10308 "Standard Métallique" maneuvering at the museum
Tram map of Tramway Lobbes Thuin

The ASVi is a tramway museum in Thuin in Belgium, which specialises in the history of the Belgian narrow gauge Vicinal system. The museum includes an operating museum tram line which runs from Thuin to Lobbes.

The metre gauge historic tram line is made of two sections :

  • a part of the former vicinal tramway line Thuin - Anderlues (lines 91 and 92). This line was part of the famous and extensive Belgian vicinal tramway network which once covered the whole country ;
  • a part of the SNCB normal gauge line (line 109 Mons - Chimay) which was converted to metric gauge and equipped with an overhead line for power supply.

Description of the historic line

Leaving the Thuin museum, the line first follows the former SNCB line, then the Avenue de la Couture towards the cemetery of Thuin and a bridge over the Sambre. It then runs parallel to the SNCB railway to Lobbes Pont du Nord where it crosses Route Nationale 559. Then it loops round the western side of Lobbes to reach the Lobbes Hôtel de Ville stop. From there, the line turns again towards RN 559 to reach it at the Lobbes Entreville stop; from there the line is on the west side of this road to the terminus of Lobbes Bonniers. This northern section is one of the last electrified roadside sections of tramway which remains in Belgium.

From Avenue de la Couture, a section of the former vicinal runs down Grand'Rue to the lower part of Thuin on the banks of Sambre.

In August 2010, a 3 km extension to Biesme-sous-Thuin was inaugurated. It follows the trackbed of the former SNCB line from Mons to Chimay.

Rolling stock

In the museum - from left to right, 10409 "PCC", A.9073 and HL303

The collection also includes a PCC streetcar which has quite an uncommon story. It is part of a first series of 24 cars built for Belgium in 1950, which were transferred to Belgrade in 1960. One model of this iconic vehicle was brought back to Belgium in 1986.

In working order

ASVi #TypeManufacturerYear
AR.86RailcarSNCV Brabant1934AR.86
ART.300[1]RailcarSNCV Andenne1947
A.9073M2Electricité et Hydraulique1901A.9073
A.9515M2Le Rœulx1918A.9515
9924M2La Dyle à Louvain19319924
9974 "Type SE"M4SNCV Brabant19589974 "Type SE"
10284 "Type Eugies"M4Braine-le-Comte1936
10308 "Standard Métallique"M4Baume et Marpent194210308 "Standard Métallique"
10409 "PCC"M4La Brugeoise & Nicaise & Delcuve194910409 "PCC"
10480 "Type N"M4SNCV Cureghem195410480 "Type N"
HL303Type 7La Métallurgique à Tubize1888HL303
A.9385 "Type Manage"M2Franco-Belge1910
9063 "Type S"M4SNCV Brabant1956

Out of order

ASVi #TypeManufacturerYearCondition
9598M2SNCV Eugies1951To be restored
9603M2Seneffe1919To be restored
9888M2Franco-Belge à La Croyère1930Under restoration
9963 "Fourgon-moteur"M2Godarville1916Under restoration
9984 "Standard Bois"M4Braine-le-Comte1932To be restored
10393 "BLC"M4Braine-le-Comte1949To be restored

References

  1. "Train SNCV-NMVB in Thuin - photo 1939". Lesrails.com. Retrieved 2018-12-08.

50°20′26.34″N 4°16′46.97″E / 50.3406500°N 4.2797139°E / 50.3406500; 4.2797139


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