Places with a story
Thamshavnbanen
Thamshavnbanen is the historic electric railway that linked the Løkken mine with the coast. Today its trains and stations offer a direct way to experience the industrial history that helped shape the communities of the Orkla valley.
The place1
The line was built to carry ore from Løkken Verk to Thamshavn for shipping, but it also transported passengers and ordinary goods. The first section opened in 1908, with the extension to Løkken following in 1910. Its narrow gauge and alternating-current electric system distinguish it from Norway's main railway network.
History and local connections1
Passenger services ended in 1963, while ore transport continued until 1974. The first museum train ran in 1983. Reopening sections gradually returned the railway to use as a heritage attraction. Riksantikvaren protected the full historic line in 2013, recognising tracks, stations and technical installations as parts of one industrial landscape.
What to look for12
A museum journey brings the original passenger carriages into use, while locomotives, overhead wires and station buildings explain the railway's working system. This is an electric railway, not a steam-train reconstruction. The surrounding museum and mine at Løkken provide context for the material carried on the line and the people who depended on it.
Planning a visit2
Orkla Industrimuseum publishes current train dates, tickets and the section operating for visitors. Do not assume that a journey covers the entire protected line: museum services can use a shorter stretch. Confirm boarding station, tour language and accessibility before travelling. Mine visits and museum exhibitions are separate experiences with their own arrangements.
Sources
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