Part 1: The Tram Parade
Public transport in Gent, Belgium is provided by De Lijn, the Flemish regional transport authority. Horse trams started operating in Gent in 1874, after experiments with battery trams between 1899 and 1904, electrification and a change of gauge (the horse trams were 4' 8½", the electric trams metre gauge) followed, with the first electric trams running in 1904. The 150th anniversary was celebrated on the 18th and 19th May 2024 with a tram parade and operation of heritage trams on three routes in the city. The parade started at Gravensteen and ran through Korenmarkt to Duivelsteen.

Part 2: Heritage Trams in Operation 18th & 19th May 2024
There were several trams from the former Gent municipal operator MIVG (Maatsschappij Intercommunaal vervoer te Gent) including PCC cars dating from 1971 and 3 axle trams dating from 1930. The MIVG was taken over by De Lijn in 1991 and one of the modernised PCC cars was also in service. The Vicinal (SNCV/NMVB) was also represented by several electric trams, plus a diesel autorail, an 1888 steam tram locomotive (on loan from the ASVi museum at Thuin), this tram loco ran in the parade later could be seen in action in the city centre. There was also a Vicinal open trailer in use as a horse tram.

Part 3: Gent Trams in 2024
Trams in service in 2024, the current fleet consists of 40 Siemens Hermilijn 5 section trams delivered between 1999 and 2008, plus 26 Bombardier Flexity 2 7 section trams delivered between 2014 and 2017. All the modern trams are double ended, there is only one terminal loop on the system, on route T1 at Flanders Expo. There are currently four routes in Gent, T1, Flanders Expo - Gentbrugge Stelplaats,T2, MelleLeeuw - Evergem, T3,Moscou-Zwijnaarde.The T4 is only running from Gent University Hospitalto Sint-Pietersstation, the rest of the route is currently closed for track reconstruction.

Part 4: Gent Trams in 2013
Trams in service in 2013 included the Siemens Hermilijn cars plus quite a few of the PCC cars built by La Brugeoise et Nivelles (BN) between 1971 and 1974. Both modernised and unmodernised PCC's can be seen in this chapter, running on various routes including the currently closed T4. Although the PCC era in Gent is now over, seven of the modernised PCC's were transferred to Antwerp in 2018 for their route 12 which needed double ended trams (all Antwerp's trams are single ended) because of roadworks. The PCC era in Antwerp is now almost at an end, new double ended trams are on order and expected in 2024. New trams will also replace the last of Antwerp's own single ended PCC cars in 2024. One modernised PCC car, No.6208, has been retained in Gent as a works car, and another 6215, has joined the museum fleet. 6215 took part in the parade and in the heritage tram operation on 18th/19th May.

Subtitles, no commentary, enjoy the sights and sounds of the trams in Gent.

Produced by - Bob Hodges Transport DVD's
Running time - 75 Minutes
Format - 16:9 Widescreen PAL (UK)
DVD only
Released - July 2024