Horse Tram 8853
The authentic horse trams have all but disappeared. This open summer carriage was first used in 1912 in the region around Brussels. It is a vehicle that was not originally used in Ghent but bears some similarities with it. A fairground operator bought the tram with the aim of creating a tram line in the Bokrijk open-air museum. After restoration, the tram moved to the coast in 1989. Some might recognize this tram: it also operated during the Ghent Festivities in 1984 and 1987, between the Belfry and St. Jacob's.
Steam Locomotive HL 303
The first rural railway in Belgium operated in 1885. Back then, trams were pulled by steam locomotives like this HL 303. The locomotive belongs to type 7, dates from 1888, and was designed to pull heavy convoys. It is the oldest still-operating steam locomotive in Belgium!
Trailer Carriage 50
This trailer car - a rare representative of Ghent's public transport before the First World War - was specifically built to be pulled by the battery tram on the line to Merelbeke. The battery tram appeared in Ghent in 1899 but failed to meet expectations. Despite the lightweight design of the trailer, the tram could not pull it. Just a few years later, Ghent saw the arrival of its first overhead electric tram, which gave the trailer a new lease on life. A remarkable feature of this trailer is that it had a small luggage compartment alongside the passenger compartment.
Trailer A 11501
This trailer was designed to be pulled by a steam tram. Passengers could travel in either first or second class. The trailer dates from 1908 and served on the Hoei-Burdinne line. After its active career, the A 11501 found a new use as a work cabin in the Andenne quarry. ASVI acquired the vehicle in 2011 and fully restored it.
Goods Wagon A 15858
This open goods wagon was used between 1914 and 1982 in West Flanders, particularly at the coast and the Yser front. After its decommissioning, the wagon moved between various sites: Diegem depot, the Brussels tram museum in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, and finally the storage space in the Leopold Tunnel in Laken. The wagon was ultimately purchased in 2017 by the heritage association TTO-North Sea to commemorate the end of the First World War and the role of tram freight during the war.
Open Summer Tram 216
For the 1913 World Exhibition, the Ghent tram company ordered three series of open summer trams and a matching series of trailers. This allowed the well-to-do citizens to view the refreshed historic city center during the exhibition.
Pipe Ladder Wagon
The Pipe Ladder Wagon is the latest restored gem of tram heritage in Flanders.
Motor Carriage 9888
Of this type of two-axle tram, also known as Braine-le-Comte, 159 units were built by five different Belgian manufacturers. Motor Carriage 9888 rolled out in 1932 from the Ateliers Anglo-Franco-Belge in La Croyère (La Louvière).
Three-axle Tram 378 and 339
The three-axle trams, a typical Ghent tram type, were built to meet the increasing number of passengers. Therefore, old two-axle trams were converted into larger three-axle trams. This allowed for more capacity without requiring additional staff (driver and conductor).
Autorail AR 86
In the quest for a cheaper, faster, and more efficient means of transportation, the diesel tram, autorail, or railcar appeared on many rural tramway lines starting in 1935. It replaced the steam tram on lines with limited traffic that weren't suitable for electrification. The diesel tram was initially equipped with a gasoline engine from the Belgian brand Brossel, also known for its buses.
Tram 9985
In the 1930s, new, modern tram equipment appeared on the NMVB network. This standard type was built in hundreds of units. The first ones even had a wooden frame and signboards. This tram is the only one of its kind to have survived in this form.
Three-Axle Tram 328
Three-axle tram 328 was part of the 316-330 sub-series, which was equipped with more powerful motors and Sécheron brakes (with the connector on the front in the shape of a smiling mouth) to pull trailers. This tram was typical for the suburban line 20 to Melle College, which operated with trailers during rush hours.
Trailer 55
Trailer 70
In 1941, it was decided to convert eight motor trams from the World Exhibition type into trailers. Trailer 70 was created from motor car 187, with the removal of engines and other electrical equipment. The trailer received the same brakes as the pulling motor car. It was used on the city network, but mainly on the suburban line 20 to Melle College. In 1972, the trailer was sold. After many changes and a restoration at the beginning of this century, the trailer ended up with TTO-North Sea in De Panne in 2014.
S-Motor Car 9093
This electric motor vehicle with bogies is typical of the electrified rural rail lines in the 1950s to early 1980s. They were used in various cities and regions, including suburban lines around Ghent to Evergem, Lochristi, Nevele, Oostakker, and Wetteren. However, tram 9093 served in and around Brussels.
Trailer 19537
This trailer ran from 1952 to 1982. In the early years, it operated on the Kortrijk lines. In 1956, it was transferred to Ghent, but after the last rural railway lines were abolished in Ghent, it continued to operate on the coast for many years. In 1977/8, it received an interior renovation with new lighting and green faux leather seat coverings.
PCC Trams 6208, 01, 25, and 6215
The PCC tram, first in the typical blue with the doors and framework in yellow during the time of the Intercommunal Transport Company of Ghent (MIVG) and since 1991 also in the colors of De Lijn, is a very recognizable tram for many people in Ghent. Between 1971 and 1974, a total of 54 were put into service on all then-existing tram lines: successively on lines 4 (from May 1, 1971), 1 (November 2, 1971), 2 (December 4, 1972), and 10 (February 8, 1974). These were the first new trams for Ghent since 1913!
Hermelijn
With the Hermelijn, the low-floor tram made its debut in Ghent in the late 1990s. In addition to the low floor, the soft bumpers, large doors, folding bellows - "accordions" - and the large length of the vehicle (about 30 meters) were particularly noticeable. Because of its graceful movements and plastic bumpers, a De Lijn employee from Ghent came up with the original name 'Hermelijn'. The Hermelijnen were also the first Ghent trams with electronic control. Meanwhile, the Hermelijnen have been weaving through Ghent's traffic for a quarter of a century.
Albatros
As successors to the Hermelijn trams, the Albatrosses first appeared in Ghent in May 2015. It concerned the Flexity 2 tram type, built by Bombardier. The name of the low-floor tram was conceived by Ghent resident Gunther Govaert. He referred to the large length and energy efficiency of the tram at the same time: "The albatross is one of the largest flying birds and can fly very far with little energy." On the Ghent tram network, there are 26 seven-piece (43 meters long) Albatrosses with a driver's cab at both ends and doors on both sides. The smaller five-piece brother only operates in Antwerp and measures 32 meters.