Hamburg-Bergedorf Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Hamburg-Bergedorf railway opened in 1842 is one of the oldest lines in Germany and was the first railway line in Northern Germany
. The 16.5 km long line was extended to Berlin in 1846.
It linked Bergedorf Station (German
: Bergedorfer Bahnhof) in Hamburg, near Deichtorplatz (just south of the modern Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
) with the original Bergedorf station at Neuen Weg in Bergedorf
.
Hamburg public opinion was most interested in a rail connection with the Baltic
port of Lübeck
. This route would have, however, needed to pass through Holstein
, which was administered in a personal union by the Danish king. Denmark’s consent was not required for a line from Hamburg to Bergedorf, since it would only run through areas controlled by Hamburg. The track was planned and surveyed by the English engineer, William Lindley
in 1838.
The opening was scheduled for 7 May 1842. Two days earlier, the "Great Fire" of Hamburg broke out and largely destroyed the city. The first trips were actually held prior to 7 May: they were used to transport fire-fighting equipment and fire-fighters to Hamburg and to evacuate the homeless. Therefore no opening ceremony was held.
Already during the planning of the railway an extension had been considered via Geesthacht
and Lauenburg to Berlin. On 15 December 1846 Berlin–Hamburg Railway opened, however, on a route further north, through Büchen
, the starting point of a line to Lübeck opened in 1851. A new station was established in Bergedorf and the old Bergedorf station closed. Nearby Bergedorf Süd station opened on the Bergedorf-Geesthacht Railway opened in 1906 and closed in the 1950s.
The Hamburg Bergedorf station was expanded after 1846 and was renamed Berlin Station (German: Berliner Bahnhof). The Hamburg-Bergedorf Railway Company was taken over by the Berlin-Hamburg Railway Company (German: Berlin-Hamburger Eisenbahn-Aktiengesellschaft).
Northern Germany
- Geography :The key terrain features of North Germany are the marshes along the coastline of the North Sea and Baltic Sea, and the geest and heaths inland. Also prominent are the low hills of the Baltic Uplands, the ground moraines, end moraines, sandur, glacial valleys, bogs, and Luch...
. The 16.5 km long line was extended to Berlin in 1846.
It linked Bergedorf Station (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Bergedorfer Bahnhof) in Hamburg, near Deichtorplatz (just south of the modern Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service...
) with the original Bergedorf station at Neuen Weg in Bergedorf
Bergedorf
Bergedorf is the largest of the seven boroughs of Hamburg, Germany and a quarter within this borough. In 2006 the population of the borough was 118,942.-History:...
.
Hamburg public opinion was most interested in a rail connection with the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
port of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
. This route would have, however, needed to pass through Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
, which was administered in a personal union by the Danish king. Denmark’s consent was not required for a line from Hamburg to Bergedorf, since it would only run through areas controlled by Hamburg. The track was planned and surveyed by the English engineer, William Lindley
William Lindley
William Lindley , was a famous English engineer who together with his sons designed water and sewerage systems for over 30 cities across Europe.-Life:...
in 1838.
The opening was scheduled for 7 May 1842. Two days earlier, the "Great Fire" of Hamburg broke out and largely destroyed the city. The first trips were actually held prior to 7 May: they were used to transport fire-fighting equipment and fire-fighters to Hamburg and to evacuate the homeless. Therefore no opening ceremony was held.
Already during the planning of the railway an extension had been considered via Geesthacht
Geesthacht
Geesthacht is the largest city in the District of the Duchy of Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany, 34 km southeast of Hamburg on the right bank of the river Elbe.-History:*Around 800: A church is documented....
and Lauenburg to Berlin. On 15 December 1846 Berlin–Hamburg Railway opened, however, on a route further north, through Büchen
Büchen
Büchen is a municipality in the district of Lauenburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the Elbe-Lübeck Canal, approx. 13 km northeast of Lauenburg/Elbe, and 45 km east of Hamburg....
, the starting point of a line to Lübeck opened in 1851. A new station was established in Bergedorf and the old Bergedorf station closed. Nearby Bergedorf Süd station opened on the Bergedorf-Geesthacht Railway opened in 1906 and closed in the 1950s.
The Hamburg Bergedorf station was expanded after 1846 and was renamed Berlin Station (German: Berliner Bahnhof). The Hamburg-Bergedorf Railway Company was taken over by the Berlin-Hamburg Railway Company (German: Berlin-Hamburger Eisenbahn-Aktiengesellschaft).