Some Figures

Here are a few figures about our journey from Luton to Athens by air, Athens to Timisoara by rail and Timisoara to Luton by air. All the train journeys were second class and the prices include seat reservations and various express train supplements. We pre-booked hotels and flights on the internet but just went to the various railway stations and bought tickets for the trains.

Timisoara

1. Bremen.

2. Munich.

3. Horse tram.

4. Karlsruhe.

Track and overhead

The tramway through the centre of Arad is closed for reconstruction.
1. Cutting down old span wires.

2. Well worn track.

3. This point is still in use for the curve. The lady was about to clean and grease it.

4. Setting up a Thermit weld.

Arad2

1. Bridge on main road to Timisoara.

2. Ex RHB tram and trailer at Ghioroc terminus.

3. I remember these. 467 motors and 1106 trailers were built between 1956 and 1967.

4. Ex OEG tram set reversing. You can just see the flag lady in orange on the left.

Arad 1

Today we saw trams from 10 different German speaking towns.
1. Halle (DDR) and Ulm (BRD).

2. We only saw one tram new to Arad - a T4R.

3 & 4. Former Essen 1755. A question. Pic 4 shows the rear cab - are the electrical contacts in the open cupboard low voltage?
Thanks for the replies. Another question. Given that it ws the rear cab - would any of the contacts be live?

Halle 903

Oradea 2

1. Refurbished T4D - I suspect it may be ex Dresden.

2. Kath's new friend and his tram.

3. Depot shunter.

4. And so to bed.

Oradea

Oradea has a well maintained and effective tramway and has the first low floor cars I have seen in RO. The track is good and there are loading islands at most stops. However at the station and city centre you have to use an underpass to get to the stop!
1. The roof of a low floor car from hotel room.

2. Ex Berlin KT4D on more traditional Romanian street. Didn't see low floor cars oon this route.

3. Double ended single-sided T4D on shuttle service to mostly derelict factories. Driver is sitting in back cab.

4. The low floor cars are Siemens ULF design. Don't know how they work as they have 4 single wheels each side under the grey panels.

Cluj

1. Plenty of electricity! Ex Magdeburg T4D. Very few of these in service.

2. I was very pleased to ride on this tram. One of the very few Romanian built Timis trams remaining. We only saw this one with matching tailer also number 1.

3. The backbone of the fleet are ex Berlin KT4Ds.

4. In Potsdam fleet livery, several of these modernised KT4Ds were in service. Note the plug doors and replacement windows. These are in excellent condition.

Romania

1. The single track railway from Ruse (BG) to Videle (RO) runs down the middle of a village street.

2. Bucuresti - Romanian built tram.

3 & 4. Ex Potsdam Tatra KT4Ds in Ploiesti.

Sofia - Sunday

The number of hits has plummeted last week. Sorry it will be Romania not Crich next week.

1. Two routes, both Tatra operated, run thro these woods.

2. Graffiti.

3. Rain.

4. The latest rebuild of narrow gauge cars.

Tatra T4D from Halle

I only saw these Tatras on one route. Don't forget 902 used to have metre gauge bogies.

Sofia - Friday

1 & 2. Museum tram (1009 mm gauge) - built 1935 by MAN.



3 & 4. Two for Christoph. Standard gauge cars from Bonn.

Sofia - Thursday

1. Bulgarian trains are not very fast.

2. Typical tram.

3. Tatra (ex Halle, I think).

4. Low floor centre section.

Athens Tuesday