Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag
legal form Aktiebolag
founding September 10, 1851
resolution December 31, 1893
Seat SwedenSweden
Branch Railway companies

Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag was a Swedish railway company . It was founded on September 10, 1851 with the purpose of building the Nora – Ervalla railway line . The line is considered to be the first standard gauge line to be operated by locomotives in Sweden.

prehistory

At a meeting of the ore mining companies of Örebro and Skaraborg County on April 28, 1847, mining inspector Carl Oscar Troilius , who later became the general director of the state railway, proposed the construction of a horse-drawn railway from Nora to Örebro for the first time . He invited to a later meeting with a “respectful invitation” , in which he considered the railway to be necessary due to “partially increased ore extraction and iron production in mountain deposits, as well as the development of the ore mines and the handling of ore deliveries” . In connection with this, he announced that the annual cost of haulage for road transport between Nora and Örebro would rise to at least 60,000 Riksdaler banco , of which around 80 percent would be for the transport of ore, iron and grain.

At the beginning of 1848, the mining companies commissioned Count AE von Rosen to carry out a preliminary study for a "horse-drawn railway between the cities of Örebro and Nora" . The estimate for a four mile and 425 cubit route was Rdr 460,000. The mining companies decided to submit an application to the king for a grant of Rdr 2,000. for the completion of a complete construction and cost estimate to be sent. This request was granted by the king. At a meeting with those involved in Örebro on April 25, 1849, the construction of the railway was decided and a provisional board of directors was appointed.

It was difficult to arouse interest in this new way of communication. The first serious step towards realization was taken at a meeting of interested parties in the summer of 1851 in connection with an agricultural meeting. It was decided that shares should be issued with regard to the construction of a horse-drawn railway. Prince Gustav , Duke of Uppland , was present at the meeting and participated in the subscription of the shares. Later the Crown Prince, later King Charles XV. , a partner in the company.

founding

The provisional directorate had meanwhile made a request to the king, asking for government grants of Rdr 150,000. and government bonds for the same amount. In 1851 the Swedish Reichstag approved 75,000 Rdr. in the form of grants and 150,000 Rdr. as a loan with four percent interest. Now a stock company could be founded. The founding meeting of Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag took place on September 10, 1851. 196 shares were subscribed at the meeting. It was decided that the shareholders would receive 100,000 Rdr. should pay in and a loan of 135,000 Rdr. should be included. The following board members were elected: Baron H. Hamilton, Boo , Colonel A. Anckarsvärd, Karlslund, mining inspector CO Troilius, Nora, ironworks director A. Wedberg, Nora, Reichstag deputy P. Persson, Järnboås, ironworks director GE af Geijerstam, Frösvidal and accountant L. Widestrand , Örebro.

At the general meeting on January 26, 1852, Claes Adolf Adelsköld was appointed building director. In addition, the question of the merger with the company Köping – Hults järnväg, which is currently being established, for the construction of the Köping – Örebro – Hult railway line was discussed. This would enable the joint construction of the railway between Dylta (Ervalla) and Örebro.

Those involved in Köping – Hults järnväg negotiated with Graf von Rosen von der Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag , who had a new cost estimate drawn up for a locomotive-operated railway line from Nora to Dylta (Ervalla) with a length of 17.42 km, with the same gauge for both lines. The costs for the construction were on 413,000 Rdr. and for the vehicles to 60,800 Rdr. estimated.

After Köping – Hults järnväg was approved by the king in 1852, it seemed likely that this line would soon be built. Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag decided on January 27, 1853 that the line should be built as a railway with locomotives according to von Rosen's proposal. An application should be made to the king that the funds approved for the horse-drawn tram could be used for a Lokomotivbanan Nora-Ervalla . For this purpose, a grant of 333 1/3 Rdr., Thus a total of 75,000 Rdr., Should be contributed for each subscribed share. The rest of the funds needed to build the railway could be raised from the sale of the company's shares in England.

However, this suggestion meant that half a year of negotiations with G. Burge, the potential contractor for the Köping – Hult railway line, who was supposed to build the Nora – Ervalla railway line, was lost. Due to an economic crisis in England there was no way to sell Swedish railway papers there at the time. Burge withdrew from his assignment under these conditions.

At the meeting on September 20, 1853 it was decided to increase the share capital of Rdr. to 6,740 shares with 60 Rdr. to distribute, of which 5,840 should be preference shares with a four percent dividend. The remaining 1,260 shares already subscribed should be common stock. There was also a new contract with the mill owner Fr. Sundler, Vårgårda . This should cover the entire route construction with the exception of the preparatory costs, the land acquisition and the engineering services at a price of 208,000 Rdr. in cash and 3,810 preference shares with 60 Rdr. with a four percent preferential price or a total of Rdr 228,000. perform in stocks.

Economic data

In 1857-1859, 135 Rdr. paid per share, which is around Rdr. revealed. The bridge at Järleån required additional funds, which in the years 1861–1864 amounted to 90 Rdr. per share, thus 120,000 Rdr. revealed. Finally, between 1864 and 1867, 85 kroner per share were paid, which brought in 114,000 kroner.

The loans were conscientiously repaid. The government bond No. 1 with 150,000 Rdr. and private loans with 150,000 crowns Rdr. were met by the end of 1869. The government bond No. 2 with 75,000 Rdr. was paid out on December 31, 1883, leaving the company free of debt.

From 1870, the company paid its shareholders dividends, which for the years 1870–1879 were: 25, 30, 30, 35, 20, 25, 25, 25, 20 and 15 kroner per share and for 1880–1887: 22 , 50, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25 kroner per share. Until 1887, 447.50 kroner was paid per share. In the years 1883–1885, shares in Nora-Ervalla järnvägs were paid for 500 kroner each.

Sale of the Nora – Ervalla line

The first thought of selling the railway line because of economic difficulties came after the bridge over Järleån collapsed on October 25, 1855, before the line between Nora and Ervalla opened. In 1859, the general assembly decided to instruct the board of directors to submit an inquiry to the king as to whether the line could be taken over into state ownership. However, the answer was negative.

In 1864 the French banker Ch. Daugny asked for the price for the route. In connection with this, it was announced that there were plans to acquire and merge with Nora – Ervalla järnväg , Köping – Hults järnväg and Gävle – Dala järnväg . After that, this plan was never taken up again. In 1872 the company decided to offer the route to Vestra Bergslags jernvägsbolag (presumably later Bergslagernas järnvägar ). The plans were unsuccessful.

In mid-1878 the board of directors of Nora-Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag discussed selling the railway to a buyer no longer known today, possibly Nora-Karlskoga järnvägsaktiebolag . The shareholders' meetings in September 1878 and April 1880 decided to charge a purchase price of 500,000 crowns per mile. This attempt failed.

Nora – Karlskoga järnvägsaktiebolag's business was pretty bad in the early 1880s. The Board of Directors considered it likely that the elimination of competition in freight traffic from Nora to Kristinehamn by Nora – Ervalla järnväg , Köping – Hults järnväg and Statens järnvägar could lead to an improvement. Therefore, the board of directors of Nora – Karlskoga järnvägsaktiebolag decided in 1883 to purchase the route.

The sale took place so quickly that the management board was able to report in 1885 that the last Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag shares had been redeemed. The purchase price was 680,000 kroner, 500 kroner per share. The official settlement took place until October 14, 1893. At that time the share value had risen to 810,000 kroner or 595.59 kroner per share. The company was dissolved on December 31, 1893.

Regulations for the station board

Nora – Ervalla järnvägsaktiebolag laid down provisions for the station board. The station management, called commissioner within the company , called in the necessary carters for this purpose and sometimes a permanently employed troop of loading workers , the so-called Lastnings Compagniet , who for 1867 for the piecework wage of 1/2 Öre per hundredweight (11 , 8 ore per ton) to load the goods. The income from the fees from space and warehouse rental went to the station's board. The protocol of 1866 is an indication of this, the net proceeds amounted to 5,000 Rdr during this time. per year.

The provisions that were drawn up for the station master in Nora at the end of 1866 also contained: The master has to take over all tasks belonging to a station and receives an annual salary of 3,500 Rdr. plus half of all trading fees that the station collects. He is also entitled to an office and an apartment next to it, which is papered over. An annual sum of 100 Rdr. for fuel to heat these rooms and the waiting room in the cold season.

The person accepted for this position

  • a) has to provide a guarantee for a sum of 20,000 Riksdaler riksmynt .
  • b) undertakes not to do any private business, whatever name they may be. If he violates this provision, he loses his position.
  • c) is responsible for the care of all accepted goods, as well as for underweight and undersize. A possible overweight is at his expense, with the only exception of ore, where both overweight and underweight benefit the goods owner.
  • d) must ensure that the ore is transported from the mines, the ore is weighed and the wages paid. The company procures the required ore scales.
  • e) pays half of the fees, insofar as these are necessary for the company and its operations. He pays the salaries and is responsible for all the office operations he needs. He pays for the lights in the office, the books for the accounting and the other stationery.
  • f) settles the current traffic income every 10 days and delivers the amount of cash to the cashier

At the beginning of each quarter he gives the managing director a complete list of the last three months. He has to take care of all the necessary correspondence for the transport and commission business, printing invoices, etc. with punctuality and order. In addition, he receives everything from the manager and cashier that will save him and his position from hardship.

In 1867 the railway company decided that from 1870 the station master should be responsible for any loss. This turned out to be risky because it was difficult to collect debts. At the same time, the remaining road users were charged handling costs from this year, which resulted in revenues of Rdr 11,629. brought in. Beginning in 1875, the station board's income from the profit from forwarding transactions was limited to 2,500 kroner, the same amount was guaranteed as a minimum.

Until 1875 the station chief paid his assistants. These were employed with the following annual salaries: first accountant 1,500 kroner, second accountant 960 kroner and telegraph operator 600 kroner. 15 percent of this had to be given for accommodation.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rolf Sten: NEJ, Nora – Ervalla Järnväg. In: Historiskt om Svenska Järnvägar. Retrieved May 9, 2013 .