TRAMS STOP HERE St. Petersburg & Kiev Trams from John Mathews

St. Petersburg, 1994: Australian tram buff John Mathews photographed a few of St. Petersburg's legions of trams and trolley buses during a visit. Most of his pictures were snapped from the relative seclusion of his hotel room, high above the street. Even in post-Soviet Russia, some old habits die hard. John related that the black auto seen here, in one of his few street-level scenes, "followed us everywhere."

Apparently the end of communism and the coming of capitalism has brought all-over ads to the trams -- and in English, no less!

More English-language ads, and an attractive blue livery. Love that dizzying camera angle!

Two-car trains outside the hotel. The near train seems to be comprised of a motor and trailer. The other train seems to have two motors, but with only one pantograph raised.

Here we see a relatively new-looking articulated car.

John writes: "Some of these had no glass in the doors, and looked like they were on their last legs."

Okay, I know the light poles are in the way. But this is the only photo I have of this type of car. Talk about a shoebox on wheels!

This crane car appears to have been built from a former passenger car. Barely visible, the trucks (which may be difficult to see in the scan) look like PCC equipment.

Pity the poor motorist who runs afoul of this lash-up.

1994: Off to Ukraine. Here is a Kiev tramcar, with a trolley bus entering the scene at right.

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