Morning all .

Didn't get around to posting these images yesterday, so I'll just declare these as something for you to look at for the beginning of the new year. It turned out there were a few tram-related items I would still like to check out, so I tried to cover some of these on a small trip I went on in the afternoon.

In recent times, an increasing number of LVB's trams are being fitted with coloured destination displays and LED daytime running lights. NGT8 car 1120 "Ernst Pinkert", which is seen here at Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz working the 9 line to Thekla, is one of those thus fitted. I also saw a NGT12 car fitted with coloured displays and LED running lights earlier this week, but had no opportunity of taking a photo.

The Leoliner cars are also being equipped with coloured destination displays, with the most recent batch of 18 cars delivered between May 2010 and last summer, having been thus fitted from the factory. Here, car 1135 is working the 2 line.

With the most recent timetable change, the 14 line to Plagwitz Station was given a new route. Instead of terminating on the west side of Central Station, it now circles the city centre eastward, returning to the branch to Plagwitz at Westplatz. It is now commonly worked with single Leoliner cars, with 1318 "Lößnig" in its DHL advertising being one of those on duty yesterday.

At the New City Hall - which is the large building with the tower in the background - I then captured 1307 "Paunsdorf" on the 2 line...

...and another hybrid bus, this time a MAN Lion's City, on the 89 line to Connewitz Kreuz.

I then caught the next 14 service to Plagwitz...

...which was worked with 1301, one of the two Leoliner prototypes which have been reactivated for passenger service and can usually be found on this line. As you can see, there are various differences between these cars and the production Leoliners, such as differently styled body fronts, and the non-retractable couplers on the prototypes. These also comprise a traction power conduit, meaning that when running as a double unit, the leading car supplies the trailing one with power, obviating the need for the latter to raise its pantograph. However, this feature was not carried over into the production cars.

Plagwitz Station is currently being completely rebuilt, meaning the trackside area now looks like this:

...which sure is a huge change from the totally decrepit island platform and deserted sidings which were still in place during my last visit.

Thanks for looking everyone!