Royal Hanoverian State Railways
Encyclopedia
The Royal Hanoverian State Railways (German: Königlich Hannöverschen Staatseisenbahnen) existed from 1843 until the annexation of the Kingdom of Hanover
by the Kingdom of Prussia
in 1866. At that time its railway network, which comprised 800 kilometres of track, went over to the Prussian state.
to avoid having a central railway station in Hanover
. The routes therefore ran into the district of Lehrte
in the form of a cross (hence Kreuzbahn = cross railway) and, as a result, Lehrte developed into an important railway hub.
The government of the Kingdom of Hanover had initially taken over the construction of state railways, because no private sponsors could be found for the first railway lines that were planned. These were the routes:
The first line, a 16 kilometre stretch from Hanover via Misburg to Lehrte, was opened on 22 October 1843. Its extension towards Brunswick followed on 1 December 1843 as far as the state border at Peine; there on 19 May 1844 it was joined to the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
that owned almost a third of the now 60 kilometre long connexion between the two residenz
cities. On 15 October 1845 the Lehrte–Celle line
followed and on 12 June 1846 the Lehrte–Hildesheim line was finally completed.
From the Kreuzbahn the following additional lines were built under the direction of the Royal Hanoverian Railway which was founded on 13 March 1843:
The Celle–Harburg line
via Uelzen
and Lüneburg
was opened on 1 May 1847 and on 15 October 1847 the Hannover–Minden line followed with its connexion to the main line
operated by the Cologne–Minden Railway Company.
, was not constructed directly from Minden
, but from Hanoverian Wunstorf
. On 12 December 1847 the Wunstorf–Bremen section was opened. As a result of the political events of 1848/49 (March revolutions
), further expansion of the railway network in the Kingdom of Hanover
was delayed.
to the Cologne-Minden Railway Company
network via Osnabrück
to Emden
did not come to fruition until there had been protracted discussions about the course of the line and its connexion to the Dutch
railway network.
In the end they agreed upon the present-day route from von Löhne via Osnabrück to Prussian Rheine
, that at the same time provided a junction at Münster to the Royal Westphalian Railway Company
(Königlich-Westfälische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) and from there a link via Salzbergen
to Leer and Emden.
The link to the Dutch railway network was achieved from Hanoverian Salzbergen
through Bentheim
to Oldenzaal. On 24 November 1854 the first section, Emden–Papenburg
, was completed.
) was effected, again in conjunction with the city of Bremen.
from Lüneburg
to Hohnstorf was finally built and, at the same time the Lauenburg-Hohnstorf Elbe Ferry Company
was formed and they established a ferry to connect with the Berlin-Hamburg Railway Company's Lauenburg–Büchen line on the other side of the Elbe.
–Goslar
railway was also owned by the Hanoverian State Railways, although it was operated by the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
. The Göttingen–Arenshausen
and Northeim
–Ellrich
lines were not completed until after the transfer of the Hanoverian State Railways to Prussia after the War of 1866.
and renamed as the Prussian railway division of Hanover.
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
by the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
in 1866. At that time its railway network, which comprised 800 kilometres of track, went over to the Prussian state.
The Kreuzbahn
The concept of the Kreuzbahn arose from the desire of King Ernest Augustus IErnest Augustus I of Hanover
Ernest Augustus I was King of Hanover from 20 June 1837 until his death. He was the fifth son and eighth child of George III, who reigned in both the United Kingdom and Hanover...
to avoid having a central railway station in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. The routes therefore ran into the district of Lehrte
Lehrte
Lehrte is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 17 km east of Hanover. Lehrte is a picturesque town with a population of 45,000 and a modern infrastructure, combined with local culture and an interesting history.-History:The first documented...
in the form of a cross (hence Kreuzbahn = cross railway) and, as a result, Lehrte developed into an important railway hub.
The government of the Kingdom of Hanover had initially taken over the construction of state railways, because no private sponsors could be found for the first railway lines that were planned. These were the routes:
- Hannover via LehrteLehrteLehrte is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 17 km east of Hanover. Lehrte is a picturesque town with a population of 45,000 and a modern infrastructure, combined with local culture and an interesting history.-History:The first documented...
to PeinePeinePeine is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, capital of the district Peine. It is situated on the river Fuhse and the Mittellandkanal, approx. 25 km west of Braunschweig, and 40 km east of Hanover.- History :...
on the border with the Duchy of BrunswickDuchy of BrunswickBrunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815... - Lehrte to CelleCelleCelle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
- Lehrte to HildesheimHildesheimHildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
The first line, a 16 kilometre stretch from Hanover via Misburg to Lehrte, was opened on 22 October 1843. Its extension towards Brunswick followed on 1 December 1843 as far as the state border at Peine; there on 19 May 1844 it was joined to the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
The Duchy of Brunswick State Railway was the first state railway in Germany. The first section of its Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway line between Brunswick and Wolfenbüttel opened on 1 December 1838.-Opening:...
that owned almost a third of the now 60 kilometre long connexion between the two residenz
Residenz
Residenz is a very formal, otherwise obsolete, German word for "place of living". It is in particular used to denote the building or town where a sovereign ruler resided, therefore also carrying a similar meaning as the modern expressions seat of government or capital...
cities. On 15 October 1845 the Lehrte–Celle line
Lehrte–Celle railway
The Lehrte–Celle railway is a main line in the east of Hanover Region in Germany. It links the railway hub of Lehrte with the town of Celle, where it connects to the present-day Hanover–Hamburg railway...
followed and on 12 June 1846 the Lehrte–Hildesheim line was finally completed.
From the Kreuzbahn the following additional lines were built under the direction of the Royal Hanoverian Railway which was founded on 13 March 1843:
The Celle–Harburg line
Hanover–Hamburg railway
The Hanover–Hamburg railway is one of the most important railway lines in Lower Saxony and Germany. It links the Lower Saxon state capital of Hanover with Hamburg, running through Celle, Uelzen and Lüneburg.- History :...
via Uelzen
Uelzen
Uelzen is a town in northeast Lower Saxony, Germany, and capital of the county of Uelzen. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, a Hanseatic town and an independent municipality....
and Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
was opened on 1 May 1847 and on 15 October 1847 the Hannover–Minden line followed with its connexion to the main line
Cologne-Minden trunk line
The Cologne-Minden trunk line is a railway built by the Cologne-Minden Railway Company . The line is the westernmost part of the railway line from Berlin to the Rhine that was proposed by Friedrich List in his Concept for a railway network in Germany, published in 1833...
operated by the Cologne–Minden Railway Company.
Bremen Railway
Against the wishes of Prussia the line to Bremen, which was jointly funded with the state of BremenBremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, was not constructed directly from Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
, but from Hanoverian Wunstorf
Wunstorf
Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf....
. On 12 December 1847 the Wunstorf–Bremen section was opened. As a result of the political events of 1848/49 (March revolutions
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
), further expansion of the railway network in the Kingdom of Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
was delayed.
Hanoverian Southern Railway
- 1 May 1853: Hannover–Alfeld
- 15 September 1853: Nordstemmen–Hildesheim link
- 31 July 1854: Alfeld–Kreiensen–GöttingenGöttingenGöttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
extension - 8 May 1856: Göttingen–Hanoverian Münden (including the Dransfelder Rampe)
- 23 September 1856: Hanoverian Münden–Kassel
Hanoverian Western Railway
The project, jointly agreed with Prussia, for a railway from LöhneLöhne
Löhne is a town in the district of Herford, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Löhne is situated on the river Werre, approx. 8 km north of Herford and 20 km south-west of Minden.-Neighbouring places:* Hüllhorst* Bad Oeynhausen...
to the Cologne-Minden Railway Company
Cologne-Minden Railway Company
The Cologne-Minden Railway Company was along with the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company and the Rhenish 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.-Founding :The founding of the...
network via Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
to Emden
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
did not come to fruition until there had been protracted discussions about the course of the line and its connexion to the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
railway network.
In the end they agreed upon the present-day route from von Löhne via Osnabrück to Prussian Rheine
Rheine
Rheine is a city in the district of Steinfurt in Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city in the district and the location of Rheine Air Base.-Geography:Rheine is located on the river Ems, approx. north of Münster, approx...
, that at the same time provided a junction at Münster to the Royal Westphalian Railway Company
Royal Westphalian Railway Company
The Royal Westphalian Railway , was a German rail company established in 1848 with funding from the Prussian government, which later became part of the Prussian State Railways...
(Königlich-Westfälische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) and from there a link via Salzbergen
Salzbergen
Salzbergen is a municipality in the Emsland district, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Ems, approx. 25 km south of Lingen, and 10 km northwest of Rheine.It has the oldest oil refinery in the world, opened in 1860....
to Leer and Emden.
The link to the Dutch railway network was achieved from Hanoverian Salzbergen
Salzbergen
Salzbergen is a municipality in the Emsland district, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Ems, approx. 25 km south of Lingen, and 10 km northwest of Rheine.It has the oldest oil refinery in the world, opened in 1860....
through Bentheim
Bentheim
County of Bentheim is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the Dutch provinces of Overijssel and Drenthe, the district of Emsland, and the districts of Steinfurt and Borken in North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :The District has roughly the same territory as the County of...
to Oldenzaal. On 24 November 1854 the first section, Emden–Papenburg
Papenburg
Papenburg is a city in the district of Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners.-Districts:...
, was completed.
- 21. November 1855: Löhne–Osnabrück opened
- 19./20. Juni 1856: Entire route via Rheine to Emden completed
- 18. November 1865: SalzbergenSalzbergenSalzbergen is a municipality in the Emsland district, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Ems, approx. 25 km south of Lingen, and 10 km northwest of Rheine.It has the oldest oil refinery in the world, opened in 1860....
–Oldenzaal
Bremen–Bremerhaven railway
On 23 January 1862 the extension of the Bremen line to Geestemünde/Wesermünde (today BremerhavenBremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
) was effected, again in conjunction with the city of Bremen.
Elbe train ferry
On 15 March 1864 after lengthy negotiations the line along the river ElbeElbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
from Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
to Hohnstorf was finally built and, at the same time the Lauenburg-Hohnstorf Elbe Ferry Company
Lauenburg–Hohnstorf ferry
The Lauenburg-Hohnstorf Ferry was a railway ferry over the River Elbe between Hohnstorf on the left bank of the Elbe in the old Kingdom of Hanover and Lauenburg in the Duchy of Lauenburg on the right bank which was then part of Denmark...
was formed and they established a ferry to connect with the Berlin-Hamburg Railway Company's Lauenburg–Büchen line on the other side of the Elbe.
Harz
The VienenburgVienenburg
Vienenburg is a town in the district of Goslar, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the north of the Harz mountain range on the river Oker, approx. northeast of Goslar...
–Goslar
Goslar
Goslar is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.-Geography:Goslar is situated at the...
railway was also owned by the Hanoverian State Railways, although it was operated by the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
The Duchy of Brunswick State Railway was the first state railway in Germany. The first section of its Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway line between Brunswick and Wolfenbüttel opened on 1 December 1838.-Opening:...
. The Göttingen–Arenshausen
Arenshausen
Arenshausen is a village in the Eichsfeld district of Thuringia, Germany....
and Northeim
Northeim
Northeim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, seat of the district of Northeim, with, as of 2002, a population of 31 000. It's located on the German Half-Timbered House Road.-History:...
–Ellrich
Ellrich
Ellrich is a town in the district of Nordhausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the southern edge of the Harz, 13 km northwest of Nordhausen....
lines were not completed until after the transfer of the Hanoverian State Railways to Prussia after the War of 1866.
Transfer of the state railway to Prussia
On 15 December 1866 the Royal Hanoverian State Railways was merged into the Prussian state railwaysPrussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
and renamed as the Prussian railway division of Hanover.
Source
- Bundesbahndirektion Hannover (Hrsg.): 1843–1983. 140 Jahre Eisenbahndirektion Hannover. Hannover o. J. (1983)
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany