Amsterdam’s last classic artics

Amsterdam’s ‘classic’ articulated cars were constructed in several batches and to several designs between 1957 and 1980 and the fleet of first generation (high floor) artics eventually numbered 252 examples. Most of these have been replaced in the years since 1990 by the delivery of low floor trams including 45 partially low floor cars from BN (the forerunner to Bombardier) in 1989-91, and 155 Combinos from Siemens in 2002-4. This left only the final batch of ‘classic’ artics in service in Amsterdam, the 37 Linke-Hofmann-Busche cars, 780-816, which were delivered in 1979/80. Whilst there has been no out and out policy to rid the fleet of these final high floor cars, the class has been on the decline in recent years owing to a number of factors, particularly the completion of an upgrade program to improve the reliability of the new Combinos. This has resulted in less trams being required in the fleet, and has allowed inroads to be made into rank numbers. The first of the type to go was 814 which was damaged by fire in August 2006 and eventually went for scrap in March 2008. Four more of the type were also withdrawn in early 2008, 796, 797, 806 and 811, the first two of these having suffered accident damage. All four were scrapped in September and October of 2008.

On July 11 2009 LHB car 810 departs Centraal Station with a route 4 working to Station Rai

In September 2008 it was announced that 16 of the type had been sold for further service to Sarajevo, a system which was still trying to improve its fortunes following the damage it sustained during the conflict of the mid 1990s. 783, 788-793, 795, 798-800, 802, 803, 807, 808 and 812 were withdrawn from service in October 2008 in preparation for transport to Bosnia, 800 being the first to leave, transported by railway on a flat wagon, on February 9 2009. The other 15 followed during February and March. In Sarajevo the 16 cars have been renumbered 801-16, in numerical order (783 becoming 801, 788 becoming 802, etc).

16 examples remain in Amsterdam as of Autumn 2009, split between the two operating depots. 809 and 816 are based at Havenstraat as driver training cars, although they are still available for service if required. 780-782, 784-787, 794, 801, 804-805, 810, 813, 815 remain at Lekstraat where they see regular use on routes 3, 4, 7, 9, 12 and 14. All but one are in the standard blue and white livery of operator GVB, the exception being 813, which has recently carried various themed liveries.

784 heads out of the city through Rembrandtplein on July 14 2009 on service 9 to Diemen

During summer 2009 813 carried this in-house livery for OV-Chipkaart, the new ticket for use on the Metro network. Rembrandtplein, July 14

Written and Illustrated by James Millington