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On the day of the outbreak of World War II the trams functioned normally, the same next day. On the third day - September 3rd 1939, German troops entered the Polish part of Upper Silesia and Dabrowa Coal Basin. Trams stopped for two days in the conflict area. On September 5th, after a short and heroic defence by the citizens of the region (abandoned by their retreating army troops), the Nazi occupation became a fact. The trams started operation under German compulsory management. After two months Slaskie Kolejki changed its name back to Schlesische Kleinbahn and until the end of war remained merged with VBO at management level. TEZD stayed under compulsory management till 1945. Retreating Polish troops blew up a few bridges, among others in Chebzie and Bedzin. Service between Bedzin and Czeladz was replaced by buses until 1941. |
 Polish Line 1 under German management |
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Most of SLA's buses were used by the troops to retreat, the petroleum was most needed by the war machine, so the trams had to increase their service. The frequencies were higher (where possible), trains longer, in Bytom service to SSB's depot on today's Piekarska Street (Line III) was re-opened immediately. Not everything looked so bright though - in Sosnowiec and surroundings racial segregation in trams was introduced. Cars for Jews had no seats, only standing places, since they were coupled only to every second train. A few people of Polish tram company's management were sent to concentration camps. During the war, no new lines were constructed, all the effort was laid on integrating all systems, mostly by re-gauging the remaining narrow gauge parts. The last narrow gauge line in Gliwice (to Trynek) was partly re-gauged, partly dismantled in 1940. On December 24th 1940 line Katowice - Dab - Chorzow was opened after re-gauging. On Rynek (Market Square) in Katowice it was connected to the standard gauge line Myslowice - Katowice - Chorzow Batory. A new three-track terminus was built next to the Town Hall in Chorzow. In 1941 following lines were re-gauged:
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 Piekarska Street leading to SSB depot in Bytom  'Express' LHB car with two Bremen trailers  Wolnosci Sq. in Zabrze  Line 6 - still serviced with narrow gauge Walker car |
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The SSB system was most probably independent during the war, though the numeration changed to fit the other system - Line I became 31, Line II - 32, Line III - 33. In order to integrate the system, the former SK's numeration had to be changed as well (about 1940). The integration was the basis of a numeration system used nowadays (note the similarities).
List of all routes in 1943/44: 1 Gliwice (railway station) - Wojtowa Wies 2 Gliwice (railway station) - Trynek 3 Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Guido 4 Gliwice (today's Zygmunta Starego Street) - Zabrze - Poremba - Chebzie - Lipiny - Piasniki - Chorzow 5 Zabrze - Biskupice - Bobrek - Bytom 6 Katowice - Dab - Chorzow - Lagiewniki - Bytom 7 Myslowice - Szopienice - Zawodzie - Katowice - Zaleze - Chorzow Batory - Swietochlowice - Piasniki - Lagiewniki - Bytom 8 Bytom Pogoda - Rozbark (depot near the former state border on the line to Piekary) 9 Chorzow - Swietochlowice - Wirek + Wirek - Nowy Bytom - Chebzie - Godula + Szombierki - Bytom (narrowa gauge between Wirek and Godula) 10 Chorzow - Swietochlowice 11 Zawodzie - Katowice - Zaleze - Chorzow Batory - Wirek + Wirek - Chebzie - Godula (narrow gauge between Wirek and Godula) 12 Chorzow - Chorzow Stary - Alfred - Siemianowice Sl. (narrow gauge) 13 Katowice - Welnowiec - Alfred 113 Katowice - Welnowiec 14 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Swietochlowice 15 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Sosnowiec 115 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory 215 Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Sosnowiec 16 Katowice - Kosciuszki Park 17 Bytom - Lagiewniki - Chropaczow - Lipiny |
 Piastow Sq., Gliwice  Wolnosci Sq., Zabrze |
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21 Sosnowiec - Bedzin - Dabrowa Gornicza - Reden 22 Sosnowiec - Bedzin - Czeladz 24 Milowice - Sosnowiec - Okrzei Str. 31 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Wieszowa / Helenka 32 Bytom - Karb - Dabrowa Miejska 33 Bytom (depot) - Pogoda - Orzel Bialy |
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E Gliwice - Zabrze - Bytom F Katowice - Chorzow Batory - Swietochlowice - Bytom After the year 1941 all investment stopped. From 1942 the war situation changed to the Nazi's disadvantage. Soon even car repairs became rare. Instead, almost 150 cars were brought from different towns in Germany and occupied countries. Mostly they were old cars from the beginning of 20th century, though in 1944 new cars came from factories in Heidelberg and Uerdingen. They were so called Kriegstrassenbahnwagen (KSW - war tram car) with wide doors, which made escape from the car very easy in case of air raid - 10 motor cars and 9 trailers. After the war they were used by Konstal factory as a basis for first post-war Polish tram, the very popular N type. In 1944 express Lines E and F were suspended as unnecessary. The end of war meant destruction again. This time retreating German troops blew up the bridges in Bobrek and Szopienice, and in the centre of Katowice the overhead wires were destroyed by... tanks. |
 In 1936 4 used cars were brought from Koszalin (Koslin)  Cars brought from Nurnberg in 1942 |
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New reality - People's Republic of Poland Polish and Soviet troops entered Katowice on January 27th 1945. On January 29th the first service under Polish administration was opened between Sosnowiec and Bedzin. On February 3rd trams in Katowice started operation. Gliwice, Zabrze and Bytom had to wait for trams until March 19th. The trams were in terrible condition - less than half of rolling stock was in working order, the depots were without machines and equipment, even the tracks needed urgent repairs. The frequencies were very low, and the trams overcrowded since no other mean of transport was available. |
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In July 1945 the whole system was taken over by a company named Koleje Elektryczne Zaglebia Slasko-Dabrowskiego (KEZSD - Electric Railways in Silesian-Dabrowian Coal Basin), which was under compulsory State management of the Ministry of Transport in Warsaw. Until 1948 the company was militarised. In 1946 bus service was restored by SLA with two buses built up almost from scratch. Two years later the union was one of the biggest public transport companies in Poland with 82 buses. New local authorities did not want any competition so they decided to merge SLA and KEZSD (with almost 400 tram cars at disposal). A new municipal union named Slasko-Dabrowskie Linie Komunikacyjne (SDLK, Silesian-Dabrowian Transport Lines) was established on November 18th 1948. Shortly after the war, in 1946 another express service was opened between Gliwice and Katowice via Zabrze, Chebzie, Piasniki, Swietochlowice, Chorzow Batory and Zaleze. LHB's 'luxurious' rolling stock previously servicing Line E was used. Unfortunately, though relatively young (15 years old), the LHB cars needed urgent repairs. The repairs were not done, and after two years, in 1948, the express service was suspended. The LHB cars served ordinary lines for a few more years and the last of them was scrapped most probably in the middle of 1950s. |
 A set of Bremens and a Hungarian Mavag type bus in Gliwice |
After repairing the damage done by war, the remaining narrow gauge lines were to be replaced by standard gauge. On November 30th 1946 a short line between Alfred and the centre of Siemianowice was re-opened. In December 1946 the line Szombierki - Godula - Chebzie was re-gauged. Two years later on November 5th 1948 the whole line between Bytom and Chorzow through Chebzie and Wirek was re-gauged. The small depot in Wirek was dismantled in the same time. Since 1947 new lines were being opened:
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 Newly opened tram loop near the railway station in Zabrze |
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 The opening of an extension of the line 3 to Makoszowy |
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Between 1953 and 1956, Katowice's name remained changed by the communists to Stalinogrod, in order to celebrate the memory of late Joseph Stalin. Below is a list of tramlines serviced by WPK Stalinogrod in January 1955 (length / frequency in brackets): 1 Gliwice Zygmunta Starego Str. - Zabrze - Zaborze (14.3 km / every 30 minutes) 2 Trynek - Gliwice - Zabrze - Zaborze (14.6 km / every 15-30 minutes) 3 Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Guido - Makoszowy (9.7 km / every 20 minutes) 4 Wojtowa Wies - Gliwice - Zabrze - Zaborze - Chebzie - Lipiny - Piasniki - Chorzow (26.0 km / every 15 minutes) 5 Zabrze - Biskupice - Bobrek - Bytom (12.5 km / every 15 minutes) 6 Katowice - Dab - Chorzow - Lagiewniki - Bytom (14.7 km / every 15 minutes) 7 Myslowice - Szopienice - Zawodzie - Katowice - Zaleze - Chorzow Batory - Swietochlowice - Piasniki - Lagiewniki - Bytom (26.7 km / every 20 minutes) 8 Bytom (Pogoda) - Szarlej - Piekary Sl. (4.9 km / every 15 minutes) 9 Bytom - Godula - Chebzie - Wirek - Swietochlowice - Chorzow (18.1 km / every 40 minutes) 10 Chorzow - Swietochlowice - Zgoda (4.4 km / every 15 minutes) 11 Katowice - Zaleze - Chorzow Batory - Swietochlowice - Wirek - Chebzie - Godula - Bytom (26.4 km / every 40 minutes) 12 Chorzow Stary - Alfred (2.8 km / every 15 minutes) 13 Katowice - Welnowiec - Alfred - Siemianowice Sl. (6.2 km / every 15 minutes) 14 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory (2.7 km / every 10 minutes) 15 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Sosnowiec (18.3 km / every 10 minutes) 16 Katowice - Kosciuszki Park - Brynow (4.0 km / every 12-20 minutes) 116 Katowice - Kosciuszki Park (2.0 km / every 12-20 minutes) 17 Lagiewniki - Chropaczow - Lipiny (2.7 km / every 20 minutes) 21 Sosnowiec - Bedzin - Dabrowa Gornicza - Reden (12.0 km / every 24 minutes) 22 Sosnowiec - Bedzin - Czeladz (10.9 km / every 24 minutes) 24 Milowice - Sosnowiec - Okrzei Street (8.7 km / every 15 minutes) 25 Bedzin - Grodziec (3.9 km / every 24 minutes) 26 Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Niwka - Myslowice (7.3 km / every 20 minutes) 27 Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Klimontow (3.9 km / every 20 minutes) 31 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Wieszowa (12.2 km / every 30 minutes) 32 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Helenka - Stolarzowice (13.2 km / every 30 minutes) 33 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Mikulczyce (13.2 km / every 30 minutes) 34 Karb - Dabrowa Miejska (2.6 km / every 20-30 minutes) 35 Bytom (depot) - ZGH Orzel Bialy - Brzeziny Sl. (6.9 km / every 20 minutes) PB Rokitnica - Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Guido (11.7 km / every 2 hours; 'PB' stands for 'straight connection') It is not certain when exactly the night services were re-opened after the war. In 1955 the night service system was fully developed, consisting of 18 'night-trains', each with a different schedule. The schedules were not announced to the public, so the night services were mostly designed for the WPK workers. They were marked 'PN-x' where 'PN' stood for 'pociag nocny' (night train) and 'x' for a number of service (numeration was separate for each depot, so in the same time there existed e.g. PN-1 operated from each depot - there were eight depots open in 1955, so even eight cars marked PN-1 could operate the same night). Most stops on the system were served at least twice per night (usually after midnight and before dawn). |
 Bremen cars at Zygmunta Starego Street teraminus in Gliwice (Route 1)  KSW type trailer in Zabrze (Route 5)  An English Electric car on the streets of Dabrowa Coal Basin (Route 21) |
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Since 1948 Konstal Chorzow (and a few other companies in Poland) started production of N and ND cars based on German KSW (N - motor cars, ND - trailers). They were short (11.5 m), but massive cars with two axles, a pair of wide doors per each side, very simple construction and a capacity of 83 people. 15 trailers for Upper Silesia were the first ones produced in Konstal. In 1949 production of motor cars began. Until 1956 WPK received 230 new cars (130 motor cars and 100 trailers) of this type. From 1952 Konstal became the only tram producer in Poland. In 1956 the project of N type was slightly changed, and renamed to 4N (4ND was the trailer's codename). Until 1962, when production ceased, 48 units of 4N, and 58 of 4ND, were produced for Upper Silesia. The nature of rolling stock in Upper Silesia was changing very quickly - in winter 1945 the amount of cars was 386 units of at least 17 types. On April 30th 1958 WPK Katowice owned 545 cars (287 motor cars and 258 trailers) of 6 types: Konstal N/4N, Bremen, English Electric, LHB (SSB), Chorzow, KSW. N/4N type was 69% of the total. Altogether Konstal produced more than 3000 N generation cars for towns throughout the whole of Poland. N cars were commonly used till late 1980s in almost all Polish towns except Warsaw where they were withdrawn much earlier. In all Polish towns (including Upper Silesia) N/4N type cars are still being used as works cars, and also as museum cars. Also in Upper Silesia a restored set of N with 4ND trailer operates on special occasions. N/4N type cars disappeared from the region in 1980s, as in other towns, but with one little exception - Line 38 on Piekarska Street in Bytom, which requires two fully operational N cars for regular, every day service (one on duty, other as a reserve). This is not a heritage line with shiny, polished cars. The line on Piekarska Street has no loops at its ends, and therefore it requires small (the transport needs are not high there), bi-directional rolling stock. One can see there how N cars look like after more than 50 years of regular service. The system kept expanding. On October 27th 1957 the line Bedzin - Grodziec was extended to Zychcice through Wojkowice. Line Bytom - Brzeziny Slaskie was extended to Dabrowka Wielka on December 4th 1958. Unfortunately a low and narrow railroad viaduct just before Dabrowka was in the way of tram line. The investment was suspended (most probably because of lack of funds to move the railway), and until today citizens of Dabrowka wait for their tram line that starts about 50 meters from the last house in the village. Ruda (without tram since 1907) was about to have a brand new line - parts of the line Ruda Poludniowa - Ruda - Bobrek were opened in Decembers 1958, 1959 and 1960. Line Dandowka - Klimontow near Sosnowiec was extended in stages as well - on May 1st 1959 (Klimontow - Porabka) and on December 4th 1960 (Porabka - Kazimierz). Changes were introduced in centres of Bytom and Bedzin. In Bytom the trams of former SSB lines (31-35) were removed from Rynek (Market Square). In 1957 a new turning loop was laid on today's Dzieci Lwowskich Street. The track between Rynek and Pogoda (through Krakowska Street) was dismantled. Since then, Line 8 was extended to serve new route: Piekary Sl. - Szarlej - Pogoda - ZGH Orzel Bialy - Brzeziny Sl. (and since 1958 Dabrowka Wielka). Route 35, which served the line to Brzeziny Sl. before, was shortened and operated 'there-and-back' on the 1.3 km long Piekarska Street, between the depot and The Holy Trinity Church (later the Route was renumbered to 38). The depot on the end of Piekarska Street (former SSB depot) was closed for regular service cars in 1960 due to mining damage. It was used by works cars till about 1980, then turned to a parking place for buses. In Bedzin (on September 21st 1958) trams were removed from Czeladzka Street to a new double track on Zawale Street in order to prevent tram accidents that happened very often on a dangerous turn on the old course. The total length of track was ca. 220 km in the end of 1959. |
 A prototype of an ND Type trailer - the first Polish post-war tram  N type car with ND trailers in Myslowice  4N type car  One of 15 modernised, uni-directional N+ND sets  Bytom, line 38 today  A Chorzow type car as Route no. 27 on its way to Kazimierz  Remains of Piekarska depot and an LHB-Gorlitz car turned to a works car |
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An unusual accident happened in the centre of Zabrze on April 13th 1959. At 3:20pm a viaduct over the railway station (3 Maja Street) collapsed. Route 3, which ran over the viaduct, was broken into two halves - the southern half was cut off from the rest of the system with five cars 'trapped'. These five cars were operating the southern part of the line (centre - Guido - Makoszowy) for the following three years. A small workshop was built in the middle of 3 Maja Street, near the collapsed viaduct, to keep the cars running. In 1962 a new connection was build through Krakowski Square and the line Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Makoszowy could function normally. In 1959 Konstal Chorzow built a short (320 m long) track connecting the factory to the tram system. The track was built on today's Metalowcow Street, just eight years after the last narrow gauge line was removed from the same street. From that time Konstal was able to test its prototypes on WPK's system. But since Konstal produced also narrow gauge trams (metric gauge) the track on Metalowcow street was three-railed - 1000/1435 mm to allow brake tests for narrow gauge cars (the third rail on Metalowcow Street still exists, though Konstal produced last narrow gauge car in 1992). An interesting feature is a three-gauge crossing with 600 mm industrial narrow gauge railway branch. The branch doesn't exist anymore, but the remains of the crossing are still visible on Metalowcow Street. Also in 1959 Konstal started production of a new PCC car called 13N. It was based on (actually copied from) Czechoslovakian Tatra T1. 13N cars were meant to operate only in Warsaw to replace N/4N type, but they were tested in Upper Silesia, and six of them stayed here. Two of them still exist as works cars in Chorzow Batory depot. |
 A collapsed viaduct over the railway station in Zabrze  A double gauge switch in Konstal.  A 13N type works car. |
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The Great Modernization Along with building new lines, the existing ones were modernized. In 1961 second track was added on line Katowice - Dab - Chorzow. During the works, on July 20th 1960 two turning loops near Silesian Stadium were laid. The terminus in Chorzow was made smaller (two tracks instead of three). Also in 1960 a turning loop for Line 12 was opened in the centre of Chorzow on Hutnikow Square (near the line to Katowice). A new turning loop was built in December 1960 on the other end of the line - in Siemianowice Sl. (replacing an older one built in 1946). In February 1962 a new depot was built in Katowice Zawodzie (called Bogucice at that time). It replaced two smaller depots - at Kosciuszki Park (closed in 1967) and in Szopienice (closed in 1975). In 1964 turning loops were built on the streets of centres of Bedzin (today's Modrzejowska, Malachowskiego and Potockiego Streets) and Sosnowiec (today's Malachowskiego, Sienkiewicza and Koscielna Streets). Also in 1964 a turning loop was built near Sloneczna Street north of the centre of Katowice. A second track was laid between Rynek and Sloneczna. It was all a part of modernization of Armii Czerwonej Street (today's Aleje Korfantego). On May 1st 1965 a large round-about (in Polish called Rondo) was built on the crossing of today's Korfantego and Chorzowska Streets. A tram stop was built in the middle. On June 16th 1967 Rynek was modernized, along with building straight connections between Welnowiec and Brynow, and Welnowiec and Zawodzie. Line 16 from Brynow could be extended to Sloneczna loop. In 1969 an end loop was built in Brynow allowing modern 102N car operation on Line 16. Also in 1969 the street-loop on Miarki Square was built in order to withdraw Line 6 from an extremely busy Wolnosci Square loop. Due to lack of interest and because of mining damage, track between Mikulczyce and Rokitnica was dismantled in 1968. Line 33 was shortened to Rokitnica. |
 Depot Szopienice  The first 102N/Na cars operated in Katowice, so new larger depot was needed.  An aerial picture of Depot Zawodzie, opened in 1962 |
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In 1967 for the first time radio communication was introduced in tramways. Since 1968 the ticket inspectors were slowly being replaced by cancelling machines. List of tram routes operated by WPK Katowice in 1967: 'Bis' means supplementary line, in most cases operating only in the peak hours. 0 Katowice - Dab - Stadion Slaski (Silesian Stadium; eastern loop) 1 Gliwice Zygmunta Starego - Zabrze - Zaborze - Ruda Poludniowa 2 Trynek - Gliwice Towarowa (near depot) 3 Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Makoszowy 3 bis Zabrze - Makoszowy 4 Wojtowa Wies - Gliwice - Zabrze - Zaborze 4 bis Gliwice Puszkina - Gliwice Dworzec PKP (railway station) 5 Zabrze - Biskupice - Bobrek - Szombierki - Bytom 5 bis Zabrze - Biskupice 6 Bytom - Pogoda - Lagiewniki - Chorzow - Dab - Katowice 7 Bytom - Lagiewniki - Piasniki - Swietochlowice - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie 8 Piekary Sl. - Szarlej - Bytom (Pogoda) - Brzeziny Sl. - Dabrowka Wielka 9 Bytom - Szombierki - Godula - Chebzie - Wirek - Swietochlowice - Chorzow 10 Chorzow - Swietochlowice - Zgoda 11 Katowice - Dab - Chorzow - Piasniki - Lipiny - Chebzie - Ruda Poludniowa 12 Chorzow - Chorzow Stary - Siemianowice Sl. 12 bis Chorzow - Chorzow Stary 13 Katowice - Welnowiec -Siemianowice Sl. 13 bis Katowice - Welnowiec 14 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Myslowice 14 bis Chorzow - Chorzow Batory (depot) 15 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Sosnowiec 15 bis Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie 16 Katowice (Sloneczna loop) - Kosciuszki Park - Brynow 16 bis Katowice (Sloneczna loop) - Kosciuszki Park 17 Lagiewniki - Chropaczow - Lipiny 17 bis Lagiewniki - Chropaczow 18 Ruda Poludniowa - Ruda - Bobrek - Szombierki - Bytom 18 bis Ruda Poludniowa - Ruda 19 Bytom - Kopalnia Bytom ('Bytom' Coal Mine) (line under construction, opened on full length to Stroszek in 1968) 21 Sosnowiec - Pogon - Bedzin - Dabrowa Gornicza - Reden 21 bis Sosnowiec - Pogon Zeromskiego 22 Bedzin - Czeladz 24 Milowice - Sosnowiec - Okrzei 25 Bedzin - Grodziec - Wojkowice - Zychcice 26 Sosnowiec Koscielna - Dandowka - Niwka - Myslowice 27 Sosnowiec Koscielna - Dandowka - Klimontow - Kazimierz 31 Bytom Pokoju (today's Dzieci Lwowskich street) - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Wieszowa 32 Bytom Pokoju - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Helenka - Stolarzowice 32 bis Rokitnica - Helenka - Stolarzowice 33 Bytom Pokoju - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Mikulczyce 34 Karb - Dabrowa Miejska 35 Bytom Piekarska (service between ex-depot and the church) |
 An English Electric car in Sosnowiec (Route 21)  WPK type car in Bytom (Route 5)  New 102Na type cars on the 'Rondo' in Katowice (Route 23)  Between Miechowice and Rokitnica (Route 31)  A Bremen type works car in Zabrze |
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After a few years of experiments with different prototypes (Types 13NS, 14N and articulated 15N), in 1967 Konstal finally presented a new tram model designed for towns other than Warsaw - 102N. Though 13N was a uni-directional car, and Konstal (in co-operation with Chorzow Batory workshop) modernized in 1963 eleven N+ND sets to a uni-directional, articulated tram called 'WPK', the 102N type was the first mass-produced uni-directional and articulated tram for Upper Silesia. The new car had a body based on PCC 13N, but the electrical equipment did not use PCC technology. Instead, older contactors were used. There were two versions of 102N used in WPK Katowice - first (the original 102N) had the front and back designed different than 13N - the gradient of the windshields was negative. That interesting design had one disadvantage - after dusk, when lights inside the car went on, their reflections on the windshield flashed the driver. So the front and the end were copied from 13N, and the new version received codename 102Na. 102N/Na type cars had no matching trailers (and they were not designed to pull a trailer), they could be coupled though. The cars had six axles on three bogies. The outer bogies had motors, the middle one was passive. The power of four motors was too little for a 20 meters long vehicle with a mass of 26000 kilograms and capacity of 192 people, so the acceleration and maximum speed were not stunning, though they were better then N/4N type's. And at that time the most important feature was the capacity. Konstal built 149 cars of 102N type for WPK Katowice - 20 units of 102N, and 129 of 102Na. 102N served between 1969 and 1994. One of them still exists as a drivers' school car. 102Na started service in 1970, and about 25 of them are still in regular use (in depots Chorzow Batory and Katowice Zawodzie). Since the introduction of 102N type, the era of bi-directional cars was ending. Turning loops had to be built everywhere and the supplementary (bis) lines were going down one after another. After almost 40 years it is quite obvious what a great mistake it was. |
 14N prototype  15N prototype  Type 102N with the unusual windshields |
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The 1970s were the years of modernization that started in Katowice in 1960s. The tram system had to be made more efficient by adding second tracks on busiest lines, separating the trams from the increasing road-traffic, and adjusting to new, uni-directional rolling stock. In 1967 the works on line Bytom - Stroszek began. On September 1st more than a half was ready (the line reached 'Bytom' Coal Mine). The whole line with turning loop and a depot in Stroszek was ready in June 1968. At the same time the depot on Witczaka Street in Bytom Rozbark (open since 1894) was closed and turned into a (still functioning) bus depot. Along with building the line to Stroszek, other changes were taking place in the centre of Bytom. In 1968 tracks were laid along Chrzanowskiego Street to connect the line to Stroszek with ex-SSB line to Karb and Miechowice. A second track was laid along today's Wroclawska Street. Three years later, in 1971 the loop on today's Dzieci Lwowskich Street was dismantled, and the bigger (ex-VBO) loop's set was changed - the trams disappeared from the front of the railway station, but the terminus on Sikorskiego Square was still operating with a newly laid third track (now Lines 31, 32 and 33 were using the terminus too). The new, smaller loop and the terminus were re-opened on September 10th 1971. Between 1970 and 1973 a second track was added on line Bytom - Lagiewniki - Chorzow. The tracks were separated from the street, and near Pogoda and Konstal factory they were moved away from the street, behind the buildings. |
 102Na type car on the Sikorski Sq. in Bytom  Line Bytom - Stroszek |
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Four years after the depot in Rozbark was closed, another one (and the last one remembering the first steam trams) was abandoned in Gliwice. Instead, in March 1972 there was a new tram and bus depot opened on the border of Gliwice and Zabrze (near Maciejow). Also in 1972, turning loops were built in Wojtowa Wies and in Zaborze, allowing uni-directional service on Line 4. On December 12th 1975 on the junction in Chebzie a large loop was built. Since that moment Chebzie became an important place in the system. Another loop was built in Biskupice in 1977. |
 The loop in Zaborze today. |
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List of tram routes operated by WPK Katowice in January 1975: 0 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Dab - Stadion Slaski (service every 9-18 minutes) 1 Gliwice Zygmunta Starego - Zabrze - Zaborze (service every 14 minutes) 2 Trynek - Gliwice Dworzec PKP (railway station) (service every 10-15 minutes) 3 Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Makoszowy (service every 20 minutes) 3 bis Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Makoszowy (service every 20 minutes) 4 Wojtowa Wies - Gliwice - Zabrze - Zaborze (service every 10 minutes) 4 bis Gliwice Puszkina - Gliwice Dworzec PKP (railway station) (service every 10 minutes) 5 Zabrze - Biskupice - Bobrek - Bytom (service every 10 minutes) 6 Bytom - Pogoda - Lagiewniki - Chorzow - Dab - Katowice (Miarki Square) (service every 5 minutes) 7 Bytom - Lagiewniki - Piasniki - Swietochlowice - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie (service every 7 minutes) 8 Piekary Sl. - Szarlej - Bytom (Pogoda) - Brzeziny Sl. - Dabrowka Wielka (service every 17 minutes) 9 Bytom - Szombierki - Godula - Chebzie - Wirek - Swietochlowice - Chorzow (service every 20 minutes) 10 Chorzow - Swietochlowice - Zgoda (service every 20 minutes) 11 Katowice - Dab - Chorzw - Piasniki - Lipiny - Chebzie - Ruda Poludniowa - Zaborze (service every 14 minutes) 11 bis Stadion Slaski - Chorzow - Szarlociniec (near Piasniki) (service every 14 minutes) 12 Chorzow - Chorzow Stary - Alfred - Siemianowice Sl. (service every 14 minutes) 12 bis Chorzow - Chorzow Stary (service every 28 minutes) 13 Katowice - Welnowiec - Alfred - Siemianowice Sl. (service every 14 minutes) 13 bis Katowice - Welnowiec - Alfred (service every 14 minutes) 14 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Myslowice (service every 13 minutes) 15 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Sosnowiec (service every 8 minutes) 15 bis Katowice - Zawodzie (service every 15 minutes) 16 Katowice (Sloneczna) - Kosciuszki Park - Brynow (service every 7 minutes) 16 bis Katowice (Sloneczna) - Kosciuszki Park (service every 7 minutes) 17 Lagiewniki - Chropaczow - Lipiny (service every 10-15 minutes) 17 bis Lagiewniki - Chropaczow (service every 10 minutes) 18 Ruda Poludniowa - Ruda - Bobrek - Bytom (service every 15 minutes) 19 Bytom - Stroszek (service every 10 minutes) 20 Zawodzie - Katowice - Welnowiec - Alfred (service every 7-14 minutes) 21 Sosnowiec - Pogon - Bedzin - Dabrowa Gornicza - Huta Katowice (service every 11 minutes) 21 bis Sosnowiec - Pogon Zeromskiego (service every 11 minutes) 22 Bedzin - Czeladz (service every 22 minutes) 23 Stadion Slaski - Dab - Katowice - Zawodzie (service every 8 minutes) 24 Milowice - Sosnowiec - Okrzei (service every 14 minutes) 24 bis Sosnowiec Wilcza - Sosnowiec Dworzec PKP (railway station) (service every 14 minutes) 25 Bedzin - Grodziec - Wojkowice - Zychcice (service every 22 minutes) 26 Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Niwka - Modrzejow - Myslowice (service every 15 minutes) 27 Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Klimontow - Kazimierz (service every 20 minutes) 27 bis Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Klimontow - Kazimierz (service every 40 minutes) 31 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Wieszowa (service every 30 minutes) 32 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica - Helenka - Stolarzowice (service every 30 minutes) 32 bis Rokitnica - Helenka - Stolarzowice (service every 30 minutes) 33 Bytom - Karb - Miechowice - Rokitnica (service every 30 minutes) 34 Karb - Dabrowa Miejska (service every 20-30 minutes) 35 Bytom Piekarska (service every 10 minutes) |
 102Na type car in Bytom (Route 6)  German KSW car in Katowice (Route 16bis)  A set of N cars in Stolarzowice (Route 32)  102Na car in Katowice (Route 15)  A set of 105N cars (Route 13)  N type cars in Bytom (Route 31)  13NS car with a 13NSD trailer (Route 20)  13N type car turned into a works car  13N type car went out of use in the beginning of 1980s  Route 29 started operation in 1978 |
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In 1970s, the towns of Dabrowa Coal Basin underwent a complex modernization of the transport system which included the tramway system. In September 1971 a bigger street-loop (reaching the railway station) was built in the centre of Sosnowiec by laying tracks on Malachowskiego Street. In 1973-76 all the line to Bedzin was changed to double track and moved to a separate lane in the middle of a two-lane street. A loop was built on the border of Sosnowiec and Bedzin. Similar modernization happened to the line between centre of Sosnowiec and Ludwik. In 1974-75 a second track and an end loop were laid on line to Milowice. Between 1978 and 1982 the end of Line 24 in Okrzei Street was out of service due to construction of a viaduct over today's 3 Maja Street. In 1982 the end of the line was re-opened with a triangle instead of a turning loop. Meanwhile a new tramway line was built on mentioned 3 Maja Street - on July 21st 1980 service between Sosnowiec and Srodula was opened. On October 28th 1982 it was extended to Zagorze. In Dabrowa Gornicza an enormous steel works complex was being built. Though it was situated in Dabrowa, it was called Huta Katowice (Katowice Steel Works). In 1976-77 the streets in the town were widened, the only tram line modernized, fitted with a second track and extended to the main gate of the Steel Works. In the same time, on the other end of the town (near the border with Bedzin) Sobieskiego Street was being built, with a modernized tramway line in the middle. On February 4th 1977, when the line to Huta Katowice was ready, Sobieskiego Street was still being built. The trams started operation between the steel works and a new loop at Kopalnia Paryz (Paris Coal Mine), near Koszelew. The service was marked 21 bis, to differ it from original Route 21 which was still using old single track along Perla Street in Koszelew (between Bedzin and Dabrowa). New track between Kopalnia Paryz and Bedzin was laid on July 21st 1978, and the old track on Perla Street was dismantled. An additional loop was build in 1984 near Kasprzaka Street in Golonog. The modernization could not pass Bedzin. In 1975-77 Kollataja and Malobadzka Streets were modernized to two-lanes with a tram line in the middle. All the tracks in the centre of the town were dismantled and a central, four-directional junction was built where Kollataja and Malobadzka streets met. Due to the modernization of Kollataja street the Bedzin depot had to be demolished - a new one was opened in 1977-78 in the western part of town (near suburb called Gzichow) together with about 1 km long line leading to the new depot. At the end of 1978 (until April 1979), the total length of the Upper Silesian system reached its highest peak - ca. 235 km. |
 Streets of Bedzin before the modernisation  The construction of line Srodula - Zagorze  4N type car as Route 22 in Bedzin  The streets of Bedzin Today |
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The 1970s (and 1980s) were not only the years of modernization, but also of liquidation. The first dismantled line was the one to Dabrowa Miejska. Shortened in 1976, it was finally closeed in 1980. In 1978 the line to Trynek in Gliwice was shortened ca. 0.3 km. In 1979 the Route 35 on Piekarska Street in Bytom was suspended. Luckily the track was not dismantled and thanks to citizens protests it was re-opened on February 10th 1982 with number 38 (35 was already in use between Sosnowiec and Srodula). On April 27th 1979 service between Piekary Sl. and Szarlej was suspended. Line 8 changed its route to Bytom (Sikorskiego Square) - Dabrowka Wielka, and for three years a new line - no. 36 was operating between Pogoda and Szarlej. In 1982 it was replaced by buses. About 1980 the depot in Lagiewniki was closed. It was turned to a switch workshop, and the main halls were demolished. In the end of 1983 the terminus Czeladz (including the passing loop on the Market Square) was dismantled and a new ending with a turning loop was built along Kombatantow Street. Due to the bad condition of a railway viaduct over today's Wroclawska Street between Bytom and Karb, on May 1st 1983 Lines 32 and 33 were suspended and Line 31 shortened to Luzycka Street. The construction of a new viaduct over the railway took more than 10 years. Finally the viaduct for double-track tram line was ready, but the company working in new realities had no money for the investment. The remains of the tracks in Miechowice, Rokitnica, etc. were dismantled in 1990s. In November 1989 a turning loop near Luzycka Street was built (called Bytom Petla Wroclawska or recently Bytom Politechnika). That ended the operation of N cars on shortened Line 31. Since then, the only N cars in regular service operate on Line 38 on Piekarska Street in Bytom. In 1985-86 two lines in Gliwice were suspended - the one to Trynek, and the one to Zygmunta Starego Street. (between 1985 and 1986 Line 2 was already suspended and Line 1 serviced on two routes to Zygmunta Starego Street and to Trynek). The plan was to open the service again with new bi-directional rolling stock (there were no loops on those lines and the old N/4N type was used). Unfortunately that did not happened. Both lines were dismantled in 1994. Since 1986 the total length of the system was ca. 208 km. |
 The terminus in Wieszowa just before suspension  Since May 1983 Route 31 terminated on Luzycka Street  N-954 car as Route 38  Different car types in Bytom |
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Also in 1970s new car type was introduced by Konstal. It was a PCC car with the electrical equipment directly from 13N, but with a completely new body. It was designated Type 105N and in time it became the most popular tram type in Poland. 14.5 m long, with four doors, four axles on two bogies, it had a capacity of 125 people, and max speed 70 kmph. Like 13N, 105N was not able to haul a trailer, though it could be coupled or even tripled (tripled 105N cars were used only on the line to Huta Katowice though). Though the first car was produced in 1973, after many modernizations, Type 105N (105N2k-2000 exactly) is still in Konstal's offer. Until 1979 Konstal produced 980 units of basic 105N type, WPK Katowice received 264 of them. In 1979 it underwent a modernization of the electrical equipment - the new version was marked 105Na. Between 1980 and 1989 WPK Katowice received 218 cars of 1443 produced. Most of original 105N cars were rebuilt to 105Na in 1980s and 1990s. WPK Katowice received also 2 units of a prototype model with thyristor electrical system - 105NT. About 330 trams of the 105N generation still operate on Silesian tracks. Along with introduction of 105N Type cars, the remains of pre-war rolling stock were scrapped. From the half of 1970s the rolling stock of WPK Katowice consisted only of N (till late 1980s), 102N and 105N Types. |
 A prototype 105N car  The last remain of the pre-war cars, the Chorzow's chassis. |
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A very important moment in the history of WPK Katowice was moving its offices to a new 22 floors high building on Wita Stwosza Street (Katowice) in 1985. The company was operating about 700 bus routes, almost 40 tram routes, and a small test trolleybus system with 4 routes in Tychy (opened in 1982) at that moment. It owned 5 tram depots and 17 bus depots (including one for both buses and trolleybuses). It carried ca. 336 million passengers in 1988. It occupied 14 floors and the basement in the new building. |
 Katowice Rondo - cars 102N and 105N |
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List of tram routes operated by WPK Katowice in November 1986: 0 Stadion Slaski - Dab - Katowice - Kosciuszki Park - Brynow 1 Gliwice Trynek - Gliwice Dworcowa - Gliwice Zygmunta Starego 3 Mikulczyce - Zabrze - Makoszowy 3 bis Zabrze - Makoszowy 4 Wojtowa Wies - Gliwice - Zabrze - Zaborze 5 Zabrze - Biskupice - Bobrek - Bytom 6 Bytom - Pogoda - Lagiewniki - Chorzow - Dab - Katowice - Brynow 7 Bytom - Lagiewniki - Piasniki - Swietochlowice - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie 8 Bytom - Pogoda - Brzeziny Sl. - Dabrowka Wielka 9 Bytom - Szombierki - Godula - Chebzie - Wirek - Swietochlowice - Chorzow 11 Katowice - Dab - Chorzw - Piasniki - Lipiny - Chebzie 12 Chorzow - Chorzow Stary - Alfred - Siemianowice Sl. 13 Katowice - Welnowiec - Alfred - Siemianowice Sl. 14 Alfred - Welnowiec - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Myslowice 15 Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice - Sosnowiec - Zagorze 16 Katowice (Sloneczna) - Kosciuszki Park - Brynow 17 Lagiewniki - Chropaczow - Lipiny 18 Chebzie - Ruda Poludniowa - Ruda - Bobrek - Bytom 19 Bytom - Stroszek 21 Milowice - Sosnowiec - Pogon - Bedzin - Kopalnia Paryz - Dabrowa Gornicza - Huta Katowice 21 bis Kopalnia Paryz - Dabrowa Gornicza - Huta Katowice 22 Czeladz - Bedzin - Kopalnia Paryz - Dabrowa Gornicza - Huta Katowice 23 Stadion Slaski - Dab - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice 24 Sosnowiec - Okrzei 25 Kopalnia Paryz - Bedzin - Grodziec - Wojkowice - Zychcice 26 Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Niwka - Modrzejow - Myslowice 27 Pogon - Sosnowiec - Dandowka - Klimontow - Kazimierz 28 Kopalnia Paryz - Bedzin (depot) 29 Biskupice - Zabrze - Zaborze - Ruda Poludniowa - Chebzie 30 Bytom - Bobrek - Biskupice 31 Bytom - Luzycka Street 35 Sosnowiec Koscielna - Pogon - Bedzin (depot) 37 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie - Szopienice 38 Bytom Piekarska 39 Bytom - Lagiewniki - Piasniki - Swietochlowice - Chorzow 40 Chorzow - Chorzow Batory - Zaleze - Katowice - Zawodzie 41 Bytom - Pogoda - Lagiewniki - Chorzow - Dab - Katowice Route number 42 never existed (though 41 bis did). |
 Prototype 15N car shortly before liquidation (Route 14)  Modernised N cars in Ruda (Route 18)  4N type car in Chebzie (Route 29) Bytom, Sikorskiego Sq. (Route 31)  Bytom, Piekarska Street (Route 38)  102Na and 105N/Na cars on Chebzie loop (Routes 11, 17, 18, 29) |