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The Flam Railway

Discussion in 'International Heritage Railways/Tramways' started by Roger Farnworth, Jan 4, 2019.

  1. Roger Farnworth

    Roger Farnworth Member

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    Over Christmas 2018 I have been reading through a number of old copies of 'The Railway Magazine'. Most of the magazines were from 1950. I found an article about the Flam Railway in Norway and thought that members of the forum might be interested.The railway provides the connection between the national railway network in Norway and the Sognefjord.


    It was the plan of the 'spiral at the head of the valley that grabbed my attention.

    http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/01/01/the-flam-railway-in-1950
     
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  2. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Probably the most popular 'shore excursion' from cruise ships calling at Flam and an expensive way to sample it!
     
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  3. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Yep - done that. Weirdest thing was the stop at the waterfalls. In a torrential downpour, in the distance, a (very) strapping blonde in a red cagoule and wellies emerges from a tumbledown barn singing Danny Boy. 'She' then disappears and reappears several times around the rocks, so unless there are tunnels (and she can run 100m in sub-10s), there are multiple drenched blonds out there too!
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2019
  4. Roger Farnworth

    Roger Farnworth Member

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    Certainly odd!
     
  5. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I was there on the Queen Elizabeth in 2017 and balked at the shore excursion price v the NSB published fare. No worries...get ashore early and buy a ticket at the booking office ... not a chance, every train booked solid until after the ship had left Flam! Still...going back on QM2 in August and yes, I'll dig deep for the shore excursion!
     
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  6. Footbridge

    Footbridge Member

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    Still dancing last year! It would have been more entertaining if the bint had fallen in.


    upload_2019-1-4_15-24-35.jpeg
     
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  7. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Indeed. That's why we coughed up - didn't want to run that risk.
     
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  8. JohnMc

    JohnMc New Member

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    You may be interested in the following YouTube video showing the full train drivers view from Flam to Mydal.

    The lady train driver is based in Voss, and regularly posts high quality train driver views of her journeys, on the Bergen-Oslo, and Flam lines.

    Sit back and enjoy the view. Although its focused on the railway, you cannot but enjoy the Norwegian line side views as well.

     
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  9. Roger Farnworth

    Roger Farnworth Member

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    Hi John

    I came across these as well .... Excellent videos!

    Roger
     
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  10. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    @60017 - that's saved you a packet then! :)
     
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  11. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

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    From Wikipedia:)

    "During the main tourist season in the summer an actress dressed as a legendary Huldra (a seductive forest creature in Scandinavian folklore) dances and sings in front of the waterfall as the trains enter the station for the amusement of the tourists. The Huldra actresses are all students from the Norwegian ballet school."
     
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  12. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Yeah right! I’ll find a photo ;)
     
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  13. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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    The Flam railway is an essential part of a railway enthusiast's CV - has to be done! But not for the faint of wallet.

    This line has changed character over the years. I went in 1975 and again in 1982; it was simply an NSB branch line with normal fares. Usually a single coach, and in the evening there were through coaches and sleeping cars to Oslo. The motive power was an old electric. Now it's all jazzed up and wildly expensive, but the scenery remains!
     
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  14. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

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    I`m pretty sure you thinking about this locomotive the NSB class El.9. :) There were three of this engines , special designed for Flåmsbanens extremely steep gradients and sharp curves.

    You can find more information about the locomotive class here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSB_El_9

    This one, no. 2063 had her last trip in 1989.

    [​IMG]

    Knut:)
     
  15. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Back in about 1976 I did a school trip from Newcastle to Bergen.
    Then the Coastal Mail boat to Trondheim.
    Train from Trondheim to Oslo.
    Then finally the train from Oslo to Bergen and back to Newcastle.

    The train from Oslo to Bergen stopped at Finse where we were invited to have a pass stamped by a Troll.
    Still have the pass somewhere.
     
  16. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

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    ;)

    [​IMG]
     
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  17. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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  18. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

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  19. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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  20. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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    On my trip to Norway in 1982, we were photographing Di3s and had our passports stamped at Hell! The stamp said 'Gods Expedition, Hell'.
     
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