systems factfile

LILLE No. 54 , Rebuilding Lille’s historic tramway followed the introduction of france the world’s first fully automatic metro system. Neil Pulling reports from the heart of French Flanders.

words and pictures by Neil Pulling

he main city of Nord-Pas de Calais region, Lille is Above: 07 of wide and largely straight thoroughfares headed north France’s fourth largest urban area (Lille Métropole approaches the from central Lille to the towns of Tourcoing and nearby Communauté Urbaine) with a population of 1 north-eastern . Over 80 years on, Lille’s visionary project – also T106 885 in 2007. Boosting that number are adjoining terminus Roubaix including cycleways and tree planting – strengthened the communities across the border in Belgium. Eurotéléport on 21 case for tram retention, as did the return of to other In a select group with the lines incorporated in today’s February 2011. French cities. Rejecting widening the Grand Boulevard St Etienne and Marseille tramways, Lille is a system apart by expanding across the tracks, large-scale modernisation from the modern French era launched in 1985 by the Nantes began in 1991, with phased re-openings from spring 1994. opening. This is not however a remnant of the city network It is now part of the Métropole’s network branded (began 1874, closed by January 1966) but of the inter-urban Transpole, a Keolis subsidiary that began a new seven-year system, L’Électrique Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing (ELRT). The contract in January 2011, which included a commitment to ELRT driving force was Lille-born engineer and entrepreneur increase tram services by 15%. With just two metro and two Alfred Mongy, commemorated with a stop, depot access tramlines for a 612km2 area, Transpole also has 42 urban road and as an informal title (Le Mongy) for whole line. lines and a cycle hire operation. Regional serve Tram services began in December 1909 over tracks the conurbation which also has stations on the SNCF TER included in the Grand Boulevard scheme, a development regional rail network. ➤

www.tramnews.net www.Irta.org march 2012 103 Systems Factfile

R Gare Lille Flandres ➞ Roubaix Eurotéléport T Gare Lille Flandres ➞ Tourcoing-Centre

1 Métro 4 Cantons C.H.R DB-Calmette Métro St-Philibert R T 2 C.H. Dron Gare Lille Flandres 1 2

Gare Lille Europe 2

Romarin Botanique

Saint-Maur

Buisson

Brossolette

Clemenceau Hippodrome Croisé Laroche

Acacias Foch

Pont de Wasquehal Le Quesne

La Terrasse Cerisaie Centre d’Affaires 2 Wasquehal Pavé de Lille Château Rouge

Le Sart Cartelot

Planche Épinoy Grand Cottignies ‘Rebuilding Le Mongy took account of other transport changes,

La Marque Triez notably Lille’s key position on the LGV high-speed rail network’

Clinique du Parc Trois Suisses Above: The junction Given the years separating their creation, unsurprisingly Above: Rebuilding for the Tourcoing Lille’s tramway differs from the French mainstream. re-routed track Bol d’Air Faidherbe and Roubaix Routing was dictated by the position of the main centres north of Pont branches is just rather than the now common practice of connecting traffic Hydraulique, that Parc Barbieux Ma Campagne beyond the Croisé generators like hospitals and universities, a role that Lille’s previously took the Laroche platforms. metro would fill. A new power supply at 750V replaced the bridge (left) into Hôpital Victor Provo Pont Hydraulique previous 600V installation, but metre-gauge was retained. central Tourcoing. The platforms are a relatively short 32 metres, these often Below: The tram Jean Moulin Victoire staggered either side of the multiple road crossings. Left: Hea