One of the more recently built metro systems in Europe, the 4 line network in Bulgaria’s capital city first opened in January 1998. It currently consists of 4 standard gauge lines with 47 stations, carrying over 300,000 people each day. There’s also an extensive tram network in Sofia, although this hasn’t been enlarged since 1995… Read More Sofia Metro System
The extensive network of public transport in Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, includes the usual trams, buses and suburban railways, along with a rack railway and cable car. Another unique feature of Zurich’s network is the S10 line, which climbs 6.5 miles (10km) to an elevation of 2671ft (814m) on the Uetliberg mountain. Opened in 1875… Read More Uetliberg. The S Bahn on the Mountain
33 years ago today the Berlin Wall finally opened. There’s been a huge amount written about the main events, so I won’t go into them here. Instead the focus is on the “Ghost Stations” (Geisterbahnhöfe) those stations in East Berlin that were closed, but had trains running through them. The three U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines… Read More The Ghost Stations of Berlin
Innotrans, the world’s largest transport trade show took place again last week, At the Messe Berlin exhibition centre, for the first time since 2018. Usually held biannually, it was cancelled twice due to Covid.The 4 day event sees over 140,000 transport industry visitors from 140 countries, and almost 3000 trade stalls.Amongst those with a large… Read More New Transport For Wales Flirt trains & trams at Innotrans
The Glasgow Subway is getting a major upgrade over the next two years, with a fleet of 17 new trains. They are expected to be in service in 2023 as part of a £288m upgrade plan including platform edge doors, tunnel improvements and resignalling, and will be the first trains to operate in the UK… Read More New trains for the Clockwork Orange
After many years, trams are returning to the Belgian city of Liege. Since 1967, the only trams in the city have been residing in the Museum of Public Transport of Wallonia. Liege had the first electric tram in Belgium, which started operating in 1893, It quickly developed and by 1905 there were 4 lines that… Read More Trams are returning to Liege
I’ve just spent a week in Antwerp, using trams & the docking bike system to get around The cycling & tram infrastructure is great (though there’s still too many cars!)But, unlike the UK, even at roadworks there’s cycle provision. And cycling with goods, moving shopping etc is just normal. Cargo bikes are a normal part… Read More Antwerp by bike and tram
The November 1926 edition of “The Railway Engineer” had a 12 page article on the construction of the newly opened City & South London Railway extension to Morden and the connection with the London Electric Railway and construction of the Kennington loop. This is today known as the Northern Line. The scans below are the… Read More City and South London Railway
I recently picked up a copy of “100 Places You Will Never Visit”, which included one railway entry, for the Moscow Metro-2. This is, it claims, a secret metro system created during the Soviet era to move government officials and the military around under Moscow. After searching various web pages, blogs and Urban explorer pages… Read More Moscow’s Secret Metro
This scooter popped up on Pinterest the other day. A person powered scooter that fits on the rails. Primarily designed for maintenance and inspection work, it can be carried by one person and will carry 50kg of equipment. Available from Safetrack in Sweden. So it’s time for a quick look at what other forms of… Read More Human Powered Rail Transport
Random Railways 