Antwerpen, car # 9635

Antwerpen — Old Photos (city trams Mechelen)

Mechelen, Grote Markt
Route 3

Original photo from my collection, author unknown.

A unique vehicle. After the dissolution of the 'Les Vicinaux Anversois', the 10 best trams ended up at the N.M.V.B.: they were the first to choose the trams. The remaining 15 trams ended up at the CGTA, of which 14 still served until 1974. The 15th tram (this one) would have been the very worst tram of the series. Both Ghent and the NMVB experimented then with 3-axle vehicles and this tram (despite the fact that it was a four-axle) was selected for this. The experiment (of which no pictures exist) was not successful. When the NMVB came to the CGTA in 1928 to buy a few freight cars, they got a total price for the whole, with this tram included...
At the time, the NMVB had experience with 3-axle vehicles, so they were able to overhaul this vehicle and put it into service. All other 3-axle trams were rebuilt later (and sometimes very fast, after only 2 years), except this one.
This only happened in 1949/1950: a photo as 4-axle in 1956 is in my collection. Why this happened so late (and shortly before the disposal) is also a mystery to me.
In any case, a photo that clearly shows that it was a three-axle vehicle.

Wednesday, May 5, 1948
Posted by focus1965