North Friesland Railway
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Legend
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The North Friesland Railway was a railway serving the sparsely populated north of the Dutch province of Friesland. It was operated by the North Friesland Local Railway Company (Dutch: Noord Friesche Locaalspoorweg-Maatschappij (NFLS)). It was what would be known in the UK as a light railway. The line was built to standard gauge and was about 91 kilometres (57 mi) in length.
History
The NFLS had a network of lines in north Friesland. The lines opened in stages:-
- Leeuwarden - Ferwerd opened on April 22, 1901.
- Ferwerd - Metslawier opened on October 2, 1901.
- Stiens - Tzummarum opened on December 2, 1902.
- Tzummarum - Franeker Halte on October 1, 1903.
- Tzummarum - Midlum-Herbaijum on October 1, 1903.
- Midlum-Herbaijum - Harlingen on May 2, 1904.
- St. Jacobiparochie - Berlikum (freight only) in the 1900s.[1]
- Metslawier - Anjum on August 24, 1913.
Wetsens station closed in May 1902, less than eight months after opening.[2] On December 1, 1905, the NFLS was taken over by the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij (HSM), which itself was nationalised on December 1, 1938, becoming part of Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).
Locomotives
The NFLS had a fleet of 10 2-4-2T locomotives, numbered 1-10. They became HSM 1051-60 and NS 7101-10. The locos cost f23,300 each and were built by Maschinenfabrik Hohenzollern.[3][4]
Carriages
The NFLS had the following passenger stock, all built by Nederlandsche Fabriek van Werktuigen & Spoorwegmaterieel, Amsterdam:-[3]
- 10 four wheel carriages, 2nd class. NFLS B1-10, HSM B1060-69 and NS B1071-80.
- 25 four wheel carriages, 3rd class. NFLS C1-25, HSM C1072-96 and NS C1146-70.
- 2 four wheel brake carriages, 2nd class. NFLS BDL1-2, HSM BDP1070-71 and NS 1001-02.
- 3 four wheel brake carriages for post and baggage, NFLS LD1-3, HSM DP3003-05 and NS PD1026-28.
Freight wagons
The NFLS had the following freight stock:-[3]
- 2 vans. NFLS DE1-2, HSM DP3001-02 and NS D2261-62.
- 9 vans with brakesman's cab. NFLS CHG1-9, HSM 11950-58 and NS CHC3236-44.
- 2 vans with steam heating. NFLS CHFF52-52, HSM 11959-60 and NS CHC3561-62
- 4 open wagons with brakesman's cab. NFLS CL201-04, HSM 29960-73 and NS GL43661-64.
- 16 open wagons. NFLS CL301-16, HSM 29974-89 and NS GL41816-31.
- 2 vans with brakesman's hut. NFLS FO601-02, HSM 5490-91 and NS FB70774-75
- 8 vans. NFLS FO651-58, HSM 5492-99 and NS FB70571-78.
- 3 water tanks, 1 x 5,200 litres (1,100 imp gal) and 2 x 6,500 litres (1,400 imp gal) capacity. NFLS WW1-3, HSM 4197-99 to 1911 then 4142-44 and NS 158059, 158056-57
- 1 ballast wagon, NFLS 1 and HSM 13646.
The stock was all built by Nederlandsche Fabriek van Werktuigen & Spoorwegmaterieel, Amsterdam except for the two 6,500 litre water tanks, which were built by Nivelles in 1896, and thus acquired second hand.[3]
Closures
The lines were closed in stages, with some short term reopenings taking place during the Second World War.
- Tzummarum - Franeker Halte closed on October 8, 1933, track lifted.
- Tzummarum - Harlingen closed to passengers May 15, 1935.
- Dokkum-Aalsum - Anjum closed to passengers May 15, 1935.
- Stiens - Tzummarum closed to passengers May 15, 1936.
- Leeuwarden - Dokkum-Aalsum closed to passengers July 1, 1936.
- Midlum-Herbaijum - Harlingen closed January 11, 1938, track lifted.
- Leeuwarden - Dokkum-Aalsum reopened to passengers May 28, 1940.
- Stiens - Tzummarum reopened to passengers May 28, 1940.
- Leeuwarden - Dokkum-Aalsum closed to passenger December 1, 1940
- Dokkum-Aalsum - Anjum closed July 27, 1942.[5]
- Stiens - Tzummarum closed to passengers October 30, 1942.
- Tzummarum - Midlum-Herbaijum closed December 7, 1961, track lifted.
- Minnertsga - Tzummarum closed May 4, 1966, track lifted.
- Mooie Paal - Berlikum closed September 27, 1971, track lifted.
- Stiens - Minnertsga closed 1973.
- Holwerd - Dokkum Aalsum closed 1975.
- Stiens - Holwerd closed 1978.
- Stiens - Dokkum-Aalsum track lifted 1980.
- Stiens - Minnertsga track lifted 1980.
- Leeuwarden - Stiens closed 1997.
- Leeuwarden - Stiens track lifted 2006. (within station perimeter Leeuwarden)
Stations
Leeuwarden - Anjum line
All distances are from Leeuwarden station.
- Leeuwarden 0 km (0 mi)
- Leeuwarden Rijksweg 3 km (1.9 mi)
Leeuwarden Rijksweg (or Halte) station was demolished in 1970[6]
Jelsum station was demolished in 1944.[6]
- Cornjum 7 km (4.3 mi)
- Britsum 8 km (5.0 mi)
- Stiens 9 km (5.6 mi)
- Finkum 11 km (6.8 mi)
Finkum station was demolished by 1970[6]
- Hijum 13 km (8.1 mi)
- Hallum 15 km (9.3 mi)
Hallum station was demolished in 1970[6]
- Marrum-Westenijkerk 18 km (11 mi)
- Ferwerd 20 km (12 mi)
Ferwerd station was demolished in 1974[6]
- Blija 22 km (14 mi)
- Holwerd 26 km (16 mi)
- Ternaard 30 km (19 mi)
- Hantum 32 km (20 mi)
Hantum station was demolished by 1960.[6]
- Dokkum-Aalsum 37 km (23 mi)
Dokkum-Aalsum station was demolished in 1974.[6]
Wetsens station closed in May 1902.[2]
- Metslawier 42 km (26 mi)
- Morra-Lioessens 45 km (28 mi)
- Anjum 47 km (29 mi)
Stiens - Harlingen line
- Vrouwbuurtstermolen 13km
- Vrouwenparochie 14km (Vrouwenparochie station was demolished in 2002).[6]
- Langhuisterweg 16km
- St. Annaparochie 17km
- Koudeweg 19km
- St. Jacobiparochie 21km (St. Jabobiparochie station was demolished by 1960).[6]
- Minnertsga 24km
- Firdgum 26km
- Tzummarum 27km
- Oosterbierum 30km
Oosterbierum station was demolished by 1980.[6]
- Sexbierum-Pieterbierum 32km
- Wijnaldum 35km
- Midlum-Herbaijum 36km
- Koetille 38km
- Harlingen 39km.
St. Jacobiparochie - Berlikum line
Tzummarum - Franeker line
- Dongjum 31km
- Franeker Halte 34km
Accidents
On June 12, 1927, NS locomotive 7124 derailed near Holwerd and ended up on its side in a dike. The locomotive was recovered on June 23 and returned to service after repairs were made.[7]
See also
Information contained in the above articles has been used in compiling this article.
References
External links