One hundred years ago, on 24 April 1924, the ferry boat service was officially opened. As the name suggests, the idea is to combine the power of the rail with that of a ship. To be specific, rail tracks are laid on the decks of ships. Wagons containing goods can thereby be run directly onto the ship. This eliminates the need to transship goods, saving the shipper time and packaging costs, and reducing the risk of damage to goods. ► Find out more with our technical history card in French or Dutch.
The Zeebrugge-Harwich Ferry-Boats
Delivery of the S1 steam railcar (the future 500.01). Three steam-powered railcars were delivered to SNCB in 1930. They were manufactured by the British company Sentinel Waggon Works Ltd. This photo shows the vehicles disembarking from the ferry from Great Britain.
• 1930 – collection SNCB/NMBS – Z00693
Zeebrugge – Embarkation point for goods bound for Great Britain. It was inaugurated on 24 April 1924 and operated by the ‘Belgo-English Ferry-Boat Company’.
• Scale model SNCB/NMBS – 2624
This freight car was used by the Société Belgo-Anglaise des ferry boats to transport perishable goods to Great Britain via ferry.
• Scale model SNCB/NMBS – 7617
Closed wagon for ferry-boat.
• Collection SNCB/NMBS
Personnel stowing wagons on the bridge.
• Collection SNCB/NMBS – K00609
Ferry-boat at Zeebrugge container terminal.
• Collection SNCB/NMBS – K00609
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