Bratsberg Line
| Length: | Starts: | Ends: | Status: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 km | Myrane Station | Nordagutu Station | In service |
The Bratsberg Line is a 47-kilometre long railway line between Hjuksebø and Eidanger. It was built to transport fertiliser from Notodden to the port in Skien.
Photos
Movie
Skien Station. Photo: Anders B. Wilse/Norsk Folkemuseum
In 1912 Sam Eyde and Kristian Birkeland opened a fertilizer factory in Rjukan through his company "Norsk Hydro-Elektrisk Kvælstofaktieselskab". Transport out to the shipping docks at Porsgrunn was complex. First had the fertilizer transported along two separate rail lines which were interconnected by means of a rail ferry on Tinnsjø. Transport was carried out by the "Norsk Transportaktieselskap". The first line is currently defined as the Rjukan Line that went between Mæl and Rjukan. The last is Tinnoset Line which originally ran between Tinnoset and Notodden. From Notodden was fertilizer transported further on barges along the Telemark Canal through a series of locks before the cargo ended at Porsgrunn.
Efficiency Requirements
In 1916 Eyde and Birkeland had plans to open Rjukan II, the second construction phase of chemical fertilizer plant in Rjukan. The were now going to make a more efficient transport system. Parliament therefore made an urgent decision on 25 July 1913 the construction of a railway between Nordagutu and Eikonrød in Skien. 9. July 1908 had already been made a decision on construction of a connecting line between Notodden and Hjuksebø to tie the Rjukan Line together with the national railway network. Norwegian Hydro contributed to the construction of the line to Eikonrød which became the Bratsberg Line. The company Tinnoset—Porsgrund Line was created in which the state owned 55 percent and Norwegian Hydro the remaining. Thus, it was possible to transport the manure on rail cars all the way from Rjukan to Skien. 4 December 1916 the line to Eikonrød was opened, but ordinary operations started on 17 December 1917. The formal opening did not happen until February 9, 1920. As of July 1, Tinnoset Line became an officially part of the Bratsberg Line. From 1 July 1923 the part between Porsgrunn and Skien was also included.
Closing
1 July 1955 the state took over the Bratsberg Line in terms of NSB. In autumn 2000, NSB terminated the passenger traffic. 'Timetoget Bratsbergbanen AS' took over by using used diesel trains which were purchased from Sweden. The company was closed down in November the same year, but then NSB took over the passenger and freight transportation. NSB therefore continued to run diesel trains on the Bratsberg Line despite the railway line was electrified. In 2004, it built a new 800 meters long spur line to Notodden Bus Station which became the new terminus. The idea was to link the railway closer to public transport hub. Same year, the stations Hoppestad, Valebø, Dalsvatn, Holtsås, Hjuksebø, Trykkerud, Tveitan, Tinnegrend and Notodden was closed down. In 2008 the Bratsberg Line was defined as the part between Hjuksebø and Eidanger.
Increased investment
10 August 2015 the diesel trains were replaced with electric motor wagons of Type 69. Since the spur line to the Bus Station is not electrified, trains started to stop at the old train station that was closed down in 2014. The 8th December 2015, Parliament adopted electrifying the last 800 meters and increase investment in the Bratsberg Line.