Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij
Encyclopedia
The Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij or HSM (Hollands Iron Railway-Company) was the first railway company in the Netherlands
founded on 8 August 1837 as a private company, starting operation in 1839 with a line between Amsterdam
and Haarlem
. The company remained operational until 1938, when it merged with the Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen
(SS) to form the Nederlandse Spoorwegen
(NS).
canal, connecting Amsterdam with Haarlem, which opened on 20 September 1839. The line was quickly expanded to follow the Leidsevaart
canal and reached Leiden in 1842, The Hague
in 1843, and Rotterdam
in 1847. Because this line is the oldest line in the Netherlands, it is now known as the Old Line. This line was originally built to Dutch broad gauge , but was converted
to standard gauge
in 1866.
The line started at the Amsterdam d'Eenhonderd Roe station on the west side of Amsterdam, across the street from the company's headquarters, and ran to the Delftse Poort station
in Rotterdam. Aside from this line, the HSM constructed a number of other rail- and tram
ways in the Netherlands, mainly in the relatively densely populated Holland, such as the Staatslijn K
(1860–1865), a line northwards from Haarlem to Uitgeest
in 1867, and the line to Zandvoort
(1881). But the HSM also exploited lines to other regions, such as Utrecht
(where it connected to lines of the SS
), Zutphen (past cities as Amersfoort
and Apeldoorn
) and Nijmegen. The HSM even exploited a line to Leeuwarden, which took passengers by boat over the Zuiderzee.
in Haarlem. This company grew so fast, that in 1891, the HSM, aided by the social activist Daniel de Clercq
, began the Haarlem society called De Ambachtsschool to unify various city efforts to start a vocational school in Haarlem
, in order to satisfy their need for workers in the booming train business.
(SS) to strengthen their economic position. In 1938, this led to the formation of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
founded on 8 August 1837 as a private company, starting operation in 1839 with a line between Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
. The company remained operational until 1938, when it merged with the Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen
Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen
The Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen or SS was a private railroad founded to utilise the government funded railways. The company existed until 1938, when it formally merged with the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij to form the Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
(SS) to form the Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
(NS).
History
The first line constructed was a line following the straight route of the HaarlemmertrekvaartHaarlemmertrekvaart
The Haarlemmertrekvaart is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland...
canal, connecting Amsterdam with Haarlem, which opened on 20 September 1839. The line was quickly expanded to follow the Leidsevaart
Leidsevaart
The Leidsevaart is a canal between the cities of Haarlem and Leiden in the Netherlands. It was dug in 1657, making it one of the oldest canals in the Netherlands. It was the major means of transport between Leiden and Haarlem for almost two centuries until the rail connection was established in...
canal and reached Leiden in 1842, The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
in 1843, and Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in 1847. Because this line is the oldest line in the Netherlands, it is now known as the Old Line. This line was originally built to Dutch broad gauge , but was converted
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
in 1866.
The line started at the Amsterdam d'Eenhonderd Roe station on the west side of Amsterdam, across the street from the company's headquarters, and ran to the Delftse Poort station
Rotterdam Delftsche Poort railway station
Rotterdam Delftsche Poort was a railway station of the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij in Rotterdam, The Netherlands located on the Oude Lijn from Amsterdam Willemspoort station to Rotterdam...
in Rotterdam. Aside from this line, the HSM constructed a number of other rail- and tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
ways in the Netherlands, mainly in the relatively densely populated Holland, such as the Staatslijn K
Staatslijn K
The Den Helder–Amsterdam railway is a railway line in the Netherlands running from Den Helder to Amsterdam, passing through Alkmaar and Zaandam. It is also called the Staatslijn K in Dutch...
(1860–1865), a line northwards from Haarlem to Uitgeest
Uitgeest
Uitgeest is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Uitgeest consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Assum, Busch en Dam, Groot Dorregeest, Uitgeest....
in 1867, and the line to Zandvoort
Zandvoort
Zandvoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.Zandvoort is one of the major beach resorts of the Netherlands; it has a long sandy beach, bordered by coastal dunes...
(1881). But the HSM also exploited lines to other regions, such as Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
(where it connected to lines of the SS
Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen
The Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen or SS was a private railroad founded to utilise the government funded railways. The company existed until 1938, when it formally merged with the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij to form the Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
), Zutphen (past cities as Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
and Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000...
) and Nijmegen. The HSM even exploited a line to Leeuwarden, which took passengers by boat over the Zuiderzee.
School
To service the trains on the rails, the HSM had the services of Koninklijke Fabriek van Rijtuigen en Spoorwagens J.J. BeijnesBeijnes
Beijnes was a defunct Haarlem manufacturer of carriages, busses, trains, and trams. It was closely associated with the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij -History:...
in Haarlem. This company grew so fast, that in 1891, the HSM, aided by the social activist Daniel de Clercq
Daniël de Clercq
Daniël de Clercq was a Dutch socialist and activist. He propagated land nationalisation and was an activist for vegetarianism. In 1898 he succeeded Felix Ortt as chairman of the NVB, the Dutch Vegetarian Society . The NVB is an organisation dedicated to serving the interests of Dutch vegetarians...
, began the Haarlem society called De Ambachtsschool to unify various city efforts to start a vocational school in Haarlem
Vocational school (Haarlem)
Vocational School, Vakschool, Huishoudschool, or Ambachtsschool in Haarlem refers to set of Haarlem schools that conformed to a type of Dutch Junior High School based on practical training with the aim of obtaining employment...
, in order to satisfy their need for workers in the booming train business.
Merger
However, economic woes caused by the First World War forced the HSM to start cooperation with the other Dutch railway company Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van StaatsspoorwegenMaatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen
The Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen or SS was a private railroad founded to utilise the government funded railways. The company existed until 1938, when it formally merged with the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij to form the Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
(SS) to strengthen their economic position. In 1938, this led to the formation of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
.