Tram route 11 (Antwerp)

Tram route 11 is an above ground tram route in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. It currently runs between the Antwerpen-Berchem railway station and the Melkmarkt in the city centre.

Tram route 11
Itinerary of tram route 11
Overview
Typetram
SystemAntwerp tram network
LocaleAntwerp
TerminiMelkmarkt
Antwerpen-Berchem railway station
Stations27
Color on mapred text on a white background
Operation
OpenedOctober 9, 1902
Operator(s)De Lijn
Rolling stockPCC
Route map
Melkmarkt
Sint Katelijne
Sint Jacob
Jezustraat
Franklin Rooseveltplaats
Antwerpen-Centraal railway station
Ommeganck
Ploeg
Lente
Plantin en Moretus
Van Ruusbroec
Dageraadplaats
Draakplaats
Antwerpen-Berchem railway station
Groenenhoek

History

Originally, the route was operated as a horse-drawn omnibus route running between the Grote Markt and the Zurenborg neighborhood. At the start of the 20th century, the line was electrified and extended to the Eksterlaar neighborhood.[1] Until the end of 1964, route 11 operated between Antwerp-Central station and Eksterlaar. Beginning January 1, 1965, the route was extended to the Melkmarkt, after tram route 16 (Melkmarkt-Luchtbal) was canceled.[2]

During a part of the 1990s, trams on route 11 used the premetro network via the entrance at the Mercatorstraat, due to construction works at the Ommeganckstraat. The TTB organization, representing commuters in Flanders, proposed in it plans to shorten route 11 to the Melkmarkt-Antwerpen-Berchem trajectory, and introduce a new tram route 18, running between the Melkmarkt and the Luchtbal neighborhood using the premetro network. This part of the plan was not executed at the time, however a new tram route 6 was introduced in 2006, connecting the Luchtbal and Olympiade neighborhoods.[3]

Following a redrawing of the Antwerp tram network on September 1, 2012, the route was eventually shortened to the Melkmarkt-Antwerpen-Berchem itinerary. A new route 9 since then connects the Eksterlaar terminus with Linkeroever via the southern and central premetro axes. At the same time, the frequency of service on the line was also reduced.[4]

Future

There exist plans to extend ether route 9 or 11 in the future to a new terminus at Borsbeek, or at Antwerp Airport in Deurne.[5]

Rolling stock
A PPC car on route 11 entering the Korte Koepoortstraat

The route is mostly operated by single PCC cars, with newer HermeLijn trams being used only occasionally.

Colour

Historically, tram route 11 has always been marked by either a red background or a red font. On October 27, 2007, the colors were changed to a white font on a turquoise background. However, these were later reverted to the original red letters on a white background, after commuters complained that the turquoise was too similar to the green used by tram route 10.

References
  1. "De eerste paardentram te Antwerpen, 1874" (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  2. "Bus 16 Allemaalbusjes" (in Dutch). http://allemaalbusjes.skynetblogs.be/tag/bus+16. 2 March 2008. Missing or empty |url= (help)CS1 maint: location (link)
  3. http://www.mobielvlaanderen.be/persberichten/artikel.php?id=224 Retrieved 10/06/2016
  4. "Dienstregeling De Lijn verandert vanaf 1 September" (in Dutch). http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20120830_139. 31 August 2012.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. "Met tram en trein naar de luchthaven in Deurne". Gazet van Deurne (in Dutch). 21 January 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
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