The Belleville funicular tramway (french: tramway funiculaire de Belleville) was a
cable car which from 1891 to 1924 connected the
Place de la République
The Place de la République (known as the Place du Château d'Eau until 1879) is a square in Paris, located on the border between the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements. The square has an area of .Warner, p. 250 Named after the First, Second an ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
to the
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville, on a hill in the
Belleville quarter. It has since been demolished.
It was a hybrid of a
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
way and a
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
, similar to the famous
San Francisco cable car system (started 1873), it was replaced in 1935 by
Paris Métro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 (French: ''Ligne 11 du métro de Paris'') is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro. It links Châtelet to Mairie des Lilas in the northeastern suburbs. At a length of 6.3 km (3.9 mi) and 13 stations served, it is cu ...
, running on the same route.
History
In the late 1880s, the need to serve the busy
quarter of Belleville led to consideration of setting up a
cable car line, uniquely able to manage the hill's inclination. But unlike
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
and other American cities where this new system was operating, which had wide roads on
grid plans, the width of the Paris roads required a
single track
Single may refer to:
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Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
railway with plenty of
passing loop
A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...
s along its rather meandering route.
In 1886, one Mr. Fournier submitted a request for a
concession. After much deliberation by the
Ville de Paris, the
Ministry of Public Works
This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure.
See also
* Public works
* Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...
, the
Ministry of the Interior
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministr ...
and the
Corps of Bridges and Roads, and the virulent protests of the , who saw it breaking their monopoly, the line was given its ("Public Utility Declaration") by a decree of 24 January 1889 under the jurisdiction of a under the control of the
Conseil général
The departmental councils ( French: ''conseils départementaux''; singular, ''conseil départemental'') of France are representative assemblies elected by universal suffrage in 98 of the country's 101 departments. Prior to the 2015 French de ...
of the
Seine Department.
A contract was signed on 7 August 1890 between the Department and Fournier, which provided for the construction of a line by the Ville de Paris and its operation by Fournier, who passed it over to the .
The funicular tramway became operational on 25 August 1891. The line started at the Place de la Republique, going up the Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple and the
Rue de Belleville
''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of '' Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bl ...
to its terminus in front of the
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville. Its total length was or of
single track
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
with a crossings over the
Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6 km (2.86 mi) long canal in Paris, connecting the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine. Over nearly half its length (), between the Rue du Faubourg du Temple and the Place de la Bastille, it was covered, in the ...
and four others at the crossroads of the
Avenue Parmentier, of the Boulevard de Belleville, of the Rue Julien-Lacroix and of the
Rue des Pyrénées
''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of '' Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bl ...
. Its gradient was fairly steep, starting with a shallow slope but climbing the hill with gradients of at least 3.4% (1:30) but as high as 7% (1:14), with several tight curves.
![Paris - Rue de Belleville 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Paris_-_Rue_de_Belleville_02.jpg)
The line quickly became popular: in 1895, it transported million passengers. The line quickly reached capacity, and because it was impossible to add more
passing loop
A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...
s, the line was operated in "bursts" (french: rafale), with several vehicles closely following each other very closely. But this operation was particularly dangerous for pedestrians and road traffic. So it was decided to operate two cars together as a train, and their end platforms were extended over the
couplings, increasing each car's capacity to 57 passengers. 1902 became the record year for the line, with million passengers.
On 31 May 1910, the concession ended and the
Ville de Paris took over operation as a ("French public service authority"). During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
the line was underfunded, and at its close needed heavy repairs to continue service. But operations finally ceased on 18 July 1924, and the tramway was replaced by a bus line called the "BF", operated by Schneider H buses with their front seats removed to increase capacity. This route was subsequently incorporated into the network of the
Société des transports en commun de la région parisienne
Lactalis is a French multinational dairy products corporation, owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval, Mayenne, France. The company's former name was Besnier SA.
Lactalis is the largest dairy products group in the world, and is the se ...
(STCRP). The infrastructure of the funicular tramway was demolished, the cars were sold for
scrap, and for many months were held somewhere in
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux () is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France, lying on the left bank of the river Seine. Its citizens are called ''Isséens'' in French. It is one of Paris' entrances and is located from Notre-Dame Cat ...
. In 1935,
Paris Métro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 (French: ''Ligne 11 du métro de Paris'') is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro. It links Châtelet to Mairie des Lilas in the northeastern suburbs. At a length of 6.3 km (3.9 mi) and 13 stations served, it is cu ...
opened on the same route, extended at each end.
Technical characteristics
![Tramway-funiculaire-belleville](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Tramway-funiculaire-belleville.jpg)
The
tracks of the funicular tramway were built at with a central access channel which gave exclusive access to apparatus in a groove from street level. The U-shaped rails, of the Broca system, were set into the road surface, with blocks housing the traction cable, which was of diameter and weighed . The cable was of hemp rope reinforced by six steel strands. The
breaking strain
"Breaking Strain", also known as "Thirty Seconds - Thirty Days", is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1949. It was adapted into a movie in 1994 under the title ''Trapped in Space''.
Plot ...
of the cable was .
Each terminus on the line was equipped with a pulley of diameter, mounted horizontally under the pavement, which drove the endless traction cable. The cable passed over another tension wheel, which compensated for cable stretch.
The system was driven by two
Corliss steam engine
A Corliss steam engine (or Corliss engine) is a steam engine, fitted with rotary valves and with variable valve timing patented in 1849, invented by and named after the American engineer George Henry Corliss of Providence, Rhode Island.
Engines ...
s, installed in the depot at 97 Rue de Belleville.
The 21 cars were each long and only wide, accommodating 22 passengers on four longitudinal bench seats. The rolling stock was never upgraded; the cars remained
gaslit (with acetylene) and were unheated because of the short journey time.
The vehicles were equipped with a "grip" system, detachable pincers which took hold of the cable in the underground channel. To put the vehicle in motion, the driver progressively tightened the grip. This action, repeated several thousand times, limited the cable's lifetime to less than six months. The cable ran in the channel at a speed of by day, and by night, when there was less traffic. To stop the car, the driver used a
handbrake which acted on the wheels.
Brake pad Brake pads are a component of disc brakes used in automotive and other applications. Brake pads are composed of steel backing plates with friction material bound to the surface that faces the disc brake rotors.
Function
Brake pads convert the kin ...
s also acted against the rails.
The infrastructure was built by the
Ville de Paris, directed by its chief engineer
Fulgence Bienvenüe
Fulgence Bienvenüe (; 27 January 1852 – 3 August 1936) was a noted French civil engineer, best known for his role in the construction of the Paris Métro, and has been called "Le Père du Métro" (Father of the Metro).
A native of Uzel in Br ...
, better known as the architect of the
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (french: Métro de Paris ; short for Métropolitain ) is a rapid transit system in the Paris metropolitan area, France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architec ...
.
Operation
![FF-CCCC 1548 - Tout Paris - Faubourg du Temble au Canal Saint Martin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/FF-CCCC_1548_-_Tout_Paris_-_Faubourg_du_Temble_au_Canal_Saint_Martin.JPG)
The funicular tramway served a populous quarter of Paris. Because of this, the
flat rate
A flat fee, also referred to as a flat rate or a linear rate refers to a pricing structure that charges a single fixed fee for a service, regardless of usage. Less commonly, the term may refer to a rate that does not vary with usage or time of us ...
fare was quite low, 10
centime
Centime (from la, centesimus) is French for "cent", and is used in English as the name of the fraction currency in several Francophone countries (including Switzerland, Algeria, Belgium, Morocco and France).
In France, the usage of ''centime' ...
s, and there were half-rate worker's fares at the start and end of the day. Despite the low fares, its popularity made the company extremely profitable.
Tramway operations barely changed throughout the line's existence: a departure every 11 minutes from 5am to 6am, then every 6 minutes from 6am until 12.30am. The total number of daily departures was as high as 364 in winter, and 382 in summer, with respectively 37 and 30 in the morning at half rate.
Accidents
Operational accidents were relatively rare, and mostly related to cable wear. If the cable broke it would wind around the grip, preventing the cars from stopping and causing them to overturn or run into those that had managed to disengage the grip in time. This could cause havoc in the streets.
But the steep slope of the Rue de Belleville caused the more spectacular accidents. The greatest was on 6 January 1906, when a ruptured grip resulted in a runaway car. It continued the whole length of the Rue de Belleville, crossing the Rue des Pyrénées at nearly (according to the press reports) before being derailed and overturning in the Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple. The passengers panicked and ran, causing 17 injuries. In 1907 and 1909, brake failures caused two collisions between the tramcars and
Mekarski system
The Mekarski system was a compressed-air propulsion system for trams invented by Louis Mékarski or Louis Mékarsky (the correct spelling is uncertain) in the 1870s. He worked in France, was born in 1843 in Clermont-Ferrand (center of France) ...
cars at the Rue des Pyrénées crossroads.
[.]
In popular fiction
In ,
Pierre Souvestre
Pierre Souvestre (1 June 1874 – 26 February 1914) was a French lawyer, journalist, writer and organizer of motor races. He is mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Marcel Allain of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fa ...
and
Marcel Allain
Marcel Allain (15 September 1885 – 25 August 1969) was a French writer mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Pierre Souvestre of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fantômas.
Career
The son of a bourgeois family, ...
describe
Fantômas
Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914).
One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appear ...
taking the funicular on return from a meeting with the
Apaches
The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...
.
See also
*
Tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
*
Funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
*
Paris Métro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 (French: ''Ligne 11 du métro de Paris'') is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro. It links Châtelet to Mairie des Lilas in the northeastern suburbs. At a length of 6.3 km (3.9 mi) and 13 stations served, it is cu ...
*
Belleville (commune)
Belleville () was a French commune (municipality) in the Seine ''département'', lying immediately east of Paris, France. It was one of four communes entirely annexed by the city of Paris in 1860. Its territory is now shared by the 19th and 20th ...
References
Sources
![Funiculaire-belleville-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Funiculaire-belleville-1.jpg)
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
La complainte du funiculaire Song lyrics from the early 20th century
*
Ménilmontant-Belleville: Mémoires d'un vieux quartier television documentary aired on ORTF on 7 June 1965 (INA website)
{{coord, 48.8726, 2.3791, region:FR, display=title
Funicular railways in France
Tram transport in France
Metre gauge railways in France
Railway lines opened in 1891
Railway lines closed in 1924