Amsterdam in the Spring

One of the oldest trams at the newest terminus. 815 sits on the turning circle at Azartplein on 15th March

A visit to Amsterdam during early March 2011 revealed the survivors of the 1979/80 batch of Linke-Hofmann-Busche cars (780-816), the final batch of Amsterdam's 'classic' artics, still involved in gainful employment on various routes across the network. Despite the decline in this class, which included the transfer of 16 to Sarajevo during 2009, 16 are still held in stock by operator GVB, split between the two depots at Havenstraat and Lekstraat. These are 780-782, 784-787, 794, 801, 804-805, 809, 810, 813, 815 and 816.


781 on a route 7 working to Flevopark displays its recently applied pop art livery to full effect. Marnixstraat, 14th March.

The LHB cars can literally turn up on any route, and have recently been observed on routes 1, 4, 7, 10, 12 and 14, often seeing use on the short turn duties making them rather absent during the evenings - and they are rarely seen out on Sundays.

During the snapshot visit in March, 781, 785, 786, 794, 801, 804, 805, 809, 810 and 815 were observed in use, and of these 781 was in a very retro-looking 'pop art' livery. These multi-coloured styles were once a feature of the Amsterdam scene, but were phased out from 2002 with the introduction of the Combinos. The style on 781 provides a welcome splash of colour, although closer inspection reveals the livery to be a vinyl wrap unlike the former hand painted styles.

A private hire saw a procession of four museum cars at Waterlooplein. The first two evaded the camera but 401 brought up the rear as seen here being intimidated by a Combino

533 and trailer cross the road with 401 following

contributed by James Millington