The Wuppertal Schwebebahn is one of the most famous 'tourist attractions' for transport enthusiasts, operating over an eight mile route in the middle of the Ruhrgebeit conurbation of Germany. However the area is also home to two similar, modern systems built by Siemens known as H-Bahn, literally Hangebahn, the hanging train.
Dortmund University H-Bahn is a two-line system, opened in three phases a decade apart between 1984 and 2003.
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| Most of the Universitat Dortmund Hangebahn is at height. |
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| The final extension in 2003 was to Technologiezentrum. Car 3 is one of five Siemens trains used in the H-Bahn. |
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| However the section towards the southern terminus at Eichlinghofen is barely above surface level, which is a really weird sensation to travel on. |
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| The track is well protected by fencing as well as platform edge doors. There are also stablisers for the train and extendable gap fillers between platform and train. |
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| Station interiors are very 1980s and spartan. However for most of the day the service operates on five minute headways. |
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| Train interiors are also simple, however the typical journey is just a couple of minutes. |
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| Ticketing is integrated within the local Dortmund 'DSW21' and regional 'Verkhersverbund RheinRuhr' systems. |
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| At Dusseldorf Airport there is an H-Bahn operating between the airport terminal and the long distance railway station via two multi-storey car parks. The basic technology is the same Siemens system as Dortmund University, with body styling having moved on. |
And the grand daddy of them all....the Wuppertal Scwhebebahn, the suspension railway. serving 21 stations along the alignment of the Wupper River, between the towns of Vohwinkel and Oberbarmen. Again it is an integral, and integrated, part of the local transport system.
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| One of the 1972 'GTW72' trains passes along the Wupper. |
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| There is public access to the turning circle at Oberbarmen :-) |
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| Train loading |
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| Unlike Dortmund University and Dusseldorf Airport, there are no platform edge doors, Customers could wander on to the 'track'. |
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| From my archives, a 1972 train back in 2004. |
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| The fleet is being replaced by 'GTW15' trains built by Vossloh. The naming convention is delightfully simple like London's Tubes. |
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| The interior of GTW72 and GTW15 trains is similar. This GTW15 is a cracking attempt at a retro interior! |
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| A local brewery has a model schwebebahn running around the ceiling! |
And whilst we're in the area, here's a few more transport highlights....
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| The original P86 and P89 trains from the Docklands Light Railway are now used by EVAG, the municipal operator in Essen. |
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| One of the original kerb guided busways is also in Essen. This photo dates from a 2004 visit, and anyone subject to bus rapid transit propaganda in the UK will have seen this photo before! |
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| In Oberhausen there is a shared bus and tram way. Here's a bus.... |
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| ....here's a tram.... |
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| ....and here's a bus and a tram! |
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| The local railway scene is as colourful as the UK, with many multi-national operators represented.....such as National Express here.... |
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| ....Veolia operate under the NordWestBahn brand.... |
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| ....Keolis Eurobahn.... |
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| ....and Abellio. |
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