Bonn–Cologne Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Bonn–Cologne Railway Company is a former German Railway company, founded in July 1837 in Bonn
and granted a concession on 6 July 1840 to build and operate a railway line between Bonn and Cologne
.
Two options were examined for the route: a direct line along the course of the Rhine would have been cheaper. This would have passed through a sparsely populated area, which would have produced few passengers. Half a century later this route was used by the Rhine Bank Railway (Rheinuferbahn) built by another Cologne-Bonn railway (Köln-Bonner Eisenbahnen)—now line 16 of the Cologne
and Bonn Stadtbahn
s.
Another option was built, a 29 km-long line, later part of the West Rhine line (Linke Rheinstrecke). It runs in a wide arc through Roisdorf, Sechtem, Brühl
and Kalscheuren to St. Pantaleon station in Cologne. This terminal station was built immediately after passing through the Pantaleon gate of the medieval Wall.
The site for Bonn station
was strongly debated. The location in Poppelsdorfer Allee was finally selected, because it was easier to extend the line from there to the south.
The first earthworks were built in March 1842. The line was opened on 15 February 1844 after a grand ceremony of inauguration on 13 February. From the summer of 1844 six daily pairs of trains ran. The first four locomotive
s came from Manchester
.
and the shares were oversubscribed fourfold. Construction of the new route, however, was delayed partly because Bonn University protested to the Prussian king Frederick William IV
against the fragmentation of Poppelsdorfer Allee (avenue) on its land. The king finally commissioned the landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné
to design of the intersection of the railway and Poppelsdorfer Allee.
The BCE was authorised on 4 August 1854 to extend its line at least to Rolandseck. This was an important part of its success, as it was possible for travellers to change conveniently from train to steamship at the station. In addition the constriction of the Rhine Valley there made the construction of competing lines on the western side of the Rhine impossible. On 18 October 1855 the line was completed via Bad Godesberg and Mehlem to Rolandswerth and on 21 January 1856 the entire 14 km long extension to Rolandseck was opened.
for 1.05 million Prussian thaler
s.
Forty years later with the Köln-Bonner Eisenbahnen (KBE) was established with a similar name (but with more modern spelling), but it was not related to the BCE.
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
and granted a concession on 6 July 1840 to build and operate a railway line between Bonn and Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
.
History
Two options were examined for the route: a direct line along the course of the Rhine would have been cheaper. This would have passed through a sparsely populated area, which would have produced few passengers. Half a century later this route was used by the Rhine Bank Railway (Rheinuferbahn) built by another Cologne-Bonn railway (Köln-Bonner Eisenbahnen)—now line 16 of the Cologne
Cologne Stadtbahn
The Cologne Stadtbahn is a light rail system in the German city of Cologne, including several surrounding cities...
and Bonn Stadtbahn
Bonn Stadtbahn
The Bonn Stadtbahn is a part of the local public transit system in Bonn and the surrounding Rhein-Sieg area. Although with six actual Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines it is relatively small, two of the Stadtbahn lines connect to the much larger Cologne Stadtbahn .The entire network comprises...
s.
Another option was built, a 29 km-long line, later part of the West Rhine line (Linke Rheinstrecke). It runs in a wide arc through Roisdorf, Sechtem, Brühl
Brühl
-Places and locations:Germany* Brühl * Brühl * Brühl , a street in LeipzigPoland* Brühl Palace, Warsaw-People:* Alois Friedrich von Brühl , a Polish-Saxon diplomat, politician, soldier, actor and playwright...
and Kalscheuren to St. Pantaleon station in Cologne. This terminal station was built immediately after passing through the Pantaleon gate of the medieval Wall.
The site for Bonn station
Bonn Hauptbahnhof
is a railway station located on the left bank of the Rhine along the Cologne–Mainz line. It is the principal station serving the city of Bonn. In addition to extensive rail service from Deutsche Bahn it acts as a hub for local bus, tram, and Stadtbahn services....
was strongly debated. The location in Poppelsdorfer Allee was finally selected, because it was easier to extend the line from there to the south.
The first earthworks were built in March 1842. The line was opened on 15 February 1844 after a grand ceremony of inauguration on 13 February. From the summer of 1844 six daily pairs of trains ran. The first four locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s came from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Extension to Rolandseck
In 1844, the BCE increased its capital to fund an extension to KoblenzKoblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
and the shares were oversubscribed fourfold. Construction of the new route, however, was delayed partly because Bonn University protested to the Prussian king Frederick William IV
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
against the fragmentation of Poppelsdorfer Allee (avenue) on its land. The king finally commissioned the landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné
Peter Joseph Lenné
Peter Joseph Lenné was a Prussian gardener and landscape architect from Bonn who worked in the German classicist style.-Childhood and development:...
to design of the intersection of the railway and Poppelsdorfer Allee.
The BCE was authorised on 4 August 1854 to extend its line at least to Rolandseck. This was an important part of its success, as it was possible for travellers to change conveniently from train to steamship at the station. In addition the constriction of the Rhine Valley there made the construction of competing lines on the western side of the Rhine impossible. On 18 October 1855 the line was completed via Bad Godesberg and Mehlem to Rolandswerth and on 21 January 1856 the entire 14 km long extension to Rolandseck was opened.
Takeover of the company
On 1 January 1857, the Bonn–Cologne Railway Company was acquired by the Rhenish Railway CompanyRhenish Railway Company
The Rhenish Railway Company was along with the Cologne-Minden Railway Company and the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia.-Foundation :The...
for 1.05 million Prussian thaler
Prussian thaler
The Thaler was the currency of Prussia until 1857. From 1750, it was distinct from north German Reichsthaler unit of account in that it contained 1/14 of a Cologne mark of silver, rather than 1/12, and was minted as a coin...
s.
Forty years later with the Köln-Bonner Eisenbahnen (KBE) was established with a similar name (but with more modern spelling), but it was not related to the BCE.