The next stop on our “world tour” of various tram systems is in Belgium as we make a brief stop in Ghent.
Although when Ghent first had trams (a horse system opening in 1874) it was a standard gauge system when it was converted to electric operation in 1904 it was also converted to metre gauge, and its remained like that ever since. The current system – which is much reduced from the heyday of the system in the 1950s – consists of three lines (numbered 1, 2 and 4) and is around 30km in length. The three lines are also denoted by colours (1 – red, 2 – yellow and 4 – green) and there is currently a programme of expansion for the network which if all is achieved will see it more than double to 80km and feature six distinct routes.
The below photo shows 6352 which is working on line 1 with a service to Evergem as a cyclist rides by in the opposite direction. This tram is a Bombardier Flexity2 which were ordered by the operator De Lijn in 2012 for use both in Ghent and on the coastal tram route. 10 were allocated to the Ghent tramway and are mainly used on line 1. This particular tram entered service in November 2014 and before arriving in Belgium was tested in Mannheim, Germany.
Photograph by John Moore, 27th April 2017