Tramscape Tramway
Photographs
Essen, Germany
: 27th August -2nd September, 2002
Developments have
continued apace in Essen, and since 1995 this has included more
upgrading of routes to the "Stadtbahn" standard, new low floor trams
from Bombardier, and more cars purchased from London's Docklands
Light Railway.
2001 was the most momentous year, with the reopening of the line to
Gelsenkirchen-Horst, initially as far as GE-Fischerstrasse as a
standard-gauge "U-Bahn", albeit with a significant amount of
on-street running. On the same September day, the line to
Margarethenhohe was reopened after a complete rebuilding and line U17
now runs from Margarethenhohe to Fischerstrasse, via Hauptbahnhof,
Berliner Platz and Altenessen.
The experiment of running guided trolleybuses had been concluded
without success and buses were removed from all parts of the tram
tunnels. The future of the "traditional" tramway now seems more
secure in 2002, with new low-floor trams purchased from Bombardier
(after 50 years of loyalty to Duewag, now owned by Siemens, and no
longer bulding at their famous Dusseldorf factory), and proposals for
new lines being seriously considered.
The new lines include a surface route around the south of the city
centre, to link Steele with the Hauptbahnhof, and to provide a more
direct link to Frohnhausen, following the closure of the Limbecker
Platz - Alfred-Krupp-Schule line in 1991. Other proposals being
considered include links to Haarzopf in the south-west (tramless
since 1980) and to the Zollverein coal mine, now closed, but
reopening as a World Heritage Site museum. Whether the new lines will
be "Stadtbahn" or traditional tram is a matter of intense political
debate.
The reintroduction of trams in neighbouring Oberhausen has led to the
strong possibility that the line to Frintrop will once again extend
beyond Unterstrasse, allowing Essen trams to reach the new
developments at Oberhausen's "Neue Mitte".
The 2002 series of photos covers the rebuilt lines to Fischerstrasse
and Margarethenhohe and gives more detailed coverage to the
Rellinghausen, Steele Frohnhausen and Altendorf routes, all now
part-operated by the new Bombardier trams. The ring-line through
Ruttenscheid is covered in detail and other photos show the surviving
tram line to Altenessen and the current situation in Borbeck, with
Bombardier trams now in operation.
For the first time, the line from Essen-Katernberg to
Gelsenkirchen-Hauptbahnhof, on Gelsenkirchen territory, but operated
by Essen trams is covered. Since 1998, Essen trams have no longer run
into Mulheim via Aktienstrasse. Mulheim trams are seen on line 104,
which runs on Essen territory between Grenze Borbeck and a new
interchange at Abzweig Aktienstrasse.
Essen - Katernberg to Gelsenkirchen -
Hauptbahnhof : Operated by Essen trams
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