My lifelong friend invited me to visit to the SSN depot in Rotterdam as a birthday present
1Stoom Stichting Nederland (SSN, Steam Foundation Netherlands) was founded in 1976 when steam in (western) Germany was drawing to close. Dutch steam had ended in December 1957 and what precious little escaped the torch was already committed. Since its foundation the organisation has gradually grown from a group of dreamers to a professional provider of mainline steam services. In 2017 I went on a ride with their Christmas express hauled by 01 1075. The SSN depot is situated in the north of Rotterdam on the mainline to Utrecht
2 An overview in the depot's main shed. Sorry for the haze but the photo was taken thtough a dirty window. In this album I describe the locos thematically rather than chronologically through the depot. From left to right 41 105, 23 023, 65 018 and in the distance you can just make out 01 1075.
3 The presence of 65 018 was a bit of a surprise. It had its last ride in 2018 before the expiry of it boiler ticket. It has recently been announced it would go to the VSM on long term lease where it will be restored to operating condition.
4 The 2-8-4T design was a post-war development. Only 18 were built until the ambitious steam based rebuilding and modernisation programme was cut short by the breakthrough of diesel and electric traction. The 018 is the sole surviving member of the class
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8 No, it does NOT say "Last fart". But as anyone can guess this was the last day of operation before the expiry of its ten year boiler ticket.
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10 A life long friendship friendship celebrated on the running board of a mutual love.
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14 The depot has a reasonably well equipped machine park that is well used to maintain the locomotives.
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16 Spring time!
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19 Restoring locos is not all about machining. Relatively humble tasks like coating count equally much.
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24 Class 23 023 also originates from the 1950s rebuilding and modernisation program. It is the only class built in substantial numers, 105 in all, before the diesel-and-electric-traction axe fell.
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27 Working on the air pump. I chatted a while and had a very agreeable conversion.
28 Gesticulating while explaining, a sure sign of enthusiasm and dedication.
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36 The 41 105 is a 2-8-2 fast freight engine, built from 1937 to 1941 in no less than 366 examples. After the the war 40 engines were converted to oil burning and this is one of them. no 105 ran from 1939 to 1976 and resides with the SSN 1980. It is currently not operational.
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50 See the thickness of the rear frame around the firebox.
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54 And the last German loco is a member of the 01.10 class. As said I went on the 2017 Christmas express which was hauled by this engine, a three cylinder Pacific (4-6-2, 2'C1') once capable of 160 kmh (currently limited to 130).
55 We found there was extensive work going on in and around the smokebox.
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57 Welding (and cutting) always offers great opportunities to get some spectacular work pics.
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64 The three axled rear of the 01.1075's tender
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67 A view between the frames where the third cylinder lives
68 There it is!
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71 Steam pipes to the blast pipe
72 Spark arrestors
73 See you next time
74 The last steam loco has mixed backgorund. Conceived as a war baby in the British Austerity program to sustain the war effort it came to the Netherlands after the war and served the Dutch Railways. It is now in operational condition but it is condemned to resided on the SSN depot as it has no mainline permission.
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86 This is a carriage from the first electrically operate railway in the Netherlands. The opened as early as 1908 and operated with luxurious trainsets consisting of motorised and motorless coaches. During the war this coach went over the east border and disappeared. Only recently it was rediscovered and repatriated.