The Dutch Railway Scene

Branch member, Sholto Thomas has spent some time travelling in The Netherlands and, on 15^th January, brought us the story of what he found there. Starting with the Sharp Stewart (Glasgow) built 4-4-0 which resides in the Railway Museum in Utrecht, it was British expertise which got railways started in The Netherlands. During the war years British built WD 0-6-0 saddle tanks and 2-8-0s were prolific in the country. Railways buses (not railbuses!) ran services to connect communities to the railway. Early electrification saw multiple units introduced in 1964. Developments of these units were still running well into the 1990s. Plan Y Sprinter units then took on the regional services with Plan Z Koplopers running the longer distance trains. Then came the DD-AR high capacity units for commuter services and V-IRM units for Inter City workings. Freight in the hands of Alsthom built electric locomotives run across the country. Much international freight crosses through the country, so the march of the Bombardier TRAXX and Siemens Vectron platforms has come to the Dutch railway scene, examples from Czechia and Switzerland seen amongst locally operated locomotives. The Amsterdam to Brussels trains are now in the hands of shiny new Bombardier built ICNG (Inter City Neu Generatie, or Inter City New Generation in other words) units, whilst the V-IRMs maintain internal Inter City services. Many local, and regional trains now in the hands of Bombardier, CAF and Stadler built units. Out of the main stations, many of which have been redeveloped whilst maintaining their heritage structures, Sholto sought out trams and steam traction on rail, road and water. Who says you can’t park a cl.66 EMD diesel locomotive and a cl.65 2-8-0T steam loco in the same shed!