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Ah, the mid-60s, alive and well in Göteborg!

Many Swedish cities lost their tram networks in 1967 when the country switched from left-hand to right-hand traffic, which was used as a convenient excuse to shut down tram operations, as the doors were suddenly on the wrong side. Thankfully, three cities retained their networks, with Göteborg being one of them. Thanks to expansions of the network that followed thereafter, the tram is by far the most convenient way to get around in the city, used by locals and tourists alike. There are also quite a few historic vehicles that roam the rails, but what got my attention the most was the simple fact that motorcars from the 1960s are still in regular use.

The car we see here is of the M28 type, built between 1965 and 1969, looking very much like its already retired predecessor M26 (built 1958-1962) and successor M29 (built 1969-1972). This particular specimen with the road number 747 is named Karin Kavli after the Swedish film actress, and has been modernized, sporting a less outdated central door and destination indicator. I found it fascinating that these vehicles are still used to their full extent, while other places are quick to replace similarly old rolling stock. In a sense, it is all thanks to the failure-prone M32 type, deliverd by AnsaldoBreda (who else?) between 2004 and 2012 that was supposed to replace these in the long run. They had all sorts of major flaws (kinda reminding me of the failure-story of the AnsaldoBreda V250 aka "Fyra" ), from software bugs to mechanical and electrical problems, even severe corrosion on almost new trains (which reminded me of the Alfa Romeo Alfasud), causing a lot of the rolling stock to be stuck in the depots rather than carrying passengers. There was even talk about canceling the contract with AnsaldoBreda (as it was done in the case of the V250), due to the rust problem not being addressed in a timely manner.

For a future expansion of the network, the Göteborg Tramways decided to go with Bombardier, planning to order Flexity Classic series trams that will, designated as M33, replace these old machines in the upcoming years. After some delays, deliveries are expected to commence in 2019.

And yes, I did also notice that these looked very similar to PCC streetcars, also being pedal-operated, but I haven't been able to find any info on whether any inspiration was actually taken from them or whether any parts were built in license.

Photography wise, I do have quite a few unobstructed shots of these with good lighting, but I kinda preferred this one, showing a busy station with passengers getting on and off. Much more lively than just the machine by itself.

Description
Ah, the mid-60s, alive and well in Göteborg!

Many Swedish cities lost their tram networks in 1967 when the country switched from left-hand to right-hand traffic, which was used as a convenient excuse to shut down tram operations, as the doors were suddenly on the wrong side. Thankfully, three cities retained their networks, with Göteborg being one of them. Thanks to expansions of the network that followed thereafter, the tram is by far the most convenient way to get around in the city, used by locals and tourists alike. There are also quite a few historic vehicles that roam the rails, but what got my attention the most was the simple fact that motorcars from the 1960s are still in regular use.

The car we see here is of the M28 type, built between 1965 and 1969, looking very much like its already retired predecessor M26 (built 1958-1962) and successor M29 (built 1969-1972). This particular specimen with the road number 747 is named Karin Kavli after the Swedish film actress, and has been modernized, sporting a less outdated central door and destination indicator. I found it fascinating that these vehicles are still used to their full extent, while other places are quick to replace similarly old rolling stock. In a sense, it is all thanks to the failure-prone M32 type, deliverd by AnsaldoBreda (who else?) between 2004 and 2012 that was supposed to replace these in the long run. They had all sorts of major flaws (kinda reminding me of the failure-story of the AnsaldoBreda V250 aka "Fyra" ), from software bugs to mechanical and electrical problems, even severe corrosion on almost new trains (which reminded me of the Alfa Romeo Alfasud), causing a lot of the rolling stock to be stuck in the depots rather than carrying passengers. There was even talk about canceling the contract with AnsaldoBreda (as it was done in the case of the V250), due to the rust problem not being addressed in a timely manner.

For a future expansion of the network, the Göteborg Tramways decided to go with Bombardier, planning to order Flexity Classic series trams that will, designated as M33, replace these old machines in the upcoming years. After some delays, deliveries are expected to commence in 2019.

And yes, I did also notice that these looked very similar to PCC streetcars, also being pedal-operated, but I haven't been able to find any info on whether any inspiration was actually taken from them or whether any parts were built in license.

Photography wise, I do have quite a few unobstructed shots of these with good lighting, but I kinda preferred this one, showing a busy station with passengers getting on and off. Much more lively than just the machine by itself.