Minør - A Reykjavík Harbour Railway Loco

[Rob Pulham]

On a recent visit to Iceland Chris and I came across this delightful little loco on the dockside in Reykjavík.

 

 Minør was one of two steam locomotives built by the Jung engine company of Germany. Built in the 1890s in Germany, they worked briefly in Denmark before being imported to Iceland in 1913 for the harbour railway project. They remained in use until 1934 (wikipedia has this fact wrong stating that they were withdrawn in 1928). It was nice to read that both have been preserved (the second one, 'Pioner' is in a local folk museum).

 

There was a series of plaques commemorating the centenary of the completion of the harbour construction showing different views in the last 100 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andy Y]

I never realised that there were any railways in Iceland but hadn't considered constructors' railways.

 

That's an interesting one, even if the back end looks like a gas mask.

[Rob Pulham]

I never realised that there were any railways in Iceland but hadn't considered constructors' railways.

 

That's an interesting one, even if the back end looks like a gas mask.

 

Me neither Andy,

 

It wasn't easy to find either, we initially spotted it from a coach and went looking for it when we got off. It was well hidden in between a load of fenced off construction areas.

 

Having looked again I agree with you about the 'gas mask' look

[EddieB]

Sister loco "Pioner" is in the Arbaer Museum in Reykjavik - a 100% survival rate. Minor is moved to an indoor location in the dock area and brought outside during the short summer season. (Sorry can't do the accents from a tablet).

[PhilJ W]

Interesting the close set buffers.