Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark

Denmark made extensive use of narrow-gauge railways using a wide variety of gauges.

Industrial railways

Denmark had many industrial and agricultural narrow-gauge railways.

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)

• About 350 kilometres (220 mi) of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge lines were constructed by ten companies, three on the island of Bornholm, Bornholm railways and Bornholms railway museum (Bornholms Jernbanemuseum), the rest in the peninsula of Jutland. Among these railway lines were the Skagen Line (converted to standard gauge in 1924), Amtsbanerne på Als, Apenrader Kreisbahn, Haderslebener Kreisbahn, Horsens-Tørring, Horsens-Bryrup and Kolding-Egtved and also Århus Tramways (Århus Sporveje).
• Voldbanen 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) this track gauge was used here and 785 mm (2 ft 6+29⁄32 in) and standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) was also been used here on this military railway.

900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in)

• Great Belt Tunnel, Narrow gauge was also used for major construction works - narrow gauge with a gauge of 900 mm was thus used for transport in the tunnel tubes during the construction of the Great Belt Tunnel.
• Cement factory Denmark, Track built in 1905. The cement factory was located at the current Eternit factory. Trace gauge 900 mm.

785 mm (2 ft 6+29⁄32 in)

• Water Works Agency, This gauge was used by industrial railways around Denmark, as well as by the Water Works Agency along the west coast of Jutland.
• Nørresundby Portland cement factory, In 1906, ØK started Nørresundby Portland cement factory in No. Uttrup north of Stigsborgvej and tipper tracks were made from the factory and the 1.5 km down to the harbour. Fuel gypsum etc. one way and cement the other way to the port and shipping. Also track from factory to grave west of Hjørringvej. The factory closed in 1932 – the tenants were about to be emptied, and on the factory site the Bates paper sack factory was established in the old buildings. The two horizontal lines in the picture are Hjørringvej at the top and Sæbybanen at the bottom. The track to the chalk pit can be seen on the right side of the picture. The track to the chalk pit crossed Gl. Kongevej and Hjørringvej in tunnels. The gauge of the factory tracks was 785 mm, the same gauge as the Sulfuric acid factory. The factory was taken over by Aalborg Portland-Cement-Factory and closed in 1935. The last remains of the track between the chalk pit and the factory. The bridge at the crossing of Gl. Kongevej in the year 2002. The tunnel is full but the one railing is still there. The grave and part of the track were taken over by Nørresundby chalk work in 1935 and chalk was dug in the grave several years later. The chalk works closed after 1954.
• The sulfuric acid factory in Nørresundby: the factory was built by ØK 1913-14, but taken over by Danish Sulfuric acid before opening. Approx. 500 m lane for transporting potash from Nørresundby harbor to the factory. They had two steam locomotives and three motor tractors at their disposal. The gauge of the factory tracks was 785 mm, the same gauge as the cement factory. A large number of tipper trucks ran between the factory and the port. The harbor line was shared with the cement factory. During all the years at the factory, these small machines were used. They were built by Arnold Jung in 1914 and lasted until steam was phased out in 1975 at the factory. The two machines are preserved at Hedeland veteran railway. The factory also had standard-gauge industrial tracks as a side track from the Sæby Railway.
• Lindholm brickworks, Brickworks on Lufthavnsvej. Approx. 500 m track between factory and clay pit.
• Lundergaarde, Track from Gug lime factory, which was north of Sdr. Trandersvej down to Hadsundbanen. There was an automatic loading system so that lime could be poured directly into the railway carriages. It seems that the tipper line was closed around 1951, because at that time they sold approx. 2 km of rails and 1-2 engine locomotives. Remains of the impressive cargo facility can still be seen in the terrain. Today, no remains of the industrial railway between the chalk pit and the Hadsund Railway.

700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in)

• De Danske Sukkerfabrikker (The Danish Sugar Corporation) used 700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in) gauge railways to transport juice from sugar beets from purpose-built "juice stations" to the sugar factories in towns such as Nakskov, Nykøbing and Assens. Around 660 kilometres (410 mi) of sugar lines existed in 1941 and of which were closed in the 1960s. A few locomotives survived at Bloustrød-banen, and one locomotive was on static display at Assens park until the mid-1990s.
• Store Vildmose railway at Store Vildmose-Vildmosemuseet don't exist anymore, only a few materials and only one train remains for preservation on Hedeland veteran railway, (Hedelands Veteranjernbane). Store Vildmose and Lille Vildmose, now a nature reserve a part of Store Vildmose-Natura 2000-area near Vildmosegaard. The railroad was dismantled in 2012, but a 0,4 km museum railway has been established at the Lille Vildmose Museum Center ("Vildmosecenteret")-Vildmosemuseet, Lille Vildmosecentret.
• Kinnerup mergelleje, Hjallerup and the surrounding area's Mergelselskab built this track with support from Hedeselskabet. The locomotive was supplied by Hedeselskabet and was a converted Ford car used before and after at other marl deposits. The line was built in 1930 and closed in 1936. The line ran from Kinneruplejet up to Uggerhalne station, where the marl could be loaded into railcars on the Vodskov – Østervraa railway.
• The peat track around Tylstrup. In the years 1917–22 and 1940–48, the Aalborgense cement factories operated a peat railway with a 700 mm gauge from Tylstrup station to Store Vildmose.

During the First and Second World Wars, narrow-gauge peat tracks were laid out into the wild bog from Tylstrup station. The peats were reloaded at Tylstrup station onto the railway wagons and transported by rail from here to gas plants and electricity plants in Aalborg-Nørresundby. During both wars, the railway facilities had their starting point in Vildmosen and their end point on the east side of Tylstrup station, and both were led under the tracks of the state railway in the same place south of Tylstrup.

Portland Cement A/S acquired in the years 1907–29 10 Krauss steam locomotives, all 785mm gauge; and it must be assumed that some of these locomotives have been used here, although the gauge does not match. The track course was largely the same except that the 1917 version aimed north-west towards the north of Toften and the 1940 version more directly east towards the Damfennerne. There was considerable track construction in the bog; a large part of the collecting tracks were transportable tracks and were used as movable marl tracks after the end of the First War. At both facilities there was a track connection to the engine house in Toughton, where there were workshop, repair and depot facilities. A crossing station was built south of Gammel Vrå, where a permanent track guard changed tracks and set a signal so that inbound and outbound trains could pass each other here. In the summer of 1917 there were approx. 50 men employed on an area as large as 100 td. country, and already at the end of July the first load of peat could be driven to a storage area west of the station in Tylstrup. In the autumn of 1917, DSB gave permission to make an underpass under the track in wood and the peat could now be driven directly to the loading track. After the track to the loading road was established, it was possible to load directly into railway wagons, which made the work more efficient, but since there were 12 mill. peat in the bog and there was great demand and therefore a bypass track for the peat track and a 60 m long loading ramp, 2 m wide and 1 m high were quickly made. The tipping wagons could now tip peat directly into railway wagons, which increased capacity significantly. From the opening of the line in 1917 to the end of May 1920, up to 1,000 railway wagons were loaded, but in 1920 coal prices had fallen so much that the peat digging was no longer economical, and it stopped.

Immediately after the peat track was led to the ramp, the transports picked up speed, and it was not long before the ramp had to be expanded to 2 tip tracks and a loading track on its other side had to be constructed. The loading capacity was thereby doubled and in the period from 1 August 1940 to 31 December 1941, 4338 railway wagons were loaded with peat at the station and Peat unloading at Tylstrup station during the Second World War. Apparently the peats were unloaded next to the DSB wagons and from there loaded into the goods wagons. Despite the large number of loaded wagons, the marshalling was done with the help of horses. The track's traction and stock were small steam locomotives with prairie chimneys with spark arrestors. In 1948 it was over: in 1949-50, the tracks were taken up and the facilities looped. The viaduct under the track was still there until new tracks were added on the Vensysselbanen around 2010. During this renovation, the bridge was removed. Tylstrup station has been demolished, together wit hthe sidings there, and along the east side of the track there is a long strip of peace forest where the track was, and there is no trace of where the track may have gone into the bog. MR trains run over the bridge here in 2005. In connection with the track renewal on the section in 2012, the underpass is filled up and can no longer be seen in the landscape.

682 mm (2+27⁄32 in)

• Aalborg sulfuric acid factory Danish sulfuric - & Superphosphate factory A/S at the port of Aalborg. Production from 1930 to 195?, Locomotives from Pedershåb.

600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

• Hvorupgaard brickworks (Hvorupgaard teglværk), Built before 1908. Brickworks on the west side of the track between Nørresundby and Brønderslev. In 1925, a track was laid in a tunnel under the DSB track to a clay pit east of the track. 600 mm track gauge. The plant closed in the 60s.
• Nr. Uttrup brickworks at Nørre Uttrup, Approx. 500 m track from clay pit east of the factory to brickworks. Track closed towards 1969 due to the construction of a motorway between the factory and the clay pit. Replaced by bridge over motorway. 600 mm track gauge.
• Aalborg Municipality's renovation works, Aalborg Municipality. Dano incineration plant built in 1952 and closed in connection with the closure of the factory in the early 70s and construction of Reno Nord. The line ran between the renovation works and the current Østeraadal, via a bridge over the Østeraa. In the northern part of Østeraadalen, the forest is planted on incineration waste from the waste disposal factory and brought out via the narrow-gauge railway. Locomotives from Pedershåb.

500 mm (19+3⁄4 in)

M23 from Rørdal cement factory

E27 from Rørdal cement factory

• Rørdal cement factory, Aalborg Portland – Cement – Factory A/S – Cement-factory in Rørdal The cement factory Rørdal, Second narrowest used on Danish industrial tracks, i.a. at the cement factory Rørdal in Aalborg. Already from the opening in 1891, there were tracks on the factory premises, and they seem to have been tracks of 500 mm gauge. This gauge also existed in 1969. Originally 500 mm tracks with horses, from 1907 several electric lines to pits. From the 20s also 785 mm tracks, just as the track for the chalk pit was rebuilt to 785 mm with 500 V direct current. Until 1945, the track network grew, after which it fell to approx. 30 km in 1965 and approx. 20 km in 1970. The area was also traversed to an equally infiltrating degree by 785 mm gauge tracks. This track system once went all the way to the filling station in the east, but ended in 1970 at the sewage works approx. 800 m east of the factory itself. In the vicinity there were countless track cuts and other track curiosities. There were dual gauge tracks (785/500 and 785/1435 mm), but not all three gauges combined under one. During the Second World War, a more extensive 785 mm track network existed, as a larger track network was laid for the huge peat storage areas. The standard gauge harbor track to Rørdal airfield also branched off from the track in the Rørdal area and continued as a defense track towards the island-lake. :During the years 1907-29 Portland Cement A/S acquired at least 10 Krauss steam locomotives with gauge 785 mm. More have been used at the factory in Rørdal. All these machines were of the 0-4-OT wheel arrangement and Electric locomotive in the chalk pit in the 1920s. In 1970, the 500 mm tracks were removed. The 785 mm tracks are preserved as a point-to-point track until the mid-70s. The rails for this come from the Sæbyrailway, whose stock of rails etc. was bought by Rørdal. It was a considerable track area the factory had in 1965, it was approx. 30 km and in August 1969 approx. 20 km. At the same time, 33 locomotives were ready for operation.
• Danish Cooperative cement factory, The factory was located on the site of the current Siemens quay in Nørresundby. Docks and a single silo can still be seen. DAC's harbor in Nørresundby 1931. Coal is unloaded at the quay on the right, an accumulator locomotive used on the 500 mm track. The barrels on the left are presumably cement barrels. 3 separate track systems in clay pit, chalk pit and factory with port. Graves and factory were connected by conveyor belts. DAC has not been associated with dump trucks for graves. There were dump trucks in the chalk pit and the first clay pit, but not to the factory. Air bridge for chalk and a channel with natural run for clay. Later replaced by ribbons for chalk and trucks for clay. 3 separate track systems in clay pit, chalk pit and factory with port. The factory also had normal gauge sidings from Nørresundby station.

400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) and 310 mm (1+13⁄64 in)

• Sugar factory, Sakskøbing. 310 mm (1+13⁄64 in) This gauge was used at the sugar factory in Sakskøbing for internal transport and 400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) was also been used here at the Sugar factory.

Faxe Jernbane, gauge unclear

The Faxe Jernbane, 6.5 km (4.0 mi) long, was built in 1864 for the transportation of limestone. There is confusion about the track gauge used as various sources mention a track gauge of 791 mm (2 ft 7+5⁄32 in), but some Krauss steam locomotives delivered in 1927 had the gauge of 785 mm (2 ft 6+29⁄32 in). Two Schöma locomotives delivered in 1970 had the gauge of 791 mm. The railway is now closed.

Freight train, Fakse (Faxe)

Narrow gauge railway-791mm-between

FJ V at Hedehusgård Station, FJ V steam locomotive from Faxe Railway at Hedeland Railway

Active industrial railways

• Østerbygård Dambrug is an active industrial railway.
• Fuglsø mose is an active industrial railway.
• Pindstrup Mosebrug is an active industrial railway in Pindstrup.
• Lille Vildmose is an active industrial railway.
• Store Vildmose is an active industrial railway.
• Stevns Kridtbrud (Stevns Kalkbrud) is an active industrial railway.

Amusement park railways

• Ree Park – America Expresses, Ree Park, Ebeltoft Safari, Ebeltoft, Djursland.
• Fårup Railways, Fårup Summer Park (Fårup Sommerland), Fårup, Jammerbugt
• Sommerland Sjælland, Nørre Asmindrup, Odsherred
• Legoland, Billund

Preserved

Preserved narrow gauge railways

785 mm (2 ft 6+29⁄32 in) and 791 mm (2 ft 7+5⁄32 in)

• Hjerl Hede Frilandsmuseum, steam operated peat railway in an open-air museum.

700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in)

RVT 1 at Blovstrød Station 700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in)

MS15 at Blovstrød Station 700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in)

The Peat-train at Lille Vildmose 700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in)

Stenvad Mosebrugscenter 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

Hanstholm Bunker museum 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

• Blovstrød Banen 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) long steam and diesel operated railway.
• Hedelands Veteranjernbane, a 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) long steam operated in a country park around gravel quarries. A miniature railway (Brandhøjbanen) is also present.
• Lille Vildmose, 8 km in a former peat extraction area, now a nature reserve a part of Store Vildmose-Natura 2000-area near Vildmosegaard. The railroad was dismantled in 2012, but a 0,4 km museum railway has been established at the Lille Vildmose Museum Center ("Vildmosecenteret")-Vildmosemuseet, Lille Vildmosecentret.
• Store Vildmose railway at Store Vildmose-Vildmosemuseet doesn't exist anymore, only a few materials and only one train remains for preservation on Hedeland veteran railway, (Hedelands Veteranjernbane).

600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

• Mosebrugsbanen, Stenvad Mosebrug (Stenvad Mosebrugscenter), peat museum railway 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) at a peat museum in Stenvad, Vinderup.
• Bunkermuseum Hanstholm museum, MuseumsCenter Hanstholm, 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) on a former ammunition railway. Featured in the film The Olsen Gang in Jutland

550 mm (21+21⁄32 in)

• Mønsted Kalkgrube, in a former limestone quarry at Mønsted.

References

A visitor's guide to Scandinavian (Nordic) narrow-gauge railways