Soignes Forest Railway Explained

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Soignes Forest Railway
Native Name:Chemin de fer de la forêt de Soignes
Type:Decauville
Status:Closed and disappeared
Open:1902
Close:1918
Linelength Km:2.5
Tracks:1
Electrification:No
Map Name:map_name
Map State:uncollapsed

The Soignes Forest Railway was a Belgian type Decauville railway, which has disappeared since its closing

History

Put into service in 1902, this railway linked the Petite Espinette, a place called the municipality of Uccle (at the limit of Rhode-Saint-Genèse) then served by the old line to Waterloo of the Brussels tram, at Boitsfort, on the railway line Brussels–Namur–Luxembourg. Established in the Forêt de Soignes, the length of the line is 2.5km (01.6miles).

After the First World War it was abandoned for reasons of unprofitability. This railway line transported the gravelling materials for the forest paths, and was also used to transport wood.[1]

Location

Starting from the beginning of the drève Saint-Hubert, the railway crossed the drève de Lorraine to then follow a large part of the drève des Deux Montagnes.

Gallery

The shed

Built in 1902 (just like the line), the shed[2] was renovated in 2003. Having served as a shed for the rolling stock, it is the only remaining vestige of the old railway. In the, this building served as a storage and shelter for foresters.

See also

Literature

Notes and References

  1. According to the IBGE(fr).
  2. The hangar is located at the coordinates: 50.7773°N 4.3922°W (taken from).