You can see my photos and pictures below about the TW6000 trams of Uestra Hanover and BKV Budapest

(I have to say their official type at BKV is still TW 6000 but I call them TW 1500 because the number 6000 indicates only their numbers in Hanover)

Katt ide a magyar nyelvű változathoz!

My photos from Hanover
The arrival of the first delivery
Day of the first two trams' disloading
The first tests
Test travel
Further deliveries
Operation Zuglo
TW6000 (TW1500 :-)) trams of BKV Budapest
Starting of the new line 3
TW's on line 50
Meanwhile in Hanover

Unfortunately hundreds of my photos have been deleted from the kep.tar.hu server without any precursory or posterior information from the webmasters, so many of them cannot be seen for an unforeseeable term. Anyway if you're interested in any of my photos, don't hesitate to contact me, and I'll send you.

The Hannover pictures are dated 25th and 28th March 2001

6070 and 6061 have arrived!

As planned on 14th June 2001., 3.00 am. the first two TW 6000 tramcars arrived at the BKV main workshop on Feher ut. 6070 went through the gates of the BKV first (who was running its kilometres in Hannover in March). Then came 6061. They put them on the Hungarian tracks the next day, no.6061 first who is by the way the first orange TW. Not much after noon both cars were on BKV tracks. Something interesting: because of the lack of space available they pushed their noses out of the main gate when the tractor pushed them here and there, to "smell" into this air.

The convoy on Kerepesi ut, as it arrives at Örs vezér tér. It can be seen on the sixth picture as the tram collects some branches on its top. For these kinds of reasons the collector part of the pantograph was demounted not to be damaged

The delivery was done by Kuebler Spedition. It seems they have some experience in moving large objects as you can see here and here.

Two pictures from Kuebler

The cargo company sent me these pictures after some e-mailing. Aren't they nice? :-)

The next day, thursday they changed their places. The trailer truck of 6061 overtook the other and went in the front of the hall of the workshop. Then it reversed back towards the descent just before the front travelling platform to lower the tram down. First attempt: the d.i.y. ramp is too steep, the tram's nose would collide into the floor. Pulling back the tram, constructing another ramp. Second attempt: the ramp is not so steep, it seems okay. But the ramp became longer so the nose (or chin?) would collide into the travelling platform. Pulling back again. The whole package, the trailer including its load and the ramp at its back goes further. Third attempt: the tram lowers slowly, winched by the trailer. They done it.

A few of us made photos, videos about 6061's first appearance out of the workshop, yet pushed by the "diesel-engine", a tractor

After disloading 6061 came 6070...

...but it was quite simple

24th June 2001. they appeared with their new numbers. 6061 became 1500 and 6070 became 1501. Later that night 1500 (ex 6061) done its first test runs in southern Pest (lines no. 13 and 50), meanwhile 1501 (ex 6070) was standing in Feher ut workshop

Around seven o'clock on the next day, 25th June, monday afternoon 1500 dared to go out again after 1501 to the open track. They met at the delta of lines no.13 and 52 where 1500 went "around" using the "wrong direction" track of line 52, and they were coupled together exactly at 19.30. From here 1500 pulled back 1501 to Feher ut with "cold" coupling (decoupled contacts of the controls on the "Scharfenberg"), 1501 was pulled with lowered pantograph.

Although the first two cars haven't completed their prescribed 10000 kms test runs, BKV has already held a public display in front of bigger audience. It took place on 13th July 2001., Friday, not at the best time, in the morning, in working time, at the Hatar ut end station of BKV tram line 50. The display car was 1501 (ex-6070). This is how it came out of Szava shed. A small photostop . After that a bit of "railway-marshalling" surrounded by cars running on schedule. Then it stopped at the dead-end track behind its table and we watched it. Beside each other: the old and the... not too old. Meanwhile we got a color info sheet about the tram. This is the back side:.

Because a test vehicle must not carry passengers and the cars haven't examined by Hungarian regulations either (there haven't been any loaded tests either), passengers had to sign that they travel on their own risk. We got also a card too. This is the back side of it. It says: "Test run pass. It allows its owner to take part of the TW 6000 tram's first (?) test run on 13th June 2001. We happily welcome you on the tram's first public journey!". Then we went to Beke ter (=Peace square) the other end station of line 50 and back. Meanwhile a lot of service trucks followed us. The tram could see wether it stops at high or low platform, like in Hannover and lowers the steps if necessary - they say. In Budapest, of course not, the driver has to push the button for high or low platform opening. Not much after the test run, at noon the tram went home to Szava shed, and dared to go out again afternoon. Because of the many door openings and closings by the curious users one of the stairs failed and only the door opened like at a high platform. A small, dangerous mishap. How many times going to happen in service? Or was it only because of Friday 13th?
A few other images: operating instruction for doors, and this was a scheduled UV type tram.

Further deliveries

Germans send two tramcars each week. You can see some video images of delivering 6080 and 6079 (in this order) below, the later BKV 1515 and 1514. I was coming home from Wien, Austria by train (Dacia Express) at that time, on the first picture is possibly the convoy, shot from inside the train, somewhere in the range of town Acs (sorry for bad picture quality). Ah yeah, who belives me it really was that! :-))

They turned to Feher ut very uneasy because of the Ors vezer ter buildings. The trailers proved their all-terrain capabilities too on the level-differences of the old and newly built road surfaces, see the bottom left picture. :-)) Then they reversed in the workshop immediately one after another. Disloading also happens at night nowadays, using the prepared ramp.

Franz Kafka's Transformations, or TW minus 4500:

Featuring 6080 as "Gregor Samsa", who since became 1515. Totally by luck I travelled with it on 25th May 2001., as the second car of train 6083-6080 on Hannover line 10. You can see pictures from inside 6080 and as it turnes at stop Steintor. Last picture was taken at Ors vezer square.