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.
A Summary of what was covered in the First Article
In the previous article in this short series we looked at the history of trams in Genoa (Genova) – both horse trams and electric trams. 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). 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.
As well as looking in detail at the Western network, we noted the services provided on the whole network before the First World War. Details of the lines which formed the Western network can be found in the earlier article – here. [1]
In this article we look at the service provided on another large portion of the remainder of the network in the period up to 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
III. Municipal line: A. De Ferrari – Quezzi
Initially the East and West networks touched only at a location close to Principe Railway Station. Later, after a link was made between Piazza Caricamento and Piazza Raibetta (only a short length of rails) there was a coastal line which linked Piazza Caricamento to the Eastern lines through Raibetta.
The Eastern network focussed on Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari. We looked at images from that piazza in the first article 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.
The lines along Via Roma led to Piazza Corvetto where lines diverged to Carignano, Brignole, Manin and Acquaverde and Principe. A further line looped through the hills North of the city centre from Acquaverde to Manon, and a line ran North from Manin up the Val Bisagno to Staglieno and Prato. We will lookat these line in this article, those which ran out of Piazza de Raffeale Ferrari along Via XX Settembre will be for a further article.
As we have already noted, at Piazza Corvetto lines diverged to Piazza Carignano, Brignole, Manin and Acquaverde and Principe.
Line No. 29 – Piazza Corvetto to Carignano
The line to Carignano left the piazza in a South-southwest direction. The roads used are currently named Via XII Ottobre and Viale IV Novembre, Corso Andrea Podesta (which bridges Via XX Settembre), Via Corsica, Via Galeazzo Alessi.
This extract from the Baedeker Map of Genova from 1906 shows the route of Tram No. 29 – from Piazza de Ferrari to Piazza Corvetto, then South on the East side of Ospidale di Pammatone, along Corso Andrea Podesta (which bridges Via XX Settembre), then in a loop including Via Corsica, Via Nino Bixio, Piazza Carignano and Via Galeazzo Alessi, (c) Public Domain. [40]The route of Line No. 29 is shown dotted on this extract from Google’s satellite imagery. [Google Maps, December 2024]This image shows a tram heading out of Piazza Corvetto in the Carignano direction down the present Via XII Ottobre. The image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Alessandro Pellerano on 23rd March 2021, (c) Public Domain. [22]A similar view looking towards Piazza Corvetto along Via XII Ottobre in the 21st century. [Googl;e Streetview, August 2024]If this image is prior to 1923, traffic in Genova would have been on the left. This tram would then be travelling away from the camera leaving Viale IV Novembre to run along a short length on Via XII Ottobre to Piazza Corvetto. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Silvia Brisigotti on 31st May 2024, (c) Public Domain. [26]A similar view towards Piazza Corvetto from Via IV Novembre. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Looking South along Corso Andrea Podesta with Abbazio di Santo Stefano peeping out behind the first building on the right. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 15th February 2020 by Enrico Pinna, (c) Public Domain. [33]The same view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Looking North along Corso Andrea Podesta. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 14th March 2019 by Enrico Pinna, (c) Public Domain. [31]A similar view facing North on Corso Andrea Podesta across the bridge over Via XX Settembre.on the left of the photograph is Abbazio di Santo Stefano. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Looking East along Via XX Settembre with Abbazio di Santo Stefano on the left and the bridge carrying Corso Andrea Podesta ahead. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Corso Andrea Podesta, 1906. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 26th July 2022 by Renata Fergola, (c) Public Domain. [30]A similar view in the 21st century. The three buildings on the right of the monochrome image above dominate this photo. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Looking North along Corso Andrea Podesta from a point a few hundred metres to the South of the bridge over Via XX Settembre. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 7th July 2024 by Zenzero Secondo from the Collection of Stefano Finauri, (c) Public Domain. [29]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]At the South end of Corso Andrea Podesta, looking North. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group on 26th July 2024 by Pietro Spanedda, (c) Public Domain. [27]This view seems to be as close as it is possible to get on Google Streetview to the colourised postcard image above. The steps which are prominent in the image above can be seen through the balustrade to the right of this image. [Google Streetview, 2019]Via Corsica, 1916. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group on 23rd November 2019 by Pietro Cassani, (c) Public Domain. [34]Via Corsica in the 21st century – the trees evident in the monochrome image above have matured significantly since the early 20th century. As a result it is difficult to determine the modern equivalent of the older view. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
A loop ran round Via Galeazzo, Piazza Carignano and Via Corsica as shown below
Piazza Carignano in the early years of the 20th century looking along Via Galeazzo Alesi. The tram in the picture appears to have travelled to Piazza Carignano along Via Galeazzo Alesi. It will turn to its left along the side of Piazza Carignano before leaving the piazza along Via Nino Bixio. The loop may also have been travelled in the reverse direction, if so, this tram is leaving Piazza Carignanao down Via Galeazzo Alesi. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Franco Bonadonna on 18th October 2022, (c) Public Domain. [25]Tha same view in the 21st century. [Googl;e Streetview, August 2024]This picture shows the tram tracks running along the side of Piazza Carignano from Via Galeazzo Alesi and turning down Via Nino Bixio. This image was shared on the Foto Genove Antica Facebook Group on 30th April 2024 by Pietro Spanedda, (c) Public Domain. [23]This view of Via Nino Bixio seen from Via Corsica shows a tram running away from the camera along Via Nino Bixio having turned right from Via Corsica. Prior to 1923 Genova traffic travelled on the left. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Roberto Cito on 9th September 2023, (c) Public Domain. [24]A similar view in the 21st century of Via Nino Bixio from Via Corsica. [Google Streetview, September 2020]
Line 30 – Piazza della Raibetta to Piazza Brignole via Piazza Corevetto
Italian Wikipedia describes this route as a ‘circular’ (Circolare) – we will need to consider how this route differs from an ‘out-and-back’ service (such as Line 29 between Piazza de Ferrari and Piazza Carignano).
Piazza della Raibetta was the terminus of a coastal tram route. Initially, it was only served by Line No. 30.
These three extracts from the Baedeker 1906 map of Genoa show the route of Line No. 30.
Again, assuming the map by Arbalete is correct, the line ran South from Piazza Raibetta along (probably) Via Filippo Turati and then through Piazza Cavour onto Sottopasso di Carcimento. The line continued around the South side of the city along Corso Maurizio Quadro and Corso Aurelio Saffi (previously Corso Principe Oddone) to the mouth of the River Bisagno where it turned inland, following the Val Bisagno as far as Via Luigi Cardorna where trams turned left following that road to the West which continued into Via XX Settembre. Then into Piazza de Ferrari, Via Roma, Piazza Corvetto, Via Serra and finally Piazza Brignole, (c) Public Domain. [40]
Line No. 30 from Piazza Raibetta along (probably) Via Filippo Turati and then through Piazza Cavour onto Sottopasso di Carcimento. The line then continued around the South side of the city along Corso Maurizio Quadro and, at the bottom of this satellite image, Corso Aurelio Saffi. [Google Maps, December 2024]Trams followed Corso Aurelio Saffi (previously Corso Principe Oddone) to the mouth of the River Bisagno where they turned inland, following the Val Bisagno as far as Via Luigi Cardorna where trams turned left following that road to the West which continued into Via XX Settembre. [Google Maps, December 2024]From Via XX Settembre trams entered Piazza de Ferrari ran along Via Roma, through Piazza Corvetto onto Via Serra and into Piazza Brignole. [Google Maps, December 2024]
There is an alternative to this route. This would have trams returning from Brignole to Ponte Pila by a more direct route and so completing a ‘circular’ as suggested by the route listings above. The 1906 Baedeker below shows a tram route which would permit this option.
These next few photographs of the coast road (Circonvallazione a Mare) focus on a dramatic Villa which overhung the road – Villa Figari (also known as Villa Mylius).
Via Settembre feeds into Piazza de Ferrari and trams passed through Ferrari onto Via Roma and then on to Piazza Corvetto. Pictures of this length of the route can be found in the part of this article (above) covering Line No. 29.
From Piazza Corvetto the trams ran along Via Serra to Plaza Brignole.
The view East from Piazza Corvetto along Via Serra towards Piazza Brignole. [Google Streetview, August 2024]A view across the railway tracks at Brignole station, looking West through Piazza Brignole and along Via Serra, (c) Public Domain. [50]Looking West from Piazza Brignole along Via Serra. This image was shared by Gino Ratto on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group on 14th July 2020, (c) Public Domain. [55]The view along Via Serra from Piazza Brignole in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Piazza Brignole to the Northwest of the Railway Station. This image was shared by Corallo Giorgio on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group on 9th November 2016, (c) Public Domain. [61]Piazza Brignole in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
Just to the West of Piazza Brignole, a tram line ran along Via Galata, South from Via Serra to Via Colombo, along Via Colombo to Via Ederra (now Via Fiume), then North on Via Ederra before turning Southeast across the front of Brignole Railway Station (across the North side of Piazza Guiseppe Verdi and then Southwest alongside the River Bisagno on Via Canevari.
Trams ran South on Via Galata. [Google Streetview, August 24]Trams ran East on Via Colombo. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Looking North on Via Fiume (once Via Edeera) which trams followed towards Brignole Station which sits beyond the trees to the right of this image. [Google Streetview, August 2020]The curve round to the front of Brignle Railway Station, (c) Public Domain. [60]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Looking South down the line of the right bank of the River Bisagno (now culverted). The street is Via Canevari. Trams ran South alongside the river on Via Canevari.Looking North up Via Canevari with the River Bisagno on the right. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Asinus Natator on 7th February 2022, (c) Public Domain. [52]Looking North from a similar position in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
From the location of Ponte Pila trams followed the route alongside the River Bisagno and then along Corso Aurelio Saffi back to Piazza Raibetta.
Piazza Corvetto to Piazza del Principe
Two tunnels made it possible for trams to run between Piazza Corvetto and Piazza Principe. The route ran via, what are now Galleria Nino Bixio and Galleria Giuseppe Garibaldi, through Largo della Zecca, along Via Paolo Emilio Bensa, through Piazza della Nunziata, along Via Balbi, through Piazza Acquaverde and then along the South side of Principe Railway Station along Via Andrea Doria to Piazza del Principe.
The tram route we are looking at now runs West-northwest out of Piazza Corvetto through two tunnels and through Piazza Acquaverde before reaching Piazza del Principe. A relatively straight route except for the dog-leg close to Piazza Acquaverde. [19]
Trams on Line No. 25 turned to the Northwest at the East end of Piazza Acquaverde. A short climb led to the lower entrance to Galleria Sant’Ugo. That tunnel is covered in the earlier post in this short series, here. [1]
Galleria Sant’Ugo was a horseshoe shaped tunnel which lifted trams to pavement level in Piazza Pedro Ferriera. Leaving the tunnel trams ran Northeast along Via Sant’Ugo.
Corso Firenze continues East then Northeast. It then turns sharply to the right, heading Southwest. The next monochrome image looks North from the end of that southwesterly length of the road.
Corso Firenze gives out onto Piazza Goffredo Villa where the tram route ran Northwest-Southeast for a short distance before heading Northeast on Corso Niccolo Paganini.
Trams ran the full length of Corso Magenta and onto Corso Solferino which in turn led to Corso Carlo Armellini. Passing the Manin/Contardo Lift on their left, trams entered Piazza Manin.
Looking East into Piazza Manin from Corso Carlo Armellini. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Piazza Manin seen from the East looking off The Ponte di Via della Crocetta, (c) Public Domain. [82]Piazza Manin, (c) Public Domain. [84]A simila view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Piazza Manin, (c) Public Domain. [86]Piazza Manin, looking East, (c) Public Domain. [87]A view looking East from Piazza Manin in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
Piazza Corvetto to Piazza Manin, Staglieno and Prato in Val Biasagno.
This article has covered the Western half of the Eastern tram network. We will cover the length of line from Piazza Corvetto to Plato (via Paizza Manin and Staglieno) along with the lines which ran East along Via XX Settembre to Val Bisagno and then diverged to serve Staglieno, Raibetta (which we have already looked at), Foce, Thommaseo and Nervi in another article.
We will also cover the history of the Genoa Network from the end of the first World War in that next article and, either in that article of a further article, the rolling stock used on the network.
We begin this article with a look at maps of the Piazza Raffeale de Ferrari and its immediate environs over the years around the turn of the 20th century. The Piazza became one of two focal points for tramways in the city (the other was Caricamento).
I found the series of maps interesting and they provoked a desire to find out more about the network of horse-drawn and later electric trams and tramways of Genoa. ….
Italian Wikipedia informs us that: “The first public transport in Genoa was provided by a horse bus service linking the city centre and Sampierdarena, that started in 1873. In 1878, the French company Compagnia Generale Francese de Tramways (CGFT, French General Company of Tramways) began to build a horse tram system.” [16][17]
Towards the end of the century, the new urban plan led to the construction of new roads with wider carriageways, principal among these were:
Via Assarotti connecting Piazza Corvetto to Piazza Manin;
Via XX Settembre, built between 1892 and 1899, widening Strada Giulia and connecting the Palazzo Ducale (Piazza de Ferrari) with Porta Pila and the banks of the River Bisagno (once the eastern boundary of the city);
Corso Buenos Aires, once outside the city walls, was lowered to the level of Ponte Pila and the new Via XX Settembre, to form a single artery that would connect the centre with the Albaro district;
Corso Torino, perpendicular to Corso Buenos Aires.
After this work was done, the city began to look more modern and the widened streets made room for tramways in the centre and East of the city. The municipal administration began to plan new lines, both towards the eastern suburbs and in the central districts of the city. [19]
The city welcomed competition and set up a series of concessions which were given to different groups: the French Company kept the Western concession; Val Bisagno and the hilly areas to two Swiss businessman (Bucher & Durrer); and the east of the city was granted to a group of local businessmen. [19][20: p66]
The two parties, other than the French, formed companies: Bucher created the Società di Ferrovie Elettriche e Funicolari (SFEF) in 1891. [20: p85] The Genoese entrepreneurs founded the Società Anonima Tramways Orientali (SATO) in 1894. [20: p120] The two companies took on the two concessions which envisaged electric traction on metre-gauge lines to accommodate running on the narrow winding streets of the city centre. [19]
“By 1894, SFEF had achieved no more than a single short electric tram line between Piazza Manin and Piazza Corvetto, whilst SATO had not progressed beyond the planning stage. The CGFT system had extended through the city and the Val Polcevera, but was still horse operated.” [16][17]
“In 1894, the German company Allgemeine Elektrizitäts Gesellschaft (AEG) … bought both the SFEF and SATO companies. The following year AEG created the company Officine Electrical Genovesi (OEG), … which took over the city’s existing electricity supply company, and the Società Unione Italiana Tramways Elettrici (UITE), … which purchased the CGFT’s concession. By the end of 1895, AEG had a monopoly of both electricity supply and public transport provision in the city.” [16][17] Under AEG’s “ownership, SFEF and SATO developed a tram network of more than 53 km (33 mi) reaching Nervi and Prato, whilst UITE electrified their lines to Voltri and Pontedecimo.” [16][17]
As we have already noted, the first electric traction line connected Piazza Corvetto to Piazza Manin, running along Via Assarotti. [20: p92] It was activated by SFEF on 14th May 1893 [20: p96] The single-track line was 800 metres long and ran on a constant gradient of 7% [20: p95]; the tickets cost 10 cents. The electrification (600 V DC) was via an overhead cable and was carried out by AEG of Berlin, which, as we have already seen, later acquired a significant shareholding in the company. [19][20: p86-87]
In subsequent years the SFEF network expanded rapidly; in 1895-96 the Monte line to the North of the city centre entered into service, including the Sant’Ugo spiral tunnel; in 1896 the line from Piazza Principe to Piazza Brignole was born. It included two tunnels in the Castelletto area. [21: p20] , In 1897, the Val Bisagno line up to Prato began operation. [19][21: p26]
The first SATO line entered into service on 26th July 1897, connecting Piazza Raibetta to Staglieno through the Circonvallazione a Mare, [20: p122] followed two years later by the long coastal line to Nervi. [20: p127] In 1900 the eastern trams reached the central Piazza de Ferrari, travelling along the new Via XX Settembre which was formed through widening of the old Via Giulia. [19][21: p53]
The two networks, SFEF and SATO, were technically compatible and the two companies, both controlled by AEG, soon unified the two networks. [20: p142]
“Finally in December 1901, AEG merged SFEF and SATO into an enlarged UITE.” [16][17]
The enlarged UITE found itself managing 70 km of network, divided between the 30 km of the ‘Western network’: (formerly the French Company) and the 40 km of the ‘Eastern network’ (formerly SFEF and SATO). [20: p170-171] The unification of the network led to an increase in overall traffic, symbolised by the creation of the vast ring terminus in Piazza de Ferrari in 1906. [20: p129]
This seems the right time to look again at the ‘ring terminus’ in Piazza de Raffeale Ferrari. ….
In 1908, after three years of construction work, Galleria Certosa (Certosa Tunnel) was put into use. It facilitated tram journeys to and from the Polcevera valley, avoiding the crossing of San Pier d’Arena. [19][21: p38] The tunnel connected Piazza Dinegro, in the port area, to the Rivarolo district in Val Polcevera. It was 1.76 km long. [22]
In 1934, Galleria Certosa was used every day by five lines: Tram No. 9 (San Giorgio-Rivarolo), tram No. 10 (San Giorgio-Bolzaneto), tram No. 11 (San Giorgio-Pontedecimo) and the two circular lines between San Giorgio and Sampierdarena. [22]
Having noted the construction of Galleria Certosa in the early years of the 20th century (above), it is worth looking at some other tunnels which were built to facilitate the movement of trams.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III (renamed Galleria Giuseppe Garibaldi on 27th November 1943)
There seems to be quite a story to the life of this tunnel! The first two photographs show the first tunnel. They focus on the portal in Piazza Della Zeccan.
These next two photographs show the tunnel as it was first widened in the form which preceded the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III which had a much smaller bore.
Named after Christopher Columbus, whose house was nearby, the gallery was opened to the public in the 1930s and was hailed as the city’s gateway to the sea. It connected Piazza de Ferrari and Piazza della Vittoria.
Now long gone, there was a tram tunnel on Via Milano to the Southwest of the city centre. It took the tramway (and roadway) under San Benigno Hill. It was.built in 1878 by the Compagnia Generale Francese dei Tramways for its horse-drawn trams. Its Southwest portal was in Largo Laterna. Its Northeast portal is shown in the first image below.
In the early years of the 20th century, the municipal administration began to consider the idea of taking control of the tram service. In anticipation of this, in 1913, it built its own line from Marassi to Quezzi, known as Municipal Line A, it was operated by UITE on behalf of the Municipality. [19][21: p44]
Before the start of World War 1, the tram network provided these services: [19]
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
III. Municipal line:
A De Ferrari – Quezzi
The Western Network, particularly before World War One
Lines 1 to 11 constituted the Western Network. All of these lines had their city centre terminus at Piazza Caricamento. The Piazza is shown on the adjacent 1916 map.
The map shows part of the Port area of Genoa (Genova) in 1916 with a significant series of standard-gauge railway sidings in evidence (black lines) and some red lines which indicate the metre-gauge tram routes. Piazza Caricamento is close to the water halfway down the map extract. [31]
There were three main routes out of Piazza Caricamento, one of which followed the coast round to meet the lines on the East of the city. The other two shared the bulk of the services leaving the piazza. One of these two routes ran West through San Pier d’Arena (Sampierdarena), the other ran through Galleria Certosa.
The route to San Pier d’Arena (Sampierdarena) closely follows the coast and ran through the Galleria on Via Milano before the San Benigno Hill was raised to the ground.
Pictures of the Galleria can be seen earlier in this article.
West of the Galleria, the original tramway ran along what is now Via Giacomo Buranello (what was Via Vittorio Emanuele) to Sampierdarena. This route appears to the North of the SS1 on the satellite image below.
Before looking at line further West from Sampierdarena we need to note a line which was added to the network before WW1.
A second tramway was built which ran alongside the railway sidings on what is now the SS1, it was then Via Milano, towards Sampierdarena. The route is illustrated by the mid-20th century view below.
That route along Via Sampierdarena (Via Milano and Via Colombo) and then Via Pacinotti is illustrated at the bottom of the map below. After running along the centre of Via Sampierdarena, trams turned inland, heading Northwest to join the earlier route, West of Piazza Vittorio Veneto on Via Pacinotti.
A map provided by the Marklinfan.com Forum which shows the new coastal tram route mentioned above. [92]
The Western Network’s Coastal Line(s)
At Sampierdarena the original lines of the Western network separated. Some lines continuing along the coast and others turning inland. The lines diverged at the West end of Piazza Vittorio Veneto. The coastal line ran along what is today Via Frederico Avio, then turned onto what is now Via Antonio Pacinotti, before turning West on what is now Via Raffaele Pieragostini, crossing the River Polcevera at Ponte di Cornigliano, running along Via Giovanni Ansaldo before joining Via Cornigliano at Piazza Andrea Massena.
We have followed the Western Network as far as we can along the coast. We now need to look at the line(s) of the Western network which ran up the valley of the River Polcevera from Sampierdarena.
To do this we need to return to Piazza Vittorio Veneto in Sampierdarena.
The Western Network and Val Polcevera (the Valley of the River Polcevera)
The lines to the North left Piazza Vittorio Veneto at its Western end, passing immediately through an underpass under the FS Standard Gauge railway.
In the 19th century the route was known as ‘Via Vittorio Emanuele’. In the early years of the 20th century the road was renamed ‘Via Umberto 1’. In 1935, the city gave the road the name ‘Via Milite Ignoto’ (the Unknown Soldier). This decision appears to have been short-live as very soon the road was divided into two lengths, the more southerly length becoming ‘Via Martiri Fascisti’, the remaining length, ‘Via delle Corporazioni’. After the end of Word War Two renaming again occurred. In 1945 the names which continue to be used in the 21st century were chosen – ‘Via Paolo Reti’ and ‘Via Walter Fillak ‘. Fillak and Reti were partisans in WW2. [59][66]
A view from above … This is Piazza (Via) Vittorio Emanuele seen from the West. The tram tracks can be seen heading away through the underpass in the foreground. [75]
The route of this part of the old tramway network begins at this rail underpass (where the street is now named, ‘Piazza Nicolo Montano’, having once been Via Nino Bixio), [65] before running along Via Paolo Reti and then Via Walter Fillak. Just beyond the underpass the railway station access left the road on the left. The first old postcard views below show this location.
Two pixelated, low definition images showing the bottom end of what was Via Umberto 1. One the left in both images is the incline leading to the Sampierdarena Railway Station forecourt. [59]A tram sits at a stop at Piazza Montano. This image was shared on the Foto Genova Antica Facebook Group by Annamaria Patti on 22nd May 2022. [3]Three further postcard views, of better quality, of the bottom end of Via Umberto 1, (c) Public Domain. [59][62][63]The view to the Northeast from the rail underpass in 2024. The station approach is on the left. The old tramway curved round to the left below the station approach’s retaining wall. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Just a little further along the old tram route. The retaining wall on the left supports the station approach road. The tramway ran on along what is now Via Paolo Reti. For some distance the road was flanked by a retaining wall supporting the FS standard-gauge railway. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
The adjacent Google satellite image shows roads over which the old tramway ran. In the bottom right is Piazza Nicolo Montano. It is also possible to make out the station approach ramp which has a number of cars parked on it. In the immediate vicinity of the passenger railway station, railway buildings can be seen separating Via Paolo Reti from the railway but very soon the road and the railway run side-by-side with the railway perhaps 2 to 3 metres above the road. Via Eustachio Degola passes under the railway just to the North of the station buildings. Towards the top of the satellite image, Via Paolo Reti can be seen turning away from the railway wall. [Google Maps, December 2024]
Via Paolo Reti (the former Via Umberto 1) turns away from the railway wall which is now much lower than it was near the station buildings. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Via Umberto 1, looking North from the bend visible in the photograph above where the road leaves the side of the railway, (c) Public Domain. [68]Via Paolo Reti (once Via Umberto 1) at the same location as the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
The monochrome image below purports to show Piazza San Marino. As far as I can work out the piazza was historically, ‘Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III’ and later renamed for another partisan from World War 2 – ‘Piazza Ricardo Masnata’.
A relatively low quality image of Piazza San Marino and Via Umberto 1. The piazza later became Piazza Ricardo Masnata. This view looks North with a tram visible on the left, (c) Public Domain. [64]Piazza Ricardo Masnata, looking North. There is little to link this image from 2024 with the monochrome image above, other than the alignment of the roads and the shape of the piazza. However, at the centre of this image is a lower building which also appears in the monochrome image. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Via Umberto 1 looking North from what became Piazza Ricardo Masnata, (c) Public Domain. [67]The same location in the 21st century. [GVia Umberto 1, now Via Walter Fillak with a tram heading towards Genoa. [69]The same location on Via Walter Fillak in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
The line from Sampierdarena ran towards Certosa where, once Galleria Certosa was completed, it met the line through the tunnel.
The tramway followed Via Celesia through Rivarolo (Superior). Rivarolo and Via Celesia can be seen at the bottom of this extract from openstreetmap.org. [79]
This image from the early 20th century looks North along Via Celesia. Space on the street was clearly at a premium! [80]Via Celesia in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
North of Via Celesia, the tramway ran along Via Rivarolo.
This postcard shows the junction at the North end of Via Celesia, circa. 1920s. Via Rivarolo is ahead. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Mario Vanni on 18th August 2019, (c) Public Domain. [82]The smae location in the 21st century. [Google Streeetview, August 2024]This next extract from openstreetmap.org shows Via Rivarolo entering bottom-left. Trams ran on into Teglia on Via Teglia and continued on to Bolzaneto (in the top-right of this extract) along Via Constantino Reta. [79]This postcard view looks South along what is now Via Teglia (then Via Regina Margherita. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Elio Berneri on 19th October 2020, (c) Public Domain. [83]A very similar view at the same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]Car 906 in service on line 7 Caricamento – Pontedecimo, one of the longest of the UITE, is seen here running in Bolzaneto. The photograph was taken facing North. In the background you can see another Tramcar, as well as a third on the track in the opposite direction, (c) Public Domain. [84]A similar North facing view in Bolzaneto in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]A tram waits at Piazza del Municipio in Bolzaneto. This image was shared by Mario Vanni on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group on 8th July 2021, (c) Public Domain. [85]A very similat view of the same location in the 21st century. The road on which the bus is standing is now known as Via Pasquale Pastorino. [Google Streetview, August 2024]A few hundred metres to the Northeast is the area known as ‘Bratte’. A tram waits in the mid-20th century to set off for Caricamento. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Roberto Della Rocca on 12th December 2020. [86]A similar view at the same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
North of Bratte, Trams crossed the River Secca, a tributary of the Polcevera, following Via Ferriere Bruzzo and then continued North alongside the River Polcevera on Via San Quirico.
Tram No 79 leads a trailer car South on Via San Quirico in the first decades of the 20th century. It seems as though Ponte Tullio Barbieri can be seen behind the tram. This image was shared by Sergio De Nicolai on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group on 21st October 2018. [88]A similar location on Via San Quirico in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2022]
Trams passed under the FS Standard-gauge lines close to Ponte Tullio Barbieri. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Trams ran on through the centre on San Quirico on Via San Quirico.Before returning to the side of the river, passing under the railway again. [Google Streetview, July 2022]
The next length of the journey is the last. Trams terminated at Pontedecimo. [79]
A tram and trailercar on Lungo Polcevera in Pontedecimo close to Pontedecimo Railway Station, This image was taken looking South along the river bank and was shared by Giorgio Gioli on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group on 4th November 2020. [89]This view looks South along the bank of the River Polcevera at a location similar to that in the image above. [Googler Streetview, January 2021]
The central piazza in Pontedecimo. The terminus of the tram service. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Roberto Cito on 29th October 2023. [87]Trams terminated in Pontedecimo. [Google Streetview, July 2022]The tram depot at Pontedecimo. This image was shared on the C’era una volta Genova Facebook Group by Alessandro Lombardo on 30th October 2019. [90]
The Metropolitana di Genova is, in 2024, a single-line, double-track light rapid transit system that connects the centre of Genova, Italy with the suburb of Rivarolo Ligure, to the north-west of the city centre. It runs through to Brignole Railway Station in the East of the city. In 2024, the service is managed by Azienda Mobilità e Trasporti (AMT), which provides public transport for the city of Genoa. [1]
The Metro is a 7.1 kilometres (4.4 mi) long 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) double-track line and is electrified with overhead lines at 750 volts DC. It has a direct connection with Trenitalia’s mainline railway station, Principe. [1]
The origins of a subway in Genoa date back to the beginning of the twentieth century; in 1907 Carlo Pfalz, who had already designed the Zecca-Righi Funicular, [2] was the first to explore the construction of an underground railway with electric traction. Several projects, including that of the engineer Angelo Massardo and those of Renzo Picasso (1911 and 1930), were proposed without being realized. Instead, a tram system at surface level was built which ultimately was abandoned in 1966. An attempt to introduce an alternative means of transport was made on the occasion of the International Exhibition of Marine and Maritime Hygiene of 1914: it was a ‘Telfer’, an elevated monorail that connected the Port (Giano Pier area) to the exhibition area in Piazza di Francia, in front of the Brignole station. The infrastructure was then abandoned and finally demolished in 1918. [1]
An article about the Telfer can be found here. [3]
The underground ‘Metro’ was built in a series of phases. “The first section, opened on 13th June 1990 in time for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, was 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) [6] between the stations of Brin and Dinegro. [7] The line was extended to Principe in 1992, [6] to San Giorgio-Caricamento in 2003, [6] to De Ferrari (the underground station at Piazza De Ferrari) in 2005, [6] and to Brignole in 2012.” [8]
Since 2024, citizens of Genoa have been able to use the subway free of charge without any time restrictions.[9]
Stations
Brin Station – is currently (2024) the Northwest terminus of the line. It is situated along Via Benedetto Brin in the neighbourhood of Certosa in Rivarolo Ligure, a suburban area in the north-western outskirts of Genoa, Italy. The station, currently the terminus of the line, is located just west of the tunnel mouth on the line from Dinegro station. [10] It is built on a viaduct, which allows for the line to be extended to the north.
The station was designed by architect Renzo Piano, the station’s official opening took place on 13th June 1990. [10]
Dinegro Station is located under Via Milano, adjoining the Piazza Dinegro from which it derives its name, in the Fassolo area of Genova. It is just East of the business district of San Benigno and close to the ferry terminal.
Darsena Metro Station is located on Via Antonio Gramsci close to Piazza della Darsena. ‘Darsena’ translates to ‘dock’ in English. The station serves the old port area of the city. [15]
San Georgio Station is located under Piazza della Raibetta beside the Palazzo San Giorgio, after which it is named. It is in the Old Harbour area near the Aquarium of Genoa. It was opened together with Darsena Station on 25th July 2003 and saw its first trains on 7th August 2003. [17]
The tracks of the San Giorgio station run beneath the Piazza Caricamento underpass and its underground architecture is similar to the model adopted for the Principe and Darsena stops, that is, with the tracks on the sides of the single central platform. During 2006, some electronic display boards were installed to inform users of the arrival times of trains. [17]
Sarzano/Sant’Agostino Station is located in the historical centre of Genoa. The main entrance is in the Piazza di Sarzano near the Church of St. Augustine, now deconsecrated and turned into a museum, with a second entrance on the Mura della Marina, the old seawall. It opened on 3rd April 2006. [19]
De Ferrari Station is close to Teatro Carlo Felice, Galleria Mazzini, the Doge’s Palace, and Via XX Settembre. It opened on 4th February 2005. It was originally designed, like others, by Renzo Piano with finishing touches by Renzo Truffelli. This used to be the last station on the line until the easterly extension towards Genova Brignole Railway Station opened in 2012. [21][22]
The entrance to de Ferrari Station. [23]Platform level at de Ferrari Station. [€23]
Corvetto Station – In March 2024 3Ti Projeto announced that the design of Corvetto Station had been approved by the municipality. Work is expected to cost around 38.3 million Euros and be completed late in 2024 or early in 2025. [24][25][26]
These two images show the 3Ti Projeto design for Corvetto Station. [24]
Brignole Station – sits close to the main line Brignole Station to the West of the city centre. It opened in 2012. [27]
Wikipedia tells us that Genova is just (in 2024) bringing a fourth generation of trams into service. The three previous generations each served the city well.
First Generation Rolling Stock – consisted of 6 sets of articulated cars, built by Ansaldo, and introduced in 1990. They were derived from the Zurich Tram 2000 tram used in Switzerland, but altered for standard gauge running. Each vehicle had two sections with one central articulation. They were supported on three bogies The two outer bogies were motorised. The vehicles were bidirectional and had four sets of doors on each side. They had blue seats in a transverse arrangement. The train were numbered 01 to 06. [1][29]
Second Generation Rolling Stock – was made up of a group of 12 trains. Numbered 12 to 24. Like the first generation, each train was made up of two sections resting on three bogies, with the outer two motorised. The trains were bidirectional with six doors on each side, and the seats were arranged longitudinally. The trains were built by Ansaldo and introduced in 1992. [1][30]
Third Generation Rolling Stock – these trams/trains significantly differ to the previous two. They were delivered by Hitachi Rail Italy in 2016. There are 7 trains numbered 31 to 37. The trains are longer than previous generations at 39 metres and four articulated sections with five bogies. Of the five bogies, the central three are motorised. There are a total of four doors per side of the bidirectional sets. [1][31]
Fourth Generation Rolling Stock – In anticipation of the planned extensions (see below) and considering the now thirty-year service of the first generation trains, in 2020 the Municipality obtained a loan of 70 million Euros to purchase 14 new generation trains. [32] In 2021, Hitachi Rail signed the contract to supply the new trains on a rolling programme, monthly by month, to coincide with the inauguration of the Brin-Canepari and Brignole-Martinez routes. [33]
In June 2024, Sustainable Bus E-magazine reported that the first of these new units had arrived in Genoa. [26]
New tram/train No. 42. [26]
The new units will be numbered 41 to 54. “Each of the 14 new vehicles is made up of four half-cars, resting on five bogies, for a total length of 39 metres, will be able to accommodate up to 290 passengers, will be bidirectional, and will also run in double formation for a total length of 78 metres and a capacity of 580 passengers.” [26]
“In order to ensure greater operating flexibility, these trains will also be able to operate in double traction with the 7 third-generation vehicles, the 31-37 series delivered in 2016, currently in service.” [26]
The new units entry into service will “allow the scrapping of the 6 first-generation trains, series 01-06, … the average age of the fleet will thus be lowered from 18.5 years to 9.8 years. The 10-series trains (11-22 series) built between 1991 and 1995 will be kept in operation.” [26] The fleet will therefore consist of the 21 trains of the 30, 40 and 10 series trains.
Extensions to the Network
In 2022, the Railway Gazette reported that Genova municipality had approved plans for a 3 km western branch of the metro with four stations, linking Fiumara with the city centre. [4]
The western extension of Genoa’s Metro is shown in blue. [4]
In September 2024, the city secured 74.5 million Euros to significantly expand the Metro network as shown on the map below. [5]
The planned Metro network for Genoa (Genova) as reported in September 2024. [5]
As can be seen in the map above these significant additions to the network include a length up the Val Bisagno of elevated railway (SkyMetro).
The planned SkyMetro, running up the valley of the River Bisagno. [34]
The planned investment is over 400 million Euros at 2022 prices. Genoa will receive 418.9 million Euros to finance the SkyMetro of Val Bisagno, the extension of the metro from Brin to Via Canepari and work associated with the Rio Maltempo. The majority of the new money (398.8 million Euros) is intended for the construction of the SkyMetro.
During rush hour, the new line will be able to transport eighty percent of the valley’s users, resulting in a significant reduction in the production of exhaust fumes from private cars. It will be seven kilometers long and will have a neutral energy balance thanks to the photovoltaic system mounted on the roof, which will make the SkyMetro partially sustainable. The project will reach as far as Molassana but the city has every intention to take the scheme further, as far as Prato. [34]
Veronica Pallotta; Metropolitane: Genova, Comune e Ferrovie siglano accordo per il prolungamento verso Canepari; in Ferrovie.Info (in Italian), 30th December 2020, accessed on 24th February 2022.
An article by Seymour Glendenning in the July 1906 issue of The Railway Magazine focussed on the newly opened Burton & Ashby Light Railway. [1]
The light railway was a 3ft 6in gauge electric tram line supplied with electricity from a diesel generator plant near Swadlincote. [3] The power plant sat alongside the tram depot. [1: p56]
The first article about the line covered the length from Burton, through Newhall and Sawdlincote to Castle Gresley. It can be found here. [4]
Glendenning notes that the construction cost for the whole network was £150,000. [1: p57] He says that it served a population of about 100,000 inhabitants in the towns and villages through which it passed.
This second article about the line completes the journey, covering the length from Sawdlincote to Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
The route of the line(s) is shown in black on the map extract below.
The Burton and Ashby Light Railway. [2]
We start this second part of the journey at the tram depot which sat in Swadlincote on the North side of the Swadlincote and Woodville Branch of the Midland Railway and to the East of the Burton and Ashby Light Railway
The tram depot off Midland Road, Swadlincote, seen from the West. The trams on the depot are (left to right) Nos. 18, 5, 14, 9 and 10. On the left of the depot is the horse-drawn trolley tower. The map extract immediately below shows the depot (top-left). [3]Glendenning provided a photograph of the bridge in this photograph under construction (see above). The bridge appears on the map extract immediately above and is seen here in use by the Burton and Ashby Light Tramway, (c) Public Domain. [13]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2022]The tram depot sat to the East of the Burton and Ashby Light Railway and on the North side of the Swadlincote and Woodville Branch of the Midland Railway, just off the top-right of this extract from the 1920 25″ Ordnance Survey. As can be seen here, the branch into the tram depot left the mainline at high level adjacent to the North abutment of the bridge over the standard-gauge line. The Burton and Ashby Light Railway is shown heading South towards Swadlincote Market Place along Midland Road. Sitting to the West of the Light Railway Bridge and at a lower level was Swadlincote Railway Station. To its North were some Sanitary Earthenware Works. [5]This extract from the 21st century Google Maps satellite imagery shows much the same area as the map extract above. The light railway ran down the full length of Midland Road as far as its junction with the High Street in Sawdlincote. [Google Maps, October 2024]A tram sits on the South side of Market Place and is about to set off for Burton (turning left and running beyond the Town Hall which is at the left rear of the photograph), or Ashby (bearing to the right off the right side of the photograph), (c) Public Domain. [14]A very similar view looking from West Street East into Market Place in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, May 2017]
At Swadlincote Market Place a branch left the main line to Ashby-de-la-Zouch. That branch ran South from Swadlincote to serve Castle Gresley. We followed that branch in the first article about the Burton and Ashby Light Railway.
In this article we follow the route of the line from Swadlincote to Ashby-de-la-Zouch which heads East from the Market Place.
“The road towards Ashby rises continuously until it reaches a height of 569 ft. above sea level. It passes through the heart of the Derbyshire Potteries, where a great industry is carried on in the manufacture of furnace bricks, sanitary pipes, and common earthenware. Furnaces and kilns abound in Swadlincote, and the subsidiary industry of crate-making is also much in evidence.
There are numerous stacks arranged in the form of a lofty cone, of the long tapering branches of timber with untrimmed bark, which are used for making the big rectangular crates for the conveyance of heavy earthenware.
The clay for the pipes and pots is obtained on the surface, but the fire clay for furnace bricks has to be reached from a depth, by sinking shafts equipped with hoisting machinery.
Imperceptibly, Swadlincote grows into Woodville, where the large pipe works are situated, with their groups of ever-smoking furnaces and yards stacked with great heaps of pipes for sewerage and drainage purposes. But the broken pottery is even more aggressive than the sound ware. Every ‘grotto’, or ‘rockery’, is made of it; every garden path is edged with it, or with fused fire bricks. The mounds of refuse adjacent to the works are continually extending their borders and spreading over the country.” [1: p55]
The road East of Swadlincote Market Place is High Street. As can be seen from the closely cropped extract from the 1920 25″ Ordnance Survey, the line was dual-tracked in the vicinity of the Market Place. Midland Road runs down to the Market Place on the East side of the Town Hall. Trams for Ashby left to the bottom-right of the map extract. [5]
Trams ran East along High Street and turned Southeast and the road became Hill Street. The area to the East of the town centre was heavily industrialised. Different industrial concerns were linked by a network of tramways which were generally below the level of the public road and passed under it, as necessary, by means of bridges and tunnels as the map extract below illustrates.
Another estract from the Ordnance Survey revised sheets of the 1920s. This sheet was surveyed/revised on the basis of what was present on the ground in 1921. [15]
These two extracts from Google Maps satellite imagery cover the same length of the Light Railway as shown on the extract from the 1921 25″ Ordnance Survey above. The Southeastern length of what was Hill Street is now the A514 which bypasses the centre of the town. [Google Maps, October 2024]
A view East along High Street, Swadlincote from the Market Place. This image was shared on the photographs New and Old of Swadlincote & Burton on Trent Facebook Group by Darren Jones on 8th July 2024. [17]A similar view down High Street in the 2st century. [Google Streetview, August 2022]Facing Southeast along High Street, Swadlincote in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, August 2022]A tram climbs Hill Street towards the Centre of Sawdlincote circa. 1910. This image was shared on the Swadlincote Area Railways, Tramways and Industrial History Facebook Group by Ian Siddalls on 24th February 2019. [33]From Hill Street the line of the old Light Railway runs along a short length of Sir Herbert Wragg Way . Ignoring the junction with the A514, the old line continued to curve gently to the East to follow the modern A514. [Google Streetview, March 2023]Facing East along the A514, the land either side of the modern road has been landscaped and shows little sign of its industrial heritage. [Google Streetview, March 2023]This next extract from the 1921 25″ Ordnance Survey shows the Light Railway running East along Swadlincote Road. The Midland Railway Woodville Brach Line can be seen entering the extract from the South. [15]Further to the East the Light Railway crossed the Woodville Goods Branch of the Midland Railway and ran through the centre of Woodville. [15]The same location in the 21st century. The goods depot is long-gone as are both the road overbridges close to the junction. [18]A tram on its way to Swadlincote passing New Inn, Woodville in the early part of the 20th century. This image was shared on the photographs New and Old of Swadlincote & Burton on Trent Facebook Group by Keith Townsley on 10th January 2023. [19]A similar view looking Northeast on High Street, Woodville, A511 in the 21stcentury. New Inn is on the left of the photo. [Google Streetview, July 2023]Woodville High Street on the 1921 25″ Ordnance Survey. [15]A similar area in the 21st century. [Google Maps, October 2024]Tram No. 13 on High Street Woodville on its test run in 1906. This image, which looks Southeast, was shared on the photographs New and Old of Swadlincote & Burton on Trent Facebook Group by Keith Townsley on 3rd May 2021. [16]A similar vantage point in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2023]Further Southeast on Woodville High Street. [15]A similar area in the 21st century. [Google Maps, October 2024]Further to the Southeast once again. Trams followed the bend in the highway from High Street into Ashby Road. [15]Approximately the same length of road in the 21st century. [Google Maps, October 2024]High Street, Woodville bears left and becomes Ashby Road. [Google Streetview, July 2023]This next extract from the 1921 25″ Ordnance Survey takes us to the East edge of the particular map sheet. [15]Heading away from the camera circa 1911 Is Tram No. 7 en-route from Ashby to Burton on what is now the A511. In a minute or two, the tram would be running Northwest along High Street, Woodville. [34]The same location in the 21st century, looking West towards Woodville. [Google Streetview, July 2023]
The next three extracts for the 1920 25″ Ordnance Survey follow the line across the next map sheet.
The Burton and Ashby Light Railway to the East of Woodville. [20]The Burton and Ashby Light Railway further to the East. At Boundary the line/road run Southeast towards Ashby. [20]Further to the Southeast, the bottom of this extract is also the bottom of the particular map sheet of the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1920. [20]
Glendenning continues:
“After passing Swadlincote and Woodville, – the top of a hill is reached, 569 ft. above the sea level. Cornfields and meadows abound on either side, and there is also the magnificent landscape of Charnwood Forest. Then comes the hamlet of Boundary, so called, as it is a boundary of shires, parishes, and manors. Close by is the notable village of Smisby, set amongst fine park-like scenery.
It can still boast of its tournament field, which Sir Walter Scott made allusion to in “Ivanhoe.” The situation is very exposed at Boundary; severe storms rage there periodically, and the inhabitants say that anyone who can live winter and summer at Boundary could live anywhere. After entering Leicestershire, the new line makes a quick descent into Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The old town has the refined air of a fashionable inland watering-place, though its medicinal saline baths are not more than a century old. The fourteenth-century castle was wrecked during the seventeenth-century civil wars; but even the portions that remain are magnificent, alike in size, strength and beauty of architecture.” [1: p55-56]
On its way down to Ashby-de-la-Zouch the road and light railway traverse another full 1921 25″ OS Sheet with little worthy of note. [21] The next image shows the line as it appears on the 25″ Ordnance Survey, much closer to Ashby-de-la-Zouch. [22]
“The power station and car shed have been built at Swadlincote, which is about midway between Burton and Ashby. These premises are designed to give every facility for convenient and economical working, with ample margins for any extensions that may be necessary in future. The shed has six lines of rails, and underneath there are pits about 4 ft. deep, like a railway engine shed, so that the motor machinery on the cars may be easily got at for the purpose of examination and repairs. Adjacent to the car shed is the spacious and well-equipped power station. Here we find that not only is steam out of date for light locomotive purpose, on a short track, but it is also being superseded as a prime-mover for the generation of electricity; at any rate, in comparatively small and isolated stations, where a varying and not very heavy load has to be dealt with.” [1: p56]
Perhaps for an audience unfamiliar with the use of electricity as a power-source for a railway, Glendenning spends quite a few words explaining the reason for the choice of diesel engines to create electricity for the network. Not initially the most obvious choice in a coal-mining area. He goes on to say that:
“There are two three-cylinder vertical engines of 240 18.1lp each with a huge fly-wheel weighing about nine tons, coupled direct to two cylinders, each capable of giving an output of 150 kilowatts.” [1: p57]
The Depot was “built with accommodation for 24 trams, 8 tracks x 3 deep but only 20 trams were owned.” [6]
Following closure of the system, “the tram sheds were used to accommodate Thomson’s Fair from 1935 into the 1940s and then for munitions during the Second World War.” [7]
Rolling Stock
Glendenning reports that the new line was to be operated by open-topped cars “with all the latest possible improvements, … Built at the Brush Electrical Company’s Works, Loughborough.” [1:p57]
Glendenning goes on to describe the tramcars:
“They bear the Midland Railway Company’s coat-of-arms, and are designed to carry 57 passengers each, 22 inside and 35 outside. They are mounted on Brush rigid wheel base trucks, with steel tyred wheels, provided with Hudson-Bowring-lifeguards, and magnetic track brakes. The electrical equipments, powerful motors, etc., were furnished by the British Westinghouse Electric Manufac- turing Company, of Trafford Park, Man- chester. Accommodation has been provided for the carrying of a limited number of parcels on the platforms of the cars, while, at a later stage, it is intended to carry booked parcels. Workmen’s cars, with special fares, will be run as soon after the formal opening of the line as possible.” [1: p57]
Electric Tramcar No. 2. [1: p56]
The LMS Society notes that: “The cars were in Crimson Lake and a white livery with ornate gold panelled lining and Midland crest. It was in this condition that the cars came into LMS ownership but all the cars were repainted in a simpler livery at Derby Works. The original white had weathered to a light cream and the later cream mellowed in a short life to a yellow. Although the method of tramsport to Derby Works is not certain the LMS owned bogie tramcar wagons and with an open top tramcar the bodies would almost certainly come within the loading gauge. The trolley pole, seats and wire screens were easily removed and so it is more than likely visits to works were by rail journey.” [6]
There was also a horse-drawn trolley tower/maintenance platform which can be seen in the photograph of the tram depot above.
The Service Provided
Glendenning notes that the frequency of service “between Ashby, Swadlincote and Burton [is] every half hour. … Between Woodville, Swadlincote, Newhall and Gresley, every 15 mins. … Ordinary service commences at 8 am. … Passengers between Ashby and Gresley change at Swadlincote Market Place or Woodhouse Road.” [1: p57]
This photograph was taken on West Street, Swadlincote. It is probably a picture of one of the Sunday School outings. The image was shared on the Photographs New and Old of Swadlincote and Burton on Trent Facebook Group by Keith Townley on 19th June 2021. [11]
The LMS Society goes on to tell us that:
“Special services were often run, Sunday School Outings and other Club Outings, and even a Railway Club on 8th July, 1909 hired three trams for a return trip from Burton to Ashby. Special services to feed passengers to excursions from Burton Station before normal services, and upon their return after the last train, were another feature.
Three Aspect Colour light signalling was installed on the reserved country stretch between Stanhope Bretby and Sunnyside, Newhall where the line traversed the brow of a hill and the west passing loop was out-of-sight from both sides. The lights were operated by a trolley wheel contact on a solenoid, a system devised and installed by a firm, Bracknell, Munro and Rogers.” [6]
The safety record of the Light Railway “was marred by only one serious accident. No. 19 ran away and overturned at the foot of Bearwood Hill in 1915 but there were few injuries.” [6] Another source says that there was an accident in 1919 which resulted in the death of two people. [10]
The 1919 accident at the bottom of Bearwood Hill which resulted in the death of two people. [10]
The line was completed in 1906 and was assumed locally and by Glendenning to have a bright future. It was, in fact, short-lived:
“The Burton and Ashby Light Railway Company had a fleet of 20 tramcars and these operated until early in 1927. … With the increasing use of the motor bus, competition for passengers was intense and the tramway services were reduced to rush hours only. With costly maintenance required on the now 20 year-old trackwork, the tramways were beset with problems and finally the doors were closed on 19th February 1927.
Rail passenger services were still running through Castle Gresley, Swadlincote, Woodville and Ashby and motor buses took over the tram services.
The major undertaking ‘Midland Red’ or the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co. Ltd., to quote its full title, in which the LMS had a controlling interest, took over the main services. Other local operators, Victoria Motorways, Regent buses, Brooks Blue buses ran alongside the trams for a period.” [6]
References
Seymour Glendenning; The Burton and Ashby Light Railway; in The Railway Magazine, London, July 1906, p53-57.
Reading the November 1899 edition of The Railway Magazine, I came across an article about railways and tramways in the Forest of Dean … ‘The Severn & Wye Joint Railway’ by E.A. Clark. [1]
The article from 1899 adds something to the series of posts already made about the Forest and it railways
Clark says that “it was in the year 1809 that the initiative of the Severn and Wye took place. It had long been felt that there was great commercial scope in the Forest of Dean, and in this year Parliament sanctioned the construction of a tram road through the district. The undertaking was incorporated by the name of the Lydney and Lydbrook Railway Company, ‘for the purpose of making a railway or tramway from the River Wye at Lydbrook to the River Severn at Lydney, with various branches to serve the collieries in the Forest of Dean’. The Company finding their undertaking not complete, owing to there not being proper accommodation at Lydney for the export of coal, etc., in the following year (1810) obtained power by an Act of Parliament for the construction of a canal (over one mile in length) and docks or basins at Lydney to communicate with the River Severn, and the name of the Com- pany was changed by the same Act to the Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Company.” [1: p434-435]
A Horse Drawn Vehicle sitting on the Tramway. The stone sleeper and rail construction is evident in this image. The vehicle looks to be a passenger carriage which has the correct wheel-spacing for the track gauge – probably not typical of the routine use of the Tramway! [1: p434]
Clark goes on to tell us that “the cost of construction of the tramway was nearly £90,000. The tramway was laid with tram plates and worked by horse power until the year 1865, when the first locomotive engines were used. From 1810 to 1868, the concern worked very satisfactorily and good dividends were paid. The Great Western Railway Company had constructed a railway on the broad gauge principle to the Forest at one or two points, and this rendered it necessary for the Severn and Wye in 1868 to lay down a broad gauge railway upon that part of their undertaking which lies between the South Wales Railway (Great Western Railway) at Lydney and Wimberry Slade near to the station now known as Speech House Road. Parliamentary authority was obtained to confirm this and to extend the line from Wimberry Junction to Cinderford, also to construct a very important branch, known as the ‘loop Line’ which runs from a point known as ‘Tufts’ between Lydney and Whitecroft on the main line, passing round the eastern side of the forest with sidings to the various collieries, and meeting the main line again at a point known as Drybrook Road, where there is now a passenger station. The loop line is 6 miles 55 chains.” [1: p435]
Clark continues: “The following year, a further Act empowered the Company to convert the tramway on the Lydbrook section to a railroad, with connection with the Great Western Railway at Stowefield, now known as Lydbrook Junction. In 1872, the tramway to Milkwall was substituted by a railway from the main line at Parkend with an ex-tension to Coleford. In 1875 the ‘Foresters’ (as the natives of the district are called) had their first experience of riding behind a locomotive engine. For it was in 1872 that an Act of Parliament was passed, which sanctioned the Severn and Wye Railway conveying passengers. … The year 1872 was a very important one to the Foresters, for in addition to the powers obtained as above described, the Severn Bridge Railway Company [was] incorporated for the purpose of making a railway from the Severn & Wye Railway and the Great Western Railway at Lydney across the River Severn to Sharpness Docks … and the Midland Railway.” [1: p435-437]
The Severn Bridge Railway
“The Severn Bridge was opened for passenger traffic on 17th October 1879. That year, the Severn & Wye Railway & Canal Company amalgamated with the Severn Bridge Railway, and was incorporated under the name of the ‘Severn and Wye and Severn Bridge Railway Company’. This new departure was not a financial success, and the most important Act had yet to be passed, and that was in 1894, for vesting in the Great Western and Midland Railway Companies the whole undertaking of the Severn and Wye and Severn Bridge Railway Company (at a cost of over £447,000), and by the same Act the Midland Company were empowered to transfer to the joint Committee (fe. the Great Western and Midland Com-panies), their branch known as the ‘Gloucester and Berkeley New Docks Branch’ rom Sharp- ness to Berkeley Road, joining the Midland main line.” [1: p437]
One of the large soans of the Severn Bridge during construction at Liverpool. [1: p439]A postcard view of the Severn Bridge with Severn Bridge Station in the foreground. [1: p439]
There was much local opposition which meant compromise was necessary. Several conditions were therefore enjoined in the Act, one was the extension of the railway into Cinderford Cinderford, should be extended into the town.
At the time of the writing of the article (November 1899) there were over 40 collieries; two large tin-plate works; several iron ore mines; and numerous quarries. “Total traffic carried by Severn and Wye Railway Company:- 1875, 492,931 tons; 1890, 674,545 tons; 1898, 1,149,631 tons. Of course the great increase in the 1898 figures, as compared with the 1890 figures, [was] due to some extent owing to the traffic from Sharpness not being accounted for in the 1890 figures – the Berkeley Branch then belonged to the Midland Railway. … Passenger traffic [had] doubled during the last two years as compared with ten years [before].” [1: p438-439]
‘Little John’, its Class Mates and Later Locos
Clark provides two pictures of what he says was the first broad gauge locomotive belonging to the Severn & Wye Railway (‘Little John’). The pictures below show it as an 0-4-0WT locomotive. It is possible that, a few years earlier, the Company purchased a single loco on a trial basis. “This locomotive was [possibly] ‘Little Nell’, an 0−4−0 saddle tank, the first locomotive built at the Boyne Engine Works, Leeds, by Manning, Wardle & Company, and delivered to Sheepbridge on 5th February 1859.” [4]
Clark indicates that these photographs depict ‘Little John’, the first broad gauge locomotive owned by the Severn & Wye Railway Company. The loco shown was an 0-4-0WT loco. [1: p437]
Some notes on the Western Thunder website suggest that ‘Little John’ was one of three locomotives of the same design which were supplied to the Severn & Wye Railway (S&WR). The three locos were ‘Will Scarlet’, ‘Little John’ and ‘Alan-a-Dale’. The writer of those notes assumed that ‘Little John’ and its class-mates were 0-6-0WTs and mentions that the three locos were divided between the GWR and MR when the S&WR was taken into joint ownership in July 1894, ‘Will Scarlet’ (FJ 122) became GWR 1356, ‘Little John’ (FJ 140) became Midland 1123A, and ‘Alan-a-Dale’ (FJ 157) became Great Western 1355. [3]
It seems from the discussion on that website that six 0-6-0T locos were purchased by the S&WR, these were of various designs from different suppliers. Fletcher Jennings supplied locos as shown below.
Illustrations showing details of the six 0-6-0T locomotives supplied to the Severn & Wye Railway by Fletcher Jennings. These illustrations and the quoted text below appeared in the 30th April 1869 copy of ‘The Engineer’ [2]
The notes associated with the two images above say: “This somewhat remarkable engine – illustrated above … which is of the broad, or 7ft. gauge, has been specially constructed with a view to its being readily altered if occasion should require to suit the ordinary narrow gauge, and with as little expense as possible. To this end the axles are made, as will be seen by reference to the plan and section, with a third journal and wheel seat in positions proper for 4ft. 8.5 in. gauge, the coal-box, water tanks – except the one under footplate – fire-box, smoke-box, side foot-plates, and other parts are all made to suit the narrow gauge, so that when the alteration, which is anticipated, is required, little more is needed than to shorten the frame stays and buffer beams, remove certain brackets which support the fire-box and smoke-box, place the frames nearer together, shorten the axles, and remove one of each pair of wheels to its inner wheel seat. The cylinders are 14in. diameter, and the stroke is 20in.; the wheels 4ft. diameter, and extreme wheel centres 11ft. 3in.; tires, piston-rods, motion bars, crank pins, &c., are of steel. The fire-box is 3ft. 3in, long, 3ft. 3in. broad, and 4ft. 10in. deep. The boiler barrel, which is telescopic, is 3ft. 6in. mean diameter, and 8ft. Shin. long; the tubes are of brass . long, 2in. outside diameter, and 105 in number. … The total weight with a full supply of water and fuel is 28 tons 6 cwt., and this is distributed as follows:- Leading wheels, 9 tons; driving wheels, 9 tons 1 cwt.; trailing wheels, 10 tons 5 cwt. With partially filled tank and coal-box, the weight is equally distributed on the wheels.” [5]
Another source on ‘rmweb’ provides the following notes which were sourced from the RCTS publication, ‘Locomotives of the GWR – Part 3’. “Severn and Wye loco history is not simple. … They started to get steam engines in 1865, when there was thirty miles of 3’8” tramway. By 1867 they had five locos, and decided to go broad gauge, converting three engines. Two broad gauge engines were obtained, but in 1872 they decided to go to standard gauge, so the five broad gauge engines were converted to standard. The S&WR amalgamated with the Severn Bridge Railway in 1879. A receiver was appointed in 1883, and the railway was taken over jointly by the MR and GWR in 1894. … The first five engines were Fletcher Jennings 1864, with flangeless wheels for the tramroad. 1-4 were 0-4-0WT, 2-3 being the ones that were converted, 1 becoming a canal dredger. 5 was an 0-6-0ST which also went through two gauge conversions. All these had gone by the time of the receivership.
The RCTS publication, ‘The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway Part 3 Absorbed Engines 1854-1921‘, details the following locomotives as well:
Robin Hood, Fletcher Jennings 1868, MR 1121A – was broad gauge originally.
Ranger 0-6-0 (rebuilt ST), GWR 1358 – very complicated history.
Raven 0-6-0ST, Boulton, 1876 – sold on.
Wye 0-4-0T, Fletcher Jennings, 1876 GWR 1359.
Sharpness, Vulcan, 1880 MR. 1124A.
Severn Bridge, Vulcan, 1880 GWR 1354.
Sabrina, Vulcan, 1882 MR 1125A.
Forester, Vulcan, 1886 MR 1126A.
Gaveller, Vulcan, 1891 GWR 1353.
Four locos were hired from Boulton’s siding at different times.
The net result of these different notes is that the 0-4-0WT loco shown in Clark’s article in the Railway Magazine is unlikely to be ‘Little John’. ‘Little John’ was probably one of the later 0-6-0T locos and may well not have been a broad gauge engine at any time during its working life.
‘Forrester’, which Clark says was the first six-wheeled broad gauge locomotive of the S&WR. [1: p438] As the notes above suggest, ‘Forrester’ was actually one of the later purchases by the S&WR. [6]‘Robin Hood’ – Clark says that this was a six-coupled broad-gauge locomotive. [1: p438] The loco was built in 1868 as a broad-gauge locomotive. [6]
References
E.A. Clark; The Severn & Wye Joint Railway; in The Railway Magazine, London November 1899, p434-441.
This article looks at two tramway routes which were built. The first ran from Nice to Bendejun via Pont de Peille and Contes. The second branched of the first at Pont de Peille and ran to along the valley of the Paillon de Peille to La Grave de Peille. It also covers a proposed tramway to l’Escarene which was not constructed.
Nice to Contes and Bendejun
This line was approximately 18.6 km long. The first part of the route (from Nice Place Garibaldi as far as La Trinite Victor) ran along the same rails as the urban service – a length of around 6.5km.Just over 9 km of line (which was deemed to be part of the coastal (littoral) network) brought trams to Contes. The final length of the line was regarded as part of the TNLs ‘departemental’ network and took trams to the terminus at Bendejun.
Only approximately 0.5 km of the line and (as far as Contes) was on the level. The remainder of the line was set at varying gradients with the steepest being 55mm/m. The line rose from 12 metres above sea-level at Place Garibaldi to 189 metres above sea-level at Contes, and 260 metres above sea-level at Bendejun.
The following notes on the significant dates associated with the line are gleaned from Jose Banaudo’s book. [1: p70] …
The line from Garibaldi to Abbatoirs opened to the public on 21st February 1900. On 2nd June of the same year, the line opened from Abbatoirs to Contes. Goods were carried on this section of the line from 1st October 1900.
It was not until 1st February 1909 that passengers could travel between Contes and Bendejun and no goods were carried along that length of the line until 1st January 1911.
After just over a year, in February 1912, subsidence closed the length of the line between Contes and Bendejun. The line opened again in March. During the winter of 1916-1917, the line was closed by snow and landslides.
On 1st January 1923 tram services were given new numbers: Nice to La Trinite or Drap became No. 26; Nice to Contes or Bendejun, No. 27.
Sadly, after further problems with landslides, the line between Contes and Bendejun was permanently closed from 18th November 1926.
On 8th October 1934 renumbering led to the line to La Trinite being numbered 36 and the Nice to Contes service, 37.
A landslide affected the line between the cement works and Contes. It was closed from November 1934 to March 1935.
Late in 1935, the Nice terminus of these services was moved from Place Garibaldi to Rue Geoffredo.
After damage to the electricity substation adjacent to Pont-de-Peille on 12th February 1938, the passenger service from Drap to Contes was curtailed and the No. 37 service was replaced by buses.
There was opposition to the bus service being provided by a single company. This saw a reopening of the tram service on Ligne 37 on 15th March 1938. There followed a period between 3rd August 1938 and December 1944 when tramway services were interrupted relatively frequently for a variety of reasons which included damage during WW2.
On 23rd December 1944 the tram service resumed from Nice to Pont-de-Peille with a bus service covering the remainder of the route to the North.
On 17th January 1945, goods transport between Contes and Nice resumed and, on 20th January 1945, passenger trams returned to Contes.
In the winter of 1948-1949 bad weather saw the interruption of services North of La Pointe de Contes.
January 1950 saw the closure of the line to passenger services with buses used to replace that service on a permanent basis. In May 1950, the goods service was also closed permanently.
The line to Bendejun followed the left bank of the River Paillon between the centre of Nice and its terminus in Bendejun. Its terminus in Nice was at the Northwest corner of Place Garibaldi, where a wooden kiosk served as its station building. It used the same tracks as the urban services through Abattoirs to La Trinité-Victor.
For a short distance trams ran on the verge of Route Nationale No. 204. Stops at Roma and Random (which had a passing loop) were followed by the stop in the village of Drap which was adjacent to the bridge to Cantaron.
The Route Nationale in Drap. Tram tracks can be seen in the centre of the road. This old postcard view was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 18th May 2022. [4]Drap again, this image shows La Place des Ecoles and the Route Nationale. A tram can be seen on the road at the extreme right of the picture. This old postcard view was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 18th May 2022. [4]La Place des Ecoles viewed from almost the same location as in the monochrome postcard image above. In the 21st century the Plane trees have gone and cars have taken over from the park that made up much of the square. [Google Streetview, November 2022]Turning just a little to the right and wandering a little further along the Route Nationale, this image shows the passing loop at the tram stop in Drap. It was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 22nd February 2019, and comes from his private collection. [5] The same photograph appears in José Banaudo’s book. [1: p68]Approximately the same location as seen in the 21st century. The school on the left has seen its roof raised by the addition of another floor. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
It appears that as late as 1955, the tram track was visible in the road surface in the centre of Drap. The two parallel images from the IGN website show it present on Avenue de General de Gaulle when the map on the left was surveyed in 1955.
The Place des Ecoles in the centre of Drap. The ‘cross’ on the older map on the left is superimposed over the line of the tramway which was in the centre of the road. [11]A little further North the tramway can be seen leaving the centre of the road in the 1955 map extract. Presumably it ran along the verge between the road and the River Paillon. It might already have been lifted by 1955. The map is of little help with establishing its presence immediately North of this location. [12]
Leaving the centre of Drap, trams then passed under the PLM line between Nice and Cuneo for the third time at Pont des Vernes which also spanned the River Paillon. Trams ran between the river and the road.
Pont des Vernes in the 21st century. What was the old Route Nationale still passes under the most Easterly span of the truss girder viaduct which also spans the River Paillon. [Google Streetview, 2011]
The confluence of two arms of the River Paillon lay shortly beyond the railway bridge (Paillon de Contes and Paillon de L’Escarène). The Paillon de L’Escarène flowed in from the Southeast from the heights of Peillon, L’Escarène and Lucéram. It was spanned by a five-arched viaduct, some 140 metres in length which carried both the Route Nationale and the tramway. The construction of the bridge was started in the last years of the 18th century. While the bridge may well have been completed within a few years, the construction of the road of which it was a part, between Turin and Nice, was interrupted by conflict and was not completed until 1838. [1: p67]
A postcard view from the Southwest looking towards Pont de Peillon. The old road bridge (and its five arches) sits at the centre of the view. [7]A modern view looking Northeast along the D2204 where it crosses the Paillon de L’Escarene. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The same bridge, viewed from Chemin du Fontanil de Croves to the Southeast of the bridge. [Google Streetview, May 2019]This next extract from the parallel imagery provided by the IGN shows the tramway returning to the centre of the Route National as it crossed the bridge in 1955. It might be inferred from this that from Drap to this point it was still present on the West side of the highway. Again, however, the map extracts cannot be seen as conclusive proof of this. At the centre-top of the 1955 map extract the tramway appears to leave the road carriageway for a short distance for a tram stop and passing loop, which is mentioned in the text below. However Jose Banaudo has a photograph of the location in his book which seems to show the tramway remaining in the carriageway with an electricity substation just beyond it. [1: p69] There is now a roundabout at the junction between the road to Contes/Bendejun and the road East to La-Grave-de-Peille. [13]
Trams faced gradients on either side of the central arch of the bridge – 41mm/m and 34mm/m. Very soon after crossing the bridge in a northbound direction, trams encountered the stop at Pont-de-Peille, “where an electrical substation was located and from which the La-Grave-de-Peille line branched off to the east.” [1: p67]
A 21st century view North from the bridge. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The hamlet of La Pointe-de-Contes was beyond the North end of the bridge over the Paillon de L’Escarene. [3]
Beyond the hamlet of La Pointe-de-Contes, the line crossed the Ruisseau de la Garde (a tributary to Le Paillon de Contes) on a single-span bridge.
This next extract from the parallel mapping of the IGN shows the highway bridge over the Ruisseau de la Garde. The bridge sits in the bottom half of the two map extracts. The 1955 mapping appears to show tram tracks over the bridge at the centre line of the road. To the South of the bridge, it seems that the tramway was on the West verge of the road. North of the bridge it appears to switch to the East side verge of the carriageway. Only a short distance further North the tramway appears to cross back to the West side of the road. Road realignments in this area have resulted in a roundabout at the location of the old bridge. [14]The bridge over the Ruisseau de la Garde at La Pointe de Contes in 1953. The image was shared by Pierre Richert in the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 31st October 2017 [15]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023.
Banaudo says that the road junction adjacent to the bridge was the point at which the L’Escarene tram line would have branched off the line to Contes. Work on that line wasn’t completed. [1: p67]
From this bridge, the line to Contes and Bendejun followed RN15 (now D15) North past the Lafarge lime and cement factory. “This, which was the main reason for the line’s existence, was served by two branches allowing the reception of fuel and the shipment of its products to Nice and its port.” [1: p67]
The location of the Lafarge factory. The 1955 map seems to show the tramway on the West side of the road. There also appear to be at least two sidings on the East side of the road. [15]An aerial image of the Lafarge Cement Works at Contes. The River Paillon de Contes is in the background. [10]
About a kilometre further North, the Contes station was located in the La Grave district adjacent to the footbridge leading to Châteauneuf.
Another extract from the parallel imagery provided by the IGN. The tramway can be seen, in the 1955 map extract on the left, following the verge of the road and immediately adjacent to the river channel. The bridge shown crossing The river at this point provided access to Chateauneuf which sat above the valley to the West. The tram stop was close to the bridge and a little to the Northwest of it. [17]
At Contes, the tramway had a small building and a siding by the river beneath the perched village.
Contes Gendarmerie and tram stop. This image was shared by Pierre Richert on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 30th October 2017 as part of an extensive album of postcard views of Contes. [3]A view from a similar position in the 21st century. The construction site is on the land once occupied by the Gendarmerie. [Google Streetview, April 2023]This image from the Jean-Henri Manara collection was colourised and shared by Demian West on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 13th December 2022. This original image was included in the comments attached to the colourised image on the Facebook group by Demian West. [16]A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The tram terminus at Contes. This postcard view was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 21st January 2017. It comes from the private collection of Jean-Paul Bascoul. [9]
From there, the line continued up the left bank of the Paillon. Banaudo tells us that there was only one further passing-loop which was in the district of Roccaya, near the Rémaurian footbridge. “The Bendéjun terminus was in the Moulins district, in a steep site where the road crosses the Paillon and definitively leaves the bottom of the valley to rise in bends towards this village and that of Coaraze.” [1: p67]
The Bendejun terminus of the tramway was in the valley floor close to the mills and alongside the river. There was a bridge just beyond the tram terminus which took the road over the Paillon de Contes and a series of hairpin bends lifted the road quickly up the valley side. This is another extract from the IGN parallel mapping. The map on the left was published in 1955. [18]The tram terminus at Bendejun, beyond this point the road turns sharply to the left to cross the river and then climbs through a series of hairpin bends to Bendejun and on to Coaraze. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 30th May 2023. [19]A view from a little further South in the 21st century. The properties on either side of the road both remain. That on the East of the road now appears to be rendered. Of interest in this view are what appear to be tram rails in the right foreground. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
We have already noted that the tramway service North of Pont-de-Peille was frequently interrupted by landslides, subsidence and weather events. Banaudo also writes of significant problems with the trailers used for goods services which were often in poor condition or overloaded and as a result caused damage to the relatively light-weight rails of the tramway. [1: p71]
Pont de Peille to La Grave de Peille
Two branch-lines from the tramway to Contes were planned, the first was a line to La Grave de Peille. When built it had a total length of just short of 6.6 km. Its maximum gradient was 39 mm/m and only 360m of the route was on the level. The line ran from 112 m above sea-level to 195 m above sea-level at La Grave de Peille.
The concession for the operation of the line to La Grave de Peille was given to the TNL in June 1904. The line opened to passengers and freight on 12th June 1911. The route was numbered 28 on 1st January 1923 and saw construction traffic for the Nice-Cuneo Railway between 1923 and 1928. The cement works at La Grave was established in 1924.
At the end of 1926 the service was interrupted by a landslide. Work was undertaken between 1926 and 1927 to improve the electrical supply and September 1928 saw the official inauguration of the freight service associated with the cement works.
The Bridges and Roads Authority undertook paving work along the line in the winter of 1928-29. In August 1929, a landslide disrupted the service once again and a deviation was put in place.
On 8th October 1934, the line was renumbered, Ligne 38. The service was interrupted, once again, in November 1934. This time it was by a landslide at Châteauvieux.
The terminus in Nice was moved, along with that of the line to Contes and Bendejun, from Place Garibaldi to Rue Geoffredo in November 1935 and another landslide interrupted the service at Ste. Thecla between December 1935 and December 1936.
This tale of woe continued throughout the next decade with closures due to landslides, floods, the failure of bridges, or deterioration of trackwork. Banaudo provides a full list of these events. [1: p75]Such an unreliable service maintained at significant cost was of little use to users (passengers and goods). Closure became inevitable and it occurred on 1st April 1947.
The route started immediately to the North of the Pont de Peille stop on the line to Contes. Banaudo describes this connection as “une aiguille en rebroussement” (literally, ‘a turning needle’). [1: p72] In context, this appears to be a point which allowed access to the branch-line from the North. Trams from Nice would stop at Pont de Peille and then execute a reversal just to the North of the stop to gain access to the branch. This presumably involved a powered car running round its trailer at the tram stop and then reversing towards Contes. Banaudo provides one photograph of the manoeuvre taking place. [1: p72]
Such an unreliable service maintained at significant cost was of little use to users (passengers and goods). Closure became inevitable and it occurred on 1st April 1947.
The route between Pont de Peille and La Grave de Peille started immediately to the North of the Pont de Peille stop on the line to Contes. Banaudo describes this connection as “une aiguille en rebroussement” (literally, ‘a turning needle’). [1: p72] In context, this appears to be a point which allowed access to the branch-line from the North. Trams from Nice would stop at Pont de Peille and then execute a reversal just to the North of the stop to gain access to the branch. This presumably involved a powered car running round its trailer at the tram stop and then reversing towards Contes. Banaudo provides one photograph of the manoeuvre taking place. [1: p72]
The junction of the D21 and the D15 is shown on the right of these two parallel IGN images. The reverse curve, mentioned in the text about the tramway above, appears to be shown on the image on the left. The cross marks its location. The tramway appears to have run on the South side of the road.[20]The road to La-Grave-de-Peille and L’Escarene. Tge tramway ran along the verge of the old road or within the width of the carriageway over much of the journey to La-Grave-de-Peille. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The branch-line followed the valley of the River Paillon de L’Escarène valley, a route also used by the PLM Nice-Cuneo line. Banaudo tells us that “the tram first took the right bank, sometimes on the shoulder and sometimes on the roadway of Route Nationale No. 21 (now departemental road No. 21). It passed through the hamlet of Borghéas, then entered the Châteauvieux gorge where a three-arch bridge brought the road and the track over to the left bank. After passing the pumping station of a spring which supplied part of the city of Nice with drinking water, trams reached the hamlet of Ste. Thecla.” [1: p72]
The location of the three-arched bridge which is mentioned by Banaudo in the quoted text above. [21]The same location as seen on Google Earth in 21st century. [Google Earth, 18th October 2022]A 21st century view, looking Northeast across the bridge carrying the D21 over the Paillon de L’Escarene. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The village of Ste. Thecle sits in the valley floor adjacent to the Paillon de l’Escarene. It hosts a railway station which is named Peillon-Ste. Thecle which serves the two villages. Paillon is high above, and to the East of the village of Thecle. [22]A view of Sainte Thecle, the mills and Peillon which shows the tramway alongside the road. The view looks Eastnortheast towards Paeillon. Note the kerb marking the limits of the highway. Peillon can be seen high above Ste. Thecle in this photograph. The River Paillon de l’Escarene is below the road and tramway to the left. This old postcard image was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 5th October 2023 and comes from the private collection of Jean-Paul Bascoul. The location of this photograph is difficult to confirm in 21st century. The relative positions of Peillon and the rock outcrops behind make it clear that the location is in Ste. Thecle but changes in the buildings in Ste.Thecle make ascertaining the location difficult. No doubt someone with local knowledge might be able to firm up the position of the camera! [6]The tram stop at Les Moulins de Peillon seems to be marked on the 1955 map extract on the left. However, it is worth noting Banaudo’s comments below which seem to suggest that the tramway was on the East side of the road. The tramway is perhaps marked by the single line on the East side of the road. The location is named on the modern map extract to the right. The valley has, by this time, turned to the North. Access to the village of Peillon is via the steep road with hairpin bends in the top right of each map extract. [23]The village of Peillon sits high above the valley floor. It is a car free mediaeval perched village. [24]
The next stop was in the valley closer to Peillon and set among the mills. This stop provided a passing loop, the only one on the line. Banaudo continues: “On the right, the picturesque village of Peillon stands at 376 m at the top of a rocky spur in a site worthy of a postcard. Immediately afterwards, the valley narrows once again and forms the narrow Bausset gorge where the tramway line was established over 567 m on its own site overlooking the road, finding it again to cross the Paillon on a single-arch bridge.” [1: p72]
These comments from Banaudo suggest that the line was on the East side of the road, perhaps indicated by the single black line on the 1955 map extract above which crosses the side road to Peillon only a few meters to the East of the main road. It seems that North of this point the tramway was very close to the road but held above it by a retaining wall. Road and tramway came together again at the next bridge over the Paillon de l’Escarene. That bridge is marked on both of the map extracts (1955 and 2023) above. The bridge used by the old road and tramway is marked in grey on the modern map.
Looking East off the modern road bridge, the single masonry arch of the old bridge can be seen in a collapsed state. A modern road realignment at this location removed some dangerous bends and improved traffic flow. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Beyond this point, with the tramway and the D21 now on the West bank of the river, the valley opens out and the route of the old tramway passes through Novaines before reaching the location of its terminus at La Grave-de-Peille.
The tramway ran along the old Route Nationale No. 21 to La Grave de Peille. As the road turned to re-cross the River Paillon de L’Escarene, the tramway continued for only a short distance to serve a cement works on the West bank of the river. [25]The terminus of the passenger service at La Grave de Peille. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 2nd December 2018. [8]
The terminus of the route was sited at the meeting point of the boundaries of three communes, Peillon, Peille and Blausasc, adjacent to a cement works which was operating from the mid-1920s and had its own branch-line from the tramway. The cement works became particularly significant in the life of the branch-line once the PLM opened its line between Nice and Cuneo in the late-1920s. Passengers deserted the trams as a much quicker journey to and from Nice was offered by the PLM from its two stations, Peillon-Ste. Thecle and Peille.
The railway station at Peille with the cement works visible in the distance on the right side of the image. This colourised monochrome postcard image was taken with the camera facing towards the Southwest. Trams ran along the valley from/to the lefthand edge of this image as far as the cement works. [26]
Banaudo highlights a particular problem with the line to La Grave de Peille. [1: p74] The tramway was built with minimal investment – just enough to reach its terminus. Rails were the lightest possible; the TNL used existing bridges not designed for the loads imposed by trams and trailers; road carriageway widths were decreased to provide space for the trams, (ather than setting the rails in the roads).
Local protests began as early as 1908, but issues becameore acute after the Great War because of the increased traffic on both the road and the tramway resulting from the construction of the Nice-Cuneo railway and the opening of the cement plant at La Grave. “Neither the road nor the railway were able to withstand this additional load. On 21st November 1928, the municipal council of Peillon reported that the Bausset bridge was in a lamentable state and, for lack of urgent measures, serious misfortunes occurred during the winter of 1928-29. Despite the protests of the TNL company which rightly feared for the sustainability of its rails, the Bridges and Roads Authority covered the rails with macadam to widen the roadway accessible to cars. What was predictable happened: insufficiently drained under this coating and tired by high tonnages, the rails were too weak and the already tired sleepers soon began to disintegrate.” [1: p74]
In 1937 proper maintenance was undertaken between Borghéas and Châteauvieux, “but the alarming state of the track, the insufficient electricity supply and the shortage of wagons led the TNL to provide its passenger service by bus” [1: p74] The cement factory also began to use road vehicles.
WW2 resulted in traffic (both goods and passengers) returning to the rails in the summer of 1940, but by the beginning of 1941 the track had deteriorated to such an extent that all tramway traffic had to be suspended.
Sufficient maintenance was undertaken to allow goods services to resume within a few weeks but the condition of the bridge at Bausset meant that the line North of the bridge could not be used by trams. Lime and cement, “went down by truck to the Peillon stop (Les Moulins), where it was transhipped on a train of two wagons limited to 6 km/h to Pont-de-Peille… The end-to-end service resumed on 7th July 1941, but it was again interrupted in September 1943 by the destruction of the Pont de Peille then at the end of August 1944 by that of the Pont de Bausset bridge.” [1: p74]
A temporary structure of steel beams and a wooden deck was quickly provided but “the track formed such tight curves on either side of the structure that derailments were not rare.” [1: p74]
Early 1945 saw the reintroduction of passenger and freight services but the following winter saw heavy flooding which destabilised the temporary bridge at Bausset and the line was again closed, this time for two and a half months. Ultimately the increasingly erratic service on the line resulted in its final closure in the spring of 1947.
La Pointe de Contes to l’Escarene
Sadly, this line was never used in earnest. Much was done to create the line but circumstances combined to mean the work done did not come to fruition. Initially, l’Escarene was chosen as the final destination for the tramway from Pont de Peille via La Grave de Peille in 1904. The concession for the line between La Grave and L’Escarene was awarded on 26th June 1904, but it was rescinded early in 1906.
Banaudo tells us that, “after several decades of procrastination, the construction of a Nice-Cuneo railway line had been approved by an international convention, granted to the PLM and made public. As the route of this line was established by the Paillon de L’Escarène valley which the tramway should have taken.” [1: p76]
The result of that decision was the truncation of the route from Pont de Peille to La Grave de Peille and L’Escarène at La Grave.
Banaudo goes on to explain that “the idea of connecting L’Escarène to the tram network was not abandoned, especially since some were still considering extending a line as far as Luceram and even Peirs Cava, at an altitude of 1400 m.” [1: p76]
In 1910 the Bridges and Roads Authority commenced discussions with the TNL. The steep Gradients likely to be required saw the TNL propose an option of a rack system.
It was not until 1913 that the route from La Pointe de Contes was confirmed. Work began in January 1914. The Great War saw work come to a standstill.
It was 1919, before rearranged contracts saw work recommence on the line. Ok about was in short supply and priority was given to the construction of the PLM line between Nice and Cuneo. In the end, the Departement suspended work on the line in 1926 because costs of materials had risen dramatically.
In 1928, Banaudo tells us, “at the request of the municipality of Blausan, the general council took the decision to develop the length of the tramway formation which was remote from the existing road, from Fuont-de-Jarrier to the Col de Nice which became the departmental road 321.” [1: p76] The planned tramway to L’Escarène was finally abandoned/decommissioned on 29th June 1933.
Had it been built, the total length of the tramway would have been just under 7.6 km with a maximum gradient of 55mm/m. It would have risen from a height of 131m above sea-level at La Pointe de Contes to around 410 m above sea-level at the Col de Nice.
The route was to have been served entirely by a single-track tramway leaving the line to Contes at La Pointe de Contes.
The red line shown on these map extracts provided by the IGN shows the route of the planned tramway as it left the route to Contes and Bendejun. A road now follows that line and appears on the modern mapping on the right. The road is named ‘Chemin du Tram’. The main road towards L’ Escarène leaves both extracts at the top right. [27]Looking North along the main road towards Contes. Behind the camera the road to L’Escarène heads away to the East. The tram stop for La Pointe de Contes was along this length of road. Just to the North of the tram stop was the point where the tramway to L’Escarène would have set off to the East. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The tramway to Contes and Bendejun ran ahead along what is now the D15. The route to L’Escarène would have run off to the right at what is now a road junction. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The route of the planned tramway followed what is now called ‘Chemin du Tram’ which runs directly ahead of the camera. It is the road to the left of the trees at the centre of this image. [Google Streetview, March 2023]A little further East along what would have been the route of the tramway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The planned route ran to the right of the retaining wall before joining the D2204. [Google Streetview, March 2023]Looking back towards the D15 from the D2204. The tram route followed the retaining wall running away from the camera on the right side of the photograph, and then curved round between the two buildings seen beyond the parked vehicles. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Initially, it would have followed the Route Nationale No. 204 (now the D2204) up the valley of the Ruisseau de la Garde.
Parallel map extracts, once again, provided by the IGN. The main features, which can be seen on both the 1955 extract and the 21st century extract, are the bridges which carried the road over the Ruisseau de la Garde. [28]The location of the first of the two bridges. There is little at road level to indicate that it is crossing the stream which passes some metres below the road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The location of the second bridge is easier to make out. The modern road has been straightened and a new bridge constructed. The old road which would have been followed by the tramway bears away to the left with the new bridge directly ahead. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The view from the new bridge across the Ruisseau de la Garde of the old road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The view Southwest along the D2204 in the 21st century. The old road can be seen on the right of the picture. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Further Northeast on the D2204 the verge of which would have carried the proposed tramway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Again, further Northeast on the D2204 the verge of which would have carried the proposed tramway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
At the hamlet of La Fuont-de-Jarrier, the tramway left the road and the valley to embark on a dedicated length of almost 4 km. Banaudo tells us that the route ran through “a landscape of arid hills where only pines managed to grow on ridges of gray marl. The only locality encountered was the village of Blausasc, below which a stopping point was to be established. The line continued northwards, passing through a small tunnel at a place called La Blancarde, to join the road approaching the Col de Nice.” [1: p76]
La Fuont-de-Jarrier was the point at which the proposed tramway diverted from the highway. The formation intended for the tramway became the base for the new CD 321. The new road is that shown leaving the established road to the right on the 1955 IGN map extract. [29]The junction between the D2204 and the CD321 in the 21st century. The CD321 follows the formation of the intended tramway to L’Escarène. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The next length of the CD321. [30]Over the first few kilometres, the carriageway was wide enough for two full lanes of traffic. [Google Streetview, March 2023]A further length of the CD321 with Blausasc above the road to the East. [31]The CD321 continues to follow the planned route of the tramway. This rock cutting was cut for the tramway. The location is at the bottom of the twin maps above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The tramway route (CD321) runs ahead and bears to the right. The road which crosses the route at this location is the D221. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The red line marks the route of the CD321 which is built on the formation of the proposed tramway. The road crossing it at the staggered junction seen here is the D221 which linked Blausasc to the Route de la Col de Nice. [Google Earth, December 2023]Looking North-northwest along the CD321 towards the top of the twin map extracts above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]This next set of two parallel map extracts from the IGN show the Route de la Col de Nice marked by two heavy bold lines and the CD321 above it to the East. [32]
This next sequence of photographs show the road (CD321) running from the bottom of the twin extracts above towards the tunnel which can just about be picked out on the modern map extract above.
This sequence of four images shows the CD321 in the 21st century. Over this length, no attempt to widen the formation built for the intended tramway has been made. Retaining walls, where they exist, will most probably be those constructed by the contractors developing the tramway route. [Google Streetview, March 2023]An enlarged dual map extract of the area at the top-left of the last twin map extracts from the IGN. Both this, and the last pair of extracts show, on the right-hand, modern extract, the tunnel bored for, but never used by, the planned tramway which is, however, now used by the CD 321 in the 21st century. [34]
This next sequence of three photographs show the CD321 in the vicinity of the tunnel built for the planned tramway.
These three photographs show the Route de Blausasc (the CD321) passing through the old tramway tunnel. [Google Streetview, March 2023]Another set of twin map extracts from 1955 and the 21st century provided by the IGN. This pair of images provides the reason for the separation of the planned tramway route from the older Route de la Col de Nice. The hairpin-bends shown centre left on each of the images meant that the road would have been completely unsuitable for use by trams. Track curvature and gradient would have been insurmountable obstacles. To the North of the hairpin-bends, both routes converge. [33]The Col de Nice was the high point in the proposed tramway. The Route de la Col de Nice and the planned tramway met just to the South of the Col de Nice. [35]
North of the tramway tunnel, the last kilometre or so of the CD321 and hence the last length of the independent tramway formation required the construction of a series of retaining walls. These next few photographs illustrate the size of the task undertaken by the contractors in the early 20th century. The four photos follow the Route de Blausasc North towards its junction with the Route de la Col de Nice.
These four photos follow the CD321 North, each shows the size of the retaining structures built for the tramway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
A few hundred metres before its junction with the D2204, the CD321 runs parallel to it with the two roads gradually reaching the same height above sea level.
The D2204 and the CD321 run parallel with no more than a few metres height difference. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The planned tramway, now the Route de Blausasc (CD321) meets the D2204 just short of the Col de Nice. [Google Streetview, April 2023]The Col de Nice in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Banaudo talks of the tramway running in a cutting below and to the right of the road and then reaching L’Escarène at the end of a steep descent. [1: p76]
This final example of the parallel imagery provided by the IGN shows the D2204 (Rue de Chateau) running down into L’Escarène.
In the first instance, the tramway would have been within the width of the modern highway, but as shown below it did run below and to the right of the road on its way down into L’Escarène.
The view along Rue du Chateau, L’Escarène from the Col de Nice. The tramway formation ran on the right side of the road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]Heading down into L’Escarène evidence can be seen of the prepared tramway route to the right of, and just below, the highway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]The separated tramway route, metalled, runs to the right of, and below, the Rue du Chateau much of the way down into the centre of L’Escarène. [Google Streetview, March 2023]Closing in on the centre of L’Escarène, the proper tramway would have been within the width of the modern highway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
I have not been able to establish the location in L’Escarène planned for the terminus of the tramway.
This article completes a series of articles about the early 20th century metre-gauge tramways and railways of Nice and its hinterland. Perhaps the next series of articles centred on Nice will look at the standard-gauge line between Nice and Cuneo? ……
References
Jose Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram: Volume 2: Les Hommes et Les Techniques; Les Editions du Cabri, 2005.
Roger Farnworth 
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