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

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
    Historical view of Boma station
  • The local tram at Boma
    The local tram at Boma
  • Another view of Boma
    Another view of Boma
  • Share of the Société des Chemins de fer Vicinaux du Mayumbe, issued 21. September 1898
    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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