View source for Trams in Versailles

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{{expand French|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
[[Image:Tramway de Versailles - plan.png|400px|thumb|right|Network of the Tramway de Versailles around 1920.<BR>No line numbers are present on the map due to a change in line letters between 1914 and 1950. Maps of the Network in [[:Image:Tramway de Versailles - plan (1896).png|1896]], [[:Image:Tramway de Versailles - plan (1914).png|1914]] and [[:Image:Tramway de Versailles - plan (1950).png|1950]].]]

The '''Tramway de Versailles''' or ''Tramway Versaillais'' was a {{RailGauge|sg}} [[standard gauge]] [[tram]]way system serving the [[France|French]] city of [[Versailles (city)|Versailles]].

The first lines opened in 1896 and served:
* Square Duplessis – Grandchamps
* la [[Gare de Versailles - Rive Droite|Rive Droite]] – Sénat
* la [[Gare de Versailles - Rive Gauche|Rive Gauche]] – Chambre Députés.

The first modernisation was the opening of a steam tram between Versailles and [[Saint-Cyr-l'École]] on 20 November 1889. The second happened in October 1895 when the SVTE (''Société Versaillaise de Tramways électriques'') took over the network, electrified it and purchased 29 electric tramways from the [[Postel-Vinay]] works.

The network went from three to six lines and served:
* Line A: Glatigny – Granchamp
* Line B: Clagny – Orangerie
* Line C: Le Chesnay – [[Gare de Versailles - Chantiers|Chantiers]]
* Line D: Square Jean Houdon – Montreuil
* Line E: [[Gare de Versailles - Rive Droite|Rive Droite]] – Trianon
* Line F: [[Gare de Versailles - Rive Gauche|Rive Gauche]] – St Cyr

In 1907, line C was extended to [[Porchefontaine]] and line D to République.

During the 1950s the network was formed only of lines A, B, C and E. It was seriously amputated at the dawn of [[World War II]] and closed on 3 March 1957 during a glorious celebration with 200 000 inhabitants, the mayor of Versailles, [[Maurice Chevalier]] and the [[baptism]] of the replacing [[bus]]es.
{{-}}

==Rolling stock==
{{unreferencedsect|date=May 2024}}
* Horse-drawn trams.
* 29 electric [[Postel-Vinay]] tramcars (1896), transformed in 1922 and renumbered 1 to 9. They were open-ended and painted in yellow and white. the tramcars were staffed by two men, a [[wattman]], who drove the trams, and a [[ticket inspector]], who was in charge of collecting fares, the trolley pole and point levers. The tramcars were modernised after [[World War I]] and their open ends closed as well as the replacing of the two motors by one more powerful.
* 2 Carde double-decker tramcars (1908).
* 4 large capacity tramcars (1927), numbered 53 to 56 and capable of transporting 55 seated passengers.
* 1 modern [[Satramo]] tramcars (1930).
* 11 transformed [[Postel-Vinay]] tramcars in 1933, numbered 10 to 20.
The tramcars received their definite livery in the 1940s and were painted in blue and light grey.

===Tramcars in preservation===
[[File:Tram Versailles AMTUIR.jpg|thumb|Preserved tram]]
Tramcar n°1 is preserved at the [[AMTUIR]] in Saint-Mandé. It was the first tram "rescued" by the museum on 16 March 1957. It was acquired by the museum from [[Électricité de France|EDF]] thanks to contributions by amateurs.

{| width="400" class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Tramcar n°1 data'''
|
|-
|Length
|8.12m
|-
|Width
|2.00m
|-
|Height
|3.61m
|-
|Gross weight
|10.2t
|-
|Capacity
|20/19
|-
|Engine
|GE 800 25&nbsp;hp
|-
|Current
|by trolley
|-
|Truck
|[[Postel-Vinay]]
|-
|Gauge
|{{RailGauge|sg}}
|}

==References==
* {{in lang|fr}} Histoire des Transports dans le Villes de France – '''Jean ROBERT'''.

{{Commons category}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20060219190212/http://www.amtuir.org/musee/collection/fiches_parc/fiche_versailles_tramway_motrice_1.htm Tramcar 1 in preservation]

{{France Metro Tramway}}

[[Category:Tram transport in France|Versailles]]
[[Category:Transport in Versailles|Tramway]]
[[Category:Defunct town tramway systems by city|Versailles]]