An Underground Running Day

On 12 May 2008 the Tram Museum in Brussels held a commemorative running day to mark 30 years of the North to South subway. Several vintage cars associated either with the subway or the former street tracks it replaced were used. The subway is entered from the north at Thomas where a triangular junction allowed the museum cars to reverse. The first stop is Gare du Nord where a four track layout exists, then follows Rogier with through trams on level 3, terminating trams on level 2 (then under refurbishment) and the Metro on level 1 nearest street level. Rogier, De Brouckere, Bourse and Annessens have platforms on both sides for passenger flow, reflecting the intial intention to replace the trams with high floor metro. The tunnel emerges into the 1957 subterranean station of Lemmonnier from where there is a ramp down into the more recent tunnel to Albert. The museum cars carried on below the railway lines into the street level Gard du Midi tram station (there are two more tram and Metro levels below) before turning onto the street under the railway to turn on the triangular junction at Place Bara.

4032 and 7500 ready for departure from the museum.

The trams line up at the museum depot and left via Montgomery and route 81 through Flagey to Midi then through the subway to Thomas. From 900 to 1200 they shuttled through the tunnels at frequent intervals, observing all stops before retracing their steps back to the Museum depot.

4032 poses for photos at Jason on its way into the city.

Tram 1064 and Trailer 102. These represented the traditional motor and trailer sets used on the street lines before the subway. 1064 dates from 1938 and 102 from 1928. 1064 carries a pantograph to allow it to access the full city network.

1064 sets off from Place Bara as 9079 arrives.

4032 is the sole survivor of a batch of articulated cars built on the chassis of two four wheel cars with a small centre section fitted. New bodies were designed to match the PCC cars, though traditional equipment was used. 4032 dates from 1965.

4032 arrives at Thomas on its first run

The interior of 4032 showing the turntables.

5008 of 1935 is one of a batch of bogie cars built for the trade fair at Heysel. No less than six survive in the museum collection including 5016 which spent several years in the UK. 5001/8/16 regular provide the tourist tram round the city whilst 5018 was rebodied with a PCC style body.

The turning triangle at Bara included the truncated section of route 83 (closed 2007) from Gare L'Ouest via Rue Birmingham. 5008 was reversed as far as the surviving overhead would allow for this photo.

5008 in the murky environment of Gare du Midi tram station

PCC 7016 of 1952 was in operation in as withdrawn condition. This had received an interior refurbishment as per sisters 7156-7171 and the articulated cars. Here it reverses at Bara using the shunt controller.

7093, restored to 1970s condition was used for the Royal Opening of the tram subways and is seen below at Gare du Midi

7500 is a unique car a prototype articulated version of the PCC built in 1962. It was not immediately a success as it was underpowered, however it eventually lead to a production batch of 98 single ended and 30 double ended cars in the early 1970s. All but one of the single ended cars were rebuilt to double ended - the exception 7529 was destroyed by fire but donated its equipment to 7500. This remains in use as the only single ended articulated car and shares duties with the PCCs on routes 39/44. This event made a welcome return to the city centre for the car.

7500 arrives at Lemonnier station

Ready to reverse round the triangular junction at Thomas

9079 is one of several four wheelers to be rebodied with PCC style bodywork. It dates from 1960 and is seen below at Bara.

Works car 2 is one of a surprising number of preserved works cars in the museum collection. It was once a sister car to 5008 (as 5021) it was converted to a breakdown truck (Depannage) in 1977. An unusual addition to any running day.