Charleroi Pre-metro
Encyclopedia
The Charleroi Metro is a 25 km (15.5 mi) express tram
network in Belgium
, consisting of a horseshoe-shaped line around central Charleroi
and two branches towards the suburbs of Gilly
and Anderlues
. It was built between 1976 and 1996 with 26 stations, of which 20 are in service as of 1996, and 6 regular tram stops in Anderlues
. The original plans were much more extensive, but had to be abandoned due to high costs and low prospective passenger numbers, and some largely completed sections have never been opened. Expansion works have begun again in 2008 and are currently (as of 2011) underway.
(at the main railway & bus station) to Parc, as well as two branch lines to Gilly and Monument (in Anderlues
). The branch towards Anderlues runs on the street as a normal tram after Pétria station, following a line of the old Vicinal
network.
Five tram lines (54
, 55
, 84
, 88
, 89
) operate over metre-gauge
track, on a mix of tunnels, viaducts, and cuttings, or at ground level.
Intervals are in minutes.
All lines except 55 serve Beaux-Arts
station in the city centre, and all lines except 89 serve Waterloo
station. Line 84
is a special morning rush hour line with only one service a day, which is generally not mentioned on network maps or station signs, but appears on the lines 88/89 official timetable.
The system is run by TEC Charleroi
, a subsidiary of the Walloon public transport operator (Société Régionale Wallonne du Transport).
Station entrances are marked with a stylized white "M" on a blue background, identical to the symbol used by the Brussels metro
. Access to the platforms is unrestricted (no gates/barriers) and most stations are not staffed. A couple of stations are equipped with automatic ticket vending machines, otherwise tickets are sold directly by the tram driver.
Unlike in most metro systems, signs in Charleroi Pre-metro stations lack coherence as they do not always indicate line numbers and final station. For example, directions for line 89 can be shown as "89 vers Sud" or "Vers Charleroi" (without line number) depending on the station. Additionally, no standardized colors are defined for line numbers and other various signs. As a general rule, signs for lines 88 and 89 toward Anderlues-Monument always display "Anderlues" (without any reference to the Monument terminus stop).
Similarly, destination display on tram uses various layouts. The most common display shows two distinctly colored rectangles indicating the most important stations of the line, with the line number displayed on a white square between both rectangles. Rectangle color uses the following code :
Beside this system, it happens that trams only display the terminus station as one of Charleroi-Sud (dark blue background) or Parc (green), without line number. Line 84 uses a completely different display with black characters on a full white background and line number on the right. A few trams are equipped with orange LED destination displays, indicating line number and final station in a way similar to most other tram/metro systems.
Trams drive on the right track, except on the Gilly
branch and the not operated Châtelet branch. Some small sections on the street in Anderlues (and in Gosselies on the future Gosselies branch) are single track. Theoretical maximum speed on the network is 65 kph, but actual speed is generally lower, especially in curves. Speed limits are displayed on panels along the track and can take one of the following kph values : 10, 17, 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65. Rail switches are controlled directly by tram drivers using a remote control unit sending a signal to a receiver along the track.
region.
In the 1960s, Charleroi already had an extensive tramway network, operated by both SNCV and STIC
, but trams were starting to be replaced by buses as those offered better flexibility, were cheaper to operate and were perceived as more modern. The pre-metro network was meant to offer trams a second life by providing a fast and comfortable mass transit system, while removing them from the street.
Full completion of the initial project was envisioned between 1992 and 1994. As a general rule, plans called for tracks to be at ground level, on dedicated infrastructure (separated from the street). If not possible, priority was given to viaducts, and tunnels were considered as the last option, except in Charleroi downtown or in densely populated areas.
The first section opened on 21 June 1976, between Sud
and Villette
(which was the first metro station in Belgium to be built on a viaduct).
Piges
and Ouest
were opened 4 years later, on 30 June 1980. Each time a new section was inaugurated, trams would transit through it before going back to the street for the remainder of their journey.
Stations Beaux-Arts
, Dampremy
, and the section between Morgnies
and Paradis
were opened on 24 May 1983. Pétria
followed on 24 May 1986. The same year, works were completed on a first section of the Châtelet
branch (until Centenaire station), however this branch has never been put into service.
The remaining stations on the Anderlues
branch (Providence
, De Cartier
, Moulin
and Fontaine
) were opened on 22 August 1992. One week later, on 28 August, a first section of the Gilly
branch (from the downtown loop until Gilly)
) was inaugurated, along with the Waterloo
station on the downtown loop. Infrastructure beyond Gilly to Soleilmont is in various stages of completion, but not in service. 54
was created to serve the new branch.
On 30 August 1996, two additional stations were opened on the downtown loop (Janson
and Parc
). Lines 55
and 88
were created to duplicate the two existing lines while using the northern part of the unfinished loop.
2008 and 2009 saw the resumption of metro construction, following a 75 million Euro loan from the European Investment Bank
, out of a total estimated cost of 150 million Euro. Work to complete the downtown loop started on 20 October 2008, building of the Gosselies
branch on 16 March 2009, and the lengthening works on the Gilly branch toward Soleilmont started on 30 March 2009.
and Sud
began on 20 October 2008. The project consists in making tram tracks emerge to the surface south of Parc
station, create a new stop (Tirou) in a busy downtown area, cross the Sambre
on a dedicated new bridge, before reaching the Charleroi-South railway station
following the Sambre banks.
The new bridge arrived by barge on the Sambre and was installed at the end of January 2011, in a spectacular operation.
As of September 2011, works on the project are in the final phase and the section is scheduled to open to commercial traffic in the spring of 2012.
toward Soleilmont
, where a new multimodal (metro, bus, car, bicycle, pedestrian) transport hub is to be created. The project includes the creation of three new stations after Gilly :
Structural works of the Gilly to Sart-Culpart section, including Marabout
and Sart-Culpart
stations, had been carried out in the 1980s and left abandoned since then.
The new section is scheduled to open to commercial traffic in the spring of 2012.
station and running as a regular tramway line toward Gosselies
. A large section of the line already exists to the Jumet
tram depot, but as it is only used by empty trams going to and from the depot, and is not equipped for commercial passenger transport, it has to be completely rebuilt. The Jumet to Gosselies section is new, although it is built on the site of former SNCV
tramway lines.
The project includes full renovation of the Chaussée de Bruxelles (Brussels Road) which will be used by the new line.
Because of the narrowness of some streets in Gosselies, the line will will use single track in different streets for each direction.
The Gosselies branch was scheduled for completion in 2011, however multiple delays have meant an opening at the end of 2012 at the earliest.
station (then Nord) to Châtelet
, comprising 8 stations. Construction of this branch began in the 1980s and resulted in a first 4 km (2.5 mi) section in various stages of completion.
The Waterloo
to Centenaire part has been finished, but was never put into service. As a result, the Neuville, Chet, Pensée and Centenaire stations remained closed and were vandalized.
Only structural work was completed on the Centenaire to Corbeau part, with no tracks installed. The rest of the branch has never been built.
Although there are no immediate plans to put the Châtelet branch into service, preliminary estimates give a cost of 5 million euros to refresh the Waterloo-Centenaire section, and another 20 million to complete the line to Corbeau (serving a nearby popular shopping mall). Plans to build the line until the intended Châtelet terminus are abandoned.
yellow line.
According to an official statement by TEC Charerloi, 44 of these trams are operational, the future network with the completed downtown loop and the Gilly branch extension requiring 22, then 35 when the Gosselies branch opens.
Each unit has a length of 22.88 mm (0.0750656167979003 ft) for a width of 2.5 m (8.2 ft), and is capable of carrying 44 seated and 148 standing passengers (6 pax/sq m) for a grand total of 192 passengers. It is powered by two electric engines providing a total power of 456 kW. Their maximum speed is 65 kph. They can theoretically be coupled to form trains of up to three trams, however the single tram configuration is the preferred one on the Charleroi network, with only a few peak hour services on lines 54/55 and 84 being operated by 2 trams coupled together.
Trams exist in two liveries : the old SNCV
livery with an orange bottom and beige top separated by a blue line (wearing a 4 digit number starting with 61), and the newer TEC Charleroi livery with its distinctive bright yellow, red and grey colors (wearing a 4 digit number starting with 74).
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
network in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, consisting of a horseshoe-shaped line around central Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
and two branches towards the suburbs of Gilly
Gilly, Belgium
Gilly is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977. It houses the base of Fédération des Patros, a youth organisation...
and Anderlues
Anderlues
Anderlues is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Anderlues had a total population of 11,578. The total area is 17.02 km² which gives a population density of 680 inhabitants per km². Its postcode is 6150....
. It was built between 1976 and 1996 with 26 stations, of which 20 are in service as of 1996, and 6 regular tram stops in Anderlues
Anderlues
Anderlues is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Anderlues had a total population of 11,578. The total area is 17.02 km² which gives a population density of 680 inhabitants per km². Its postcode is 6150....
. The original plans were much more extensive, but had to be abandoned due to high costs and low prospective passenger numbers, and some largely completed sections have never been opened. Expansion works have begun again in 2008 and are currently (as of 2011) underway.
Lines and operation
An unfinished loop line currently runs around the city centre, from SudCharleroi-South railway station
The Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro...
(at the main railway & bus station) to Parc, as well as two branch lines to Gilly and Monument (in Anderlues
Anderlues
Anderlues is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Anderlues had a total population of 11,578. The total area is 17.02 km² which gives a population density of 680 inhabitants per km². Its postcode is 6150....
). The branch towards Anderlues runs on the street as a normal tram after Pétria station, following a line of the old Vicinal
Vicinal tramway
The Tramways vicinaux or Buurtspoorwegen were a system of narrow gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system...
network.
Five tram lines (54
Charleroi Metro line 54
Line 54 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Charleroi-South railway station in downtown Charleroi to Gilly , via the western part of the downtown loop....
, 55
Charleroi Metro line 55
Line 55 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Parc station in downtown Charleroi to Gilly , via the eastern part of the downtown loop....
, 84
Charleroi Metro line 84
Line 84 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Anderlues to Gilly , via the northwestern part of the downtown loop.Line 84 is an hybrid between lines 88/89 and line 54...
, 88
Charleroi Metro line 88
Line 88 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Parc station in downtown Charleroi to Anderlues , via the northern part of the downtown loop....
, 89
Charleroi Metro line 89
Line 89 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Charleroi-South railway station in downtown Charleroi to Anderlues , via the southwestern part of the downtown loop....
) operate over metre-gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
track, on a mix of tunnels, viaducts, and cuttings, or at ground level.
| Line | Itinerary | Length | Stations | Interval (weekdays) |
Interval (weekdays during school holidays) |
Interval (Saturdays) |
Interval (Sundays and public holidays) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 Charleroi Metro line 54 Line 54 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Charleroi-South railway station in downtown Charleroi to Gilly , via the western part of the downtown loop.... |
Sud Charleroi-South railway station The Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro... — Gilly Gilly (Charleroi Metro) Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55.... |
5.38 km (3.34 mi) | 8 | 10 (15 between 6PM and 8PM) |
15 (20 between 6PM and 8PM) |
20 (30 between 6PM and 8PM) |
|
| 55 Charleroi Metro line 55 Line 55 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Parc station in downtown Charleroi to Gilly , via the eastern part of the downtown loop.... |
Parc Parc (Charleroi Metro) Parc is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends.... — Gilly Gilly (Charleroi Metro) Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55.... |
3.45 km (2.14 mi) | 6 | 10 (15 between 5AM and 6AM, and 6PM and 8PM) |
15 (20 between 6PM and 8PM) |
20 (30 between 6PM and 8PM) |
|
| 84 Charleroi Metro line 84 Line 84 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Anderlues to Gilly , via the northwestern part of the downtown loop.Line 84 is an hybrid between lines 88/89 and line 54... |
Pétria Pétria (Charleroi Metro) Pétria is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Fontaine-l'Évêque, in fare zone 7. It is a surface station featuring a central platform with street access at its eastern end.... — Gilly Gilly (Charleroi Metro) Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55.... |
14 km (8.7 mi) | 15 | Only one morning service | (No service) | ||
| 88 Charleroi Metro line 88 Line 88 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Parc station in downtown Charleroi to Anderlues , via the northern part of the downtown loop.... |
Parc Parc (Charleroi Metro) Parc is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends.... — Anderlues Anderlues Anderlues is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Anderlues had a total population of 11,578. The total area is 17.02 km² which gives a population density of 680 inhabitants per km². Its postcode is 6150.... -Monument |
16.35 km (10.16 mi) | 14 + 6 tram stops |
30 | 60 | ||
| 89 Charleroi Metro line 89 Line 89 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Charleroi-South railway station in downtown Charleroi to Anderlues , via the southwestern part of the downtown loop.... |
Sud Charleroi-South railway station The Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro... — Anderlues Anderlues Anderlues is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Anderlues had a total population of 11,578. The total area is 17.02 km² which gives a population density of 680 inhabitants per km². Its postcode is 6150.... -Monument |
16.1 km (10 mi) | 16.28 + 6 tram stops |
30 | 60 | ||
Beaux-Arts (Charleroi Metro)
Beaux-Arts is the largest station in the Charleroi Metro network, located in Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1. Because of its situation on a slope, the station terminates on a viaduct at one end , and in a tunnel at the other end .The station has two street entrances leading to a mezzanine level...
station in the city centre, and all lines except 89 serve Waterloo
Waterloo (Charleroi Metro)
Waterloo is a Charleroi Metro station, located at the northern end of Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1.The station has 3 street entrances , leading to the lowest level...
station. Line 84
Charleroi Metro line 84
Line 84 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Anderlues to Gilly , via the northwestern part of the downtown loop.Line 84 is an hybrid between lines 88/89 and line 54...
is a special morning rush hour line with only one service a day, which is generally not mentioned on network maps or station signs, but appears on the lines 88/89 official timetable.
The system is run by TEC Charleroi
TEC (transport)
Société Régionale Wallonne du Transport , is responsible for the supervision, strategic planning and marketing of a group of five regional public transport companies branded as TEC or "Transport En Commun" in Wallonia, Belgium. It is primarily a bus operator, but also operates the Charleroi tram...
, a subsidiary of the Walloon public transport operator (Société Régionale Wallonne du Transport).
Station entrances are marked with a stylized white "M" on a blue background, identical to the symbol used by the Brussels metro
Brussels Metro
The Brussels Metro is a rapid transit system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It consists of a network with four metro line services with some shared sections. The metro has 49.9 km of network and 59 stations...
. Access to the platforms is unrestricted (no gates/barriers) and most stations are not staffed. A couple of stations are equipped with automatic ticket vending machines, otherwise tickets are sold directly by the tram driver.
Unlike in most metro systems, signs in Charleroi Pre-metro stations lack coherence as they do not always indicate line numbers and final station. For example, directions for line 89 can be shown as "89 vers Sud" or "Vers Charleroi" (without line number) depending on the station. Additionally, no standardized colors are defined for line numbers and other various signs. As a general rule, signs for lines 88 and 89 toward Anderlues-Monument always display "Anderlues" (without any reference to the Monument terminus stop).
Similarly, destination display on tram uses various layouts. The most common display shows two distinctly colored rectangles indicating the most important stations of the line, with the line number displayed on a white square between both rectangles. Rectangle color uses the following code :
- Pale yellow : used on lines originating/terminating in Anderlues.
- Bright yellow : used on lines originating/terminating at GillyGilly (Charleroi Metro)Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55....
. - Dark blue : used on lines originating/terminating at SudCharleroi-South railway stationThe Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro...
. - Dark green : used on lines originating/terminating at ParcParc (Charleroi Metro)Parc is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends....
.
Beside this system, it happens that trams only display the terminus station as one of Charleroi-Sud (dark blue background) or Parc (green), without line number. Line 84 uses a completely different display with black characters on a full white background and line number on the right. A few trams are equipped with orange LED destination displays, indicating line number and final station in a way similar to most other tram/metro systems.
Trams drive on the right track, except on the Gilly
Gilly (Charleroi Metro)
Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55....
branch and the not operated Châtelet branch. Some small sections on the street in Anderlues (and in Gosselies on the future Gosselies branch) are single track. Theoretical maximum speed on the network is 65 kph, but actual speed is generally lower, especially in curves. Speed limits are displayed on panels along the track and can take one of the following kph values : 10, 17, 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65. Rail switches are controlled directly by tram drivers using a remote control unit sending a signal to a receiver along the track.
List of stations
History
The Charleroi Pre-metro was planned in the 1960s as a 52 km (32.3 mi) network, consisting of eight branch lines radiating from a central downtown loop and no less than 69 stations.. If completed as planned, this would have been the largest metro system in the BeneluxBenelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
region.
In the 1960s, Charleroi already had an extensive tramway network, operated by both SNCV and STIC
Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Charleroi
The Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Charleroi , abbreviated and referred to as STIC, was a company operating a local and regional public transport network in Charleroi, Belgium...
, but trams were starting to be replaced by buses as those offered better flexibility, were cheaper to operate and were perceived as more modern. The pre-metro network was meant to offer trams a second life by providing a fast and comfortable mass transit system, while removing them from the street.
Full completion of the initial project was envisioned between 1992 and 1994. As a general rule, plans called for tracks to be at ground level, on dedicated infrastructure (separated from the street). If not possible, priority was given to viaducts, and tunnels were considered as the last option, except in Charleroi downtown or in densely populated areas.
The first section opened on 21 June 1976, between Sud
Charleroi-South railway station
The Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro...
and Villette
Villette (Charleroi Metro)
Villette is a Charleroi Metro station, located at the southwestern end of Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1. It was the first metro station in Belgium to be built on a viaduct, spanning over the river Sambre. The station is accessible from both banks of the river and features a central platform...
(which was the first metro station in Belgium to be built on a viaduct).
Piges
Piges (Charleroi Metro)
Piges is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Dampremy , in fare zone 1. The station is built on a viaduct and is accessed through escalators and stairs from a street entrance located on Chaussée de Bruxelles .Although the station is built on a viaduct, tracks enter a tunnel at its western end, as...
and Ouest
Charleroi-West railway station
West is a Charleroi Metro station, located at the western end of Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1. The station is accessible through three distinct street entrances leading to a mezzanine, giving access to the central platform via escalators....
were opened 4 years later, on 30 June 1980. Each time a new section was inaugurated, trams would transit through it before going back to the street for the remainder of their journey.
Stations Beaux-Arts
Beaux-Arts (Charleroi Metro)
Beaux-Arts is the largest station in the Charleroi Metro network, located in Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1. Because of its situation on a slope, the station terminates on a viaduct at one end , and in a tunnel at the other end .The station has two street entrances leading to a mezzanine level...
, Dampremy
Dampremy (Charleroi Metro)
Dampremy is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Dampremy , in fare zone 1. The station is built as a semi-underground station, with underground tracks toward Piges and semi-underground tracks toward Providence.- Nearby points of interest :The station is located in a residential area, close to...
, and the section between Morgnies
Morgnies (Charleroi Metro)
Morgnies is a Charleroi Metro station, build at ground level and located in Goutroux , in fare zone 2. The station has only one entrance , equipped with escalators and stairs.- Nearby points of interest :...
and Paradis
Paradis (Charleroi Metro)
Paradis is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Fontaine-l'Évêque, in fare zone 2. The eastern end of the station is at ground level, while the western end is on a viaduct...
were opened on 24 May 1983. Pétria
Pétria (Charleroi Metro)
Pétria is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Fontaine-l'Évêque, in fare zone 7. It is a surface station featuring a central platform with street access at its eastern end....
followed on 24 May 1986. The same year, works were completed on a first section of the Châtelet
Châtelet, Belgium
Châtelet is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, on the river Sambre. As of January 1, 2006, Châtelet had a total population of 35,621. The total area of the municipality is 27.03 km² which gives a population density of 1,318 inhabitants per km². It is composed of...
branch (until Centenaire station), however this branch has never been put into service.
The remaining stations on the Anderlues
Anderlues
Anderlues is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Anderlues had a total population of 11,578. The total area is 17.02 km² which gives a population density of 680 inhabitants per km². Its postcode is 6150....
branch (Providence
Providence (Charleroi Metro)
Providence is a Charleroi Metro station, build on a viaduct and located in Marchienne-au-Pont , in fare zone 1. The station has only one entrance , equipped with escalators and stairs....
, De Cartier
De Cartier (Charleroi Metro)
De Cartier is a Charleroi Metro station, located in the center of Marchienne-au-Pont , in fare zone 2. It is an underground station featuring a central platform with escalator and stairs access at both ends....
, Moulin
Moulin (Charleroi Metro)
Moulin is a Charleroi Metro station, located on the border of Marchienne-au-Pont and Monceau-sur-Sambre , in fare zone 2...
and Fontaine
Fontaine (Charleroi Metro)
Fontaine is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Fontaine-l'Évêque, in fare zone 7. It is an underground station featuring a central platform with street access at its western end....
) were opened on 22 August 1992. One week later, on 28 August, a first section of the Gilly
Gilly, Belgium
Gilly is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977. It houses the base of Fédération des Patros, a youth organisation...
branch (from the downtown loop until Gilly)
Gilly (Charleroi Metro)
Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55....
) was inaugurated, along with the Waterloo
Waterloo (Charleroi Metro)
Waterloo is a Charleroi Metro station, located at the northern end of Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1.The station has 3 street entrances , leading to the lowest level...
station on the downtown loop. Infrastructure beyond Gilly to Soleilmont is in various stages of completion, but not in service. 54
Charleroi Metro line 54
Line 54 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Charleroi-South railway station in downtown Charleroi to Gilly , via the western part of the downtown loop....
was created to serve the new branch.
On 30 August 1996, two additional stations were opened on the downtown loop (Janson
Janson (Charleroi Metro)
Janson is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends....
and Parc
Parc (Charleroi Metro)
Parc is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends....
). Lines 55
Charleroi Metro line 55
Line 55 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Parc station in downtown Charleroi to Gilly , via the eastern part of the downtown loop....
and 88
Charleroi Metro line 88
Line 88 is a line on the Charleroi Metro in Belgium operated by TEC Charleroi, running from Parc station in downtown Charleroi to Anderlues , via the northern part of the downtown loop....
were created to duplicate the two existing lines while using the northern part of the unfinished loop.
2008 and 2009 saw the resumption of metro construction, following a 75 million Euro loan from the European Investment Bank
European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank is the European Union's long-term lending institution established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome. A policy-driven bank, the EIB supports the EU’s priority objectives, especially European integration and the development of economically weak regions...
, out of a total estimated cost of 150 million Euro. Work to complete the downtown loop started on 20 October 2008, building of the Gosselies
Gosselies
Gosselies is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977. Gosselies is the home for the headquarters of Caterpillar Belgium, and Solar Turbines Europe....
branch on 16 March 2009, and the lengthening works on the Gilly branch toward Soleilmont started on 30 March 2009.
Future plans
Completion of the downtown loop
Construction on the missing downtown loop link between ParcParc (Charleroi Metro)
Parc is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends....
and Sud
Charleroi-South railway station
The Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro...
began on 20 October 2008. The project consists in making tram tracks emerge to the surface south of Parc
Parc (Charleroi Metro)
Parc is a Charleroi Metro station, located in downtown Charleroi, in fare zone 1. It is an underground station featuring a central platform, with street access at both ends....
station, create a new stop (Tirou) in a busy downtown area, cross the Sambre
Sambre
The Sambre is a river in northern France and Wallonia, southern Belgium, left tributary of the Meuse River. The ancient Romans called the river Sabis.-Course:...
on a dedicated new bridge, before reaching the Charleroi-South railway station
Charleroi-South railway station
The Charleroi-South pre-metro station, simply known as South on network maps, was opened in 1976. Along with Vilette, Sud was the first station to enter service on the Charleroi pre-metro...
following the Sambre banks.
The new bridge arrived by barge on the Sambre and was installed at the end of January 2011, in a spectacular operation.
As of September 2011, works on the project are in the final phase and the section is scheduled to open to commercial traffic in the spring of 2012.
Extension of the Gilly branch to Soleilmont
This project consists in extending the Gilly branch of the network on approximately 1.75 km (1.1 mi) past GillyGilly (Charleroi Metro)
Gilly is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Gilly , in fare zone 2. Gilly is an underground station featuring a central platform, which serves as the current terminus of pre-metro lines 54 and 55....
toward Soleilmont
Soleilmont (Charleroi Metro)
Soleilmont is a Charleroi Metro station located in Gilly, Belgium , scheduled to open in the spring of 2012 as part of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch of the Charleroi Pre-metro...
, where a new multimodal (metro, bus, car, bicycle, pedestrian) transport hub is to be created. The project includes the creation of three new stations after Gilly :
- MaraboutMarabout (Charleroi Metro)Marabout is a Charleroi Metro station located in Gilly, Belgium , scheduled to open in the spring of 2012 as part of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch of the Charleroi Pre-metro...
- Sart-CulpartSart-Culpart (Charleroi Metro)Sart-Culpart is a Charleroi Metro station located in Gilly, Belgium , scheduled to open in the spring of 2012 as part of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch of the Charleroi Pre-metro...
- SoleilmontSoleilmont (Charleroi Metro)Soleilmont is a Charleroi Metro station located in Gilly, Belgium , scheduled to open in the spring of 2012 as part of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch of the Charleroi Pre-metro...
Structural works of the Gilly to Sart-Culpart section, including Marabout
Marabout (Charleroi Metro)
Marabout is a Charleroi Metro station located in Gilly, Belgium , scheduled to open in the spring of 2012 as part of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch of the Charleroi Pre-metro...
and Sart-Culpart
Sart-Culpart (Charleroi Metro)
Sart-Culpart is a Charleroi Metro station located in Gilly, Belgium , scheduled to open in the spring of 2012 as part of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch of the Charleroi Pre-metro...
stations, had been carried out in the 1980s and left abandoned since then.
The new section is scheduled to open to commercial traffic in the spring of 2012.
Gosselies branch
This project aims at creating a new branch starting at PigesPiges (Charleroi Metro)
Piges is a Charleroi Metro station, located in Dampremy , in fare zone 1. The station is built on a viaduct and is accessed through escalators and stairs from a street entrance located on Chaussée de Bruxelles .Although the station is built on a viaduct, tracks enter a tunnel at its western end, as...
station and running as a regular tramway line toward Gosselies
Gosselies
Gosselies is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977. Gosselies is the home for the headquarters of Caterpillar Belgium, and Solar Turbines Europe....
. A large section of the line already exists to the Jumet
Jumet
Jumet is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977....
tram depot, but as it is only used by empty trams going to and from the depot, and is not equipped for commercial passenger transport, it has to be completely rebuilt. The Jumet to Gosselies section is new, although it is built on the site of former SNCV
Vicinal tramway
The Tramways vicinaux or Buurtspoorwegen were a system of narrow gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system...
tramway lines.
The project includes full renovation of the Chaussée de Bruxelles (Brussels Road) which will be used by the new line.
Because of the narrowness of some streets in Gosselies, the line will will use single track in different streets for each direction.
The Gosselies branch was scheduled for completion in 2011, however multiple delays have meant an opening at the end of 2012 at the earliest.
Châtelet branch
The original pre-metro project envisioned an eastern branch from WaterlooWaterloo (Charleroi Metro)
Waterloo is a Charleroi Metro station, located at the northern end of Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1.The station has 3 street entrances , leading to the lowest level...
station (then Nord) to Châtelet
Châtelet, Belgium
Châtelet is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, on the river Sambre. As of January 1, 2006, Châtelet had a total population of 35,621. The total area of the municipality is 27.03 km² which gives a population density of 1,318 inhabitants per km². It is composed of...
, comprising 8 stations. Construction of this branch began in the 1980s and resulted in a first 4 km (2.5 mi) section in various stages of completion.
The Waterloo
Waterloo (Charleroi Metro)
Waterloo is a Charleroi Metro station, located at the northern end of Charleroi downtown, in fare zone 1.The station has 3 street entrances , leading to the lowest level...
to Centenaire part has been finished, but was never put into service. As a result, the Neuville, Chet, Pensée and Centenaire stations remained closed and were vandalized.
Only structural work was completed on the Centenaire to Corbeau part, with no tracks installed. The rest of the branch has never been built.
Although there are no immediate plans to put the Châtelet branch into service, preliminary estimates give a cost of 5 million euros to refresh the Waterloo-Centenaire section, and another 20 million to complete the line to Corbeau (serving a nearby popular shopping mall). Plans to build the line until the intended Châtelet terminus are abandoned.
Passenger cars
Charleroi's LRV cars are reversible articulated tramways which were supplied by La Brugeoise et Nivelles (BN) (with ACEC providing the motors and the electrical/electronic components) from 1980 to 1982.. They are similar to the trams operated on the Belgian coast tram line (although those have doors on only one side) and, to a lesser extent, to the first generation trains of the Manila Light Rail Transit SystemManila Light Rail Transit System
The Manila Light Rail Transit System, popularly known as the LRT, is a metropolitan rail system serving the Metro Manila area in the Philippines. Although referred to as a light rail system because it originally used light rail vehicles, it has many characteristics of a rapid transit system, such...
yellow line.
According to an official statement by TEC Charerloi, 44 of these trams are operational, the future network with the completed downtown loop and the Gilly branch extension requiring 22, then 35 when the Gosselies branch opens.
Each unit has a length of 22.88 mm (0.0750656167979003 ft) for a width of 2.5 m (8.2 ft), and is capable of carrying 44 seated and 148 standing passengers (6 pax/sq m) for a grand total of 192 passengers. It is powered by two electric engines providing a total power of 456 kW. Their maximum speed is 65 kph. They can theoretically be coupled to form trains of up to three trams, however the single tram configuration is the preferred one on the Charleroi network, with only a few peak hour services on lines 54/55 and 84 being operated by 2 trams coupled together.
Trams exist in two liveries : the old SNCV
Vicinal tramway
The Tramways vicinaux or Buurtspoorwegen were a system of narrow gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system...
livery with an orange bottom and beige top separated by a blue line (wearing a 4 digit number starting with 61), and the newer TEC Charleroi livery with its distinctive bright yellow, red and grey colors (wearing a 4 digit number starting with 74).
Work Cars
Pre-metro work cars are cars from other European operators:- Type S - SNCV Hainaut - work car
- Type SJ - SNCV Hainaut - passenger cars - acquired 1984
- Esslingen/Schorling tram - track scrubber - acquired 1981
See also
- Transport in BelgiumTransport in BelgiumTransport in Belgium is facilitated with well-developed road, air, rail and water networks. The rail network has of electrified tracks. The road network has of roads among which of motorways, of main roads and of other paved roads. Urban rail network is also developed in Brussels, Antwerp and...
- Vicinal tramwayVicinal tramwayThe Tramways vicinaux or Buurtspoorwegen were a system of narrow gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system...
- List of rapid transit systems