Tram line Lichtenvoorde–Bocholt (1910

Tram line Lichtenvoorde–Bocholt

In 1910, a tram line was opened from Lichtenvoorde to Bocholt, via Bredevoort and Aalten. In 1953, the tram line was discontinued and the tracks were broken up.

Around the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of Aalten residents crossed the border every day to work in one of the textile factories in the neighbouring German city of Bocholt. In all weathers, they travelled on foot, by bicycle, or by horse and carriage. Some took up to three hours to cover the (roughly) ten kilometres between home and work, both in the morning and in the evening!

Plans

As early as 1880, there were plans to extend the Lichtenvoorde–Groenlo tram line to Aalten, Varsseveld, and Terborg. By 1893, there were plans for a horse-drawn tram line from Groenlo to Lichtenvoorde, Bredevoort, Aalten, and Dinxperlo/Bocholt. In 1899, the final plan was eventually drawn up for two steam tram lines: from the Lichtenvoorde-Groenlo station to Zeddam and to Bocholt. To this end, the Geldersch-Westfaalsche Stoomtram-Maatschappij (GWSM) was established in 1905, with its head office in Lichtenvoorde.

The Bocholter Volksblatt wrote on 1 October 1907:

Holländische Arbeiter in Bocholt

“Yesterday evening, a local citizen on his way back from Aalten to Bocholt, as he informs us as a loyal subscriber, took the pleasure of counting the workers returning by bicycle from Bocholt to the border. On his way from the Kreuzkapelle to the Holtwicker Bach, he counted no fewer than 276 cyclists; he also encountered a large wagon which was also transporting workers, estimated at perhaps 40–50. In this respect, therefore, the Bocholt–Aalten light railway certainly does not have such bad prospects for ridership, especially since there will undoubtedly be many more workers who wish to come here for work.”

A year later, on 4 November 1908, the same newspaper wrote:

Dampfeisenbahn Bocholt–Aalten

“After long negotiations, the Bocholt manufacturers and other interested parties have finally succeeded, through the subscription of large sums of money, in ensuring that the Bocholt–Aalten light railway is now being built. It has now been entered into the commercial register of the local district court under Geldersch-Westfälische Dampfeisenbahn-Gesellschaft AG in Lichtenvoorde in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with a branch office in Bocholt. Hundreds of Dutch workers are employed in the local factories, who have had to cover the approximately 3-hour journey to Holland on foot or by bicycle, every morning and evening, in wind and weather. Construction of the railway will be commenced immediately.”

Festive Opening

In 1909, construction of the tram line began. However, the work suffered significant delays as a result of a major flood near Bredevoort that year. Finally, the tram line was festively opened on 29 April 1910.

It soon became apparent that only the Aalten–Bocholt section was a successful part of the GWSM. However, due to the outbreak of World War I, the border crossing was closed, making it impossible for transport to continue from Aalten to Bocholt. When this route was resumed in 1915, there were far fewer passengers than before, and it was therefore shut down completely in 1916.

From the 1920s onwards, passenger services between Aalten and Lichtenvoorde were largely operated by motor trams. This continued until 1933, when buses from the Veldhuis company began operating. After the 1930s, only freight transport proved successful (with the exception of the Aalten–Bocholt section).

In 1953, the tram line came to an end and the rails were broken up.

Features

Function	Tram line
Opening	1910
Discontinuation	1953

Sources

Bocholter Volksblatt, 1 October 1907 (link)
Bocholter Volksblatt, 4 November 1908 (link)
Graafschapbode, 19 February 1910 (Delpher)
Topotijdreis
Wikipedia

Stops

Below is a list of stops between Lichtenvoorde and Bocholt that were located within the municipality of Aalten (click here for a list of all stops):