The closure of the Turku Tramway in visual memory - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

The closure of the Turku Tramway in visual memory

Authors: Laine, Silja

Publisher: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC

Publishing place: THOUSAND OAKS

Publication year: 2024

Journal: Journal of Transport History

Journal name in source: JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT HISTORY

Journal acronym: J TRANSP HIST

Number of pages: 22

ISSN: 0022-5266

eISSN: 1759-3999

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00225266241263769

Web address : https://doi.org/10.1177/00225266241263769

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/457567156

Abstract

The tramway of Turku was closed in 1972. The last tram rides were memorable public events where the tramcars got a floral tribute and people came to say farewell. This article concentrates on the urban cultural memory of the tram after the closure and is now an integral part of the city's urban culture and identity. The Museum Centre of Turku holds many tram-related materials and has published research on the history of the tram, but it does not have premises for a continuing exhibition, so keeping the memory alive has been up to private citizens, civic activity, and political activism. The tram was photographed by professional and private photographers, which has enabled a rich visual heritage that has been used in various ways. At the present, the memories affect the planning of a possible new tram, although how the old tram relates to future plans, remains complicated.

Downloadable publication

This is an electronic reprint of the original article.
This reprint may differ from the original in pagination and typographic detail. Please cite the original version.

laine-2024-the-closure-of-the-turku-tramway-in-visual-memory.pdf

Funding information in the publication:
The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: With support from the PUTSPACE project. PUTSPACE (‘Public transport as public space in European cities: Narrating, experiencing, contesting’) is financially supported by the HERA Joint Research Programme (www.heranet.info) which is co-funded by AKA, BMBF via DLRPT, ETAg, and the European Commission through Horizon 2020.