Friday, March 20, 2015

Friday Night Steam

We're off to the Netherlands for a ride on a steam tram!



Nowadays the railways is in use as a tourist attraction. The masterpiece in the collection is the former Nederlandse Spoorwegen locomotive 7742 Bello, the Netherlands' only preserved light steam engine. Other steam locomotives in running order include three tramway engines, two of which are enclosed tram engines (steam dummies). The remaining ones are: three industrial engines; a German one which is now being rebuilt as a replica of a Dutch railway shunting engine (of a series of which several also served on steam tramways); and a locomotive of industrial type which served at a steam tram company in Zuid-Holland, still awaiting restoration.
Seven of the nine steam locomotives are official Dutch rail monuments.
NS 7742 and the two enclosed tram engines are in regular use: Bello mainly in the peak season afternoon train, and the two steam dummies mainly in the 10 o' clock train (tue/wed/thursdays during peak season).
Eight steam tram carriages are in regular service, as well as several steam tram goods wagons.
Bello and the three tramway engines originate from the provinces Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Limburg. The serviceable steam tram carriages originate from the provinces Friesland, Gelderland, Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland.
The livery and presentation of the cars is as they were in 1926.
The station is twinned with the Bluebell Railway in England. The ride between Hoorn and Medemblik is often combined by tourists with a trip from Medemblik to Enkhuizen by boat.
On the disused side of platform 2 of Huddersfield railway station in northern England, an old carriage is bolted to the ground, and set in its window is a Dutch plaque commemorating 100 years of Stoomtram Hoorn - Medemblik.



Loc 26 - "Ir. P.H. Bosboom"


Loc 30 - "Hoorn"


Loc 7742 - "Bello"Add caption




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