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Homepage: http://tramaniafr.wordpress.com
Subscription 2024
Posted in 60cm gauge, Alexandria, Alexandrie, Beirut, Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, Boek, book, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, Cairo, China, Decauville, DeLijn, Egypt, Egypte, G scale, Heliopolis, IIm scale, Istanbul, kits, Le Caire, Lebanon, livre, models, narrow gauge, NMVB, Ottoman, Rusland, Russia, schmalspur, smalspoor, SNCV, STIB, streetcar, TEC, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, Turkey, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 23/01/2024
Every year, TRAMANIA magazine illustrates:
– the achievements of TRAMANIA;
– the history of Belgium tramways home and abroad: rolling stock, networks, builders, biographies;
– papers about transport tickets, tram postcards, annual reports of the SNCV;
– various papers about narrow gauge railways: Darjeeling, Syria, Egypt;
Help us by subscribing to our magazine – 1 year or 4 copies per year: 25.00 EUR (Belgium) 34.00 EUR (Abroad p&p included)
Bank payment :
IBAN Account : BE41 0001 3319 1710
BIC Bank : GEBABEBB
TRAMANIA asbl, Venelle au Palio 49, B-1150 Bruxelles, Belgium
SCOOP: 10 trams from 1899 under water !
Posted in Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, Cairo, Egypt, Egypte, Le Caire, narrow gauge, schmalspur, smalspoor, streetcar, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, voie étroite on 02/11/2023
The Neptune trams – 10 Cairo trams of 1899 found under the sea !
Since 1870, Belgians have financed, equipped and/or operated 450 tramway and secondary railway networks on 5 continents. Among the forty specialized holdings, we will retain the “Société Générale de Chemins de fer Economiques” and the nebula of the Empain group, without forgetting the “Compagnie Mutuelle de Tramways”.
The two partners inaugurated their Cairo network on August 12, 1896; it will reach 69.6 km of extension in 1930, served in 1938 by 383 motorcars and 289 trailers, all built in Belgium. Only a few electrical equipment of German or American design are exceptions to the Belgium preference, at the very beginning of operation. This network remained in Belgian hands until 1960. From 1895 to 1913, the “Tramways du Caire” ordered only open trams, with «harem» compartments (for ladies) and sometimes first class, located either at the ends of the car or in the centre. Only the Pyramids line, exposed to desert winds, is equipped with closed motor cars.
On November 18, 1898, the “Tramways du Caire” decided to order 10 motor cars to “La Métallurgique” (factory of Nivelles) with “Thomson Houston” controllers and GE800 motors, for 12.700 BEF piece, to be delivered in Alexandria, customs duties not included. These cars will never get to Cairo…
YouTube video of the wreck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6BtpZICeyk
(video made by TRAMANIA using a photogrammetry tool)
The steamer “Belgique” of the company “Armement Adolf Deppe”, with 10 trams on board, left Antwerp and sank in the night of November 10, 1899 off the Casquets, a group of rocks 13 km northwest of the Channel island of Alderney. The 2560-ton boat, built in 1889, could not withstand a terrible storm. Only 8 of the 26 crew members survived being picked up by the St Kilda.
The Cairo Trams did not take much notice of this sinking: the responsibility for transport fell to “Thomson Houston”, which supplied 10 other engines in 1901.
3D reconstruction of the wreck: see https://skfb.ly/oM9O8
(model made by TRAMANIA using a photogrammetry tool)
A group of friends from Britain and Germany has rediscovered this wreck. They share an interest in the exploration and conservation of deep shipwrecks, caves and/or mines. Their diving takes them all over the world. Our group includes technical divers, instructors and instructor evaluators trained by various technical diving agencies including Global Underwater Explorers (https://www.gue.com)
The Belgium club TRAMANIA immediately took contact with this team and especially Leo Fielding. The photos were taken by Guy Trees, a professional diver and photographer. Top of Form
TRAMANIA has provided to the diving team various information, drawings and photographs that allowed to identify the wreck and the vehicles whose tragic disappearance was already mentioned on page 42 of his book «Les tramways belges en Egypte», under the title «The trams of Neptune».
Link to our site: http://www.tramania.com
The non-profit organisation TRAMANIA, established in 1993, played a leading role in the design, financing and construction of the tramway museum called “Centre de Découverte du Vicinal” in Thuin (Belgium, Hainaut).
TRAMANIA has also restored in running order the SNCV tram trailer A.1584 (dating from 1893) and the motor car 57 of the “Tramways de Verviers” at the MTCW museum in Liège. TRAMANIA publishes a quarterly periodical devoted to the history of Belgian trams, both in Belgium and abroad.
TRAMANIA has also published several books on Belgian trams in Tientsin, Russia, Egypt and the Ottoman Empire.
In 2023/2024 a new book on the Tramways of Julien Dulait (founder of “Electricité and Hydraulique”) and in 2024 the history of the trams of Shanghai as well as the notebooks of Julie Jacquemin, relating her life as wife of the director of the trams of Kischineff (Chisinau today)
International tram agenda
Posted in 60cm gauge, Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, Decauville, DeLijn, G scale, IIm scale, kits, livre, models, narrow gauge, NMVB, schmalspur, smalspoor, SNCV, STIB, streetcar, TEC, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 15/10/2023
Book “Belgium trams in Egypt”
Posted in 60cm gauge, Alexandria, Alexandrie, Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, Boek, book, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, Cairo, Decauville, Egypt, Egypte, Fayum, G scale, Heliopolis, IIm scale, Le Caire, livre, narrow gauge, schmalspur, smalspoor, streetcar, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 24/06/2023
Book trams Egypt tramways Cairo Alexandria Heliopolis Fayum
Les tramways belges en Egypte (1894-1960) par R. Dussart-Desart (in French)
On-line order
This book describes the detailed history of the tramways of Cairo, Heliopolis, Alexandria, Port Saïd and of the light railways in the Lower Egypt and Fayoum areas.
All those networks were financed or equipped by Belgians in the 1864-1960 period, the last of them being nationalized in 1960.
Several pages also illustrate the networks of Cairo, Heliopolis and Alexandria in the sixties, the seventies and in 1980 and in 1992. Two pages are devoted to Belgian tramways preserved today in Cairo and Heliopolis. The book analyses the various joint ventures between those undertakings (ranging from rolling stock overhaul to exchange of “spies”) and the history of their subsidiary companies active in the fields of the generation of electricity and of the production of rolling stock.
Pictures and details of the book
Historical elements (in French)
This study is based on an in-depth survey of the archives of the operators, several trips on-site and thirty years of exchanges with witnesses of the development of those networks. Beyond an historical approach describing the harsh realities of another era, the author tries to add a touch of humor and of humanity. The life of the people who built and operated those tramways, whether Egyptians or expatriates, is dealt with too.
172 pages A4 on glossy paper 115 g/m², hardcover, 296 illustrations including 231 photos, postcards and artefacts, 33 tickets, 16 network maps, 7 paintings by P. Meeuwig, 6 shares, 3 technical drawings.
Edited by Tramania asbl.
Price : 39 EUR (incl. shipment to Belgium).
49 EUR (FR,GE,LU,NL)
64 EUR (elsewhere)
you can pay on the account TRAMANIA asbl, BE41 0001 3319 1710 with message “Book Russia”
Out of the press by September 5th, for the opening of the exhibition « Made in Belgium » at the Ecomusée de Bois-du-Luc (Belgium). From September 5th until December 4th.
Click here for practical details about this exhibition
New vicinal book Brussels-Malines
Posted in 60cm gauge, Alexandria, Alexandrie, Beirut, Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, Boek, book, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, Cairo, China, Chine, Damas, Decauville, DeLijn, Egypt, Egypte, Fayum, G scale, Heliopolis, IIm scale, Istanbul, kits, Le Caire, Lebanon, livre, models, narrow gauge, NMVB, Ottoman, Rusland, Russia, schmalspur, smalspoor, SNCV, STIB, streetcar, TEC, Tianjin, Tientsin, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, Turkey, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 17/06/2023
The book BRUXELLES-HAACHT-KEERBERGEN-MALINES (Mechelen) is only available in French language.
It can be ordered through the TRAMANIA account BE41 0001 3319 1710 with communication “Malines”
On-line order
Publisher Rail Memories ( available from end of April )
80 A4 pages; printed on 130g/m² paper,
more than 100 pictures and drawings.
33 EUR (Belgium post included) or
43 EUR (FR,GE,LU,NL)
51 EUR (elsewhere)
Book: “Les tramways belges dans l’Empire Ottoman”
Book in stock.
On-line order
This book describes the detailed history of the tramways of Beirut, Constantinople, Damas, Salonica, Smyrna. It describes several light railways in the former Ottoman Empire and a bunch of aborted projects (i.a. Jaffa, Jerusalem, Lesbos). A chapter is devoted to the Aleppo trams, established under French rule, and other sections illustrate the horse trams of Bagdad and Tripoli, two networks which were the subject of electrification schemes in the thirties.
All these networks were wholly or partially financed and/or equipped by Belgians, the last of those enterprises being nationalized in the fifties. A final chapter is devoted to the tramways preserved in Lebanon, Istanbul and Salonica. This study is based on an in-depth survey of the archives of the operators and in the Belgian and French diplomatic files.
Next to the description of the networks, their operation and rolling stock with an unprecedented accuracy, the book reveals how concessions could be obtained in the highly corrupted Empire. There was little change under the Republic, while the operation of Salonica, once Greek after the 1st Balkan war, had to face the bureaucracy and the insolvency of the new rulers.
Quite strangely, the operations in Beirut and in Damas became under the French flag a prime target for the nationalists. Beyond an historical approach describing the harsh realities of another era, the author tries to add a touch of humor and of humanity. The life of the people who built and operated those tramways, whether Ottomans or expatriates, is dealt with too.
220 pages A4 on glossy paper 115 g/m², hardcover, 9 tables of the rolling stock, 335 illustrations including 30 tickets, 20 maps, 4 original paintings by P. Meeuwig, 4 shares.
Price post included:
44 EUR (Belgium)
49 EUR (Germany, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands)
59 EUR (other European countries).
The Belgian Post requires a telephone number and an email address of the addressee on the parcels shipped abroad.
The appropriate amounts should be paid to “Tramania” on account BE41 0001 3319 1710 (IBAN) and bank code GEBABEBB (BIC)
Edited by Tramania asbl. ISBN 978-2-9601948-4 -5
Published in conjunction with the exhibition « Orient Express » at the Trainworld museum (Brussels, from 26 October).
Take also a look at “Les tramways belges en Russie”, “Les tramways belges en Egypte” and “Le tramways de Tientsin », still available.
SNCV trailer A.1584, progress of its restoration
Posted in Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, DeLijn, G scale, IIm scale, models, narrow gauge, NMVB, schmalspur, smalspoor, SNCV, streetcar, TEC, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 16/06/2023
Dear all,
The SNCV trailer A.1584 is now nearly completely restored.
Click here for a slide show of the restoration
The compartments and seats are completely varnished.
Fleet numbers “A.1584”, standing capacity “16 places” and weight “TARE: 5940 KG” are painted.
The vicinal coats of arms are placed.
The last shining brass accessories will be placed in the coming weeks.
The old lady is soon ready for the visitors.
13/6/2023 : Update of our pictures site
Posted in 60cm gauge, Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, Cairo, China, Decauville, DeLijn, Egypt, Egypte, Le Caire, narrow gauge, NMVB, schmalspur, smalspoor, SNCV, STIB, streetcar, TEC, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 13/06/2023
The pictures site of TRAMANIA is reviewed and updated :
– 9,732 pictures on line
– easier search
– complete list of search criteria
– lower prices : automatic discounts from 10, 20 et 50 pictures
– trilingual French, Dutch, English (nearly everywhere, still to complete)
Galleries content :
Austria : tramways from Vienna and Linz 80’s,
Belgium : tramways, trolleybusses and buses of SNCV, STIB, STIL, STIV, MIVA, MIVG, SNCB, Nord Belge, Prince Henri, Industrials from 1935 until now,
China : tramways, steam and trolleybus from Beijing, Tientsin, Dairen, Anshan, Shenyang, Harbin, Shanghai, Canton and Hong Kong in 1984,
France : CFEN Valenciennes, Lille, Nice Digne, Laon, Cauterets in the 60’s and 70’s,
Egypt : Cairo 1982,
Luxemburg : tramways 1966,
Paraguay : STIB motor cars in the 80’s,
Portugal : Lisbon and Coimbra in the 70’s,
Yugoslavia : Zagreb.
BOOK: Les tramways belges en Russie
Posted in 60cm gauge, Belgie, Belgique, Belgium, Boek, book, buurtspoorweg, buurtspoorwegen, Decauville, livre, models, narrow gauge, NMVB, Rusland, Russia, schmalspur, smalspoor, SNCV, streetcar, Tram, TRAMANIA, tramway, Uncategorized, vicinal, vicinaux, voie étroite on 09/06/2023
In stock
25 EUR post included (Belgique)
35 EUR (FR,GE,LU,NL)
43 EUR (elsewhere)
you can pay on the account TRAMANIA asbl, BE41 0001 3319 1710 with message “Livre Russie”
Luxury cardboard cover, 84 pages of text and pictures, more than 120 colour pictures !
Click here for an extract of the book
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