InTramCities with Gordon Stewart
INFRASTRUCTURE, ARCHITECTURE and ENVIRONMENT along streets with trams
CLOSED ROUTE ALIGNMENTS
When
Gordon Stewart first began visiting and tentatively photographing
tramways when on holidays in West Germany in the 1970s it was assumed
that it would probably be a matter of recording the demise of most
street-based systems whether through outright closure or, in the major
cities, the running of trams into tunnels in the city centres. Even the
trams in subways were regarded as a provisional measure, pending
ultimate conversion into fully-fledged metros. Sentiment soon began to
change and although it was too late for some systems, others survived
and many embarked on expansion programmes. Remarkably, a growing number
of new tramways were established, often in places where they had been
shut down many years before.
Despite
the growing number of new city tramways and extensions to existing
networks, some traditional tram routes are disappearing. Thankfully,
most are as a result of upgrade work to improve the railed
transport system, many being replaced by underground tramways but
others by improved alignments. A number of the photos in the
InTramCities photograph database
show such tram lines which are now out of service
This section includes recent closures and does not include, for example, the now-closed routes covered in the West Germany in the 1970s photograph gallery.
CLOSURES IN 2025
Rotterdam
-
Tracks in Scheepstimmermannslaan, Westerstraat and the one-way loop to
the terminus at Wilhelmsplein via Maasstraat and Wilhelmskade, severing
the connection from the city's main network at Vasteland from 6th
January 2025
- Tracks in Vasteland between Vasteland tram stop and Leuvenhaven from 6th January 2025
- Tracks on Zaagmolenstraat and Benthuizerstraat (including Zwaanhals and Benthuizerstraat tram stops) from 6th January 2025
No replacement buses. Remaining services deemed close enough
CLOSURES IN 2023
Amsterdam
- Tracks
in Vijzelstraat/Vijzelgracht/Niewe Vijzelstraat between Muntplein and
Weteringschans on 8th December 2023. This was the last remaining
line which parallels the north-south line of the Amsterdam metro,
opened in 2018
- The tracks between Alexanderplein
and Molukkenstraat are now used in the outbound direction only, the
terminus at Flevopark abandoned to route 8 only, and now returning via
Muiderpoort Station to create a loop
Mulheim
Tracks
of the tram route 104 south of Wertgasse tram stop, along
Friedrichstrasse, Wilhelmstrasse, Dohne, Kampstrasse, Bismarckstrasse
and Ob. Saarlandstrasse when the route meets Zeppelinstrasse at
Oppspring on 6th August 2023. Replaced by buses.
CLOSURES IN 2022
Stuttgart
The
closure of the Rosensteinbrucke over the Neckar in the Bad Cannstatt
area in May 2022 on structural safety grounds resulted in the
closure of the tracks in Badstrasse between Wilhelmsplatz in Bad
Cannstatt and a realigned Rosensteinbrucke stop. Stadtbahn services
were diverted across the Konig-Karls-Brucke and along a connecting
curve to Wilhelma and on to Rosensteinbrucke tram stop - a
significantly longer route for this important link between eastern and
north-western parts of the city area avoiding the city centre.
Freiburg
Tracks
in Komturstrasse were closed between Komturplatz and Friedhofstrasse on
11th April 2022. A bus replacement service was in operation until new
track was completed in the parallel Waldkircher Strasse on 14th
June 2023.
Rotterdam
Track
in the Nieuwe Binnenweg and Schiedamseweg between Heemraadsplein and
Delfthaven including the tramstop Ruilweg was closed on 10th January
2022, initially temporarily in connection with road works on
Schiedamsweg. The complete closure was later confirmed from 9th January
2023 with trams from the city terminating at a loop at Heemraadsplein.
CLOSURES IN 2020
Oslo
Jernbanetorget to St Halvards plass, photographed on 14th
August 2006. Replaced by a new route via Bjorvika along Dronning
Eufemias gate
Bochum
Unterstrasse to Witten-Papenholz, photographed on 23rd March, 1986.
Replaced by a new route via Langendreer. Regular services ended in
December 2019 but the alignment remained in use for depot workings and
some Sunday services.
CLOSURES IN 2018
Amsterdam
On
21st July 2018 a new north-south metro line (line 52) was opened and
resulted in a reorganisation of the tramway network, including a major
reduction in overlapping services. Most abandoned lines and links were
retained for works use or for possible diversionary routes if
necessary.
Tracks along the narrow Witte de Withstraat between
Postjesweg (Witte de Withstraat tram stop) and Jan Evertsenstraat (with
intermediate stops at van Kinsbergenstraat and Jan Evertsenstraat) were
closed off, but a new link was established to the west in Hoofdweg
between Postjesweg tram stop and Mercatorplein with an intermediate
stop at W Schoutenstraat. Overhead was removed but tracks
remain in place (as at 2023)
Innsbruck
Defreggerstrasse
and Pradler Strasse between Leipziger Platz and Roseggerstrasse,
photographed on 22nd July, 2015. Replaced by a more direct alignment
along Amraser Strasse
CLOSURES IN 2017
Stuttgart
Friedhofstrasse, photographed in June 2015.
Replaced by a new direct alignment, partially in tunnel.
Torino
Ponte Regina Margherita and Corso Giuseppe Gabetti,
between between Piazzale Regina Margherita and Hermada tram terminus
with the intermediate stop at Borromini : Closed on October 1st, 2017 :
Replaced by buses
Vienna
Favoritenstrasse, from Reumannplatz to Per-Albin-Hansson Siedlung,
photographed in June 2017. Replaced by an extension of underground line
U1
Hannover
Joachimstrasse and Prinzenstrasse between Hauptbahnhof
(Ernst-August-Platz) and Aegidientorplatz. Not replaced, with the trams
diverted to a new terminus north of the main railway line at the
Central Bus Station
Basel
Burgfelden Grenze terminus loop, photographed in 2008. The
loop became redundant following the extension into St Louis (France)
with a new loop for services terminating within the Basel city
territory being constructed at Burgfelderhof at the national border.
CLOSURES IN 2016
Dusseldorf
Closure between S-Bahnhof Bilk and S-Bahnhof Wehrhahn, including
tram stops Kirchplatz, Graf-Adolf-Platz, Benrather Strasse,
Heinrich-Heine-Allee, Jan-Wellem-Platz, Jacobistrasse and Pempelforter
Strasse. Replacement by an underground alignment, the so-called
"Wehrhahn Linie" on February 20th, 2016. Tram routes crossing the new
alignment and associated surface tram stops remain. Photographed on
several visits
CLOSURES IN 2015
Ruda Slaska (Upper Silesia)
Closure
of tracks running north-south through Ruda Slaska from Bobrek Osiedle
Pod Brzozami to Ruda Poladniowa on 14th February. Photographed on 1st
August 2009. Replacement by a bus service
Mulheim
Closure of tracks alongside Zeppelinstrasse between Hauptfriedhof and
Flughafen photographed on 24th March 1986 and 2nd September 2002 .
Replacement by a bus service
CLOSURES IN 2013
Amsterdam
Closure
of tracks between Victorieplein and President Kennedylaan along
Rijnstraat in December 2013. Track and overhead were retained as far
as, and into, Lekstraat for depot access
CLOSURES IN 2009
Gliwice
Closure
of the entire line through Gliwice which had linked the town with the
neighbouring town of Zabrze and the wider interurban network of Upper
Silesia. Photographed on 2nd August 2009. Replacement by a bus service
Basel
Gasstrasse, photographed in 2008. The more direct route from
Kannenfeldplatz to Voltaplatz established in 1963 was closed in favour
of the original route passing St Johann station
CLOSURES IN 2004
Linz
Closure
of part of the southerly route to Ebelsberg between Blumauerplatz and
Bulgariplatz (via Wiener Strasse and Unionkreuzung) and the short link
to Hauptbahnhof by a new tunnel via Hauptbahnhof
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