Anyway; this prompted us to look at a map of Warsaw's trams (here in full). And looking at it, I fancied the following conceit - Warsaw has 22 metro lines. Compared to London's 14*. OK, not all of Warsaw's metro lines go underground (well, only one, actually). And the rest stop at traffic lights. And only have two carriage-trains. But even so, when one compares urban transport on rail in the two capitals, Warsaw's trams go a long way to bridge the gap with London.
To make my point, I've stripped down the Warsaw tram map (below) to just trams and the one metro line. No airport buses, no commuter railways, no Zone 2 (untouched by trams anyway). Click to enlarge to view full size.
Below: Tram Aesthetic I. Rondo de Gaulle'a, late summer 2009. Azure sky and fake palm lend the pic a Mediterranean air. The tram on the left is a low-floor PESA.
The other type of modern, low-floor tram to be seen in Warsaw is the Swing (below).
Below: the Swing trams are articulated, so passengers can move freely inside from the front to the back. LCD screens give real-time information as to where the tram is, and how many minutes to each subsequent stop along the line.
Much as I admire the modern tram design for its practicality and ease of access, I retain a soft spot for the early 1960s Żmija ('adder'), the Konstal 13N, which I remember were very new when I visited Warsaw as an eight-year old boy in 1966. They may not be easy to get in and out of, they may not keep you informed of your journey time, but they have klimat.
Below: unlike modern trams, the Żmija is composed of two entirely separate wagons, each with a front and a back (they can't be driven in reverse). The second of the two wagons also has a driver's cabin; in some these are left open, and when the tram is crowded you can see students perched here, often with girlfriend on lap.
Below: on my way home tonight I went via Słuzewiec - the stop at the end of the line, from which I took the train to Jeziorki. Something different - never been this way home before.
Below: Służewiec pętla (loop) - the end of the line. From here you can catch the No. 18 all the way across town to Żerań FSO, the (newly closed) car factory in north-east Warsaw.
* London's 11 Underground lines plus the Docklands Light Railway, the East London Line, the Waterloo and City Line and the Croydon Tramlink, to count like-for-like.This time last year:
Plans for the railway line to Radom
This time two years ago:
Bicycle shakedown day
This time three years ago:
Jeziorki in bloom
Yes! I fully support and encourage you writing about Warsaw's trams and tram network.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite trams are certainly NOT the 13N, since I don't attach any nostalgic value to them at all. Additionally, as the 13Ns get retired, it also seems that the remaining 13Ns are very poorly maintained. There are some real clunkers running around out there.
The PESA trams including the Swing are nice, but practically speaking I think my favourite trams for cramming people in, still getting a decent window draft (because the heat is always WAY too high on the PESA trams or no working a/c) is the 105N configuration. The newer, more curvy 105Ns with padded seats are not as good as the slightly older blocky style with big big windows for a nice draft. I'd much rather stick my nose in the window than in the waft of the guy on his n-th beer on a hot tram at 11AM.
I ride Warsaw's trams every day, although not to the remote corners your son describes. I should actually use buses more often but I know how to get to my places by tram and for me there is still some measure of novelty in them. There are a great number of well maintained and operating trams on the rails, and they are a testament to some dedicated maintenance work. These machines are hard working (like Varsovians!) and it is a wonder they work so well for so long.
I check TRAMWAJE WARSZAWSKIE whenever I ride an interesting tram I want to look up.
I guess I have half a tram anorak in me so maybe I'll blog about them more myself in the future. Thanks for all these pictures and tram experiences!!
I was so excited to comment on your tram post that I forgot to ask what happened to the PESA trams with the 'funky' paint jobs like the one you show driving through Rondo De Gaulle. Were they repainted? Occasionally I see one damaged in an accident or something and I try to resist the temptation to write down the tram numbers to keep track of their status. From there it is a slippery slope until I am taking pictures of them all and keeping written lists of them in the pocket of my anorak!
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteYou HAVE to go to Boernerowo.
Go and see wooden-cald houses on Bawełniana, Kunickiego, Sobczaka, Telewizyjna, Akantu and Ebro streets.
This is a different world there, there are still some houses remaining intact from the 30-ties of last century.
http://www.audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/60772/h:16/
http://www.audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/
You will certainly be able to find them between modern PRL and post_PRL style cra.p
Best regards,
On balance I much prefer Warsaw's transport network to London's. The tube, even with the bit of the odd paint job that PPP deal has managed to deliver, is still hot, vastly overcrowded and very, very dirty.
ReplyDeleteI know there are historical reasons for that but comparing that to jumping onto a tram then popping off two stops later if you're in a hurry, it doesn't reflect well on London.
Paddy
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ReplyDelete