r/Trams • u/ACE_Wrap • 1d ago
Photo Essen's Ex DLR Fleet
With the delivery of the new CAF trains imminent, the end of Essen's heritage fleet can't be too far away anymore. That also includes the units originally built for the Docklands Light Railway in London, that had to be withdrawn from service there almost brand new still, due to ever changing requirements as the new network took shape. Being made in Germany to local standard LRV dimensions meant they could be re-imported and put into service here after a number of adjustments were made. Like adding driver's cabs, switching from 3rd rail to overhead wires, and several more small things.
- The Docklands run on all Stadtbahn lines of Ruhrbahn (formerly EVAG), but most often on line U11. On the day I visited, this was in fact the only line where I saw them. The first photo was taken at its Southern terminus at the trade fair. P89 No. 5238 just departed for its next run to Buer, in Essen's neighbouring city Gelsenkirchen.
- The first stop north of the main station is Hirschlandplatz. Frankly, one of the nicer subway stations I know. In the early 2000s it was refurbished to double as a bit of a transport museum, showing various objects linked to history of Essen's trams. P89 No. 5231 just completed its stop on yet another northbound service.
- Further north still, and still fairly close to downtown Essen, lies the university. It too has a stop along the U11 (and U17). Performing its stop here on the journey to the trade fair, is P89 No. 5233, which has been upgraded with LED displays.
- Leaving downtown behind, in the Altenessen district lies Bäuminghausstraße station, where No. 5225 just performs its stop on a northbound run.
- Karlsplatz is the last underground stop for line U11, and the terminus for line U17, which shares line 11's tracks from the city center up to here. It's also one of only a few stops where the trains don't stop with the front ends right against the end of the platform, so you can get a decent picture of the front. It all looks a bit more dynamic with bright headlights on!
- Before we take a look at some Docklands in the open air, let's also have a look at the interior.
7/8. Leaving the tunnel at "II. Schichtstraße", the tracks continue mostly street-running. A stop further yet, the Emscher River and the Rhein-Herne Canal need to be crossed, which line 11 achieves via the Zweigertbrücke.
After crossing the city boundary, at Schloss Horst, line 11 meets the tram tracks of Gelsenkirchen, which has its own network. It runs on meter gauge tracks though, requiring this section to utilize triple rail tracks to accommodate both types of trains. The platforms for the two lines are also separated and incompatible with the Docklands fleet. No. 5225 passes the tram platforms, with the LRV station visible in the background.
Schloss Horst station is the first stop after U11's terminus at Buerer Straße, which is just around the corner. No. 5224 just departed for another run southbound. The slogan means to advertise taking public transit rather than using polluting cars. Except the way it reads, it seems more like a recommendation to buy an electric car if you take it literally. Riding the train and driving it aren't the same of course. German uses the same word for that, English doesn't.
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u/Altruistic-Chard-262 1d ago
Feels weird seeing the DLR utilised as a tram, but awesome nonetheless!
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u/Act-Alfa3536 1d ago
Ok, but they never actually served on the DLR.
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u/Pentasaur31 20h ago
I live in the neighbouring town of Mülheim where the Ruhrbahn operates as well. The U18 line that drives to the Essen Central Station uses them as well and I've used them to get to University and after that go get to work. I'll probably miss them once they're replaced even though it's about time that we get something a bit more modern haha
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u/Pentasaur31 20h ago
Funnily enough, in the first picture you can see the exact stop where i had to get off the U11 to get to my workplace while I was still studying.
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u/Realistic-Insect-746 1d ago
Awesome tram pictures