Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways

Archive News

NEWS 2012
Updates on information regarding industrial and commercial narrow gauge around Europe.

This section contains details of narrow gauge sites (industrial/commercial, not preserved) still operating or news regarding closures, confirmed from recent vists, or the railway press. Please feel free to contribute to these pages and so help a broad cross section of railways, and countries to be featured. Click on the thumbnail pictures to see the larger picture.

The most recent reports will be at the top

GREECE: January 2012
Skala Polichnitas Salt Pans, Lesbos (600mm) On the island of Lesbos, the extensive salt pans were found to be using a 600mm railway on a visit in October 2011. The railway was previously thought to be out of use. Locomotives appeared to be a mix of small Schöma and Diema locos that have been re-engined. 3 trains were in use when visited. The salt pans are flooded in the spring, and it then takes approx 6 months for the evaporation process to prepare the pans for harvesting the salt in the autumn.
(Posted 28.01.2012 Source: January IRS Bulletin)

FRANCE: January 2011
Chemin de Fer de Provence (1000mm gauge) The southern end of this Fernch railway is being completely relaid. Work started on the 4th July 2011, and was not due to finish until the 23rd December. Of interest was the use of 2 L45H BoBo diesels origniating from the Hunedoara railway in Romania. The locos had been converted to metre gauge by the workshops at Criscior and hired out to the contractors for the work.
(Posted 28.01.2012 Source: Today's Railways)

SCOTLAND: January 2011
Auchencorth Peat Moss (2ft gauge) On an IRS visit in October last year the party were advised that the operators, William Sinclair Horticulture, would be ceasing use of the 2ft gauge railway by the end of October 2011. A conveyor system was planned to replace the railway to transport the peat from the harvesting areas.
(Posted 28.01.2012 Source: January IRS buletin)

CZECH REPUBLIC: January 2012
Tremesná to Osoblaha (760mm) Some belated reports from last year. In May 2011, this railway was confirmed to be working normally, with the standard class T47 diesel locos. This is now the only narrow gauge railway operated by Czech Railways, Ceské dráhy. It has no freight service.

The railway is still in daily use, and three of the 4 T47 diesel locos are operational.
(Posted 28.01.2012 Source: Patrick Aulbach)

UKRAINE: January 2012
Beregovo to Irshava (750mm) Visited in July last year, the report confirmed the continuing operation of the railway with 3 return trains per day. Although at one time the line had intensive frieght traffic this is now finished. The line has an allocation of 5 Tu2 locos, but currently only 2 of these are operational. At Vinogradiv, the line's southern terminus, the picture shows the locomotive competing with local market traders for space on the tracks as it runs round the train.

(Posted 28.01.2012 Source: Patrick Aulbach)

HUNGARY: January 2012
Kiralyret Forestry Railway (760mm) Patrick paid a brief visit in July 2011 to this Hungarian Forestry line to see the latest railcar in service here. This vechicle was built in the Railway's own workshops at Paphagy in 2010. It appears to be very sympathetically designed for the railway, with a tasteful colour scheme and timber boarded side panels.

(Posted 28.01.2012 Source: Patrick Aulbach)

GERMANY: January 2012
Klasmann Deilmann Peatworks, Adorf (600mm) One of the last 600mm gauge peat railways in the area has been closed down. A report and photos were highlighted on the 28th December 2011 with large amounts of track panels stacked in the yard with all track lifted. This works was situated on Alt-Hesepertwist street in Adorf. The photo below shows the unloading area of the railway on May 2010.

(Posted 14.01.2012 Source: Die Feldbahn website)

AUSTRIA: January 2012
Fleghiem Lainz, Vienna (500mm gauge) As highlighted at the end of last year this care home was targeted for closure and with it the famous railway that delivered meals to all the wards. One reported date gives the 27th November as the last date of operation. On the 14th December there was some special operations arranged for the benefit of enthusuasts/photographers. Recent pictures now confirm that the food trolleys are now being delivered by drop tail lorry, presumably as a temporary measure until the whole site is cleared.
(Posted 14.01.12 Source: Various)

BULGARIA: January 2012
Septemvri to Dobronishte (750mm gauge) BDZ (Bulgarian Railways) have revised a list of withdrawals that were previously announced. There are still a number of cut backs on several services and a minimum 9% increase in fares. However, the good news is that this narrow gauge line has been reprieved and will not now close. Just one return working per day is to be ceased. Although the line makes a loss of approx Ł3.5million per year it is acknowledged to provide a vauluable transport function to many remote communities.
(Posted 14.01.12 Source: Today's Railways)

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Š Steve Thomason 2012
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Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways