Sofia Trams - Ride this fascinating tram system
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ต.ค. 2014
- Day 1 - The Railway Touring Company (RTC) 'Black Sea Express' adventure (Bulgaria & Greece). We explore this fascinating tram system with it's wide variety of old and new trams. Take a seat and enjoy the ride.
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Excellent video as always. Many thanks for sharing.
+Zulnex
Thank you.
Awesome trip. I love watching all the different types of city trams everywhere. Trying to find some Australia or other counry train cab views maybe you can help me with some. Safe travels ahead. God bless
Great video!!! That city needs to get a few street sweepers!
Tim - excellent video mate. Thanks for sharing. I really love trams (originally being from Sydney, and now living in country Vic) I ride and photograph them whenever I can.
Cheers Andrew, I was not sure how popular a tram video would be, but as this one seems to have been well received, I will upload more in the not too distant future from Melbourne, the Kapiti Coast Tram Museum (New Zealand) and Crich Tramway Museum (England). I found the trolley buses fascinating, especially where the overhead wires for both systems cross each other, at the moment I am editing Bulgarian Narrow Steam to upload shortly .... thanks again for taking time to comment .... Tim.
Timsvideochannel1 e@*:1
such beautiful trams!!!!
Hi, I am pleased you enjoyed the trams. I have just watched your video "Street Scenes of Phnom Penh, Cambodia). I visited in 2016, as part of a tour of Vietnam and Cambodia. Your video really captured the atmosphere, it was good to watch.
Super video of a most unusual system........very enjoyable.....many thanks for sharing.
Thank you, your comment is appreciated .... Tim
+Timsvideochannel1 I agree with Peter Stone. Very nice and most enjoyable. One curious thing struck me and that was the Grey/Red trams - they looked very out of place, were they a different operator, they looked awfully like some '60's trams made by Tatra - a bit like a copy of the PCC ones that went to Vienna when the US had finished with them. I live in Blackpool and all we have now are those terrible "bendy" things. They are so reliable they have had to rapidly repaint several of the 80 yr. old double deckers for service as the 'new' ones keep breaking down.
+Christopher Lovelock
elektrotransportsf.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=74&lang=en
Hi, I found the Sofia tram system fascinating, with two gauges and a variety of trams. The link above should take you to a site that gives a little more history of the network and it's trams. Thank you for taking time to comment .... Tim.
whoa there, T1s, T2s and T3s are all based on the PCC conception (pneumatic doors, two double wheeled articulated bogeys, mechanic rotary accelerator, single full-fledged operator's cab), but far from pure copies of the American PCCs ;). T6A5s (the boxy yellow ones) are post-PCCs with thyristor or transistor control circuitry.
Really cool video. I hope you liked Sofia not only for the amazing trams.
I enjoyed visiting Bulgaria, Sofia and the Rila Mountains. The trams, railways, scenery and friendly people made this this a really good holiday.
Excellent tram video Tim...i like this a lot....nice one....Steve.
Cheers Steve, I am working on the narrow gauge steam from Bulgaria at the moment .... Part 1 should be ready within a week .... Tim.
nice video. ive been in sofia for a day once, dont eaven remember they have meter-gauge tracks. i like how all the station in the middle of big roads have there own subway-pedestrian!
+SdH76zhEU
Hi, I am pleased you enjoyed it. Watching it on video gives more time to see the journey and notice things such as the pedestrian subways serving the stations where the line is in the middle of the road.
Need to confess, this is the first time I could see a mixed gauge in a tram system. I really enjoyed it very much. Thanks for sharing this excellent video. With greetings from Brazil.
+Joao Goncalves
Thank you, I am pleased you enjoyed the video.
very nice thanks much.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Yep, I enjoyed the ride as well! Thanks, Tim!
Cheers, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I too noticed that dual-gauge portion of track. Don't remember seeing that in any other videos of yours that I've seen. Curious!
It's the only time I have seen a tram system with two gauges. There is more information to be found using this link - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Sofia
I'll keep that one up my sleeve(so-to-speak) and check it out later. Thanks, Tim!
Sofia is a beautiful city. The tracks and right of ways are clean and litter free. The trams so new and gleaming.
What a great place Tim. Our local Chamber of Commerce could learn a thing or three or four.
The tramway system is in the process of being modernized, with improved track and new trams. The city itself is receiving a lot European Union money that is being used to improve the infrastructure.
Hello Kris, the EU has become very controversial in my country (England). I don't normally make political observations, but I think the EU should have moved factories and jobs to Bulgaria, not taken hard working Bulgarians to the factories of Germany, England and other EU countries. This has damaged Bulgaria and towns like the one I live in have attracted a very high percentage of East Europeans, causing problems with integration, housing, schools and hospitals. The EU was meant to solve problems, not cause them. Bulgaria is beautiful, but I couldn't help noticing the abandoned houses and factories, so sad. Google Translate is not perfect, but it is very useful.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pripyat - Gosh that's a bit extreme.
Thanks Tim!!
+PC Music Radio
Your'e welcome, I hope you found it interesting.
OTIMO VIDEO ! GOSTEI MUITO DO SEU ESTILO DE FILMAGEM.
Obrigada, estou feliz que tenha gostado.
nice video!!
Thank you.
Hey Tim:
Watched this again. Its still great. Sorry I haven't written.
I know you are busy. Me...lazy.
Keep up the good stuff.
Hello Hiram, work has gone crazy, everybody wants their job done yesterday. It's good to hear from you, I am still finding time to edit and upload videos, just not as many as I would like to, maybe only 3 or 4 a month for now.
trams are romantic thing
grantourismo0109 u8
I can imagine the translation of the background conversations:
"This vodka shortage is ridiculous"
"Tell me about it! I haven't been able to drive my car for a month."
... Think about it... ;)
But seriously, this is a nice tram route. Thanks for posting the video, Tim.
If you want the Statler and Waldorf conversation ending...
"Yeah, but if there wasn't a vodka shortage, you *still* couldn't drive."
"True."
Both "Doh-ho-ho-ho-ho!"
Hi, I'm glad you enjoyed the ride. I tongue in cheek translation made me smile.
Funny enough, but it's Bulgaria, not Russia. Replace "vodka" with "rakia" :) FYI the interesting situation at 27:10 goes like this (for real):
Somebody: "...he said to go back by this [way]. Can we do it?"
Driver: "Well, go back to watch for coming trams". Train starts moving backwards. "Can it be seen?"
Nice video
Thank you.
Rfggggtrainlkjjhgt555656566
Thank u for this very fine video. i hope we to see more.Ron,wb8nmk in N W OHIO USA 11/19/2015
+Ron Winke
Thank-you.
what sound ?
Hi Tim - I think the video is great too! I;ve met several Bulgarians here in the UK and I don't think they are monsters or dangerous. Using the trams is a fantastic way to get the flavour of any city - to see the various architectures changing as you rattle by and watch the residents about their daily business. You say above it was with the Railway Touring Coy - is this open to the public? I don't know a soul who would be interested in going with me tram-touring!
Cheers
Hi, thank you for taking time to comment. I traveled with "The Railway Touring Company". I was with my wife for this adventure, but I would have been equally at home on my own as there was mixture of couples and lone travelers from many parts of the world. RTC holidays are available to anyone, you can look them up on line or request a brochure. I have also used them for UK steam trips and I am very likely to travel with them again. Below are two links, one for the 2015 "Black Sea Express" and also a tour of East German Trams I thought might interest you..
www.railwaytouring.net/train-tours/the-black-sea-express
www.railwaytouring.net/train-tours/trams-of-eastern-germany
I hope this helps .... Tim.
Thanks Tim, that's great! I;ve had a look at several of the tours which caught my eye..... not just trams!
Have a good Christmas
What kind of camera did you film it with?
Philip Taylor Hi Philip, the forward facing views were taken with a GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition camera, for the rest I used a Sony Handycam HDR PJ780VE
16:29 Dual-gauge tram tracks? Never seen that before. I wonder which is the newer system and which the older? Possibly the narrower gauge would be the newer due to space considerations in a busy city?
The narrow gauge is the original, the standard gauge had something to do with EU funding and it's unlikely it will ever be used.
@@Timsvideochannel1 No, the standard gauge tram lines were put into operation in 1987, in 1995 and in 2010. It is used by three lines, no. 20, 22 and 23, with no. 21 in place for a limited period of time.
@@shkembechorba Thank you for correcting me, my comment was about the Bratislava tram system, but I hadn't noticed this video was about the Sofia trams. I'll be more careful next time.
Very nice video. Fascinating for me since trams are virtually extinct in the UK - only Blackpool kept them going through the 1960's and 1970's until joined by Manchester.
One thing that surprises me is the signage visible. I thought Bulgarian was written in the Cyrillic script like Russian. A Facebook friend in Bulgaria posts all her material in Cyrillic - which I cannot read! - but I notice here nearly all the signs are written in Roman letters. Any reason why this should be?
Hi Paul, I have just visited Edinburgh where I caught a tram on Britain's newest network. Wherever I go in the world the signage in capital cities usually uses Roman Letters (often English Language) and the country's native language, I have always assumed this is because English has become a universal language. In the case of Sofia I could be wrong. Here is a link prove your point .... www.google.co.uk/search?q=signage+in+sofia&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1GGGE_en-gbGB435GB438&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xgfQVLXgNsLO7gbh1IHwCg&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=979
Maybe someone will give a better answer ..... Tim.
All the graffiti seems to be in English too, you'll notice
That's because Sofia is a multi cultural european union capital of around 2 million people and there are a lot of tourists, foreigners who study here, international companies and so on. Also 90 percent of the Bulgarian youth speaks English. In general Bulgaria is a very open minded country unlike Russia for example where they translate everything into Russian even things like the Pizza Hut logo
retro trams are rare to find nowadays
It is rare to see a whole system using retro trams, I think these older trams will continue running for many years to come because they can be repaired and maintained at reasonable cost without buying expensive spare parts from abroad.
They are actually riding a renovated T6M-700 original Bulgarian tram produced in 1986 which is hardly considered "retro". It is just very basic as all other trams Bulgarian production.
Fascinating indeed. It changes from catenary wires to trolley wires. Are they on the same section of track or are they completely separate. Has part of the line been upgraded to catenary or something?
Hi, all the trams use a pantograph, I did not see any using a trolley pole. I was not sure what the difference between trolley wires and catenary was, this link gives the answer - lrt.daxack.ca/Overhead/ - Catenary is tensioned using weights which has several advantages, mainly it is more suited to higher speeds. I studied the video, at 2:43 the wires on a newer section of catenary do look to be tensioned by wights neatly concealed inside the support column. The trams are not segregated, except the narrow gauge and standard gauge have their own tracks, although in this video the tram does use a section of dual gauge track. In answer to your question, in places the overhead wires have been upgraded to catenary and the trams use both modern catenary and trolley wires. I hope this helps .... Tim.
Timsvideochannel1 Thanks. It is very interesting.
Raphael Franks i'm born in sofia & visit every few years, all trams are pantograph based (while the trolleybusses are 2 trolley poles of course)
my hunch about some of the catenary is for safety purposes, check out 'graf ignatiev' on streetview, it's filled with pedestrians & has catenary
high speed also seems to make sense, 2:43 that tim mentioned, it's definitely not a slow area
a third idea i had was that maybe it's also to reduce maintenance since there are many points holding the wire, one could break off without a problem
it's certainly quite a soup of vehicles, not only the trams are mixed years/countries/gauges, but so are the busses & trolleys!
for an amazing in-depth gallery of transit in sofia & the rest of the country, check out gtsofia.info/
another great video. I do wish one thing though. Can't you get a shot of the controls once in a while? I was a driver for 41 years and would love to see the controls in your videos. Thanks.
Hi, I am glad you enjoyed the video, I have also taken note of your request to show the controls occasionally, when I shoot new videos, I will try to get more shots of the driver and control desk.
Cool Thanks. Like on this Sofia video, I hear the controller clicking. I assume it might be what we call a 'coffee-grinder' controller. ;-) Be nice to see. Also the air brakes hissing.
See what I can do next time, although I have already recorded the next trip, so it will have to be the one after that. Thanks for the feed-back.
Very interesting views of somewhere I don't think I've seen anything from before. I have to say looking at the track in some places, I wonder how frequent derailments are.
Did they take a wrong turning at 27:00?
Hi, a lot of track had recently been upgraded, the ride was a bit lively in places on the older track, but I was not aware that derailments were a problem. I think our tram did take a wrong turn 27.00, I have always wondered how trams took the correct route at junctions .... Tim.
Timsvideochannel1 If it's like what used to be here, the switches are controlled by the driver. It's a power on/off thing and the switch is in the trolley wire. If the driver applies the tram power going over the electrical circuit it throws the switch. If he coasts over the circuit the switch doesn't move.
ChinaAl & when it fails, they just grab their metal pole to change the switch manually on the ground (like in the past, i assume)
ChinaAl Interesting, I noticed the points (Switches) change quickly in front of the tram as we were approaching. I did wonder how the trams were routed onto the correct line.
Timsvideochannel1 Hi Again. Please read my reply just above and also the reply right below mine by +kn00tcn. The driver does the route. If you need any more info PM me.
This is an well done clip and the trams are quite nice. But...why is it that all the cars are passing the tram when it is operating on its own right of way? Is their maximum speed limited for some reason even when they are running independent of traffic?
Thank you I'm glad you enjoyed the Sofia Trams. I am not sure why the cars were generally faster than the trams, but I think it may have something to do with the narrow gauge and the condition of the track.
The max.speed in the cities is limited to 50 km/h max or lower at places. Тhe trams never really get close to 50 km/h. That's why they get pass by the cars. But then again it's a much faster transport because traffic doesn't really matter that much except for traffic lights at intersections.
It's due to the track condition and the car drivers usually drive above the speed limit of 50 km/h
I traveling every day with tram 7
Hi, you are fortunate to live in a nice city.
Yeah
There is nothing wrong with Bulgaria's green credentials (certainly Sofia) - so many trams, obviously not a wasteful scrappage scheme like UK, and they seem to keep HGV restricted from built up areas. 27:00 - did the tram-driver re-set a signal - certainly an unusual sensation reversing in a tram. Alan.
Bulgaria's green credentials are OK, although they do generate electricity using coal, they don't waste it. The tram did take the wrong route requiring it to back up and manually switch to the intended route, luckily there wasn't a tram close behind.
Nice footage. Are they meter gauge??
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment. The trams we were travelling on were meter gauge, although we did travel along one dual gauge section. Use this link for a quick overview of the Sofia tramways. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Sofia ..... Tim.
What is the raised lookout post for at 11.00?
I hadn't noticed it before, I can only guess that it is used at busy periods to control traffic flow, maybe the traffic lights can be controlled from it if required.
It used to be traffic controller post from way back in the day. I don't believe they are functional anymore, although I am not sure why it's still up if it's not.
Have been in Sofia recently. The trams are smelly, but then again: so are the taxis.
Jacques Mertens I was living in Sofia - they bought new and a lot of the old ones are in the dpet now. It is better now.
Jacques Mertens.... Those people eat a lot of garlic!! 😁
Which country?
Bulgaria.
Looks like the system is mixed gauge in places (16:30 - 17:30)
Hi, the system is mixed gauge at one point in this video .... metre gauge and standard gauge (4ft 8 1/2 in).
1009 мм & 1435 mm.
When I saw the title.. I suspected it to be Bulgarian as if Bulgaria's capital is Sofia..
Hi, thanks for your comment, I have added Bulgaria and Greece to the description ..... Tim.
Ohh~~ I didn't notice it in the description though.. ^^
I enjoyed a modern look around. My wife and I went there in communist days taking colour slides. When I came to take the 36 shot film out of the camera, i found it had not wound on in spite of the counter increasing!.
+ADMIRALSCORNER
I bet it was an interesting place to visit back in the communist days. It must of been annoying to find your film hadn't rolled on. Whilst at the WSR I panned a beautiful shot with the drone of the train climbing the bank to Washford only to discover I hadn't pressed the record button .... sometimes these things happen .... hopefully you managed to get some more shots of Sofia.
But why the stairs in the tram stops 😂 not very friendly for old people
These trams were built so long ago the old people were young back then.
Timsvideochannel1 lol
I literally saw the school I am going to at 0:45 LOL
I checked the video at 0:45 to see your school, do you use the trams to get to school?
@@Timsvideochannel1 Very late reply, don't even study there anymore - but no, trams haven't been running there for a long time. It was within walking distance of my home. Edit: I was wrong. Trams run there. I looked at the wrong tracks.
@@pitaya4151 2 Years is a long time, when you are young, when you reach my age the years flash past. I hope you are enjoying life after school, are you working now or did you go no to further education?
@@Timsvideochannel1 Haha, school's not over for me, however the school we're talking about is just a middle school, I'm in high school now. I agree with what you said, age matters, 40 minutes is awfully slow for a first grader (7 y.o. in Bulgaria) but a flash for, let's say, a six-grader.
@@pitaya4151 Your school work is very important to your future, I bet High school is fun, I wish I still had most of my life to look forward to, although I always make the best of every day. I'm looking to the virus restrictions easing because I really miss travelling. Your English is really good, Take care and stay safe. Tim.
estou no brasil. rio de janeiro, obrigado pela carona.
Olá, Que bom receber notícias do Brasil, espero que tenham gostado do vídeo. Muitas felicidades do Reino Unido.
Маршрутите са:Борово,Г.София Север и Съдебната палата
Здравейте, благодаря ви за информацията. Надявам се, че се пазиш.
@@Timsvideochannel1 мерси пазим се от коронато
@@tram11sofia48 то хубаво се снима градския транспорт но ми е странно когато видях 11 ската с зелените табла защо ги смениха
@@user-ms4bm9un8x Здрасти аз съм същия но за какви табла говориш защото не се сещам
@@tramsinsofiabulgaria5897 таблата които са от снимката
Are those streets are still in run down appearance?
The city is improving slowly, it certainly looked much smarter than it did 10 years earlier.
29:23 Holy Goatsmilk
33:41 Don't stand still too long in this town, you'll end up with a new paint job
+arch9enius
I see what you mean.
It's better than being knocked down for flats I suppose
www.graffiti.bg/%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5-%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%B8/
never heard of this line 19
Hi, I Googled line 19 to learn more. Click on this link for more information - en.sporvognsrejser.dk/tram_line/sofia_19
verry nice sifia varna russe pleven
+Stelyann Ivan
Blagodaria.
Sofia, seria a capital da Bulgaria? Muito interessante a Europa. Gostaria de conhecer alguns países europeu.
Sófia é a capital da Bulgária. A Europa tem uma longa e complicada história. Ao longo da história, os conflitos mudaram as fronteiras, alguns países antigos desapareceram, como a Iugoslávia. Há muitos remanescentes do passado turbulento da Europa, como castelos, muros da cidade e mosteiros arruinados.
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. Europe has a long and complicated history. Throughout history, conflicts have changed the borders, some old countries have disappeared such as Yugoslavia. There are many remnants of Europe's turbulent past such as castles, city walls and ruined monastery's.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Aqui no Brasil, multos dos brasileiros, não querem preservar a nossa histórias. Então, os políticos, fazem o que querem...Temos muitas histórias, belezas naturais, mas não querem dá valor ao passado.
@@marcosantonio1006 Oi, lamento ouvir que tantos brasileiros não valorizam seu passado. Nosso passado nos ajuda a entender quem somos hoje. O resto do mundo conhece o Brasil por seus maravilhosos jogadores de futebol e pela Floresta Amazônica. Espero poder visitar um dia.
Hi, I am sorry to hear that so many Brazilians do not value their past. Our past helps us understand who we are today. The rest of the world knows Brazil for its wonderful footballers and the Amazon Rain Forest. Hopefully I'll get to visit one day.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Infelizmente, a maioria do povo brasileiro é assim. Não dão valor ao nosso passado. Quando não damos valor ao nosso passado, o futuro será trágico.
някой да говори български тук ?
Съжалявам, че не говоря български . Аз използвам Google Translate ... Тim.
+Timsvideochannel1 ОК попитах само за шегичка (спокойно)
:-)
Аз говоря български.
Здравейте, аз мога да говоря само на английски език . Аз използвам Google Translate за други езици .
I bet those tracks are narrow gauge.
The tracks are 1009 mm apart. See this link for more information - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Sofia
+Timsvideochannel1 So that was probably metre gauge. The others I guess are standard gauge.
16:31 For a while the tram runs along a section of dual gauge track, metre and standard gauge.
Timsvideochannel1 2:48 And a strange sight! Debenhams in Sofia?!
It is odd to see shops we are used to seeing on British high streets, in shopping centers around the world, some such and C&A have left UK town centers altogether, but are still common in many other European countries.
made in Czechoslovakia Tatra make
Hi, I had to check on Google, it is a Tatra tram. Please click on this link for more information - web1591.fge1.5hosting.com/lfr-wp1/?p=5010
У меня в Москве московский транспорт больше.
Привет, я смотрел ваше видео, показывающее современные трамваи в Москве. Они похожи на современные трамваи в большинстве европейских городов.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Привет.
У меня Москва больше.