The M1 15 is the oldest preserved electrical
tram
A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
in
Gothenburg
Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. It was built in 1902 by
ASEA
''Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget'' ( English translation: General Swedish Electrical Limited Company; Swedish abbreviation: ASEA) was a Swedish industrial company.
History
ASEA was founded in 1883 by Ludvig Fredholm in Västerås ...
and is one of the first electrical trams in Gothenburg. The tram has been restored to the same appearance it had between 1902 and 1906.
The tram has open platforms and the cabin is equipped with ceiling lights, curtains, and long benches on the sides.
History
Prior to the
electrification
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. In the context of history of technology and economic development, electrification refe ...
of the Gothenburg tram network,
Göteborgs Spårvägar AB ordered 46
[ electric trams from ASEA. These were all delivered in 1902.
Between 1912 and 1916 all M1 trams were rebuilt to M4 trams with built-in platforms.][ The M1 15 was rebuilt in 1914 and was used as an M4 tram for seven years. From 15 February 1921 it was used as a trailer car. It was not rebuilt, but the ]bow collector
A bow collector is one of the three main devices used on tramcars to transfer electric current from the wires above to the tram below. While once very common in continental Europe, it was replaced by the pantograph.
Origins
The first bow colle ...
was lowered and the engine disengaged.
Prior to the 50th anniversary of the Gothenburg tram network in 1929 it was decided that the M1 15 should be preserved as a museal tram, and also restored to its original appearance. This was accomplished 17 September the same year, and the M1 15 was displayed with Gothenburg's only preserved horse tram
A horsecar, horse-drawn tram, horse-drawn streetcar (U.S.), or horse-drawn railway (historical), is a tram or streetcar pulled by a horse.
Summary
The horse-drawn tram (horsecar) was an early form of public rail transport, which developed ou ...
on tow.
For many years the M1 15 was stored in the Saltholmen depot and was not displayed again until its 100th anniversary in 2002. In recent years the tram has been renovated by the and it is stored in the depot. During the summertime the tram is running as a tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural beaut ...
on the "Liseberg line" between the Gothenburg Central Station
Gothenburg Central Station () is the main railway station of Gothenburg and it is the oldest railway station in Sweden still in use. The station serves 27 million passengers per year, making it the second largest railway station in Sweden after S ...
and Liseberg
Liseberg is an amusement park located in Gothenburg, Sweden, that opened in 1923. It is the second most visited theme park in Scandinavia, with around three million visitors annually. Among the noteworthy attractions is the wooden roller coaste ...
.
Sources
*
References