| Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line | |
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The port at Kirkenes is the northern terminus of the railway |
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| Overview | |
| Type | Railway |
| System | Bjørnevatn Mine |
| Termini | Kirkenes Station Bjørnevatn Station |
| Stations | 0 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1 July 1910 |
| Owner | Sydvaranger |
| Operator(s) | Sydvaranger |
| Character | Iron ore |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 12 km (7.5 mi) |
| No. of tracks | Single |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | No |
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Legend
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The Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line (Norwegian: Kirkenes–Bjørnevatnbanen), sometimes also called the Sydvaranger Line, is a railway between the port at Kirkenes and the mine at Bjørnevatn in Sør-Varanger, Norway. Opened in 1909, the single track railway is used exclusively for ore-hauling freight trains. The line was the most northerly in the world until it was temporarily closed in 1997, and was from 1912 to 1945 Norway's only electrical railway with a third-rail power supply. The line was bombed at the end of World War II, and remained electric until 1955. It was reopened in 2009. The Obskaya–Bovanenkovo Line in Russia is now the northernmost.
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In 1909, Sydvaranger opened a railway line from the port at Kirkenes to their mine at Bjørnevatn. In 1912, the port rails were upgraded with third-rail power at 500 volt direct current. This was later reduced to 400 volts. Two Bo locomtovies built by Siemens were delivered in 1910 and 1911 and numbered 1 and 2. The same company delivered the electrification system. During World War I, it was decided to also electrify the main line, but this was not completed until 1920. In 1917, two additional Bo'Bo' locomotives were delivered, built by Siemens and Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk, and also numbered 1 and 2. These were used exclusively on the main line. In 1918, Siemens delivered another Bo locomotives for the port, numbered 3.[1]
The third rail was prone problems with the snow blocking access by the shoes, and the main line was rebuilt with an overhead wire. The third rail was kept at the port, where the cranes would not work properly with wires above the cars. A new series of electric locomotives for the main line and the port, named Lisa and Sonja, were delivered by Siemens in 1930. It was followed up with two more mainline Bo'Bo' Siemens locomotives in 1935, which were named Oscar and Ivar. In 1937, the Siemens Bo-locomotives Laila and Gerd were delivered, that could operate on both sections. In 1940, the final electric locomotive, a Siemens Bo numbered 4, was delivered. At the end of the war, the port was bombed and destroyed, and when the system was rebuilt, it was done so without electrification. The overhead wire on the main line was kept until 1963. In 1955, the electric locomotives were replaced by two new EMD G12 locomotives, and the overhead wires were in disuse for eight years before being taken down.[1]
The company later also bought a MaK G1203. The line was closed along with the mine in 1997. Only one of the G12 engines survives and is stored at Bjørnevatn. The MaK G1203 also remains. The mine at Bjørnevatn was opened again in 2009. The reason is increased iron prices. The railway is be used again. An Australian company, Northern Iron Limited[2] has financed it through a stock emission.[3] The rail line had traffic start 2 September 2009.[4]. Two new diesel locomotives have been purchased and delivered in 2009.
There are longer term plans to connect the line to the Russian Railways at Nikel, only 40 km away from Kirkenes, to allow Russia access to the ice-free port at Kirkenes. The line has been under consideration since 1992, and is far from any final decision. The basis for the new port at Kirkenes is the full capacity of the ports in Murmansk and Archangelsk and will possibly concentrate on export of coal, petroleum and containers with import of grains.[5]. This decision and its financing must be made by the Russian organisations involved. This would require the railway to be converted from standard gauge (1435 mm) to russian gauge (1520 mm), replacing the rolling stock used by the mining company, or to rebuild to dual gauge. The Russians have so far preferred Russian ports.
During World War II, the Nazi German occupants of Norway planned to connect Kirkenes and Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line to the Norwegian railway network by extending the railway from Grong to Kirkenes, a stretch almost 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) long. Only parts of the Nordland Line were finished before the end of the war.
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