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Barcelona
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the new Barcelona Trambaix tramway, opened April 2004, and various other items of transport interest in this fascinating city. There is a second Barcelona tramway Trambesos with lines T4-T6, which will be added later in 2008.
 
 
Sections on this Page:-
   New Barcelona Tramway - opened April 2004
   Tramvia Blau (Blue Tram) - isolated route using historic trams
   Ferrecarril/Tibidabo Funicular - Funicular to church and amusement park
   Barcelona Excursion Ships
 
Associated Pages:-
   Tramways Header Page
   Simplon Postcards Home Page
   www.tmb.cat/en/home - official Barcelona transport page
 
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Barcelona
 
Barcelona Trams
 
A small selection of pictures of the Barcelona tramway is shown below, with a picture of each vehicle which I photographed. A more detailed page, which follows the whole route geographically, is available on this link.
 
 
Trams 01 and 03 at the city terminus at Plaça Francesc Macià.
There is no metro connection here, but there is at six other stops.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 02 arriving at Palau Reial (heading into the city), with an interchange to Metro L3.
This is near the end of the section which runs along Diagonal - the tracks can be seen turning to the left in the distance.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 03 approaching the city terminus at Plaça Francesc Macià, with the Diagonal stretching into the distance.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 03 at the terminus of route T1.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 06 leaving the city terminus at Plaça Francesc Macià.
Most reserved tracks are attractively grassed over as shown here.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 08 at Esplugues, immediately before the junction where route T3 separates from routes T1/T2.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Proceeding out along routes T1/T2/T3, with Tram 12.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Proceeding out along routes T1/T2/T3, with tram 14.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 16 leaving Palau Reial (heading out of the city).
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Tram 19 at Esplugues, immediately after the junction where route T3 joins T1/T2.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tramvia Blau (Blue Tram)
 
The Tramvia Blau was part of the original Barcelona tram system, which continued running after the rest of the system was closed, using the original blue 2-axle trams. Whilst it has the feel of a museum operation, it is actually an anachronistic survival (like the Manx Electric Railway). It runs from a street terminus at Pl. Kennedy/Avinguda Tibidabo (at the north end of the FGC line U7) to Pl. Dr. Andreu (at the foot of the Tibidabo funicular railway). Tibidabo is the name of the hill which the tramway climbs. The tramway and funicular were both opened in 1901, along with the Tibidabo Amusement Park.
 
 
Tram 10 at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
Trams 5-10 (at least) were this design - I do not know how many survive.
 
 
Tram 10 at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 10 at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 10 at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 10 at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 129 arriving at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 129 arriving at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 129 arriving at the lower terminus on Avinguda Tibidabo.
 
 
Tram 129 arriving at the upper terminus by the Funicular Station.
 
 
Tram 129 arriving at the upper terminus by the Funicular Station.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tibidabo Funicular & Park
 
The Tibidabo Funicular runs from Pl. Dr. Andreu (at the end of Av. Tibidabo, where it connects with the Tramvia Blau) to Pl. Tibidabo. Tibidabo is the highest point of the Serra de Collserola hills, an extensive woodland area that has been converted into a metropolitan park 500 metres above sea level. The at the top of the funicular is the Temple Expiatori or Church of Atonement, and an Amusement Park. The Amusement Park, dating from 1901, combines traditional and symbolic attractions with the more modern installations. The funicular operates when the Amusement Park is open. Construction of he Temple Expiatori was started in 1886, although not completed until 1961. There are two other funiculars in Barcelona, at Vallvidrera (also climbing one of the Serra de Collserola hills), and Montjuic, (a hill overlooking Barcelona harbour).
 
 
Old postcard showing the lower funicular station, with the Temple Expiatori visible at the top.
The card seems to pre-date the building of the tramway, which now runs up the road on the left.
All these buildings remain standing, and the restaurant is very popular.
 
 
One of the elderly cars on the funicular, photographed from the other car at the passing point.
It was painted by a local art college (although superficially appears to be just covered in graffiti!).
 
 
The second car on the funicular, photographed at the summit station.
 
 
View from the rear cab on the way up.
 
 
Interior picture.
 
 
View from the rear cab on the way up.
 
 
 
One of the historic rides in the Tibidabo Amusement Park.
Although hardly exciting by modern standards, the plane just rotates in a
circle at low speed a couple of times, it was very popular with long queues.
 
 
The aeroplane rides in the Tibidabo Amusement Park.
 
 
The aeroplane rides in the Tibidabo Amusement Park.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Barcelona Excursion Ships
"Las Golondrinas"
 
Harbour tours are operated from the Mirador de Colom (Columbus Monument) at the seaward end of La Ramblas, and near the maritime museum. The shorter tour of around 55minutes is around the sheltered commercial harbour is run by the traditional double-ended ferries Encarnacion, Lolita and M.Del Carmen. These traditional ferries were known as Las Golondrinas, and the name is retained by the operator. Longer tours on the catamarans Trimar and Omnibus also venture into open seas as far as the Olympic Port. A more detailed page on Las Golondrinas is available on this link.
 
 
Encarnacion (right) and Lolita (left) at the Columbus Monument.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Lolita on a harbour tour.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, September 2002.
 
 
M.Del Carmen on a harbour tour.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, September 2002.
 
 
Trimar arriving at the Columbus Monument.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004
 
 
Omnibus on a harbour tour.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2004