NSB visit, Di3.602 and Thamshavnbanen

[pwormald]

Just returned from Norway, a few notes:

Three days on the Bodø line chasing the Di4's. All seen in use except for 4.651 which we presume was in the shed at Trondheim. The day train from Trondheim - Bodø has now (apparently permanently) reverted to loco hauled operation which really makes a difference! The northbound train has buffet car right at the front, the southbound train had coach 6 at the front on each day.

Despite supposedly compulsory reservation we were usually able to move seats to get beside an opening window on each run that we did.
The weekdays evening commuter from Bodø - Rognan (trains 1788 and 1789) were quoted as Di4 on load 2 on the http://home.no.net/opingebr/ site but we found a DMU on these, but as we were in the summer holiday period (25/6 - 17/8) this may have explained it. (UPDATE, above site now shows these as BOOKED DMU!).

On Wednesday 2nd August we went to the Åndalsnes line as Di3.602 was working two round trips to Bjorli for cruise ship passengers. The loco is in excellent condition and along with DSB MY1101 is one of only two locos built without exhaust baffles, and therefore sounds excellent and is well worth going for! Details of the dates of these specials can be found here. Reservations must be made in advance via the above web site and then pay on day at the tourist office in the station. www.visitandalsnes.com

And video on Di3.602, apologies for some wind noise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKi8YJqwWkg


On Sunday 3 August we made a visit to the fascinating Thamshavnbanen narrow gauge railway running from Bårdshaug - Løkken. There are busses from Trondheim at 09:40 and 12:40 which take an hour to reach Orkanger. The 12:40 has a connecting bus direct to the station at Løkken. Bårdshaug station is a little over 5 minutes walk from Orkanger bus station. The bus timetable can be found on line at:
www.nettbus.no

Exact southbound link:
http://nettbuss.reiseinfo.no/ruter/t/16-401.aspx
Exact northbound link:
http://nettbuss.reiseinfo.no/ruter/r/16-401.aspx

More info on the line and the Orkla industrial museum can be found here, includes timetable!
www.io.no

A few short videos of number 8 are here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjsoTLTbBaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBMkN4vJ1UY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLeZval1dDQ


Photos from the whole trip are here:
http://locopage.fotopic.net/c1339789.html

Sørumsand: Narrow gauge line also seen, but not visited:
http://www.tertitten.no/


Timetables (in graph form) of all NSB lines are here:
http://shorterlink.com/?GVX7E5

[Der ewig Fragende]

Nice pictures, an very interessting