History of The Oslo Tramway and Metro - Metro

Metro

The city established the Metro Office on 15 September 1949, with the first plans launched in 1951. In 1954, the city council decided to build the metro network with four branches in eastern Oslo; two would run on each side of the Grorud Valley, while two would run southwards through Nordstrand. These areas had all been chosen as new suburbs for Oslo, and needed a good public transport system to be put in place quickly. The system was to feature improvements over the light rail lines: a third rail power supply, cab signaling with automatic train protection, stations long enough for six-car trains and level crossings replaced by bridges and underpasses—specifications christened "metro standard" by Oslo Sporveier.

The Østensjø Line would be converted to metro standard, and three new lines would be built. The Lambertseter Line opened as a light rail line from Brynseng station, where it connected to the Vålerenga Line, to Bergkrystallen station on 28 April 1957. Originally it had overhead wires, low platforms and was served using trams. The Ekeberg Line would remain a tramway. The Lambertseter Line served the area located between the Ekeberg and Østensjø Lines. The Østensjø Line was extended to Bøler station in 1958.

The Metro took delivery of T1000 trains from Strømmens Verksted. From 1964 to 1978, 162 cars were delivered for the eastern network. The metro opened on 22 May 1966, when the Common Tunnel opened from Brynseng station to Jernbanetorget station in the city centre, located beside the Østbanen. The same day, the Lambertseter Line was reopened after it had been upgraded to metro standard. On 16 October 1966, the then 9.2-kilometre (5.7 mi) and twelve station long Grorud Line, which ran northeast on the northern hillside of the Grorud Valley, opened to Grorud station. The Lambertseter Line was connected to the system in 1967, when the line was extended to Skullerud station.

The Furuset Line runs on the southern hillside of the Grorud Valley. It opened to Haugerud station in 1970, and was extended to Trosterud station in 1974. The same year, the Grorud Line was extended to Vestli station, which is 14.6 kilometres (9.1 mi) from Jernbanetorget. By 1981, the Furuset Line had reached Ellingsrudåsen station, which is 11.5 kilometres (7.1 mi) from Jernbanetorget. The western light rail lines took delivery of 33 T1300 train cars from 1978 to 1981, with an additional 16 converted from the existing T1000 cars. The T1300 cars differed in that they could run on both third rail and overhead wires. Although not connected to the metro, the western lines were gradually becoming more like the metro, although they retained overhead wires, a different signaling system and shorter platforms.