This
stamp commemorates the centenary of the
Urskog-Høland railway (U.H.B.), which was opened 14.11.1896, or
more correctly, the first section between Bingsfoss and Bjørkelangen
was. Two years later the second stage from Bjørkelangen to Skulerud
was put into service, and finally in 1903 the last stage from
Sørumsand to Bingfoss. TPO's were running from 1898. This
railway was a narrow gauge (750 mm) private line with a total length
of 56 km (35 miles). The gauge is the narrowest in Norway
with passenger traffic. After World War II the railway was taken
over by the NSB, which operated it for 15 years. Instead of
lengthening and modernization the line was closed down in 1960, as
the last pure steam railway in Norway. The railway never gained any
importance in the area, and got the nickname "Tertitten"
because of the 750 mm gauge that was classified as a tertiary line.
In 1966, however, traffic was restored, when a distance of 4 km was
opened as a museum railway, and the steam trains are still running
here today. The line now has its own special souvenir postmark. The
locomotive is a class XXVIII, 1'C1' (2-6-2T), built 1909 in
Germany by Rich. Hartmann in Chemnitz, 20 tons and 7.51 m l.o.b.
with a max. speed of 35 km/h. It is No. 4 named "Setskogen"; here it
leads a mixed train leaving Hornåseng station.
Catalogue Nos.: Sc 1122 / SG 1233 / Mi 1213 / YT / NK 1262
Also
the Setesdal
railway was 100 years of age in 1996. This was another narrow
gauge railway, running from Kristiansand to Byglandsfjord a distance
of 79 km (49 miles), with a gauge of 1067 mm (3' 6").
The line was very curved which required special locomotive types.
The stamp shows a class XXI, tank locomotive, No. 2 heading a
passenger train. It is a 1'C1' (2-6-2T) built in 1894 by
the Scottish factory Dübs, 23.2 tons and 8.8 m l.o.b. with a max.
speed of 40 km/h. Mainly this railway transported timber, pit props
and nickel from inland to Kristiansand, a coastal town with an
export harbour. The railway got TPO's in 1896 and most of the
stations along the line had a post office. In 1938 the southern part
(from Kristiansand to Grovane) was rebuilt to standard gauge, which
led to a significant difference in traffic volume between the two
parts of the line. The remaining distance (58 km from Grovane to
Byglandsfjord) was after this the real
Setesdal railway. In 1962 when the line was closed down, it was
the last narrow gauge line of NSB. A group of enthusiasts is now
running a distance of 5 km as a
museum railway, where you can get a special souvenir postmark,
and admire No. 2 in action.
Catalogue Nos.: Sc 1123 / SG 1234 / Mi 1214 / YT / NK 1263
