Growing
1890 to 1900 : Horse Tram Single Track
They arrived in red and grey but there was much protest, so they were repainted in green and yellow!
1998 onwards
Here is the network in the early 1900s.
The network had expanded significantly by the mid 1950s, but still withing the city are of Helsinki. In the early 1970s proposals were mooted for the closure of the system, but forunately this was turned into proposal for expansion in the later 1970s.
Today's network has spread off the core peninsula that constrains Helsinki itself; although the map below is not up to date, such are the dubious joys of Wikipedia!
Tram 4 ...
... starts on an island to the east of the city centre.
For obvious reasons of adjacent wetness, this has developed as Helsinki Port.
Tram 4 has a terminus amongst fairly modern apartment blocks.
Stops are not at all lavish, being tram stops in the utilitarian mode ...
... with just a ticket machine as a sop to modernity.
Nor far from the terminus. Tram 4 is joined by Tram 5 ...
... which gets closer to the big ships. Its terminus is also basic and has a 'round the streets' terminal loop.
There, the service 5 veers right ...
... and our 4 goes straight on.
Yes, this is a real tram, battling for supremacy in streets barely wide enough! This section of road is unserved by Streetview so we assume that it is tram and access only.
Both routes cross the non-navigable narrow channel on a fixed bridge ...
... continuing towards that spectacular Cathedral
Soon our Tram 4 turns right and we are in the thick of the city centre with multiple junctions and trams going everywhere.
Deep joy!
We pass close to, but not at, the central rail station.
This north/south corridor is busy, man!
As Tram 4 leaves the city centre, we fork left and, there is reserved track!
Helsinki bus 200 is an outer suburban route to Espoo which penetrates Zone 3 in the fares system. That's way out, man!
The "reserved track" is only just "reserved" in parts!!
At the end of a fine tree lined avenue ...
... You might think that the tracks would go straight on ...
... but they don't; they wiggle.
Soon the route become VERY residential ...
... where there is a round the houses turning loop.
And just round the corner is the sea!
So we have enjoyed a very typical traditional tram route like they always used to be. All Helsinki city routes are similar.
As part of our usual weekend variety blogs we will take a brief look at Tram 4 on line.
How much? When?
Next Variety blog : Saturday 21st October
Ticket machine?? It's a postbox!!
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