Connecting railways of the Lüneburg wax bleaching facility and saline

		from Lüneburg Süd train station
		to Soltau
		End of the siding working group Verkehrsfreunde Lüneburg
		Ilmenau
		Willy-Brandt-Strasse
		Willy-Brandt-Strasse
		formerly wax bleach, today HB Fuller

		Route through today's residential area ( Rotes Feld )
		Uelzener Strasse

		from Lüneburg West / Süd train station
		to Soltau
		Pastor's Kneipp path
		Arthur Illies Way,
		then common course with the Arthur-Illies-Weg
		Soltauer Strasse
		Behind the saltworks
		then common course with the road Hinter der Saline

		Saline area
		Behind the saltworks

		Saltworks
		Sülztorstrasse
		Gas and electricity company

The connecting railways of the Lüneburg wax bleaching and saline were two industrial railways in Lüneburg, Lower Saxony . The first line, which was operated by the OHE , opened up the Lüneburg wax bale coming from the Lüneburg Süd train station and finally reached the saltworks and the gas and electricity works, which are also the endpoints of the second saltworks connection railway branching off the Lüneburg – Soltau railway line at the level of the spa park represented. The standard-gauge connecting railways were single-track and not electrified.

history

In 1888 the administration of the Lüneburg saltworks decided to commission a siding to the saltworks, as a siding could save labor-intensive reloading. The gas and electricity works near the saltworks were also given a siding to transport coal. The connecting railway of the wax bleach with extension to the saline was built and put into operation much earlier than the Lüneburg – Soltau railway line . In 1889 surveying work began. Construction work began in 1891 and was progressing well thanks to the favorable weather conditions. The connecting railway was soon completed.

However, when a second connecting line was built from the spa gardens to the salt works in 1913, the first stretch no longer needed to get to the salt works, so the twenty years older tracks were quickly dismantled to the wax bleaching (later Chemische Werke LW HB Fuller).

In the 1980s, the salt works built in 1913 became superfluous. The line was quickly shut down and dismantled. The HB Fuller connection, which used to be used for wax bleaching, also ceased operations a short time later. There are still tracks, however, they are heavily overgrown and partially blocked by fallen trees. However, the Ilmenau Bridge and the associated tracks are still in good condition.

Route

Overgrown tracks of the connecting railways of the Lüneburger Wachsbleiche east of the Ilmenau in 2010, looking east.
Ilmenau bridge of the connecting railways of the Lüneburger Wachsbleiche east of the Ilmenau in 2010.

Connecting track of the wax bleach with extension to the saline

The connecting railway of the wax bleach with extension to the saltworks branched off from the small railway track of the Lüneburg – Soltau railway line in a south-westerly direction and then continued west through a forest. Then the Ilmenau was crossed and the connection to the wax bleaching area was soon reached. The subsequent dismantled route led through the "Red Field", which is now a residential area. Then the saltworks area was reached, where there were two connections to the other saltworks connecting railway. In addition, the saltworks had two connections there. Finally, the connecting line ended together with the other on the site of the gas and electricity works.

Connection to the saltworks

The connecting line of the salt works branched off from the Lüneburg – Soltau railway west of the stop (formerly station status) Kurpark to the north. The route then led west past the spa park, the western border of which it formed. Then the saltworks area was reached. In this area there were two connecting tracks to the older siding with wax bleaching with an extension to the saltworks. There were also two other connections to the salt works. Finally, the gas and electricity works were reached together with the connecting railway built in 1891.

Todays situation

Today both connecting railways are closed and dismantled. There are only tracks between Lüneburg Süd train station and the former wax bleaching facility. These are still used for parking wagons by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verkehrsfreunde Lüneburg on a short section from the branch point of the Soltau route into the alluvial forest of the Ilmenau . On parts of the route near the saltworks, the track areas were used as paths. These two paths are the Arthur-Illies-Weg on the edge of the spa park and the street Hinter der Saline, which leads directly to the former saltworks area.

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Connection to Saline Lüneburg. Retrieved on April 7, 2010

[1] Connection to Saline Lüneburg. Retrieved on April 7, 2010