Matchbox: Odense sidecar 38 (1992)

Archive: Henrik Boye.
Date: 1992.
City: Odense (Denmark).

Odense Tramway (OS)
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Odense sidecar 38, manufacturer Familliereux.

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Photos from Odense Tramway (OS)

Matchbox: Odense railcar 16 (1992)By Henrik Boye.
1992.

Odense Hunderup Skov (2022)Converted to "Ice Cream". Waiting room is still the same place.By Henrik Boye - November 24, 2022.

Postcard: Odense Skibhuslinie with railcar 12 on Skibhusvej (1937)By Henrik Boye, John Lundgren, Sporvejshistorisk Selskab (SHS).
January 1937 - March 1937.

27:47

Odense Sporveje 100 years (1911-2011)On October 5, 1911, A/S Odense Elektriske Sporvej began operations. On the same day, the old Odense tram will leave from the Sporvejsmuseet to Flakhaven in Odense and will be on display at Denmark's Railway Museum for the rest of October. The fifth of October — is it exactly 100 years since the Odense Electric Tramway Company began operating its first track? And on this centennial, October 5th, can you see the old Odense track, now at the Gedsholm Tramway Museum in front of Odense City Hall, just as it appeared when first shown to the public on September 12, 1997, after being fully renovated from October 6 through the rest of the month? Can you view the track at the Danish Railway Museum, which currently hosts an exhibition about modern trams and light rail, now making their way back to Denmark's three historic tramway cities: Odense, Copenhagen, and Aarhus? If anyone knows the history of the Odense Tramway, it's Ole Iskov. His father worked for the Odense Tramway Company, and his deep interest in tramways stems from a lifelong fascination. Ole Esgaard authored a book about the Odense Tramway, published by the Tramway Historical Society in 1986. You're mentioned in the foreword of that book. The American author Ray Bradbury’s book, "Dandelion Wine," features a main character, Douglas, who at 12 years old experiences something about the tramway in his hometown in the USA. Why did you mention that book? I can't help but compare it to myself. I was also me—I was 14 when they closed the Odense tramway—and I feel the same way as Douglas in "Dandelion Wine," which isn’t a science fiction book, unlike Bradbury’s usual style. He says something like, "The nice carriage driver comes and drives his tram and says, Hey kids, hop in—it's free today. It’s the last day," Douglas says, "the last day." They can't do that forever—he’d driven the tram his whole life, knew its sounds, its smell, and so on. And I think the same thing happened to me, too. When I arrived in Odense in 1950 and worked with the tramway for two and a half years, I always knew it was going to close—a beautiful day. But it wasn’t until July 1, 1952, when I saw all the carriages idle in Sønderborg, that it really hit me—no more trams. It was serious. Never again. And what strikes me is that the same thing happens again in R. Bredberg’s book. I moved from Svendborg to Odense in January 1950 because my father, a machinist at Svendborg Municipal Electricity Company, was hired as a foreman at Odense Tramway. He was trained as a machinist and apprenticed with Thomas B. Trige before attending the Mechanical Engineering School. He knew Thomas B. Trige, and apprentices usually received a few kind words from him when they became "Svenne." So, my father attended the Mechanical Engineering School and became a machinist, working alongside an electrical installer. He also worked with AP Møller for a few years in the 1930s, including on the tanker Jan Mærk. Mærk came ashore before the war and was employed by the Copenhagen Lighting Service, working at HC Ørstedsværket and the good damage repair shop. My father also chose his predecessor, the old post foreman Andersen, a trained machinist. That’s why it felt right for me to come to Odense, just like Odense's tracks. Even though I knew from the newspapers that it was going to shut down, I already had a slight interest in the trams of Copenhagen. I was born in Copenhagen and lived on line five, which was the last tram line there, so I had it in my blood. The first time I was with my father in the depot, I saw all the trams—it was truly exciting. They were mostly out and running, but some remained in the depot. Strangely, I even got a greeting from the depot director that day. He thought it was fun to walk around and see what kind of kids were in the depot. He was always kind. I’d previously gone for a ride in Odense and was very excited. The trams I saw were red and blue. I was used to the yellow ones in Copenhagen. It was fortunate that my father's face meant we kids got free passes—though only on school days or weekdays, not on weekends, holidays, or evenings. But when the trams finally ran, I gradually learned all the motor cars—and I remember every single one. Number 12 was one of them, sold to Uppsala in 1945, along with number six. I knew many drivers—I eagerly stood close to them—and even many conductors, though I'm not sure they all knew me. I was a shy boy, after all. But the conductors were nice, and I always enjoyed my rides.By SporvognDK - 1911 - 2011.

19:50

Inauguration of Odense Light Rail (2022)Odense light rail was inaugurated on 28 May 2022, and the first train with passengers ran from the station called Parkering Odense Syd, which is located east of Hjallese. The Odense light rail was expected to open at the end of 2020, but the coronavirus and other longer-lasting issues were not in place. In contrast to the Aarhus light rail, the Odense light rail first waited for approval before announcing an opening date. And it must be said that it was a good solution, so that you did not end up with a cancellation at the last minute. In this film, we see clips from the opening day, information about the design, and a bit of history from Odense Sporveje. Today is May 28, 2022. I am at Hjallese Station, on my way to the Park & Ride facility south of Odense. I won a seat on Odense Letbane's first passenger train, which departs at 10:45 a.m. The trip is non-stop to Tarup, where the mayor and the Minister of Transport will board for the return trip. The first passenger light rail train left from the Odense Syd parking station, east of Hjallese. This station houses the light rail workshop, operated by Keolis, which also manages light rail in Odense and Aarhus. Odense light rail was scheduled to open at the end of 2020, but delays caused by the coronavirus and other long-term approvals pushed back the opening. Unlike Aarhus light rail, Odense waited for approval before announcing an opening date. This proved to be a good decision, preventing last-minute cancellations. At 10:20, the first light rail train in Odense arrived at the platform at the Park & Ride facility, ready to depart with passengers. - I recommend passengers stand up and hold onto the brackets and handrails until they get used to the train's rhythm. On the way to Tarup, I’ll share a little about the design of the new light rail. My name is Janik Frithioff, and I am a graphic designer at Odense Light Rail, where I have worked since 2017, contributing to station and train designs. We're here on train set number 01, named Brunneren. You can see it’s a very bright train with inviting colors, creating a cozy atmosphere, complemented by clear signage. This includes displays and signage along the train. The seats are made of cotton from Kvadrat in Ebeltoft, and the handrails are very visible, painted in subtle colors that won’t pollute the design. Several measures have been taken to make the train appear simple, inviting, and warm. The colors of Odense—sidewalks and buildings—are all warm tones, reflecting the city's palette. The color of our train represents Odense but is intentionally distinct from the cityscape. For blending in, darker colors are used, like the black overhead power poles, whereas the train's light color makes it stand out. We chose green for the emergency door opener—one of the few places in Denmark where this color is used to symbolize an emergency exit, aligning with requirements that emergency signs be green, even though German standards for train construction have red. We investigated and received approval to make it green, which indicates an emergency exit rather than a fire hazard. All communication in our trains and stations is in Danish and English. Our call center has a direct line to stations offering English translation. Signage and announcements are bilingual. The seats are soft and comfortable, unlike the hard seats found in metros or other transit modes. We prioritize quality to give citizens a better experience, even on short trips. We believe in providing high-class public transportation with comfortable seating, smooth rides, and an attractive visual environment. The trains also have large flex spaces for bicycles and strollers. Initially, these spaces were smaller, with a row of seats removed and replaced by foldable seats to increase capacity for bikes, wheelchairs, and prams. Then we arrived in Tarup Center, where many passengers were gathering for the first official train departure. Here, both the mayor and the Minister of Transport boarded for the return trip, with small inauguration ceremonies at each station, where ribbons were cut. At Albani Torv, many people waited for the first two trains arriving simultaneously. - It was fantastic. Lots of happy people. - Silent? - At least, there was only happiness. After that, the last ribbon was cut. And afterward, H.C. Andersen welcomed everyone to the City of Fairy Tales. In ancient fairy tales, the poet writes, "YES!" In millennia, they will come.By Kennys Film - May 28, 2022.

Decorative plate: Odense Hovedlinie with railcar 8 on Sankt Knuds Kirkestræde (1974)1911 Odense Tramway 1952By Henrik Boye, Skotman Jensen - 1974.

Cardboard tag: Odense Hovedlinie near Banegården (1938)Emil Hess Nørregade 64 Odense Phone 1104 -where Bus and Tram stop Sticker no. 3472 Østre StationsvejBy F.E.Borrding a/s KBHVN, Henrik Boye - 1938.

Odense Hunderup Skov (2019)Converted to "Ice Cream". Waiting room is still the same place.By Henrik Boye - April 16, 2019.

Postcard: Odense Hovedlinie with railcar 4 on Skomagersstræde (1952)A similar railcar (no. 12) owned by Tramway Historical Society.By Henrik Boye, Sporvejshistorisk Selskab (SHS) - 1952.

Postcard: Odense Hovedlinie on Vestergade (1931)By Danmarks Grafiske Museum, Henrik Boye, Møntergårdens billedsamling.
1931.

See all photos from Odense Tramway (OS).

Last updated: July 5, 2026.