Tramsite Schepdaal

The vicinal tramway line going from Ninove to Brussels Ninoofsepoort starts operating on September 8, 1887. It used metre-gauge rails and had its depot in Schepdaal. This depot became the national museum for the vicinal tramway on May 5, 1962,[1] but was still used as depot for the line Brussels-Ninove (line Ni) too until 1968. The line was abolished on February 21, 1970.

The whole site (station building and engine houses) became protected in 1993.[2] The museum was managed by volunteers and closed for renovation in 1999, only to be reopened ten years later (July 1, 2009) by the non-profit association "Erfgoed Vlaanderen".[3]

A lot of work remains to be done, like the re-electrification of the grounds of the depot and the renewal of the tracks and switches, to enable short rides with the carriages.

Tram locomotives and carriages are kept in 3 depots

• Depot 1 has vehicles that fit the standard-gauge railways.
• Depot 2 is the biggest of 3 and has steam and electrical locomotives and passenger carriages, as well as freight vehicles. Also several historical artifacts related to the tramway's history are kept there on display.
• Depot 3 is used as workshop for maintenance and restoration purposes.

The rest of the site is kept in original condition and are (or will be) open to visitors;

• Station (building), where people were able to buy tram tickets and wait for their tram. Also used to house the family of the stationchief; kitchen, desk, lavatory, toilets, sleeping rooms. The workers on late or early shift also were allowed to sleep there. Nowadays this is either used for storage, visitor reception and ticketing, a small shop and up for future display, after more restoration.
• Weigh bridge
• Water tower and pump to fill the vehicles that run on steam
• Wood and sand warehouse; those materials were used to put on tracks when it was freezing or raining
• Coal warehouse
• Forge
• Lamp warehouse

The majority of the historic vehicles is displayed in depot 2. The main showpiece is the royal carriage once built for King Leopold II of Belgium. It remains a mystery if the King ever actually used the vehicle, but it is certain that the Shah of Persia used it when he visited Ostend in 1900.[2]

Several electrical vehicles dating back to 1894 (NMVB) and one of the last steam vehicles dating back to 1920.[2]

• 
  NMVB-locomotive type N from Brussels
• 
  Steam tram

• article (Dutch) about the inauguration
• website Tramway museum Schepdaal