InTramCities with Gordon Stewart : Closed tramway Alignments
Dusseldorf, Germany
Elisabethstrasse/Friedrichstrasse,
Kasernenstrasse/Breite Strasse,
Hunsruckenstrasse/Bolkerstrasse/Heinrich-Heine-Allee, Elberfelder
Strasse, Schadowstrasse, Am Wehrhahn
Services
ended in 2016 following the opening of a new tunnel section of
the Dusseldorf tramway on the 20th of February. Not part of the original "Stadtbahn
Rhein-Ruhr", this route was conceived as part of the upgrade of the
city's complementary network. Much delayed in construction (provision
had been made for the underground station at Heinrich-Heine-Allee when
the first underground Stadtbahn line was built), the new tunnel saw
surface lines removed between Bilk and Wehrhahn stations. The tunnel
features low-floor platforms : a divergence from the original Stadtbahn
concept, but allowing the new facility to be seamlessly integrated into
the existing tramway.
Whilst
much of the tramway changed little over the years awaiting the
construction and fitting out of the tunnel for the Wehrhahn-Line, the
area around Jan-Wellem-Platz saw major changes in the 2010s in
anticipation of the eventual removal of surface tracks. Established as
part of post-World War II reconstruction, what was once a
large open area with eight tram platforms and tracks for laying over
and turning with an associated bus interchange, was sold in January
2009 for development. What remained of Jan-Wellem-Platz was to become
Joachim-Erwin-Platz,
named after a former mayor of the city who was a a prominent supporter
of the redevelopment of the area. The
intrusive elevated highway along the east side above the northern part
of Berliner Allee was removed and traffic diverted into a tunnel (the
Ko-Bogen) as part
of a total reconstruction of the area between Jan-Wellem-Platz and
Schadowstrasse. Whilst the new Wehrhahn line tunnel removed the
east-west running tracks, those running north-south from Nordstrasse to
Berliner Allee remain.
Friedrichstrasse
Trams
ran northbound from Bahnhof Bilk to Graf Adolf Platz on
Friedrichstrasse. The southbound track was on the parallel-running
Elisabethstrasse.
Above : View south from the junction with Bilker Allee in 2001. Photo 201101-31
Above : View south of tram 2006 at Kirchplatz in 2001. Photo 201092-01
Above
: View of tram 2110 at Kirchplatz in 2001. Photo 201092-02. The tram is
on Kirchfeldstrasse which forms the southern border of Kirchplatz,
having just turned off Elisabethstrasse where there was a tram stop for
services terminating at Kirchplatz
Above
: View of tram 2653 at the junction with Graf Adolf Strasse in
1995. Photo 950052-22. The line crosses Graf Adolf Strasse at Graf
Adolf Platz and continues noerthwards as Breite Strasse.
.
Elisabethstrasse
Above
: Tram 2114 runs south on Elisabethstrasse at the Kirchplatz tram stop
in 2001. It will shortly turn left to terminate in Kirchfeldstrasse.
Photo 201092-03
.
Kasernenstrasse
Kasernenstrasse
is the one-way street with the southbound track for trams from
Heinrich-Heine-Allee to Graf Adolf Platz. Its southward continuation is
Elisabethstrasse
Above : Tram 2574 crosses Graf Adolf Strasse heading south away from the city centre in 1985. Photo 850123-06
Breite Strasse
Breite Strasse runs parallel to Kasernenstrasse and carries northbound traffic
Above : A view southwards along Breite Strasse from Heinrich-Heine-Allee in 2014. Photo 214013-25
Hunsruckenstrasse
Running
parallel to Breite Strasse at the northern end of Kasernenstrasse,
trams run outhwards in a narrow traffic calmed street. In to the left
is the Altstadt, Dusseldorf's Old City which is a large pedestrianised
area known particularly for a number of home-brew pubs.
Above
: Although plans were in place for this section of tramway to be
replaced by underground services, long delays in construction meant
that in 1985 (tram 3056, above), trams could look forward to a
further 30 years of running here
Bolkerstrasse
Above
: Having crossed Heinrich-Heine-Allee from Elberfelder Strasse, GT8
tram 2651 is in Bolkerstrasse and about to bear left into
Hunsruckenstrasse in 1991. Photo 91011-12
.
Heinrich-Heine-Allee
Above:
Heinrich-Heine-Platz is seen on a dull late winter day in 1986 from the
side of Heinrich-Heine-Allee at Elberfelder Strasse. Breite Strasse
becomes Heinrich-Heine-Allee at this point. The square is bounded to
the south by the imposing Wilhelm-Marx-Haus. With 13 floors and 57
metres in height, it was one of Europe's first high-rise buildings when
it was completed in 1924. Tracks here remained unchanged until closure
in 2016 but the area was significantly improved with greenery. The
traditional-looking scene belies the vast amount of construction work
which had been in progress here. A major new underground station for
the upgraded "Stadtbahn" lines from Duisburg and Krefeld, with
provision made for the future Werhahn Line platforms. The Duisburg and
Krefeld lines remained on the surface at this point pending the opening
of the new facilities. As part of the works, another iconic building,
the Carsch Haus, opened in 1915 as a department store, was demolished
and rebuilt between 1979 and 1984 in a location very close to its
original position but slightly set back. It can be seen in the photo
above in its rebuilt form behind the white building. Photo
860011-01.
Above : The tram leaves Breite Strasse to pull into the Heinrich-Heine-Allee tram stop. Photo 214013-24
Above : View from Breite Strasse . 214013-27
Above : The tram turns right into Elberfelder Strasse in 2014. Photo 214013-23
.
Elberfelder Strasse
Above
: A classic Duewag tram enters the short Elberfelder Strasse from
Bolker Strasse, having crossed Heinrich-Heine-Allee in 1991.
Heading towards Jan-Wellem-Platz the track is on a segregated
reservation being in contra-flow to the road traffic. Photo 910111-08.
Above
: View towards Jan-Wellem-Platz in 1991. Photo 910111-10.
.
Jan-Wellem-Platz
Above
: A classic view of the ubiquitous locally-built Duewag trams in 1985. Photo 850131-19
Above
: View of a tram entering the open space of Jan-Wellem-Platz from Elberfelder Strasse in 1991. Photo 910111-06
Above
: By 1995, the tram track layout had been considerably simplified. To the left,
the bus bays remain. Photo 950092-12.
Above
: By 2014 it was all change. A tram approaches the Jan-Wellem-Platz
tram stop from Elberfelder Strasse amidst new contruction - and
restricted space. Photo 214013-41
Above : The view eastwards towards Schadowstrasse in 2014. Photo 214013-37
Above
: It is still a construction where the tram line crosses the new
tunnel. The removal of the elevated highway has changed the area
immeasurably. Photo 214013-39
Schadowstrasse
Shadowstrasse
runs as far as the junction with Jacobistrasse and Tonhallenstrasse
before becoming "Am Wehrhahn". The tram tracks crossing at this
point from Jacobistrasse to Tonhallenstrasse remain in use with a
nearby tram stop. It is no longer an interchange because the original
plan to have a sub-surface station on the new Wehrhan Line to mirror
the tramway was changed ostensibly on cost grounds and the next stop
after the new Schadowstrasse underground station (which in practice
replaced the old surface statiom at Jan-Wellem-Platz) is
at Pempelforter Strasse.
Above
: In 1995 Schadowstrasse was typical of the Dusseldorf street tramway of
its time and remained so until the end. Photo 950052-15
Above
: Although on
the western end of Schadowstrasse, the temporary tram stop seen in 2014 as construction work still proceeded apace is
advertising Jan-Wellen-Platz. It would become an entrance point for the
new Schadowstrasse underground station. Photo 214013-54
Above : 214013-59
Above
: Schadowstrasse seen from Am Wehrhahn at Jacobistrasse in 2014.
One route, 705, used the tracks turning into Jacobistrasse. Photo
214013-65
Am Wehrhahn
East of the junction with Tonhallestrasse / Jacobistrasse, Schadowstrasse becomes Am Wehrhahn
Above : Jacobistrasse tram stop in 1995 with a tram heading towards the city centre. Photo 950092-13
Above : Pempelforter Strasse tram stop on Am Wehrhahn, viewed towards the city centre in 2014. Photo
214013-81
Above : View from Pempelforter Strasse tram stop on Am Wehrhahn, viewed outwards in 2014. Photo
214013-82
Above : View on Am Wehrhahn, inwards towards Pempelforter Strasse in 2014, showing the ramp into the tunnel. Photo
214013-83
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