Flensburg–Husum–Tönning Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Flensburg–Husum–Tönning Railway Company built the first railway line in the Duchy of Schleswig. The line opened in 1854 and was one of the oldest railways in Germany.
and built its trunk line during the reign of Frederick VII of Denmark
from 1852 to 1854. The company also built the port railways in Flensburg
and Tönning
. A major reason for the creation of a rail link between the Baltic
port of Flensburg
and the North Sea
ports of Husum and especially Tönning
on the Eider
estuary was the export of live cattle to England. A temporary station was commissioned on 1 April 1854 and the permanent “English" station was fully opened in Flensburg on 4 October 1854, with a formal inauguration by the King on 25 October. At the same time, an important branch line was opened from Oster-Ohrstedt
via Klosterkrug (now a station in the city of Schleswig) to Rendsburg
, connecting to the Neumünster–Rendsburg line—opened on 18 September 1845 by the Rendsburg-Neumünster Railway Company (Rendsburg-Neumünsterschen Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, RNE)—which in turn connected with the Hamburg-Altona–Kiel line. An extension to the north from Holzkrug in Flensburg to Haderslev
(now in Denmark) was completed on 2 May 1866. The year before the railway had been incorporated into the Schleswig Railway Company (Schleswigschen Eisenbahn).
in 1864 and its annexation by the Kingdom of Prussia
in 1866. On 29 December 1866, a section between Eggebek and Oster-Ohrstedt was abandoned and replaced by a more direct connection to Jübek on the new north-south line opened between Klosterkrug and Eggebek, where it connected with the line to Flensburg. In 1886 a connection was built between Platenhörn on the Husum–Tönning line and a junction at Hörn on a new extension of the Marsh Railway from Heide
to Husum, which ran a little to the east of the Tönning line. In 1902, the old line between Husum and Platenhörn was dismantled. In 1928, the current Flensburg station
replaced the old terminus at the end of the fjord, which became Germany's first bus station
.
As a result of restructuring, the Flensburg-Husum-Tönning line now forms parts of three different rail lines:
Organisation and construction
The Flensburg-Husum-Tönninger Railway Company was owned by the British entrepreneur, Sir Samuel Morton PetoSamuel Morton Peto
Sir Samuel Morton Peto, 1st Baronet was an English entrepreneur and civil engineer in the 19th century. A partner in Grissell and Peto, he managed construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London...
and built its trunk line during the reign of Frederick VII of Denmark
Frederick VII of Denmark
Frederick VII was a King of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch...
from 1852 to 1854. The company also built the port railways in Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
and Tönning
Tönning
Tönning is a town in the district of Nordfriesland in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. During the Great Northern War, Tönning was besieged twice.-Geography:...
. A major reason for the creation of a rail link between the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
port of Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
and the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
ports of Husum and especially Tönning
Tönning
Tönning is a town in the district of Nordfriesland in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. During the Great Northern War, Tönning was besieged twice.-Geography:...
on the Eider
Eider
Eiders are large seaducks in the genus Somateria. Steller's Eider, despite its name, is in a different genus.The three extant species all breed in the cooler latitudes of the Northern hemisphere....
estuary was the export of live cattle to England. A temporary station was commissioned on 1 April 1854 and the permanent “English" station was fully opened in Flensburg on 4 October 1854, with a formal inauguration by the King on 25 October. At the same time, an important branch line was opened from Oster-Ohrstedt
Oster-Ohrstedt
Oster-Ohrstedt is a municipality in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
via Klosterkrug (now a station in the city of Schleswig) to Rendsburg
Rendsburg
Rendsburg is a town on the River Eider and the Kiel Canal in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis of Rendsburg-Eckernförde. As of 2006, it had a population of 28,476.-History:...
, connecting to the Neumünster–Rendsburg line—opened on 18 September 1845 by the Rendsburg-Neumünster Railway Company (Rendsburg-Neumünsterschen Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, RNE)—which in turn connected with the Hamburg-Altona–Kiel line. An extension to the north from Holzkrug in Flensburg to Haderslev
Haderslev
Haderslev is a town and municipality on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. Also included is the island of Årø as well as several other smaller islands in the Little Belt. The municipality covers and has a population of 56,414 . Its mayor is Jens Christian Gjesing,...
(now in Denmark) was completed on 2 May 1866. The year before the railway had been incorporated into the Schleswig Railway Company (Schleswigschen Eisenbahn).
Route changes
While most of the route is still in operation, sections have disappeared, some of them in the transformation of the Schleswig-Holstein's rail network after the conquest of the country by the German ConfederationGerman Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
in 1864 and its annexation by the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
in 1866. On 29 December 1866, a section between Eggebek and Oster-Ohrstedt was abandoned and replaced by a more direct connection to Jübek on the new north-south line opened between Klosterkrug and Eggebek, where it connected with the line to Flensburg. In 1886 a connection was built between Platenhörn on the Husum–Tönning line and a junction at Hörn on a new extension of the Marsh Railway from Heide
Heide
Heide is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis Dithmarschen. Population: 21,000.The German word Heide means "heath". In the 15th century four adjoining villages decided to build a church in the "middle of the heath". This remained the town's name to date...
to Husum, which ran a little to the east of the Tönning line. In 1902, the old line between Husum and Platenhörn was dismantled. In 1928, the current Flensburg station
Flensburg station
Flensburg station is the main station of the city of Flensburg in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Lines run from it to Kiel, to Hamburg via Schleswig and Neumünster and to Fredericia in Denmark. Since the timetable change on 9 December 2007, Flensburg has been connected to Deutsche Bahn's...
replaced the old terminus at the end of the fjord, which became Germany's first bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
.
As a result of restructuring, the Flensburg-Husum-Tönning line now forms parts of three different rail lines: