Hardenstein (ship)
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The Hardenstein , also known as the Ruhr Valley ferry , is a passenger ferry . It runs free of charge on the Ruhr in Witten near the Hardenstein castle ruins in Herbede and the Herbeder Schleuse in Heven and thus represents a touristic enrichment of the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path , which changes banks in Witten.
Operation takes place daily from morning to evening near the Kemnader reservoir ; 15 volunteer skippers and staff as well as a full-time ferryman ensure the operation.
The Hardenstein replaced a smaller predecessor of the same name in the summer of 2010 in order to cope with the increasing number of passengers. The hull was delivered in early February 2010 and completed in August. The start of ferry operations took place step by step, the "old ferry" can now be found on Lake Kemnade.
history
Since 1997 advice has been given in the city of Witten about a ferry connection in the region. However, the financial situation did not permit such an undertaking until several district towns came together in 2004 .
The Ruhr Valley ferry was created in cooperation between the cities of Bochum , Hagen , Hattingen , Herdecke , Wetter , Witten, the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR) and the Ennepe-Ruhr district . It is funded by the European Union as part of the “Artery - River Landscapes of the Future” project. The carrier of the ferry is the Witten Society for Work and Employment Promotion mbH (WABE), which also provides the staff.
First ferry
The ship , approved for 16 people , was built in 2005 in Asperen, the Netherlands . As part of an employment program for young unemployed people, it was equipped in Witten and the interior work was carried out. On March 2, 2006, the Arnsberg district government issued the permit and on March 29, the ship was deployed into the Ruhr by a crane from the Bochum fire brigade . On April 30, 2006, the ferry was christened “ Hardenstein ” by Witten's mayor Sonja Leidemann and then set out on its maiden voyage under Captain Lothar Voss.
In its first season, the ferry carried more than 80,000 passengers across the Ruhr. When the weather is nice (on the weekend) you had to expect waiting times, as a maximum of 12 cyclists including bikes are allowed. The engine had to be replaced in the summer of 2007 because it was unable to cope with the frequent load peaks when moving back from the landing stage and due to the current.
Second ferry
Therefore, a larger ferry was purchased that can take up to 49 people at the same time. She is a 13.50 by 4.60 meter catamaran with two propellers and oars, which started operations in the summer of 2010.
The new hard stone with two 10 kilowatt- paid electric motors fitted whose batteries with 48 volts and 2,000 amps hours allow a service life of up to five days. According to the planning, a large part of the electricity required should come from solar collectors , which should be installed on and around the "old lock house". Due to lack of space and reasons of monument protection , this was not yet possible, so that the batteries are now charged with electricity from the nearby hydropower station of the Friedrich Lohmann steel factory .
Ferry times and costs
The Hardenstein runs daily during the season from the beginning of April to October 31 and transports around 150,000 people per season (as of 2017). The inland skippers work two shifts a day. There is no fare. According to the operator, the maintenance of the ferry connection costs around 40,000 euros annually, so donations can be made voluntarily during the crossing.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Dunja Briese: From the life of a ferryman . In: Regional Association Ruhr (Hrsg.): Metropole Ruhr . No. 1 , 2018, p. 12–13 ( online [PDF; accessed July 1, 2018]).
- ↑ Michael Vaupel: A real piece of cream. WAZ , March 15, 2010, archived from the original on January 21, 2018 ; accessed on January 22, 2018 .
- ↑ Christoph Heemann: There it is. Witten Society for Work and Employment Promotion, July 17, 2010, archived from the original on November 14, 2016 ; accessed on January 21, 2018 .
Coordinates: 51 ° 25 ′ 21 ″ N , 7 ° 18 ′ 5 ″ E