A MAIDEN TRIP OF SVERDLOVSK TRAM

November 7, 1929 was the day of the Sverdlovsk tram maiden trip 7. This was the result of high-powered construction by efforts of hundred of day-wage and seasonal workers. Young builders (those of more educated) attended courses of drivers and conductors. The tram depot for night parking, survey and repair was built on Tsyganskaya (Gypsy) square. The first double track was laid from North to South - from Sverdlov Street along Plotinka, then down 8th March Street to the depot.

The chairwoman of gorispolkom (a city executive committee) Anna Bychkova greeted the builders and citizens who came for the meeting and cut the ribbon while the brass orchestra was playing. The chief construction engineer N. Egorov drove the tram. Ten tramcars one by one were moving over Sverdlovsk streets. On their way rejoicing people, and pioneers in full dress with flags were meeting the tram. Enthusiastic faces of passengers, a strong urge to buy a long-awaited ticket - everything was for the first time. Drivers and conductors were extremely prestigious occupations in 1930s. 

The winter, however, brought hard times for tram staff. Wooden carriages made in Mytishchi (near Moscow) were not heated, glasses got frozen, and glycerine or salt were used to rub off the glass and make out the way. Tram drivers stood when driving in order not to get frozen. Recruited professionals from other towns left Sverdlovsk being unable to bear difficulties of Ural climate. But happily graduates from local courses were becoming experienced drivers and the accurate pace of tram work was not ruined.  

It took less than a year to launch a new tram line. It stretched from the Year of 1905 square to Subbotnikov square, and the tram brought people right to the entrance of Verkh-Isetsk plant.

Sverdlovsk tram was one of the firstlings of the amazing technical breakthrough of Soviet Union which was later called industrialisation.

Olga Maslennikova