Nishi-Kyūshū Line

The Nishi-Kyushu Line (西九州線, Nishi-Kyūshū-sen) is a Japanese railway line operated by the private railway operator Matsuura Railway, which connects Arita in Saga Prefecture with Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture.^[1] This is the westernmost railway line in Japan, with Tabira-Hiradoguchi Station being the westernmost station

History

The Kansai Coal Mining Co. opened a 12 km, 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge line from Sasaki to Sechihara via Yoshii in 1896.

The 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Arita - Imari section of the line was opened on 7 August 1898 by the Imari Railway Co. (伊万里鉄道), which merged with the Kyushu Railway Co. in December of the same year.^[1] In 1907, the line was nationalised, becoming the Imari Line (伊万里線).^[1] The line was extended to Imabuku in 1930, Matsuura in 1933, Tabira-Hiradoguchi in 1935, and Senryugataki in 1939.

The then isolated Hidariishi - Ainoura section was opened as a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge line by the Sasebo Light Railway Co. (佐世保軽便鉄道) for coal transportation on 27 March 1920,^[1] and extended to Kami-Sasebo the following year. In 1931, it was extended to Sasaki, with the company acquiring the Kansai Coal Co. line to Sechihara in 1933 and passenger services to Yoshii commencing in 1934. A connection to Sasebo opened in 1935, and the company was nationalised in October 1936.^[1] Between 1943 and 1944, the line was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in),^[1] with a new alignment opened in March 1945, linking the two sections.^[1]

Mixed (freight trains with passenger accommodation attached) trains were replaced by railcars in 1971, and steam locomotives withdrawn the following year. Freight services ceased between Sasebo and Imari in 1982, and on the remainder of the line in 1986.

From 1 April 1988, the line between Arita and Sasebo was transferred from JNR operation to the privately owned Matsuura Railway.^[1]

Former connecting lines

• Yoshii Station: The 7 km Sechibaru line to Sechihara, opened by the Kansai Coal Mining Co. as a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge line in 1896, was nationalised and regauged at the same time as the main line, and closed in 1971.

• Sasaki Station: The 4 km line to Usunoura was opened by the Sasebo Light Railway Co. for coal transportation in 1931. It was also nationalised and regauged at the same time as the main line, and closed in 1971.

• Hidariishi Station: The 4 km Yunoki line to 'Upper' Sasebo (later Yuzuki) opened in 1921 as a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge line, became a branch with the opening of the direct line to Sasebo in 1935, was regauged in 1943 and remained in service until flood damage closed it in 1967.

• Sasebo station - A 5km line to a US Forces Japan oil storage facility operated between 1950 and 1978.

Stations

●: Stops   |: Does not stop

Rapid Service: Down trains (to Sasebo) operate between Saza and Sasebo. Up trains (from Sasebo) operate between Sasebo and Tabira-Hiradoguchi.

See also

• List of railway lines in Japan

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

External links

• Matsuura Railway official website (Japanese)