I have always had a fascination for the Charleroi metro system. The system is categorized as a white elephant from the 1980s. This results in a unique system of old technology being used in modern days. In 2022, the first refurbished tram is presented and I wanted to create a new front design for the original BN LRV myself.
Something I like about the original design is that it manages to be an interesting shape without the use of complex geometry. The vehicle is built out of (almost only) straight lines and flat surfaces. This is something I want to respect in the redesign.
The Belgian Coastal Tram which is being replaced since 2020 by CAF Urbos trams, is an example of an earlier redesign of the BN LRV. In Charleroi, a more recent redesign has been launched in 2022.
Original design - Foto by Smiley.toerist (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ostende_gekoppeld_rijden.jpg)
Coastal tram - Foto by Smiley.toerist (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oostende_tram_2016_4.jpg)
Metro de Charleroi - Foto by Tram93 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TEC_Charleroi_BN_7409_renov%C3%A9e_M5.jpg)
Unlike other design projects, I started drawing on a Sunday afternoon whatever came up in my mind. This proved to be a difficult exercise but also a very fun one. These are some of the designs that came out of these sessions
The result is a redesigned front that respects the original straight lines and curves of the original design. The lights are incorporated in a black casing that spans over the entire front and is eye-catching. The overall design is strengthened by the yellow colour of the TEC livery.
