Steam Train Maldegem-Eeklo


Steam Train Maldegem-Eeklo, formerly Steam Centre Maldegem, is a heritage railway association based at the former NMBS station of Maldegem in northern Belgium. Standard gauge steam and diesel trains run on the line to Eeklo. A narrow gauge line runs from Maldegem to Donk on the former line to Bruges; this was supplemented by the standard gauge line in 1989.

Line 58

Railway Belgian [railway line 58|line 58] used to run from Ghent to Bruges, but half of it was closed for passengers in 1959 and for goods in 1962 and 1967. Steam Train Maldegem-Eeklo maintains of standard gauge tracks between Maldegem and Eeklo. In Maldegem the organization has acquired the old NMBS station and its buildings. In Balgerhoeke there is a simple station without buildings. In Eeklo, SME has its own simple Eeklo Oostveld station, but the association has also acquired permission to use track 3 of NMBS's Eeklo station, with tracks 1 and 2 still in use for mainline NMBS passenger trains. In Eeklo station SME's preserved line connects to line 58 of the national railway network of Infrabel.

Stock List

Steam locomotives

  • Operational
  • *Standard Gauge
  • **Avonside No. 1908 of 1925. Named "Fred".
  • **La Meuse of 1926. Named "Bébert".
  • **St. Léonard n°947 of 1893. Build in Liège.
  • **Hunslet, No. 3796 of 1953, WD196, "Errol Lonsdale". Previously based on the South Devon Railway in England.
  • ** Hanomag 0-4-0WT of 1906.
  • Non Operational
  • *Narrow Gauge
  • **TKh No. 5387, named "General Maczik". Moved to SME from the Northampton & Lamport Railway in England in 2006.
  • **Haine St. Pierre n°416 of 1891. Awaiting restoration
  • **Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0WT of 1911. Named "Marie", Static.
  • ** "Adolphe" Tubize 4-6-2 1935. Built for Brussels World Fair railway. Awaiting restoration.
  • *Standard Gauge
  • **Haine Saint-Pierre n°1405 of 1923. Stored awaiting restoration.
  • ** 41.195 Macintosh superheated 0-6-0. Awaiting restoration.
  • ** AD08 "La Meuse" awaiting restoration.

Diesel locomotives

  • Operational
  • *Standard Gauge
  • **SNCB Class 74 7408. Operational.
  • **SNCB Class 80 8040. Operational.
  • **SNCB Class 91 9151. Operational.
  • *Narrow Gauge
  • **Moës 4wDM.
  • **Moës 4wDM, named "NELE".
  • **Diema DS30-1
  • Non Operational
  • *Standard Gauge
  • **Moës shunter named "Karien"
  • *Narrow Gauge
  • **Moës 4wDM, to be named "Dolly", under repair.
  • **Simplex 4wDM, Under restoration off site.

Diesel multiple units

  • Operational
  • *Standard Gauge
  • **SNCB Class 44 single car unit 4403 Operational.
  • **SNCB Class 46 single car unit 4620 Operational.
  • **SNCB Class 49 single car unit 4903 Operational.
  • **SNCB Inspection unit ES202.
  • Non Operational
  • *Standard Gauge
  • **SNCB Class 44 single car unit 4405 Will be scrapped