Mayumbe line

The Mayumbe line was a 140 km (87 mi) long 610 mm (2 ft) gauge narrow gauge railway in the north west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between the port of Boma and Tshela.

Mayumbe line
The railway line in 1913
Overview
TerminiBoma
Tshela
Operation
Opened1898
Closed1984
Technical
Line length140 km (87 mi)
Track gauge600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Old gauge610 mm (2 ft)
Route map
Boma Port (Tramway)
7 m
0 Boma
14 m
(Tramway de Boma)
8 Bangu
31 m
15 Lusanga
90 m
22 Lovo
101 m
30 Luki
150 m
39 Lemba
165 m
44 Tshisundi
57 Temvo
271 m
62 point culminant
303 m
68 Moenge
169 m
80 Lukula
101 m
90 Kiniati
130 m
99 Kangu
170 m
102 Kangu-Mission
175 m
108 Kibenza
214 m
114 Loango
240 m
127 Luvu
170 m
137 Banga
150 m
140 Tshela
144 m

History

The Société des Chemins de fer vicinaux du Mayumbe (CVM) was created on July 30, 1898,[1] to build and operate a network of railways built at a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge in the province of Lower Congo, in the Congo Free State which became Belgian Congo then Republic of the Congo, with a planned extension to the Republic of Congo.

On 1 January 1936, the CVM was integrated with the Office des Transports Coloniaux (OTRACO).[2]

In 1974, it was merged with the Office National des Transports (ONATRA). The line was dismantled in 1984 under Mobutu Sese Seko, along with the local industry.[3]

Line

Boma - Lukula - Tshela (140 km[4])

  • Boma (Plateau) - Bangu (8 km), opening May 7, 1899
  • Bangu - Kisundi (35 km), opening on January 1, 1900
  • Kisundi - Lukula (35 km), opening December 31, 1901
  • Lukula - Tshela (60 km), opening 31 December 1912, extension opened by the State

In 1932, the Boma Lukula section was converted to 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge, the section from Lukula to Tshela in 1938.

Locomotives
  • No. 1-8, type 020T, delivered in 1898-9 by Saint Léonard Liège[5]
  • No. 1A-4A, type Garratt 020-020, delivered in 1911 by Saint Léonard Liège[6]
  • No. 1B-2B, type Garratt 020-020, delivered in 1919 by Saint Leonard in Liege
  • No. 3B-6B, type Garratt 020-020, delivered in 1921 by Saint Leonard in Liege
  • No. 7B-11B, type Garratt 020-020, delivered in 1924 by Saint Leonard in Liege
  • No. 1C-4C, type Garratt 020-020, delivered in 1926 by Saint Leonard in Liege
  • No. 1E, type Garratt 020-020, delivered in 1927 by Saint Leonard in Liege
  • Historical view of Boma station
  • The local tram at Boma
  • Another view of Boma
  • Share of the Société des Chemins de fer Vicinaux du Mayumbe, issued 21. September 1898

References
  1. "Chemin de fer de Boma à Tshela". KANGU - MAYUMBE - BAS-CONGO (in French). February 23, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  2. "BCK - KDL - Le site des chemins de fer du Katanga". Archived from the original on 4 December 2010.
  3. Closed "owing to its lack of profitability" (Inter Rail No. 2/1997); Mobutu also closed the bank branches and industry in this region (Le Potentiel No. 3700/2006)
  4. Durrant, A.E.; Jorgensen, A.A.; Lewis, C.P. (1981). Steam in Africa. London: Hamlyn.
  5. Société Anonyme de Saint-Léonard (1903). "Locomotives" (PDF). La page des Tassignon.
  6. "Garratt locomotives from other builders". Archived from the original on March 13, 2012.
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