [1: p41]
The old tramway continued to follow the Basse Corniche through Petite Afrique and on twards Cap Roux. [Google Maps, October 2023]Beaulieu-sur-mer, Boulevard Felix-Faure. This photo was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 4th October 2019 by Laurant Mannu. [11]Beaulieu-sur-mer, la Petite Afrique in 1903. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 31st March 2017. [10]Looking East along the promenade in Beaulieu-sur-mer. East of Beaulieu the line heading to Monte Carlo faced significant obstacles. Cliffs falling directly down to the water’s edge required significant civil engineering works to widen the Basse Corniche to make room for vehicles and the tramway. [9]A similar location to the view shown in the monochrome image immediately above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The Basse Corniche ran below the PLM railway through Petite Afrique. [26]A similar view in the 21st century to the sepia postcard image above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Looking back West towards Beaulieu. [22]This colourised postcard view was taken at almost the same location as the image above. [25]
Leaving the town, a siding at the foot of the railway embankment constituted an intermediate terminus in the residential district of ‘Petit Afrique’, “where,” Banaudo tells us, “a micro-climate favours the blossoming of luxuriant vegetation among Moorish and exotic villas.” [1: p41]
The railway tunnel at Cap Roux with the road and tramway at the base of the cliffs. [14]A closer view of the tunnel mouth. [15]The tunnel mouth at Cap Roux in 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
As Banaudo comments: “Shortly after, the high limestone cliffs of Cap Roux fall directly into the sea and form an apparently impassable obstacle to communications on the coast. The PLM line crossed this location via a 419 m tunnel decorated with a superb fortified portal, while a short tunnel cut directly into rock provided for the road and the tramway. It had to be widened when the latter was made double track.” [1: p41]
The road/tramway continue to be shown by the pale yellow line on this next extract from Google Maps. The tunnel at Cap Roux appears at the bottom-left of this extract which shows the Baie d’Eze. [Google Maps, October 2023]A View East from inside the tunnel at Cap Roux. [16]The tunnel at Cap Roux has been widened to accommodate the modern carriageway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]A view West towards the tunnel at Cap Roux. [23]Another postcard image showing the tunnel at Cap Roux, again looking West. [17]A 100 metres or so East from the tunnel, this view looks West and includes part of St. Jean-Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu. [18]
At the point where the PLM line emerged from the Cap Roux, the tramway passed above it on the road bridge and ran along the verge through the location of Eze station. Banaudo tells us that, “In this residential area, the villas are spread out between a well-sheltered beach at the bottom of a bay and the foot of the mountain where the medieval village of Eze perches, at an altitude of 427 m.” 1: p41]
TNL Tram Car No. 3 at Baie d’Eze in around 1906. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alan Rozier on 19th September 2019. Cap Roux is prominent to the left of the tram. [8]
From this point, the terrain along the coast became increasingly steep and the Basse Corniche and the tramway track had to gain height again, passing above Point de L’Isoletta and through Pointe de Cabéel and Cape Estelle, (today, Estel).
This next extract from Google Maps shows Point de L’Isoletta towards the bottom-left. Through traffic on the modern M6098 now passes in tunnel behind Cap-Estel. [Google Maps, October 2023]Looking East along the Basse Corniche in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Looking West along the old tram route on the old Basse Corniche from Cap-Estel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The route rose up from the coast and looped inland below the hamlet of St. Laurent d’Eze. The line soon reached 85m above sea level (its highest point) near the passing loop in the Pissarelles district.
Trams passed through two very short tunnels close the Plage Mala. These appear on the right side of this extract from Google Maps. [Google Maps, October 2023]
Two tunnels cut into the cliff above Plage Mala preceded the start of the descent to Cap-d’Ail. Both of these tunnels remain and continue to carry the Basse Corniche. Banaudo tells us that this was in “the former coastal district of La Turbie which obtained its municipal autonomy in 1908.” [1: p42]
East of St. Laurent d’Eze the Basse Corniche and the trams ran round the Cap-d’Eze, passing through two short tunnels. This is the first viewed from the East. [24]The first of two short tunnels above Plage Mala. This view looks East into the tunnel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The second tunnel viewed from the West. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The second tunnel viewed from the East. [Google Streetview April 2023]The second Mala tunnel sits at the extreme left of this next extract from Google Maps. [Google Maps, October 2023]The Basse Corniche and the tramway continued down through Cap-d’Ail. [Google Maps, October 2023]The descent toward Cap-d’Ai. The tram car is a trailer, part of a two car train heading for Monte Carlo. The double-track tramway takes up much of the highway on the Basse Corniche! [30]
The tramway then ran down past customs barracks and crossed the border into the principality of Monaco. The extract below shows the route of the tramway as it approached the border, which is just off the top of the map extract.
The village of Cap-d’Ail is at the bottom-left of this next extract from Google Maps. The tramway continued to follow the Basse Corniche from Cap d’ Ail in a Northeasterly direction. [Google Maps, October 2023]The descent along the Basse Corniche continued. [21]This next extract from Google Maps shows the centre of Monaco. The border between France and Monaco crossed the old tram route at the location of the roundabout in the bottom-left of this extract, West of the Stade Louis II. [Google Maps, October 2023]The descent into Monaco. This colourised postcard view looks across the TNL tram route towards the Palace. [27]Monaco in 1900. The promontary in the colourised image above is shown towards the bottom of this map with the PLM railway station at its landward (West) end. [31]Monaco 1930. The route of the tramway is shown on this image, crossing the PLM railway line in the bottom left of the map on the Wurttemberg Bridge and then running along Boulevard Charles III towards the port, turning right onto Avenue du Port and then running North alongside the port on Boulevard Albert 1er. [32]
“A warehouse of materials and fuels was located on the border itself in the St. Antoine district.” [1: p42] The tramway then passed under the PLM tracks at the Württemberg bridge, where a passing loop was created in 1913.
Le Boulevard Charles III, very early in the 20th century [40]A simialr view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
The tramway then followed Boulevard Charles III to Place du Canton where a siding was established at the foot of the bastion at the western end of the rock which supported the palace. Banaudo continues: “Industrialists in the Fontvieille district (brewery, chocolate factory and pasta factory) used this siding for unloading and shipping their goods.” [1: p42]
These two postcard views show Place d’Armes. On the second the tramway to Place de la Visitation can clearly be seen on the right. [43]Approximately the same view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, December 2010]
The TNL line joined the urban network of Monaco on the Place d’Armes, where two branch lines left the route: on the left towards the PLM station; and on the right towards Place de la Visitation, on the Rock. The tramway ran along Avenue du Port on a “brief double-track section, then arrived at the gasometer bend, it ran alongside the port by going down Boulevard de la Condamine (today Albert 1er). On Place Ste. Devote, the double track resumed to climb Avenue de Monte-Carlo, whose inclination constituted an absolute record for the entire TNL network: 80 mm/m average over 415 m, including a “peak” at 93 mm/m over 41 m! A bridge spanned the PLM line below ‘l’Hotel Ermitage’, then the tramway left the urban line at la Poste to reach le Plateau de Spélugues, where the terminus was located between ‘l’Hotel de Paris’ and l’e Casino de Monte-Carlo‘.” [1: p42]
Banaudo also highlights a number of structures along the route from Nice to Monaco: “In Nice: Garibaldi bridge over the Paillon (3 cast iron arches). Between Beaulieu and Eze: Cap-Roux tunnel (26 m) and bridge on the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia line. Between Eze and Cap-d’Ail: La Mala 1 (30 m) and La Mala 2 (50 m) tunnels. In Monte-Carlo: L’Ermitage bridge on the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia line.” [1: p43]
La Condamine, now Albert Premier. [29]A view along Boulevard Albert Premier in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2011]A tram runs down La Rampe on La Condamine, now Avenue d’Ostende. [42]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2021]A 21st century view along Avenue d’Ostende at approximately the same location as the two postcard views above. [Google Streetview, July 2021]This low resolution colourised postcard view shows a tram climbing La Rampe (now Avenue de i’Ostende) towards the Casino, passing a series of Hotels. [41]A tram alongside the Casino. [28]A similar location to the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, July 2021]This 1903 postcard shows a tram close to the Casino. [35]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, October 2010]
Two branch lines left the main tramway between Nice and Monte Carlo. These were:
Pont-St. Jean to St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Monaco-Gare to Monaco-Ville (Place d’Armes to Place de la Visitation on the Rock).
These will be the subject of future article(s), as will be the length of the line from Monte Carlo to Menton.
References
José Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume No. 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005.
The Modern Tramway and Light Railway Review of November 1963 carried an article by C.S. Dunbar about the Kingsway Tram Subway. It seemed an opportune moment to focus on the Subway as the southernmost portion of the tunnel was about to open to motor traffic as the Strand Underpass.
An image in my blog in an article about the last few years of London’s tram network prompted some response. [2] So, having read his article, I thought that reproducing most of C.S. Dunbar’s article here might be of interest to others. …
The former tramway subway ran beneath Aldwych and Kingsway. “When the London County Council, as the tramway authority for the Metropolis, decided that it would itself operate the services as the various leases fell in, the question of joining up the separate company systems became very important, particularly with a view to giving communication between the north and south sides of the river. The decision to clear an insanitary area in Holborn, and to construct Aldwych and Kingsway, led to discussion in 1898 on the possibility of using the new streets for a tramway to connect the northern and southern systems. It was then suggested that instead of running the trams on the streets, a sub-surface line should be constructed as an integral part of the improvement. Something similar had already been done in New York and Boston, and a deputation … was, therefore sent to those places.” [1: p385]
On the strength of their report, an application was made in the 1902 session of parliament for powers “to construct a subway for single-deck tramcars at an estimated cost of £282,000 from Theobalds Road to the Embankment at Waterloo Bridge, from which point a surface line would continue to and over Westminster Bridge. By the LC.C (Subway and Tramways) Act, 1902, the subway itself was approved for the whole proposed length, but the tramway was not authorised beyond the north side of the Strand. The proposed Embankment line was rejected and in fact it took the Council four years to secure powers. Many ridiculous arguments were advanced against the line, the most absurd, probably, being that the trams would interfere with members crossing the road to reach St. Stephen’s Club. Six Bills introduced by the Council between 1892 and 1905 to enable it to carry the tramways across Westminster and other bridges and along the Victoria Embankment were thrown out by one or other House of Parliament, and not until 1906 was the battle resolved in the Council’s favour.” [1: p385-386]
As events were to prove, “a great mistake was made in deciding that the subway should only provide for the passage of single-deck cars, but this decision was reached for three main reasons:
(1) to avoid a large sewer under Holborn would, it was thought, necessitate too steep a descent to be safe for double-deck cars – as it was there was a gradient of 1 in 10 from Theobalds Road;
(2) the position of the District Railway in relation to Waterloo Bridge and the gradient from the Strand presented difficulties in the way of making a satisfactory southern exit;
(3) there was a feeling that it might be found that London traffic could be handled more expeditiously with coupled single-deck cars than with double-deckers.” [1: p386]
“Construction was undertaken at the same time as the new streets were laid out and as well as making provision for the trams, a pipe subway for gas and water mains 10 ft. high and 74 ft. wide was built on each side. The approach from Theobalds Road was by an open cutting 170 ft. long in the middle of the road. The tracks then passed into two cast-iron tubes, 14 ft. 5 in. in diameter and 255 ft. long, which took the tracks under the Holborn branch of the Fleet sewer. The rails were 31 ft. below the road surface when passing under Holborn, rising again at 1 in 10 to Holborn Station. Raised side-walks were provided in the single tunnels. From here to Aldwych the tunnel was 20 ft. wide with a roof of steel troughing just below the street. The running rails were laid on longitudinal wooden sleepers embedded in concrete, and since the conduit would not have to bear the weight of road traffic a special lighter design was used in which the normal slot rails were replaced by plates which could be lifted for maintenance. As usual with L.C.C. tramway figures it is difficult to ascertain the actual cost of the work, but it seems likely that the construction of the subway itself accounted for £133.500 for the 2,920 ft. from Theobalds Road to Aldwych, with a further £112.500 for permanent way and electrical equipment.
At the time the subway was opened it was not connected with any other electrified route, so it was decided to terminate the public service at Aldwych Station (situated at the junction of Aldwych and Kingsway) and to use the tracks which extended southwards from there towards the Strand as a depôt. Inspection pits were therefore constructed under this length and some repair equipment installed. An intermediate station was built at Great Queen Street (subsequently renamed Holborn). Pending the opening of Greenwich power station, current was obtained from the County of London Electric Supply Company at a cost of 1d per unit.
Single Deck Cars
Sixteen Class F tramcars (numbered 552 to 567) were ordered from the United Electric Car Company, Limited, Preston at £750 each. The Board of Trade, then the Government Department concerned with tramways, was very focussed on the risk of fire in the tunnels and the new cars had to be as non-flammable as possible. “The underframes were therefore made of steel angle and channel sections, and the body panels were of sheet steel. The slatted longitudinal seats were of non-flammable Pantasote on angle steel supports; the seating capacity of the cars was 36. Even the adjustable spring roller-blinds, with which the windows were fitted, were supposed to be non-flammable. The inside finish was entirely in aluminium. The cars were 33 ft. 6 in. long over the fenders and 24 ft. 10 in. over the body pillars. The trucks were centre bearing maximum traction bogies by Mountain and Gibson with a 4 ft. 6 in. wheelbase and 311 in diameter driving wheels. The distance between the centre of the driving axles was 14 ft. 6 in. The controllers were by Dick Kerr and included provision for using the electro-magnetic brake for service stops.” [1: p387]
Service 31 had more vicissitudes than the other two. Consequent upon the conversion of part of the Wandsworth service to trolleybuses on 12th September, 1937, it was cut back to Prince’s Head, Battersea. The conversion of the Shoreditch area caused its diversion on 10th December, 1939, to terminate at the lay-by at Islington Green (outside the Agricultural Hall) which had been put in in 1906 but never used for regular services, except possibly for a few weeks in 1909. Destination indicators, however, showed ‘Angel, Islington.’ There was a further curtailment on 6th February, 1943, when the service began working between Bloomsbury and Prince’s Head in peak hours and between Westminster Station and Prince’s Head at other times. This arrangement was unsatisfactory owing to the turning points being on through routes and the cars and crews being based at Holloway, and it was hoped as from January, 1947, to run between Islington Green and Wandsworth High Street. It was not, however, possible to introduce this improvement until 12th November, 1947.
In addition to the 100 E/3 type cars previously mentioned, 160 other cars were built to the fireproof specifications laid down for the Subway (HR/2 class 1854- 1903 and 101-159, E/3 class 160 to 210), and in later years some of these worked regularly on the subway services, particularly after war losses. After Hackney depôt closed, the cars for the subway were provided by Holloway depôt for all three services and also by Wandsworth (for 31), Norwood (33) and Camberwell (35). At one time in 1941, Holloway depôt was cut off for several days by an unexploded bomb and could only operate a shuttle service of two cars between Holloway and Highgate, during which period wooden E/1 cars from South London depôts were perforce used on the subway routes, turning back at Highbury Station. The famous L.C.C. car No. 1 of 1932 was intended for the subway services, with air-operated doors and folding steps for use at the subway stations, and worked from Holloway depôt on these services from 1932 to 1937. This car was sold in 1951 to Leeds and is now preserved at Clapham.
In 1937, the rebuilding of Waterloo Bridge necessitated the diversion of the subway exit to a position centrally beneath the new bridge, at a cost of £70,000 including a new crossing of the District Railway; after the changeover took place, on 21st November, 1937, the curved section of tunnel leading to the former exit in the bridge abutment was walled off and still exists. For the next three years, the trams entered the subway through the bare steelwork, as the new bridge took shape above their heads. In anticipation of a general conversion of the London tramways to trolleybus working, an experimental trolleybus (No. 1379) placed in service on 12th June, 1939, was so designed as to permit passengers to board and alight from the offside at Aldwych and Holborn Stations. Not until some years later did London Transport admit officially that this experiment had been a failure. The war brought a reprieve to the remaining London tramways, and was followed by a decision that the routes still working would be replaced by motor buses and the subway closed.
Owing to a need to replace worn-out buses, tramway replacement did not commence until 1950, when on 1st October, tram service No. 31 (Wandsworth High Street- Islington Green) was replaced by bus service 170 (Wandsworth High Street – Hackney L.T. Garage), running via Norfolk Street northbound and Arundel Street southbound, and taking about eight minutes from Savoy Street to Bloomsbury as against four minutes by tram. From 7th October, 1951, Camberwell depôt was closed for reconstruction and its share of service 35 taken over by New Cross. Finally, on Saturday, 5th April, 1952, trams ran through the Subway for the last time; tram service 35 (Forest Hill – Highgate) was replaced next day by bus service 172, and tram service 33 (West Norwood – Manor House) was replaced by bus service 171, West Norwood – Tottenham (Bruce Grove). The last car to carry passengers through the subway in service was E/3 No. 185, some time after midnight, and in the early hours of the following morning the remaining cars from Holloway depôt were driven south through the Subway to new homes or the scrapyard.
“A clerestory roof was fitted with a trolley plate on top, although the cars never actually carried a trolley-pole but were built solely for conduit operation. The height from the ground to the trolley plate was 11 ft. The internal height to the top of the clerestory was 7 ft. 94 in. and the width was 6 ft. 6 in. over the solebars, 6 ft. 8 in. over the pillars and 6 ft. 10 in. over the roof. There were five windows on each side. The first of the class, No. 552, was built with bulkhead doors of the twin sliding type and had side doors to the unvestibuled platforms, which interworked with the folding steps. These doors were removed before the car entered service, and the remainder of the class had the normal single door in each bulkhead and a simple sheathed chain across the platform sides.
Each bulkhead was fitted with an oil lamp above the nearside bulkhead panel, which showed either a white or red aspect externally and also threw a light into the interior of the car. These were replaced by electric lamps at an early date. Hanging from each canopy was a box for the colour- light headcode, and above the canopy was a destination indicator. Projecting from the roof at both ends was an iron bar; this struck against other bars hanging from signal lamps at the beginning of the descent from Theobalds Road travelling south and that from Holborn Station travelling north, so putting the aspect to red. Corresponding contacts were made on leaving the section in both directions to put the signals back to green, the object, of course, being to prevent more than one car in each direction being on the 1 in 10 gradient at one time.
To provide a northern connection with the subway, it was decided to electrify the line in Theobalds Road (by arrangement with the North Metropolitan Tramways Company, which then held the lease) and to construct a new line in Rosebery Avenue and St. John’s Street to the Angel, Islington. The estimate for this was £40,500, but owing to great difficulties with sub-surface mains and other obstructions the cost eventually reached £47,000. Part of the reconstructed roadway was carried on a concealed iron viaduct. Work was started on the reconstruction on 17th September, 1905. The Board of Trade inspected the Subway and the new line to the Angel on 29th December, 1905, and motormen then, began to be trained.” [1: p387]
A public service from Angel to Aldwych began on 24th February 1906, the delay was down to the Board of Trade’s worries over the non-flammable character of the tramcars. The ceremonial opening included “the first car, painted blue and gold, taking 12 minutes northbound and 10 south. This was good running, remembering that horse cars were working in Theobalds Road. Smoking was not permitted in the cars and this led one councillor to suggest the provision of open cars especially for smokers. Fares were fixed at 1d. from the Angel to Holborn Hall and from Holborn Hall to Aldwych and d. for the full journey. The novelty attracted a considerable number of passen- gers from the start and the takings for the first three days with a two-minute service averaged [just over 2s. 2d.] per mile as against 1s. per mile for the double-deckers in South London.” [1: p387]
Class G Tramcar No. 584 leaving the Subway for Westminster in 1923. The L.C.C. flaman can be seen to the right of the photograph. [1: p389]
“Meanwhile in July, 1905, the Council’s attention had been drawn to the fact that its compulsory powers for the acquisition of land and easements for the construction of the subway from Aldwych to the Embankment would expire in August. It therefore voted £50,000 for the necessary acquisition in the hope that powers for the Embankment tramway would eventually be secured. Actually £9,400 was paid to the Duchy of Lancaster and £15,250 to C. Richards and Company for the extinction of their interests in the arches under Wellington Street. In the Parliamentary session of 1905 powers were secured for an additional station south of the Strand under Wellington Street.
In November, 1905, the Council ordered a further 34 cars of a similar type to the first batch, but this time with Brush bodies, glazed bulkheads and Westinghouse equipment (Nos. 568-601, class G). It had not been possible to build steel bodies as cheaply as timber ones and the cost of these cars came out at £27,761, or nearly £817 each. On the delivery of these cars, there were sufficient to extend the route to Highbury Station on 16th November 1906, after High Street and Upper Street, Islington, had been reconstructed in the short time of 12 weeks. In fact the cars started running before the borough council had completed the wood paving at the sides of the carriageway.
When the Embankment tramway was eventually opened and powers had been obtained for the subway link, work was pushed ahead on the remaining section. This fell on a gradient of 1 in 20 from Kingsway to the Strand, 1 in 108.3 under the Strand, and was then level; it was far more costly to construct than the original length, mainly owing to difficulties in crossing the District Railway. The final 620 ft, in fact, cost £96,000 exclusive of permanent way and equipment. The cost would have been £20,000 more had the proposed station at Wellington Street been built, but in March, 1907, the Council decided that the proposal should be aban- doned, as the site was only 200 yards from the Embankment and the platform would be 32 ft. below ground. This decision enabled the extension to be opened nine months earlier than would have been the case otherwise. The Council undertook the whole of the work by direct labour and completed it in about twelve months. South of Aldwych Station, the tracks curved sharply to the south-west in twin tunnels and continued beneath Aldwych as a single tunnel with brick-arch roof, separating again at the Strand into twin cast-iron tubes which continued to about a third of the way under Lancaster Place. The exit on to the Embankment was through the western wing wall of Waterloo Bridge and here a triangular junction was constructed. The eastern side of the junction, leading towards Blackfriars, was never used and was removed during the 1930 re-construction referred to later.
Through services were inaugurated on 10th April, 1908, from Highbury Station to Tower Bridge and from Highbury Station to Kennington Gate. Fares ranged from 0.5d. to 3d, (the maximum on both routes). Special workmen’s fares of 1d. single and 2d, return were given from any terminus to Waterloo Bridge. The journey times varied from 47 to 50 minutes on the Tower Bridge route and 41 to 44 on the other. A six minute service was given on each route with early morning extras between Highbury and Aldwych. The cars were stabled at Holloway and New Cross depôts.
The Kennington service did not pay and in looking for another route on which to use the single-deck cars, the management thought of Queen’s Road, Battersea, on which it was impossible to run double- deckers owing to a low railway bridge. The Kennington service was therefore diverted on 25th January, 1909, to work between St. Paul’s Road and Lavender Hill via Battersea Park Road, giving a service to the Lavender Hill area while the Wandsworth Road line was being electrified. As Essex Road was being reconstructed at this time, it is possible that cars actually turned at the Angel or at Agricultural Hall for some weeks. The through fare was 4d. and the journey time 52 minutes. Transfer fares to Kennington were given. In May, 1910, the Angel definitely became the northern terminus, with a short service working between St. Paul’s Road and Southampton Row. In the following year, the southern portion was cut back to Vauxhall, the crossover in Wandsworth Road by the gas works being used. Transfers were issued to Battersea On 17th June, 1912, the service was again extended but this time to Clapham Junction via Battersea Park Road and the Sunday afternoon service began to work from Southgate Road. In the summer of 1911 (probably on 22nd June) the Tower Bridge service was extended to Tooley Street (Bermondsey Street), the through fare remaining at 3d. and the journey time being 52 minutes, but a year or so later Tower Bridge again became the terminus. The junction westward into Tooley Street was replaced in 1923 by one in the opposite direction.
Until 1912, the cars carried colour-light headcodes, the original through services displaying red-green-red for Highbury Station – Tower Bridge and blank-green-blank for Highbury Station – Kennington Gate. When L.C.C. routes began to be numbered in September, 1912, the Tower Bridge service became 33 and that to Clapham Junction 35, the number being hung from the canopy. This arrangement, used on double-deck cars only until upper deck stencils were fitted, was retained on the subway cars until 1930. On 28th October, 1913, 35 was altered to run between Highbury and Belvedere Road only, the southern part of the service being taken over by 86 from Embankment to Clapham Junction. At this time cars on 35 turned at a lay-by in St. Paul’s Road at one end of the route and in Lambeth Palace Road at the other. A year or so later, Westminster Station became the southern terminus. Service 33 was withdrawn altogether, but reappeared after the 1914-18 war as a weekday service between Highbury and County Hall, while 35 then became Highgate – County Hall. After the withdrawal of 33, Tower Bridge Road was covered by 68 from Waterloo Station. In July, 1924, both 33 and 35 were extended to the Elephant and Castle via St. Georges Road, obtaining at last a terminus at which the cars could stand without obstructing other through services. The author believes that the subway services were the only ones which ever regularly used the southbound track in St. Georges Road. When cheap mid-day tickets were instituted, Savoy Street was taken as the ‘City terminus’ on southbound cars and Bloomsbury on northbound. [1: p387-389]
Decision to Enlarge
As years went by, the L.C.C. increasingly became aware that single-deck cars could not be made profitable. The use of double-deck rolling stock would allow many useful connections and the movement of rolling-stock across the Thames would be facilitated. The, then current, route for double-deck trams to cross the Thames was via North Finchley, Putney and Wandsworth.
In 1929, the L.C.C. decided to increase the headroom to 16 ft. 6 in. They sought to raise the roof at the northern end and deepen the tunnel at other places. The decision resulted in observations that the subway might well be “enlarged to take motor traffic as well as trams, but the Metropolitan Police Commissioner pointed out that congestion would arise at each end of the tunnel, that a serious traffic block would quickly develop if a vehicle broke down inside, and that there was a danger of exhaust fumes and even fire. The London Traffic Advisory Committee recommended that the tunnel could serve no useful purpose as a motor-way, and the L.C.C. would have nothing to do with the idea. Nevertheless, on the day the subway was reopened, The Times returned to the theme and hoped that the tunnel would be available for omnibuses and other vehicles ‘when tramways have had their day.'” [1: p390]
Dunbar continues:
“The contract was awarded to John Cochrane and Sons, Limited, who started work on the street level on 11th September, 1929, this necessitating the temporary diversion via Hart Street and Theobalds Road of bus services 7 and 184. North of Holborn the roadway was opened up and the twin tunnels replaced (after sewer diversions) by one wide passage with a steel girder roof, while elsewhere the additional headroom was obtained by under-pinning the side walls with concrete and lowering the track by approximately 5 ft. The estimated cost was £326,000 including £76,000 for the reconstruction of the 50 single-deck cars. On and from 16th January, 1930, only one tram service (numbered 33) ran through the subway from Highgate to the Elephant, while 35 worked Highgate – Bloomsbury. The single-deck cars carried passengers through the subway for the last time on Monday morning, 3rd February, 1930, after which the subway was closed altogether, a connection being maintained by temporary L.G.O.C. bus service 175 (Islington – Charing Cross Embankment via Kingsway and Northumberland Avenue, returning via Norfolk Street, Strand and Aldwych). On 14th May another bus service – 161 – was put on between Islington and Waterloo on weekdays only. The two tramway stations were rebuilt and modernised, that at Holborn being finished in travertine, a cream marble used in ancient Rome. Standard trackwork with yokes and slot-rails set in concrete was used in place of the special type evolved for the original construction.
It had been hoped that the subway would be reopened by the Prince of Wales on 17th December, 1930, and in anticipation of this car No. 1930 was painted blue and gold. Actually, however, it was not possible to start experimental runs before 5th January 1931. The formal reopening was performed on Wednesday, 14th January, 1931, by the Chairman of the Council, Major Tasker, car No. 1931 painted white with blue lining being employed, followed by two other cars. These ran from the Embankment to Theobalds Road and back to Holborn Station, where one of the platform seats served as a rostrum for the speeches. Public service commenced at 5 o’clock next morning, with a one-minute headway and a total of 5,000 cars per week. The L.C.C. issued a special booklet describing the subway’s history and reconstruction and listing the new services and transfer facilities, together with the running times. [1: p390]
“The subway service was worked by the new E/3 class cars (Nos. 1904-2003) which had been ordered in June, 1929, from Hurst, Nelson & Co., of Motherwell, and had been working on various South London services until the subway was ready. In the subway, it became necessary to use the drivers’ platforms and the front stairways for boarding and alighting at the island platforms of Holborn and Aldwych stations. The former bar-operated signals at Holborn and Bloomsbury were replaced by others worked by the passage of the plough in the conduit slot. The single-deck cars were withdrawn and the trucks and Westinghouse equipments used under new English Electric composite bodies, but still bearing the original numbers (552-601). The single- deck car bodies were offered for sale in 1930, to be collected at Holloway or Charlton. In earlier years, some of these cars were stabled, first at Jew’s Row and later at Clapham for the Queens Road service, while in 1911 some were sent to Hampstead for the experiment with coupled cars which took place between January and August of that year on the Hampstead – Euston route.
Public service through the subway began again on 15th January, 1931, with three services: 31, Hackney Station – Wandsworth High Street via Shoreditch and Battersea Park Road (73 minutes, weekdays), Hackney – Tooting Junction (Saturday evenings) and Leyton Station L.M.S. – Westminster Station (54 minutes, Sundays); 33, Highbury Station – Water Lane, Brixton (42 minutes, weekday peak hours), with occasional workings to Norbury; 35, Highgate, Archway Tavern-New Cross Gate via Kennington (59 minutes, daily). It was originally intended to work 31 through to Wimbledon via Haydon’s Road, but this was never done. From 19th April to 4th October, 1931, the Sunday working of this service was from Leyton, Baker’s Arms, to Tooting Junction (17 miles). A similar arrangement prevailed in subsequent summers, but for the rest of the year the Sunday workings were between Baker’s Arms and Wandsworth.
Service 33 was altered twice during 1931 and began operating in off-peak hours, being diverted first to Norwood on 14th May, and then at the other end to Manor House on 8th October, after which it remained unchanged. Also on 14th May, 1931, 35 was extended to Forest Hill (Cranston Road) via Brockley, the indicators actually showing Brockley Rise. A Saturday evening and Sunday working was instituted between Highgate and Downham via Brockley – 16 miles the longest tram service ever operated entirely inside the County of London. The dates of this service are uncertain, but it was definitely working on 8th October, 1931. It possibly ceased after 5th March, 1932, on which date the southern terminus of 35 became the lay-by at Forest Hill Station. On 30th June, 1932, the route was diverted via Walworth Road instead of via Kennington and thereafter remained unchanged. On 1st June, 1933, short workings were introduced between Highbury and Elephant and Castle via St. Georges Road. These were numbered 35A.” [1: p390-392]
Route 31 saw a series of different changes over its life. Dunbar tells us that “consequent upon the conversion of part of the Wandsworth service to Trolleybuses on 12th September 1937, it was cut back to Prince’s Head, Battersea. The conversion of the Shoreditch area caused its diversion on 10th December 1939, to terminate at the lay-by at Islington Green (outside the Agricultural Hall) which had been put in in 1906 but never used for regular services, except possibly for a few weeks in 1909. Destination indicators, however, showed ‘Angel, Islington’. There was a further curtailment on 6th February 1943, when the service began working between Bloomsbury and Prince’s Head in peak hours and between Westminster Station and Prince’s Head at other times. This arrangement was unsatisfactory owing to the turning points being on through routes and the cars and crews being based at Holloway, and it was hoped as from January 1947, to run between Islington Green and Wandsworth High Street. It was not, however possible to introduce this improvement until 12th November 1947.”[1: p392-394]
“In addition to the 100 E/3 type cars previously mentioned, 160 other cars were built to the fireproof specifications laid down for the Subway (HR/2 class 1854 to 1903 and 101-159, E/3 class 160 to 210). and in later years some of these worked regularly on the subway services, particularly after war losses. After Hackney depôt closed, the cars for the subway were provided by Holloway depôt for all three services and also by Wandsworth (for 31), Norwood (33) and Camberwell (35). At one time in 1941, Holloway depôt was cut off for several days by an unexploded bomb and could only operate a shuttle service of two cars between Holloway and Highgate, during which period wooden E/ cars from South London depôts were per- force used on the subway routes, turning back at Highbury Station. The famous L.C.C. car No. 1 of 1932 was intended for the subway services, with air-operated doors and folding steps for use at the subway stations, and worked from Holloway depôt on these services from 1932 to 1937. The car was sold in 1951 to Leeds and is preserved at Clapham. [1963]
In 1937, the rebuilding of Waterloo Bridge necessitated the diversion of subway exit to a position centrally beneath the new bridge, at a cost of £70,000 including a new crossing of the District Railway; after the changeover took place, on 21st November, 1937, the curved section of tunnel leading to the former exit in the bridge abutment was walled off and still exists. For the next three years, the trams entered the subway through the bare steelwork, as the new bridge took shape above their heads. In anticipation of a general con- version of the London tramways to trolley- bus working, an experimental trolleybus (No. 1379) placed in service on 12th June 1939, was so designed as to permit passengers to board and alight from the offside at Aldwych and Holborn Stations. Not until some years later did London Transport admit officially that this experiment had been a failure.” [1: p394]
The Second World War meant a reprieve for the remaining tramways in London. Trolleybuses were no longer seen as the future, the decision was taken to replace the trams with motor buses. The decision was taken to close the Subway. In practice tramway closures did not happen quickly. Already worn out buses were replaced first, so tramway replacement did not start until 1950. We have looked at the twilight years of London’s tramways in an earlier post in this series. [4]
On Saturday 5th April 1952, “trams ran through the Subway for the last time. … The last car to carry passengers through the Subway in service was E/3 No. 185, some time after midnight, and in the early hours of the following morning the remaining cars from Holloway depôt were driven South through the Subway to new homes or the scrapyard.” [1: p394]
“The tracks remained unaltered, though disused, until the final abandonment of London’s tramways on 5th July, 1952, after which the street tracks were lifted in stages and those in the subway, cut at the approaches, were left as the longest section remaining in London. A technical committee was set up by the Minister of Transport to report on the possible use of the subway for motor vehicles, and tests with road vehicles were carried out both before and after closure, but the committee concluded that a satisfactory scheme would cost £1,200,000 and the Minister decided that the money could be better used in other ways. An alternative scheme to convert the subway to a car park was rejected because the cost (£175,000) was out of proportion to the benefit. In 1953, London Transport used the subway to store 120 retired buses and coaches in case they were needed for the Coronation, and in 1955 it was used to represent a railway tunnel in the film Bhowani Junction. A film company offered to take over the whole subway as a film studio, but this was rejected on account of the fire risk. Repeated questions in Parliament kept the issue alive, but in 1955 London Transport invited applications for the use of the tunnel as a store for non-flammable goods, and finally leased it in October, 1957, to S. G. Young & Co. of Blackfriars as a store for machine parts. The new tenants introduced fluorescent lighting colour-washed walls, and filled in part of the floor so as to use fork-lift trucks and pallets. After the trolleybus power supply ceased in 1959, the DC automatic pumps beneath the Strand at the lowest point of the subway were re-motored to work from the public supply.
Meanwhile, in June, 1958, the London County Council expressed interest in taking over the subway and creating an underpass for light traffic beneath the Strand and Aldwych to deal with the traffic jams which often extend right across Waterloo Bridge. This plan involved about half the subway, from Lancaster Place to Kemble Street, and received official backing, though not until April 1962, did the Minister of Transport decide to make a grant of 75 per cent towards the estimated total cost of £1,306,512. The consulting engineers were Frederick Snow & Partners, and the contract for the reconstruction, totalling £1,025,233, was awarded in July, 1962, to John Mowlem & Co, who moved in on 1st September, 1962, and promptly began their 15-month task.” [1: p395]
The new underpass opened on 21 January 1964. “It is only 17 feet (5.2 m) wide and, as a result, it is normally one-way northbound because of the side clearances required. The headroom is only 12.5 feet (3.8 m) due to the tunnel having to pass beneath [a] bridge abutment by a 1:12 gradient. An electronic ‘eye’ alerts drivers of tall vehicles and diverts them to an ‘escape route’ to the left of the entrance. However, high vehicles do still try to pass through and so get stuck occasionally.” [5]
“The underpass is a concrete box within the former tram subway, with the road surface at the original track level. At the northern end of the underpass the road rises to the surface on a new carriageway supported by metal pillars. This passes through the site of the former Aldwych tramway station; because of the greater width requirement, 27 trees and some pavement sections were removed for it to be constructed.” [5]
“The tunnel was used by the 521 bus route northbound until it was withdrawn in April 2023. In 2012, the direction of traffic in the tunnel was temporarily reversed, so that it was in use by southbound traffic. This was to facilitate easier traffic flow during the 2012 Summer Olympics.” [5]
References
C.S. Dunbar; London’s Tramway Subway; in Modern Tramway and Light Railway Review, Volume 26 No. 311, November 1963, p385-395.
Jose Banaudo published a two volume set of books about the historic trams of Nice, “Nice au fil du Tram.” Articles based around the first of these two volumes can be found on the following links:
This new post is the first of a series of articles based on the second volume. [1] The books were published as French language texts, quotations directly from the books have been translated with the assistance of ‘Google Lens’ and ‘Google Translate’.
Jose Banaudo tells us that, after a time served only by horse-powered trams, Nice granted concessions to the Tramways de Nice et du Littoral (TNL). Those concessions were granted, line by line, by the city of Nice, by the State, by the Principality of Monaco, by the Port of Nice and by the Departmente des Alpes-Maritimes on the understanding that electrically powered trams would be used. The individually granted concessions meant that the TNL had to work hard to ensure that the differences between these concessions did not significantly affect the service it provided to the public. In fact, it achieved “a remarkable technical unification of its operations.” [1: p6]
Rather than looking at the detail of the statutes, Jose Banaudo has grouped his work into three main categories: the urban lines of Nice; those of the coast (including the urban networks of Monaco and Menton); and those of the hinterland.
Held in Nice Archive Library, this is a map of the tram network (cartes du reseau des tramways), in the early 20th century. Archives Nice Côte d’Azur, 2 O 3. [3]
The urban network in Nice was built in just a short time between 1900 and 1902. “Subsequently, the mileage was increased in 1903 by the Parc-Impérial line, in 1907 by the extension of the Gendarmerie to St. Pons line, then in 1908 by the line to La Madeleine and the extension from St. Pons to St. André.” [1: p6] Banaudo tells us that, “Other lines planned for the residential areas of the city centre and on the edge of the Old Town were not built, following disagreements with the municipality.” [1: p6]
In the first chapter of his book, [1] Jose Banaudo covers the nine original urban lines, and the modifications made to that network. This article covers four of those lines.
He notes that until the end of 1922, the lines were designated by a number which did not appear on the vehicles. On 1st January 1923 visible numbering was introduced which was then altered on 8th October 1934. This later renumbering took account of the removal of the north-south axis route and most of the interurban lines ….
For each of the lines covered below, Banaudo provides a route map. The route maps used comes from a series produced in 1934.
La Ligne de Cimiez
The first tramway on this route was a 600mm track gauge tramway created in 1895. The new tramway was double track for most of its route, it began at the corner of Rue de l’Hôtel-des-Postes and Avenue de la Gare, where it connected with the tracks going up the avenue from Place Masséna.
This, and subsequent route maps, show each route as it was in 1934. They are sourced from the collection of Richard Panizzi. [1: p7]L’Hotel des Postes with a tram running on Rue de l’Hotel des Postes. [2]L’Hotel des Postes looking North from Rue Foncet in October 2022. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
After passing Place de la Liberté (now Wilson) in front of the main post office (built in 1888 and which gave its name to the street), it reached the crossroads at Rue Tonduti-de-L’Escarène where it was crossed at right angles by the route between Nice’s Port and the Railway Station. (That route was used both for passengers and for goods.
The line crossed Place Defly (today Marshall) where it passed in front of the main entrance of the l’hopital St. Roch. It then passed the end of the Rue de l’Hôtel-des-Postes (initially named Scaliéro at that point) close to the southern slopes of the hill of Cimiez. Here the tramway veered left onto Boulevard Carabacel, while on the right a short walk of 140 m made it possible to reach the depot of Ste. Agathe via the Barla bridge.
Around here were elite villas and a few luxurious hotels, such as the Hermitage and the Grand-Palais, which had their own private funicular. At the end of Boulevard Carabacel, the Avenue Désambrois heralded the start of the Boulevard de Cimiez and its long climb to Les Arenes.
Le Boulevard de Cimiez. [4]Le Boulevard de Cimiez in March 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]Another view of Le Boulevard de Cimiez. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 8th July 2019 by Roland Ciccoli. [5]Le Boulevard de Cimiez in March 2023 again. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Le Boulevard de Cimiez climbed to a junction beneath the substantial Régina Hotel where the statue of Queen Victoria marks the frequent stays of the British sovereign in the Cimiez district in the latter years of the 19th century.
The older tramway turned to the left to pass in front of the hotel. The TNL route turned to the right with a brief steep climb to reach Les Arenes (the Arena) directly.
The tram route bears to the right in front of the Regina Palace Hotel. The older horse -drawn tramway turned left at this location. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 15th March 2019 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [5]The same location in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Les Arenes, the remains of the ancient Roman city of Cemenelum, was very popular with the people of Nice with its park of olive trees and the nearby Franciscan monastery. Many walkers used this tram service to access this area on Sundays and during the annual festivals of Des Mais and Des Cougourdons. Here, the line became single track to go up Avenue Cap-de-Croix (today Flirey). The only passing loop was near the Octroi-de-Brancolar on the Place des Quatre-Chemins (now Commandant-Gérôme), shortly before reaching the Cimiez terminus. This was located on a single track and steep slope in front of the entrance to the Zoological Gardens.
The terminus of ‘La Ligne de Cimiez’ at the Zoological Gardens. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 27th June 2015 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [7]
The Jardin Zoologique was founded in the last years of the 19th century and closed in 1906.
La Ligne de Carras, La California, St. Augustin et St. Laurent-du-Var
A route map from 1934 held in the collection of Richard Panizzi [1: p10]
This line ran West from Place Massena to St. Laurent-du-Var, initially following an East-West route along Rue Masséna, Place Magenta, Rue de France and the Place de la Croix-de-Marbre.
That length of this route was shared with the interurban lines to Cagnes and Antibes, and with other urban routes: the one towards the Passage-à-Niveau branched off onto Boulevard Gambetta, while the line from La Madeleine branched off at Pont-Magnan.
Pont Magnon. The tram tracks can be seen in the road surface. The branch to La Madeleine turns away at the right of this image which was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 14th January 2020 by Roland Coccoli. [10]The location of Pont Magnan. Boulevard de la Madeleine runs away to the right at this junction. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Beyond the bridge over the Magnan valley, the tramway followed the Avenue de la Californie to serve the Lenval children’s hospital; the suburb of Ste. Hélène and its church; continuing then to Carras where several services terminated.
TNL tram No. 124 alongside the church rooms if Ste. Hélène on Avenue de la Californie. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 11th June 2020 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [9]The same location on Avenue de la Californie, l’Eglise de Ste. Helene. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The line then continued on through the district of La Californie, where the electricity substation provided power and where a short branch line, opened in 1910 to serve the airfield for the great air show in Nice.
Banaudo notes that the creation of a branch for an air show which lasted only two weeks aroused criticism. “The local press pointed out that in this same district, the TNL company had always refused to establish a line serving the Caucade cemetery, which would have been more useful for the people of Nice. Families going to the cemetery had to leave the tramway at Carras and walk up Avenue Ste. Marguerite. … This large cemetery in the west of Nice was first served by public transport by the Santa-Azur bus company which opened a bus-route in 1922, to which the TNL reacted, opening their own tram service in 1925.” [1: p9]
Trams then stopped near the St. Augustin bridge to serve the station called ‘Le Var’ (today ‘Nice-St. Augustin’). At this point the line became single-track and ran alongside the railway embankment to the left (East) bank of the river. A branch serving the Hippodrome du Var was opened in 1901. The branch was about 800 metres long and was used on horse racing days. The River Var was initially crossed on a 355 m long mixed rail/road bridge, carrying the PLM railway, the tramway and the highway. In 1923, a new railway bridge was built upstream of the original. On the right (West) bank, the tramcars providing urban services terminated at the level crossing of St. Laurent-du-Var, while those towards Cagnes and Antibes continued heading West.
A tram on the bridge over the River Var. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 17th March 2016 by Roland Ciccoli. [8]A view in 2022 of the same bridge, vegetation close to the bridge makes it impossible to show a direct modern comparison with the picture above. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
La Ligne de St. Maurice et St. Sylvestre
Originally this line had its terminus at Place Masséna, although services on the route were quickly extended to the Port.
From the Port, trams followed Rue Cassini to Place Garibaldi where they turned left along Rue des Italiens towards Place Masséna.
A route map of this line from 1934 held in the collection of Richard Panizzi [1: p13]Place Massena looking North along Avenue de la Gare, which in 2023 is known as Avenue Jean Medecin. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 22nd December 2015 by Roland Coccoli. [12]A similar view from Place Massena looking towards Avenue Jean Medecin. [Google Streetview, 2013]
Banaudo notes that North of Place Masséna there was a connection to Rue de l’Hôtel des Postes and the line to Cimiez.
At the junction between Avenue de la Gare (now Avenue Jean Medecin) and Rue de l’Hotel des Postes with Café de la Regence on the corner. Avenue de la Gare runs away on the left side of the image. The connection to the line to Cimiez can be seen on the right. Note the central conduit used for power in the centre of Nice. [16]The same junction in the 21st century. The Café de la Regence has been replaced by the Societe Generale building. Modern tram tracks can be seen in the surface of Avenue Jean Medecin. [Google Streetview,
The line then followed Avenue de la Gare (later renamed Avenue de la Victoire then today Avenue Jean-Médecin). “On this route,” Banaudo says, “shaded by majestic plane trees was concentrated a great urban activity with the first big stores of the city, the banks, the hotels, the brasseries and cafes, of which some were frequented heavily by those on winter vacations.” [1: p12]
Banaudo continues: “After passing in front of the neo-Gothic style Notre-Dame church, inaugurated in 1868, the tramway crossed the tracks arriving from the Port by Rue Assalit which continued towards the PLM station by Avenue Thiers. It then passed under the bridge of the Nice-Ventimiglia line, beyond which the supply by aerial wire replaced the underground conduit which was used between Place Masséna and the railway station.” [1: p12]
In this South-facing view, a tram passes Notre Dame church on what was Avenue de la Gare, Avenue Jean-Médecin (Public Domain). [13]The same location looking South on Avenue Jean Medecin (previously Avenue de la Gare) with the Basilique Notre Dame de l’Assomption on the right. [Google Streetview, May 2018]Avenue Jean Medecin passes under the SNCF (formerly PLM) railway lines. Boulevard Raimbaldi runs away from the camera alongside the railway. This photograph was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Laure Bermond on 22nd July 2023. [14]The railway bridge now sits beneath the Voi Pierre Mathis. [Google Streetview, May 2018]Trams on Avenue Malaussena. The conduit used for power collection is visible again. The trams are stopped here to allow the pickup assembly (plough) to be lifted from the conduit and for the pole to be raised to make contact with the overhead power line. [17]
North of the railway lines, the route continued along Avenue Malaussena, through Place Béatrix (later Place Gambetta of the Liberation and today Place General De Gaulle) where stood the imposing facade of the Gare du Sud, terminus of the Chemins de Fer du Sud de la France lines which served Digne-les-Bains, Grasse, Draguignan and Meyrargues. Those lines can be followed in other posts on this blog. [11]
Avenue Borriglione in 1900. The trams share the carriageway with horse drawn carts. In the 21st century the route is reserved for the use of trams and pedestrians. [18]The same length of Avenue Borriglione seen from the corner of Rue Parmentier in the 21st century. The trams have the road carriageway dedicated to their use. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
At Place Beatrix, the line towards the Passage-à-Niveau Gambetta turned away to the left along Boulevard Joseph-Garnier, while the route we are following “continued its route along Avenue Borriglione, a narrower street than those previously taken. Place de St. Maurice (today Place de Alexandre-Médecin) marked the end of the double track and served as a terminus for every other service on this route. Beyond this, the tram continued its route along Avenue du Ray through what were then still rural suburbs. There were four crossing loops along this length. The terminus was established on the Place deSt. Sylvestre (today Place de General-Goiran), at the outlet of the Vallon-Obscur where inns, guinguettes and boules pitches were popular Sunday excursion destinations.” [1: p12]
A stop on the run towards the terminus in St. Sylvestre. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jose Barbe D’acier on 20th February 2023. [15]The tram terminus at St. Sylvestre. This image was also shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jose Barbe D’acier on 20th February 2023. [15]This image shows the approximate location of the old tramway terminus on Avenue de St. Sylvestre. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
La Ligne des Abattoirs et de la Trinite (Gare PLM – Abattoirs)
This line shared most of its route with other lines and when the restructuring occurred in 1934 the city centre section between Avenue Thiers and Place Garibaldi, was removed as the service was covered effectively by other lines.
Originally, the line started in front of the PLM station in Nice-Ville, from where the tramway went along Avenue Thiers to turn South on Avenue de la Gare, which it followed to Place Masséna. At the southern end of Place Masséna, the double-track turned into the Boulevards Mac-Mahon and du Pont-Vieux (today Jean-Jaurès).
The old route of the tramway turned left into Boulevard Mac-Mahon. This view shows the street in 1866 before the River Paillon was culverted. [21]The old route of the tramway turned left into Boulevard Mac-Mahon. [19]A similar view in the 21st century, looking along Boulevard Jean-Jaurès. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Passing along the left (East) bank of the River Paillon. Banaudo notes that the river was, “often reduced to a meager trickle of water flowing over stretches of pebbles where the ‘bugadiera’ (washerwomen) came to wash and spread their laundry on either side of the Pont-Vieux.” [1: p17]
‘Bugadiera’ in the river channel of the Paillon. [23]
There was a fruit and vegetable market here in summer at the edge of the Old Town that the people of Nice affectionately nicknamed the ‘Babazouk’.
This route map for the line shows its route after the changes to the network in 1934. The map comes from the collection of Richard Panizzi. Place Garibaldi can be seen bottom-centre of the image. To the left of this the route shown dies not match that described by Jose Banaudo. The changes to the network in 1934 resulted in the trams beginning this journey by travelling along Boulevard Gambetta from their new terminus at Place Gambetta. They turned left onto Rue de France and then ran along Rue H. Sauvan and across the North end of Place Masséna onto Rue Gioffredo before turning right onto Rue Defley and approaching Place Garibaldi from the North. [1: p20]A tram on Rue Gioffredo after the Second World War. [20]
“When it reached Place Garibaldi, the … tramway crossed the Monte-Carlo and Port lines, before joining the Contes line, which had its terminus at a corner of the square. The double tracks ran up Rue de la République in its entirety, crossing at the intersection of Rue Barla the Gare PLM-Place Saluzzo line. Then at the intersection of Boulevard Ste. Agathe it passed the junction to the depot and the Riquier district. Arriving at Place Risso, it took the road to Turin and passed under the bridge of the PLM Nice-Ventimiglia line.” [1: p17]
The next section of the line passed Nice’s gas works and coking plant where a series of branches allowed for goods traffic to and from the works/plant and military military maintenance warehouses. There was also a branch into the St. Roch station.
After Place de La Brigue, the tramway passed under the bridge of the PLM Nice-Coni line and crossed an industrial district, with slaughterhouses and the cattle market on its left, and to the right, refrigerated warehouses and meat traders and the access to St. Roch station. A terminus for urban services was located a little beyond the footbridge of the Abattoirs, at the point where the Route de Turin joins the bank of the River Paillon.
The double track ended, and just beyond this point, the line included sidings at the Hauteur de la Cité PLM and at the Octroi de Turin, the urban terminus and a stabling point for freight trains waiting to enter the city. Banaudo, writing in 2005, comments that “the provisional terminus of the new Nice tramway will be established here, at the end of the ‘Pont Michel’ named after a former metallurgical workshop in the St. Roch district. This end of the Chemin de Roquebillière is now called Boulevard Pierre Sémard.” [1: p17]
The single track tramway was now laid in the shoulder if the road and provided connections to a marble merchant and to the military fodder yard, an establishment which gave its name to a tram stop with a passing loop. Here, “the valley narrowed between the heights of Mont Gros, surmounted by the dome of the Observatory on the left bank, and the hills of Cimiez and St. Pons on the right bank where the line to Levens ran.” [1: p17]
After passing “the Notre-Dame de Bon-Voyage chapel, where travelers in the past invoked divine protection before undertaking their journey towards the Col de Tende and Piedmont, the line passed under the … PLM Nice-Coni line and l’Evitement des Carrières where some other urban services terminated. Opposite the then rural district of L’Ariane, the tramway tracks crossed those of the railway which served the Gerland warehouse, and then the Vallon de l’Oli and Boccadore sidings.” [1: p17]
“At the entrance to the town of La Trinité-Victor, trams encountered the bridge over the Laghet valley, … then the branch to the Ariane flour mill which turned left to cross the PLM railway and the Paillon. The track rejoined the roadway in the centre of La Trinité-Victor, where the terminus was established.” [1: p17] Trams providing rural services continued beyond this point. The line actually continued on to Contes, Bendéjun and La Grave-de-Peille.
The line continues on from the urban terminus at La Trinite-Victor toward Contes. [22]
References
Jose Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume No. 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005. This is a french language text.
The lines to Digne-les-Bains and Meyrargues were metre-gauge secondary railway lines. The original terminus no longer serves the railways and is a cultural and food centre with a more modern, but much less impressive, terminus sited to the West.
Roger Farnworth 
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
