Field at Stichkanal Hildesheim (Hannover)
There are 5 photos from Field at Stichkanal Hildesheim (Hannover) on Tram Travels.
Hannoversches Straßenbahn-Museum (HSM) stops
Field at Stichkanal Hildesheim, Omnibushalle, and Straßenbahn-Haltestelle.
Photos and videos from Field at Stichkanal Hildesheim (Hannover)
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I also brake for rabbits! | DÜWAG GT 8 | Ride in the tram museum (2024)On May 1, 2024, after nearly three years of interruption, the outer line of Hannover's tram museum in Wehmingen resumed operation. After the overhead line was stolen, electrical service with trams was no longer possible. Thanks to many generous donations and the dedication of the association members, the historic trams could once again run across the fields. My volunteer work at the Hannover Tram Museum is a nice change from my daily job as a driver. I can ride old trams in my free time—and you might want to, too! It’s worth becoming a member, as it greatly benefits the association: https://www.tram-museum.de/verin/mitarbeit-im-museum/. Check out the website if you're going to drive a historic tram yourself: https://www.tram-museum.de/besucher/strassenbahn-selbst-fahren/.
The traffic signal system isn't operational, so I am allowed to drive through the intersection with extra caution. However, I would now like to welcome you to the tram museum and guide you on a tour of the reopened exterior route. To do this, I move from the storage area to the departure stop where visitors begin their journey to the museum. The Hanover Tram Museum in Wehmingen houses around 140 railway vehicles from 1895 to 1990, not only from Hanover but from all over Germany and Europe. The DÜWAG-GT8 features two DC traction motors, each rated at 115 kW, and is controlled by a cam switch with electrical contacts. Using the drive crank, I can gradually disconnect the starting resistors that supply DC to the traction motors in a controlled manner, which are also actuated during braking. The motors act as generators, converting kinetic energy into heat through brake resistors. At the switch, we turn left onto the outer road, and on the right, the route continues along the circuit through the museum.
The outer road, on the other hand, leaves the museum area and goes through the fields to the nearby district road. Initially, this six-kilometer track served as a connection between the Hohenfels potash mine and the railway used for freight; steam locomotive-powered trains transported potassium salt away. In the 70s and 80s, the first trams arrived at the newly established Tram Museum via this track. You can support me a lot by liking or subscribing—thank you very much for your support :) We now leave the museum area through the gate and immediately cross the first railway crossing. I stop in front of the crossing, open the first door, and let my conductor exit. Then, I secure the crossing with a flag that is not visible in the camera view. As I slowly roll over the crossing, the conductor re-boards, and I can close the door. In 2013, overhead power lines were installed along the outer road, and the catenary was suspended. Since then, the trams have been able to run independently on this track, increasing the number of visitors. Previously, a diesel locomotive had to be positioned in front of the tram, or a battery-powered car had to be placed behind it. In September 2021, the museum faced a serious setback when a professional gang of thieves stole the line's contact wire to access the valuable copper in the catenary, which meant trams could no longer operate. Since then, operations on the scenic route through the fields have been suspended and can only resume thanks to many generous donations. Thanks to the hard work of all active club members, the newly purchased catenary was successfully re-tensioned quickly.
The outer route can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h in certain sections, but is limited to 15 km/h before the curved track in the depression. With a ceremonial opening on May 1, 2024, the outer route is set to begin operation—a long-awaited milestone for visitors. We crossed Billerbach and stopped at the second crossing along the route. Here too, the conductor gets out again, secures the crossing with a red/white flag, and then re-boards the train. The Tram Museum in Hanover has its own presence on Instagram, so be sure to check out @tram_museum for updates and behind-the-scenes insights. The tram driver must always stay highly focused when driving through the city, paying close attention to other road users. Still, nothing can happen in a field where no children jump out between parked cars or cyclists cross the track just in front of the train. But even here, you need to stay alert when suddenly a brown hare hops faster than the tram to cross the track. It jumps behind a pillar, out of sight the whole time, and really wants to cross the track, so I slow down to make that possible. Now that I've started moving again, the drive wheels are slipping audibly, so I reset the crank to zero and try again. During the three years without traffic, the route has become somewhat overgrown, with small bushes growing alongside and within the track area. However, a very dedicated club member cut the route completely in time for the reopening and cleared it of bushes. Currently, we are allowed to drive to the district road, about 1.By IC-lokomotivfører - .
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The Berlin tram 5964 on the outdoor track of the Hanover Tram Museum (2021)Ride on June 26, 2016 with the T 24. The solid chassis is clearly noticeable!By Nordbahnmicha - .