Århus Sporveje 100th anniversary (2017)

Description

Ove Hansen discusses his over 30 years at Århus Sporveje.

Aarhus Tramway is celebrating its 100th anniversary today. A large exhibition at Magasin previously marked this milestone. The celebration has a special wish from the birthday boy. During the era when trams ran in Aarhus, the steering wheel was a symbol of that time. Here is a relic from an old tram. Ove Hansen is also from the period when trams operated on rails in the inner part of Aarhus. Back then, there was much more contact with people on the street. You could open the door and wave to the girls in the summer, or do similar things. It's not really possible today. Ove Hansen made his last trip on the rails on November 3, 1971. The next day, trams again became part of the cityscape, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Aarhus Tramway, celebrated with an exhibition at Magasin. There’s talk about trams again—whether to restore them and whether they would disrupt the cityscape. Should we bring trams back? Isn't that right?

Now, action is needed soon. I believe it's realistic, within a 10- to 20-year timeframe, to explore reintroducing them before I retire. Yes, I’d definitely advocate for it. The exhibition offers a trip back in time, including a look at a Volvo from the mid-1950s. Aarhus Trams is also using this anniversary as an opportunity to look ahead. Director Torben Højer plans to revisit the city center, which will look different in the future. In fact, the tram system is planning new bus routes that could be converted to trams in the future. Taking a tram is a significant quality upgrade, especially considering environmental noise levels. The city council has already agreed to reintroduce trams.

We need to secure funding, and I believe we will manage to do so eventually. Ove Hansen, who last drove a tram over 30 years ago, has already submitted a bid if the city council agrees before he retires. Our sports director has promised that if trams return during his tenure, he’ll be one of the first allowed to drive one. So I’ve been trying to keep that dream alive. Welcome, O. Hansen. You've been driving buses for more than 36 years, and you also have some experience with a little tram. How does it feel to celebrate a 100th anniversary? I think it's fantastic to be part of a company culture that has existed for 100 years—an electric tram running from the train station to the main square, and now to the efficient transport system we have today in Aarhus. Recent studies rank it as one of the best in the country. The question is how long it will stay that way. This might be the last anniversary for this private company. I believe so, at least for me. It’s a shame because the company's spirit has always been strong. It’s a bit sad to think about going back to the good old days soon, after 36 years—that’s a long time. How has your work changed over the years? It’s changed a lot. I started in May or April 1968, at an old tram depot on Dalgas Avenue. When I first began, we handed out tickets from a sidecar, and later, I obtained a bus driver's license, allowing me to drive extra buses. Within six months, I trained as a tram driver—though we didn’t call it that back then. We called it a tram driver, the person who drives the tram, like Dirk Fits. I did that for the last three years before trams were phased out. It’s a shame today. Since then, I've driven buses and been very happy doing so. It’s a lively company—fun, sometimes in trouble, but mostly enjoyable with passengers. It makes you feel like you’re serving a good cause. So, you’ve driven a tram. Do you have any memorable stories? Yes, there was a lot of teasing among us. For example, some would say on TV they lived off the army, and we lived off passengers. Sometimes, we’d joke that if it weren’t for those damn passengers, we’d have a good time. I remember when Palads closed after an evening lecture, and someone pulled the cord—there was no power on the tram in front. The driver didn't leave until five minutes late, so he had to take all the passengers to Magasinet. That was always fun to mess around with afterward. Another story involves a colleague who applied the handbrake as he drove up from Skovvejen in the tram, then turned left off Trøjborgvej, and…

Stops

Marienlund → Dalgas Avenue → Trøjborgvej → Banegårdspladsen → Store Torv → Østbanetorvet → Sct. Pauls Kirkeplads → Lille Torv → Skanderborgvej → Kongsvang.

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