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yours truly

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I'd like to say thanks to the BKV for the visit!

I wanted to see what the future home of the new, 54-meter Combinos will look like, but before I could've asked for a photo permission, the BKV (the Budapest Transit Company) asked me if I'd like to see it. Like... wow!

The tram depot Hungária is located near route 1/1A, and is connected to the network via these tracks in narrow Sport utca, between two old football (soccer) stadiums. The one on the right-hand-side was the shooting location of the key scenes of the 1981 WW2-movie "Escape to Victory" with Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine and Pelé.

But back to trams: number 2003 has just arrived a few days ago.

The depot will be rebuilt to house the 40 Siemens "Combino Supra" trams of the Grand Boulevard routes 4 and 6.

Parts of this conversion were already complete...

.. . like this inspection hall.

Yes, that's just one tram!

The cockpit of the new trams was kept similar to earlier types used in Budapest.

I don't think any of these cars would see service on route 2, but the passenger information system knows that route, too.

Beneath the world's longest tramcar.

A truck seen from below.

The trucks will be aligned in curves by passive hydraulics.

Okay, now let's take a look above!

As for the time being, only the driver's cabs will be air-conditioned.

One of the rooftop containers of the traction electronics.

The car has two Einholm-type current collectors like this.

The exit tracks of the carwash.

The workshop of the depot was already modernised, the tracks and other buildings will be renovated/replaced soon.

The workshop is where the hidraulic jack is located.

The storage halls will be also rebuilt. This one will house the underfloor turn-bench for turning the wheels. At the very back you can make out snow-sweeper number 7117.

These tracks will be replaced, too, which is a bit of a pity, because it looked rather exotic with its classic layout! :)