Vetra

The company Vetra (or Vétra ) is a manufacturer French of Trolleybus (1925 - 1964)

History

The Company of the Vehicles and Electric Tractors, commonly indicated Vétra, was born the September 16th 1925 in order to find new outlets for the materials of the Als-Thom group (become later Alsthom and finally Alstom nowadays), company itself resulting from the regrouping of SACM (Alsatian Company of Mechanical engineering with Belfort, celebrates manufacturer of engines amongst other things) and of the French Company Thomson-Houston, to see (Thomson-Houston Electric Company).

This 2 industrial society had already know-how and technology concerning the construction of materials of , Railroad Tramway S (SACM) and switchgears (Thomson).

The head office of Vétra, was located at 38, avenue Kléber with Paris in 8th; the Vétra workshops were with 85, rue du Général Roguet with Clichy -92. In 1956, the seat was located at Paris, 79 avenue des Champs Elysées.

In 1948 Vétra makes build a vast whole of buildings of 6000 m ² on a ground of 22.000 m ² where the company transfers workshops and stores from spare parts. The buildings are located at 12 rue Masséna, with Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine), today occupied by the Technical center Renault of Rueil (CTR), located at 67 rue des Bons Raisins, even divided to him into two subsets: the CTR has and the CTR B, located on both sides this street. In 1952, the National Control of the Factories Renault (R.N.U.R) is installed on the ground of the current CTR B, in the place of the Vétra company and obtains in 1953 the authorization to exploit test facilities of spark-ignition engines and internal combustion engines.

Genesis of the trolley buses

The ancestor of the Trolleybus was without any doubt the Omnibus electric Lombard-Gérin which circulated for the 1st time in 1900. The socket-outlet was carried out then by a carriage motorized sensor moving on 2 pulleys swindling on the air line a such tyrolienne (small Téléphérique); it progressed in synchronism with the vehicle, and in front of this one.

In English, carriage says trolley from where the name given to this type of sensor. In 1901, the engineer Charles Nithard developed a electrobus with shifted poles, coming to take the current via a sensor with throats.

A line functioned with these materials of 1901 with 1908 on Coal-scuttle-the-Baths with Lyon.

Vétra at its beginnings, initially built on the basis of element of Renault source, the electrobuses, i.e. vehicles strictly identical to those been driven by thermal engines, but equipped with electrical motors and accumulators.

Vétra presents beginning 1927 with the Foire of Lyon, the first " accucamion" of 5 tons of payload. The first trolley bus leaves a few months afterwards.

The September 19th 1927, it successfully ensures the launching of the departmental line of Aubagne Gémenos, in the Marseilles suburbs. This line is managed by CGFT (French General Co of Trams). It is registered TB 1, it also had a little brother registered TB 2. - They were withdrawn from the service in 1942. The OTM 2 succeeded to them. The first Vétra electrobuses assembled on Pneu matic circulated on the lines of the departmental Control of the Savoy open of 1923 to 1930: Moûtiers with Villard-of-Planay (Planay) and Chambéry with Chignin-the-Walks (Chignin)

This type of vehicle is built on a basis of bus Renault PY, one recognizes the cap well says crocodile or nozzle of parrot quite characteristic of the Renault productions of this time (see the Renault NR and KZ for example).

As it is seen, the ancestors of the trolley bus started their career in rural area, it was necessary to await the December 30th 1932 for the first tests in urban area with Rouen, the urban trolley bus had just been born. All these trolley buses of first generation were assembled on frame.

Vétra innovates with the Caisse-poutre: Rouen becomes the cradle of the French trolley bus:

Making work of pioneer, Vétra put at the test in Rouen, as of the December 30th 1932 what can be regarded as the first French trolley bus of modern design, it acted of the CS 60, equipped with a light and very rigid metal framework forming caisse-poutre. Rouen, Lyon, Strasbourg and Algiers which was at that time, about to give up their networks of trams, was interested from the start in this new vehicle.

CS 60 equipped these networks between 1933 and 1939, it was built during about fifteen years with multiple body; starting from 1940, finished the angular lines, places at the Aérodynamisme and the round-offs.

The form characteristic of the first trolleys Vetra " modernes" with their parallelepipedic case more austere, is stripped of all roundnesses.

This form their was worth very quickly to be called " cases with savon" by the Lyoneses. Most famous of the first CS-60 known as " is the model; Francheville " (of the name of the terminus of the 1st line of Lyons trolley bus, this locality is located in suburbs at the south-west of Lyon).

Vétra, one knows, was to it less also a manufacturer of accubus, accumulator trucks and garbage dumpsters (with electric propulsion of course); SITA, a company ensuring the garbage collection of Paris, acquired approximately 70 buckets Vétra 70AI with its greater satisfaction and this, as of the period of the occupation. The frame aqB7 of 7 tons was built by Laffly and the bucket under Rey license. These machines had a remarkable longevity and 51 of them was reconditioned starting from 1975. In 1986, 39 frames aqB7 were always exploited by the SITA.

Exceptional engines of longevity

The engines of the trolley buses are supplied by a D.C. current of 600 Volt S, with constant couple; they function without vibrations because of absence of the alternative cycles of the spark-ignition engines, it almost does not have there wearing parts, not of problem of clutch nor of Gear box (these last problems being particularly frequent on buses which carry out stops and restartings with repetition throughout their service).

Types of engines

Type 1933 Als-Thom TA-505 -

Type 1940 Als-Thom TA-505-C, this type equips CS 60, it is of compound type with 2 poles principal, 2 auxiliary poles and auto-ventilation, built by Alsthom or Jeumont.

- Power: 100 horses - Intensity in the armature: 139 Amps - Number of revolutions: 1.500 turns per minute. This engine made it possible under D.C. current of 550 Volts to propel the trolley bus to full load, 50 km/h on the level and 32,5 km/h in slope of 6 percent. The electrical circuits were perfectly well isolated and guaranteed a total safety. Whether it is with the rise or the descent, no " châtaigne" could not thus be felt by the travellers when they posed a foot per ground.

1940, new look for Vétra

Before the war, the body of CS 60 has really the form of a case, an angular parallelepiped and without grace. These angular lines were abandoned in 1940 with the profit of a line much more aerodynamic and all in roundnesses, it was already of the " Bio tech" before the hour.

The trolleys were always designed by Vétra but construction was sub-contracted most of the time near various manufacturers: Renault by its subsidiary company Scemia, Berliet with Vénissieux (the Rhone) was solicited at the beginning of the war of 1939 - 1945, Vétra worked very early also with Satramo by the factory of the Franco-Belgian Company. During the disastrous years of the occupation, CS 60 were even built in the workshops of the network of Limoges. In 1963, Vétra and Berliet jointly carried out the VBH-85 of the network of Lyon.

With an aim of supporting the standardization of the vehicles, a decree of the November 5th 1942 defines the characteristics of the future trolley buses:

Initially, the 2 letters indicated the category of the car and the origin of its frame: the numerical index indicated the full capacity of the vehicle. CS 60 was thus a trolley bus of the type C (lg 9 m by larg. 2,5 m) built on a Scemia frame and being able to transport 60 people. Simple not? Except that the capacity of CS 60 actually did not exceed 50 people and that CS 35 belonged in fact to category D. Certaines series usually called CS 60 were in fact of the CB 60 because built on frame Berliet. A: 12,00 m - 2.50 m B: 10,00 m - 2,50 m C: 9,00 m - 2,50 m D: 8,00 m - 2,15 m

From 1941, the denomination of the vehicles changes somewhat, appearance at the head of coding of V for Vétra and disappearance of the numerical index of capacity as travellers, comes then the letter corresponding to the type (has, B, C or D according to the length and the width of the case then the initial one of the manufacturer of the frame: S for Scemia-Renault, B for Berliet, C for Slipper, F for the Franco-Belgian company. Certain series with the house raised with an aim of increasing the height under ceiling, are seen associating a " h" for " haut".

CS 35 about 1934 standard Vétra D 35 places manufactured by Renault Scémia CB 45 as from 1940 standard Vétra B 45 places manufactured by Berliet CS 60 as from 1940 standard Vétra C - 60 places (50 in fact) assembled by Renault Scémia CB 60 as from 1940 idem CS 60 but assembled by Berliet VA3 1st Vétra with 3 axles left in 1950 VA3-B2 Vétra with 3 axles = RBE at Berliet - lg=11,990 m - 125 places - Provided with the case and the frame of the bus Berliet PBR VA4 Vétra articulated with 3 axles - overall lg 18,60 m Standard VBB Vétra B on frame Berliet -80 to 90 places VBBh Vétra standard B on Berliet frame = ELR at Berliet - lg = 10,695 m and frame with 2 axles with wheels dual with the back 91 places. VBC-APU - Standard VBC-APV Vétra B with body of bus Slipper APU or APV Standard VBF Vétra B built by the Franco-Belgian company on Berliet frame VBH-85 standard Vétra B with body of bus Berliet PH-85 Standard VBR Vétra B on Renault frame VBRh Vétra standard B on Renault frame with elevated house Standard VCR Vétra C on Renault frame VDB standard Vétra D on Berliet frame

VA2 100 e.g. delivered to Chile in 1953) Vétra with 2 axles lg 12 m with Alsthom engine of 140 CV and equipment of General Electric control In 1949, the indication of origin of the frame disappears to make place with a figure seeming to indicate a priori the number of axles.

The VA3 was standard Vétra has with 3 axles, it y' had also an articulated prototype GOES 4 (with 4 axles) harnessed to a trailer.

Towards 1955, one lives to mainly appear Vétra-Slipper VBC-APU with Toulon and VBC-APV with Brest.

In the Years 1960, it y' has a kind of mixture of indications coming from the 2 manufacturers:

The VBH-85 is a trolley bus produced by Vétra on the basis of bus Berliet PH-85; for the anecdote, almost identical vehicles carried different names: VBBh is a ELR at Berliet, in the same way the VA3-B2 becomes a RBE (not to be confused with Armoured Vehicle of Recognition left at the same time).

Production of trolley bus of the Vétra company:

Towards 1939, the France aligned only 152 Trolleybus distributed in the country and its colonies of North Africa, whereas in the rest of the world one counted approximately 6500 trolley buses distributed in 170 cities out of the 5 continents (including 2000 trolleys in the USA in 1938)

In France, the boom of the trolleys comes just after the war, during the period 1946 - 1952, it was not less than 13 cities which were equipped with a network of trolley bus:

- Amiens, Forbach, Mulhouse in 1946 - Brest, Grenoble, Le Havre and Metz in 1947 - Saint-Malo in 1948 - Turns in 1949 - Dijon and Toulon in 1950 - Belfort and Perpignan in 1952. However as of 1954, the town of Bordeaux gave up the trolley bus definitively.

In their book the French trolley buses , Pascal Béjui and Rene Running estimate that between 1926 and 1958, the Vétra company delivered a total of 1.785 trolley buses including 1.123 for the only Metropolitan France, thus showing its place of national leader on the matter, very far in front of Somua (36) and Jacquemond (20).

Vétra out of the borders

At the end of the Years 1950, Vétra had ensured more than 95% of exports of the French industry of the trolley bus. Just after the war, of many orders arrived in particular of the Eastern European countries released from the yoke hitlérien:

North Africa: Before the war, 126 trolley buses of French mark circulated in this territory forming the French colonies and protectorates. In 1958 Vétra announced the figure of 270 trolleys delivered on a total of 287 vehicles (others having been provided by Jacquemond and Somua).

- Algeria:

- Algiers: the network of the Company of the Algerian Trams (TA) brought its first trolleys into service about 1935 with of Vétra CS-35 then towards 1938, they were relayed by CS-60. After 1945, MT tested even the articulated prototype of great capacity VA4, taking into account certainly problems of gauge not adapted to the of Algiers streets, MT removed the trailer and transformed the VA4 into VA3.

Another company served part of the of Algiers suburbs: the Company of the Railroads on Road of Algeria (CFRA), it acquired after the war a park of Vétra CS-60. On the whole, the 2 networks of Algiers exploited 164 Vétra trolleys.

- Constantine: since 1926 the very young Vétra company transformed the air line of the existing tram and brought into service in 1928 its first trolley bus of type OTC-1 of 50 places. By 1930 to 1933, the network of the Company of the Electric Trams of Constantine grows rich by 10 vehicles and the full number reached a maximum with approximately 26 trolleys from Vétra mark and 2 Somua-SW.

- Oran: the Compagnie of the Trams of Oran exploited 12 VCB-55 of 1942 (close to the CB-60) and 10 VCR of 1947.

Morocco:

- Casablanca: of 1931 with 1933 the network of the Company of the Trams and Autobus of Casablanca acquired 11 Vétra of type CS-48; later, it was equipped with modern trolleys of type VBB and 6 CS-60. On the whole, Vétra provides approximately 41 trolleys to the network of Casablanca.

Tunisia:

- Tunis: in 1 937, the Compagnie of Tunisian Transport (CTT) was equipped with a first line and made circulate of CS 35 close relations of those of Algiers and Rouen (see the data sheet). Thereafter, of the more modern types the such 3 VDB (ex CB 45) took over which had made a short stay in 1942 on the line Gémenos - Marseilles. The network accepted a total of 32 Vétra trolleys and converts with the diesel at the end of the Années 1960.

Swiss:

- Freiburg was equipped in 1948 with 8 VCR to which were added into 1957,2 VBBhf derived from type ELR then he y' had finally in 1964, 2 VBH-85. (between two, Freiburg accepted EH-100-S, trolleys manufactured by Berliet and equipped electrically by the Swiss company Sécheron, also well-known as manufacturer of electric motor coaches such as one can still see some circulating on the tourist railroad of Walls It in the Isere).

Germany, Eastern European country: 113 cars were delivered in Poland, the Saar and Silesia

Spain: 122 trolleys were delivered including 42 for the network of Madrid, among them appear 14 VA3-B2 of 140 CV identical to the Lyons or Marseilles vehicles.

Latin America: 145 Vétra delivered of which: 45 VBR with Brazil and 100 VA2 with the Chile in 1953

Other productions of the Vétra company: Vétra also produced small electric power trolleys to tractor draw the tip trucks in the mines, they were fed either by pantograph S collecting the current on an air line or by accumulating S. The latter had a form of the " type; box with sel" : central cabin surrounded by 2 strongly on both sides tilted caps (see Web site http://www.rail.lu/vetra.html)

Died of the Vétra company and hopes of revival

As of the Years 1960, the decline of the trolley buses seems inexorable, the market narrowed more and more; on the networks in place, the built vehicles 20 years ago still gave any satisfaction and no renewal was announced at the horizon.

In 1964, the Vétra company was forced to file for bankruptcy and to cease its activity for lack of orders, it was the end after 39 years of good and faithful services. It was necessary to wait to see to start a revival of the construction of the trolley buses ER 100 on the basis of bus Berliet PR 100, a little later left PR 100 and 180.

Sources

French trolley buses by Pascal Béjui and Rene railway Current-1985 Presses and editions - ISBN 2-905447-01-X
History of transport in the towns of France Jean Robert -1974-A account of author
Georges Muller, engineer with the Company of the Trams of Strasbourg (CTS)
Joel Darmagnac: author of a series of articles in the magazine Payload
Catalogs company Vétra 1933 -1946 -1948
Museum of the AMTUIR http://www.amtuir.org/

External bonds

trolley buses of Toulon
the company Vétra

Gallery of images - Trolley bus VETRA - Museum of the AMTUIR

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