Thune
Encyclopedia
Thunes Mekaniske Værksted A/S, Thune for short, was a Norwegian
manufacturing company that among other things built locomotive
s. The production facilities were last located at Skøyen
.
. Anders Paulsen Thune was a blacksmith
by profession. His son took over the enterprise, and in 1851 they moved to Christiania
. By 1870 the production facilities were located in the street Ruseløkkveien. In 1871 Andreas Lauritz Thune
, grandson of the founder, took over. The facilities were almost immediately moved to the nearby street Munkedamsveien. He started production of agricultural machinery
and steam engine
s. Locomotive
production began in the 1890s.
Eventually, the locale in Munkedamsveien became too small for large-scale industrial production. Located in the centre of the city, it was difficult to expand. Instead, Thune bought the property Kjellebekk at Skøyen
in Aker
, a more rural municipality that surrounded Kristiania. In addition, Skøyen was served by a railway station
. Thune moved to Skøyen in 1901, and all activity in Munkedamsveien was ceased by 1903. After moving to Skøyen, production of turbine
s was started.
Around the turn of the century Thune had become the most important locomotive manufacturer in Norway, along with Hamar Jernstøberi og Mekaniske Verksted. Between 1901 and 1920 these two manufacturers delivered about 250 locomotives to the Norwegian State Railways. Locomotives built for the Norwegian State Railways (alone or in partnership) included NSB Di 2
, NSB El 1
, NSB El 2
, NSB El 3
, NSB El 4
, NSB El 5
, NSB El 8
, NSB El 11
and NSB El 13
. In 1935 it built the NSB Class 49
locomotive, nicknamed Dovregubben, together with Hamar Jernstøberi. Thune and Hamar delivered five engines between 1935 and 1941. However, with the hardships of World War II
, the production of the Class 49 was stalled. Four engines under construction at Thune were never completed. Thune was acquired by the owners of Kværner Brug.
Thune resumed activity after the war, peaking at a number of about six hundred laborers during the 1950s. However, in 1969 the company was merged with Eureka Mekaniske Værksted to form Thune-Eureka. It relocated to Tranby
in 1976. The Thune name ultimately disappeared as Thune-Eureka was acquired by the Kværner
corporation, continuing under the name Kværner Eureka. The old production facilities have been rebuilt to house shops, offices and restaurants. Locally, the area is still known as Thune, the name lent to the Oslo Tramway station
east of Skøyen.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
manufacturing company that among other things built 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. The production facilities were last located at Skøyen
Skøyen
Skøyen is a neighborhood of Oslo, Norway. It is located in the western part of the city, in the borough of Ullern.The name "Skøyen" comes from Old Norse Skǫðin, of unknown etymology....
.
History
It traced its roots to a workshop founded by Anders Paulsen Thune in 1815 in DrammenDrammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
. Anders Paulsen Thune was a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
by profession. His son took over the enterprise, and in 1851 they moved to Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. By 1870 the production facilities were located in the street Ruseløkkveien. In 1871 Andreas Lauritz Thune
Andreas Lauritz Thune
Andreas Lauritz Thune was a Norwegian engineer and businessman, associated with the company Thunes Mekaniske Værksted.He was born in Drammen. His grandfather, who was a blacksmith by profession, had founded a workshop in that city in 1815. The workshop developed to the manufacturing company Thunes...
, grandson of the founder, took over. The facilities were almost immediately moved to the nearby street Munkedamsveien. He started production of agricultural machinery
Agricultural machinery
Agricultural machinery is machinery used in the operation of an agricultural area or farm.-Hand tools:The first person to turn from the hunting and gathering lifestyle to farming probably did so by using his bare hands, and perhaps some sticks or stones. Tools such as knives, scythes, and wooden...
and steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s. 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...
production began in the 1890s.
Eventually, the locale in Munkedamsveien became too small for large-scale industrial production. Located in the centre of the city, it was difficult to expand. Instead, Thune bought the property Kjellebekk at Skøyen
Skøyen
Skøyen is a neighborhood of Oslo, Norway. It is located in the western part of the city, in the borough of Ullern.The name "Skøyen" comes from Old Norse Skǫðin, of unknown etymology....
in Aker
Aker, Norway
Aker is a former municipality in Akershus, which lends its name to a municipality and a county in Norway. The name originally belonged to a farm which was located near the current Old Aker Church...
, a more rural municipality that surrounded Kristiania. In addition, Skøyen was served by a railway station
Skøyen Station
Skøyen is a railway station located in Oslo, Norway and is part of Drammen Line. The station serves commuter trains, some regional trains and the Flytoget airport express train service. Skøyen station is owned and operated by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.Though some continue on, the...
. Thune moved to Skøyen in 1901, and all activity in Munkedamsveien was ceased by 1903. After moving to Skøyen, production of turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s was started.
Around the turn of the century Thune had become the most important locomotive manufacturer in Norway, along with Hamar Jernstøberi og Mekaniske Verksted. Between 1901 and 1920 these two manufacturers delivered about 250 locomotives to the Norwegian State Railways. Locomotives built for the Norwegian State Railways (alone or in partnership) included NSB Di 2
NSB Di 2
NSB Di 2 was a diesel-hydraulic locomotive used by the Norwegian State Railways . The 54 delivered locomotives had three axels and were used as shunters throughout the entire NSB system.-History:...
, NSB El 1
NSB El 1
NSB El 1 is the first electric locomotive series used by Norges Statsbaner, from 1922 until 1973. Twenty-four engines were delivered from ASEA and Thune, twenty-two in 1922 and two in 1930...
, NSB El 2
NSB El 2
NSB El 2 was a series of two electric locomotives built by Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri and Thune for Norges Statsbaner in 1923. They remained in service until 1967. Neither has been preserved.-References:*...
, NSB El 3
NSB El 3
NSB El 3 was an electric locomotive used by Norges Statsbaner to transport iron ore on Ofotbanen. Five twin-locomotive sets were in service from 1925 to 1967.-History:...
, NSB El 4
NSB El 4
NSB El 4 was an electric locomotive used by Norges Statsbaner to transport iron ore on Ofotbanen. NSB had a total of five triple-locomotive sets.-History:...
, NSB El 5
NSB El 5
NSB El 5 was an electric locomotive built by AEG, Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri, Siemens, Hamar Jernstøperi and Thune between 1927 to 1936, with a total of 12 units being delivered to Norges Statsbaner. They were capable of 1,044 kW and top speed of 70 km/h. Number 2039 is preserved by the...
, NSB El 8
NSB El 8
The NSB El 8 was a Norwegian electric locomotive which was built between 1940 and 1949. Although fast, the El 8 did not have bogies, making it rather stiff in the turns, a problem which was remedied with the introduction of the NSB El 11 and NSB El 13....
, NSB El 11
NSB El 11
The NSB El 11 was an electric locomotive which was operated for both passenger and freight trains by NSB. It was the third type of Norwegian electric locomotive with bogies, after the NSB El 7 and NSB El 9. They were manufactured by Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri and Thune mekaniske verksted...
and NSB El 13
NSB El 13
NSB El 13 is a Norwegian electric locomotive which was used by Norges Statsbaner for both passenger and freight trains.The locomotive is a heavier and upgraded version of the NSB El 11 which was popular among its crew but unsuitable for journeys in heavy snow on lines such as Bergensbanen. Like...
. In 1935 it built the NSB Class 49
NSB Class 49
The NSB Class 49, nicknamed Dovregubben , locomotives were 2-8-4 steam locomotives used to pull heavy trains on the Dovre Line. It is the largest type of steam locomotive in the history of the Norwegian State Railways....
locomotive, nicknamed Dovregubben, together with Hamar Jernstøberi. Thune and Hamar delivered five engines between 1935 and 1941. However, with the hardships of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the production of the Class 49 was stalled. Four engines under construction at Thune were never completed. Thune was acquired by the owners of Kværner Brug.
Thune resumed activity after the war, peaking at a number of about six hundred laborers during the 1950s. However, in 1969 the company was merged with Eureka Mekaniske Værksted to form Thune-Eureka. It relocated to Tranby
Tranby
Tranby is a village in Lier municipality, Norway.Tranby is a part of a greater urban area which also encompasses Hennummarka. The urban area is named Tranby and has a population of 5,580.-References:...
in 1976. The Thune name ultimately disappeared as Thune-Eureka was acquired by the Kværner
Kværner
Kværner was a Norway-based engineering and construction services company in existence between 1853 and 2005 when it was merged with Aker ASA. The Kværner name was used in the subsidiary Aker Kværner until April 3, 2008 when it changed name to Aker Solutions. Kværner re-emerged on 6...
corporation, continuing under the name Kværner Eureka. The old production facilities have been rebuilt to house shops, offices and restaurants. Locally, the area is still known as Thune, the name lent to the Oslo Tramway station
Thune (station)
Thune is a light rail station on the Oslo Tramway.Located at Skøyen, it was opened by Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei as an extension of the Skøyen Line 1901. It is served by line 13....
east of Skøyen.