Token for Odense Sporvej (OS), the front (1911)

Archive: Henrik Boye.
Publisher: Odense Sporveje.
Date: 1911.
City: Odense (Denmark).

Odense Tramway (OS)
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A/S Odense Electric Tramways

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Photos from Odense Tramway (OS)

Token: Odense, the back (1911)10 EARBy Henrik Boye, Odense Sporveje - 1911.

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

13:51

A trip with Odense's trams (1951)Old houses in a historic neighborhood are known for one particular name. People from around the world visited Odense to see H.C. Andersen's home in Helsingør. Although it wasn't the most visited spot back then, occasionally a tour bus would pull up near the house, unloading a group of passengers. Visitors were often intrigued by the old house and surprised to see the chimney sweep, as featured in one of H.C. Andersen's famous stories. Maybe it wasn't just the atmosphere, but there was something adventurous about the place. To add to the sense of adventure, visitors could see the chimney sweep walking barefoot on the roof. Clearly, it was a place with something special to offer. But it wasn't always H.C. Andersen's house that drew people from near and far; sometimes, there was something else that attracted them. You see, Odense was a great city, much like other major Danish cities such as Copenhagen, with features that those cities typically had. The red trams, a color they adopted in the 1920s when they replaced the darker green models. Odense's main tram line opened in 1911. It started in Forsbury, passed through the city center, and ended at Hulopko. At each end of the line, there was a loop where the tram could turn around. The tram would arrive at the loop, make a high-pitched screech, and turn around to head back. On hot spring and summer days, the zoo and the surrounding trolley attracted many visitors, and the tram ride was just part of the experience. From Forsbury, the line ran along the green belt of Sonobat toward the city center. The next stop was the hospital, which saw many passengers during visiting hours. After a quick halt, the tram continued toward the next stop at Cassan, just a few hundred meters before Son Boulevard, in an effort to head down Sonale. Going through Vestigal, the tram entered busy city traffic, merging with other routes. Here, the tram line diverged onto double tracks, with a boulevard to continue toward the city center and Odense's main station. On summer days, it was common to see the regular tram replaced by open-air excursion wagons used for school trips, allowing children to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city from the comfort of a tram. Usually, these trips ended at the central station, with plans to continue the day, probably behind a real steam engine. Like everything else, Odense’s tram system required maintenance. The overhead wires at the old Central Station were being repaired, featuring the building's majestic style in the background. The tracks were greased, and occasionally, a welding crew came to fix the worn rails. After welding, the rails were ground to a smooth finish. The tram system was also a place where passengers were treated well and served with care. People would wave hats and greet friends and family before boarding. In America, there was another quick stop, passing the Hunob Scout tram, before continuing past Fisk and Finan's largest newspaper, the Fan Times. Then, it crossed between Nar and Vista, where traffic was so heavy it needed controls with lights. At Albani Torv, the tram was seen passing by, then turning past the city hall, which had been under construction for several years. From there, you entered the heart of the city. From this central area, people could switch to local buses or go shopping. One popular spot was the old market, where traditional practices thrived. For instance, you could taste the cucumber before buying it—nobody wanted a bad one. Markets were typically held at Albani Torv and Klingan Bear, where vendors sold flowers, vegetables, and fruits, creating a vibrant and authentic market atmosphere. All of this could be seen from the tram as it traveled past, with views behind the church and towering rooftops. The old gas tower was visible, and someday, this part of it would become history, along with a little red tram passing down Sus Kra, past Philosoph, and crossing over below onto Leel. This crossing required extreme caution. There was one final crossing with the tram at Munobsko before reaching the destination—Hunsko—where the tram ended in a loop in the forest. For a brief moment, passengers could enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. But then they arrived, and the journey came to an end. Here was Honors Go, welcoming the city's citizens with its green surroundings. Though most of Odense's rolling stock was scrapped in 1952 when the tram lines closed, one tram found a new lease on life. Number 12 was sold to the U.S. tramways in Sweden in 1945 along with a sister tram, number six. This particular tram survived after being purchased and was discovered in 1973 in a backyard in Sweden. A Swedish equivalent to the Danish Tramway Society was sent back to Denmark, and it was restored in 1997. The tram has been reintroduced to service and can now be seen alongside many other trams at the Danish Tramway Museum.By SJB Media 1996 - 1951.

Postcard: Odense Hovedlinie with railcar 17 at Søndergade/Filosofgangen (1952)Sporvejshistorisk Selskab owns 1 railcar and two trailer loads from Odense.By Henrik Boye, Sporvejshistorisk Selskab (SHS) - 1952.

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

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

Model tram: Odense, the front (1930-1940)Hunderup Forest. 765 IG Odense 765.By Henrik Boye, IG Odense - 1930 - 1940.

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.

Model tram: Odense, side view (1930-1940)By Henrik Boye, IG Odense.
1930 - 1940.

Postcard: Odense Hovedlinie by Banegården (1912)Odense. State Railways. Universal Postal Union (Union postale universelie) Postcard - Carte PostaleBy H. Schmidt Fot. Lideallé, Henrik Boye - 1912.

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Last updated: July 5, 2026.