My recent visit to Germany took in Leipzig and Halle, both of these neighbouring systems made extensive use of Czechoslovakian built Tatra cars. Both also, currently, have many in store. I had located most of the depots in Leipzig during my visit but was aware of Leutzsch depot which had closed in 2001, but reopened temporarily between 2003 and 2005 to release space at another depot for reconstruction work. The depot is located alongside Leutzsch railway station and is accessed by a branch from route 7 - passenger services were removed from here at the last major network review in 2001. Currently a shuttle minibus serves the residential area around the depot. A warm summer's evening seemed a sensible time to visit, without any inclination of what I may (or may not) get to see.
As I approached the depot I was confronted by a row of around 20 heavily graffiti covered Tatras (motors and trailers), all unrefurbished unlike those still in use.
Leutzsch Depot Yard Line up
The are Tatras under all that GrafittiIt also soon became apparent that this was something of a 'ghost depot'. Unlike most other depots it was not fenced off. Whilst the yard was tightly packed with withdrawn cars but the depot appeared empty save for a withdrawn refurbished Tatra (apparently the depot shunter) in side closest to the railway. However a view from another angle (below) showed an serviceable Tatra and indeed a more modern articulated car. I left as darkness began to fall and caught a service car back into the city - just in time to witness a pair of home built Leoliner cars turning down the depot approach track to Leutzsch.
In the depot hall on the left two cars were receiving attention from a solitary fitter.
Close up views of vandalised cars.Meanwhile there is a second fleet of stored cars in Leipzig. In 1988-1990 its last Tatras arrived T6As 1001-1028 and B6A trailers 801-814. Reportedly these were not CKD's finest work and quickly required new truck frames and an interior refurbishment. In 2006/7 they were retired at a very young age for trams, but remain in stock - perhaps because they retain a book value or their lease has not been paid. They are stored at Paunsdorf and Wittenberger Strasse depots generally i
Line up of T6As at Wittenberger St depot.My visit to Halle included a short trip to Naumberg and on the way back I alighted from the train at Merseburg and travelled along the Bad Dürrenberg interurban route (5) as far as Leuna where route 15 branched off to Merseburg Sud. This once used the two rare double ended Tatra including 900 in the Halle Museum and 902 with the TMS at Crich. A depot is adjacent to Kötzschener Weg tram stop but this is now solely used to store withdrawn or reserve cars.
Several Tatras are lined up in front of the main building with many more parked in the yard to the right of the photo below.
What the future holds for these fallen stars is unknown. Since my visit a the stored cars at Leutzsch have been towed away, probably to the main works as shown here:
The last four reportedly left on 27 October.
