"Walking the line" - along the railway track to Zelenika

an imaginary train journey through Herceg Novi

Tracking the narrow gauge 760 mm railway in Herceg Novi,

opened in 1901 and closed down in 1968.

This part of the Yugoslav railway network, built by the Austrians, ended up in Zelenika.


Above the border crossing into Montenegro you can see the track.

Here it comes,

Sutorina Railway Station

.... one for the ladies and one for the real men,

and here it leaves, further on, down to Igalo,

closer down to the sea level,

crossing the road to Njivice,

 from Nenadovic' wedding in February 1904 in front of the brand new railway



 crossing the river Sutorina,





passing across the plain Solila (Solina),

onto the town Igalo



where the railway station has been demolished, but here it was.

And here it is in those two photos; down to the right.

 Closeby we find this only remaining wagon from the narrow gauged line.



From this roof top we can try to imagine the steam locomotive arriving town, 

and leaving,

where the cars now are in charge.

“In this view near Uskoplje, junction for the line to Hercegnovi,

No. 83-126 banked by 83-151 were working upgrade

with empties for the bauxite mines at Hum.

Unfortunately the picture cannot reproduce

the characteristic two-beats-to-the-bar CHUFF-chuff,

very loud and quite regular,

made by these wonderful engines,

so obviously well maintained.”

(Charlie Lewis in 1965 in his text to a picture

http://www.penmorfa.com/JZ/index.htm)



This is where the railway track leave the road

and continue along nowadays pedestrian Šetalište to the right,



and the scenery for travellers became more and more impressive.

Just following the track....

Igalo 1910

slightly before 1963-64

1964




Day of conclution for the Festival Mimoza, parade walking to Škver.

Entering Topla.

 The tunnel in Topla is a masterpiece of engineering.

And even more; tribute to the workers who made it. 

Closing up to Škver

This picture is said to be from 1890.

It might be so. It shows no railway track.

Herceg Novi 1914

Škver (means square) 1910-1920, is the old harbour for Herceg Novi.

The railway in Herceg Novi was built in the period when this region,

including the Bay of Kotor, was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.



1901-1903

 Herceg Novi Railway Station

is now rennovated by the famous filmmaker, actor and musician Emir Kusturica

and opened as a centre for culture activities.

 1903

1912

Passing by Forte Mare

 and the citadel Citadela,

which was completely destroyed in the earthquake i 1979,

eleven years after the last train passed by.

Between 1974 and 1982 all the remaining Yugoslav narrow-gauge lines were closed

by decree from head office - apparently on advice from foreign consultants.

Those consultants did Yugoslavia and the world at large a great disservice.

Whereas Switzerland has long banked on the scenic beauty of its country

to keep its narrow-gauge lines open mainly for tourism,

Yugoslavia, with scenery that is arguably every bit as good as Switzerland's,

could have been advised to do the same.

A by-product of such a policy would have been

the retention of rural services to isolated communities.

(Charlie Lewis in http://www.penmorfa.com/JZ/index.htm)



Hotel Plaža then and now.

1924



Entering Savina, where there was some kind of train stop, but no regular station.

It might have been close to the upto now military hospital in Savina/Meljine.




the shelter at the railway stop in Savina 1968



arriving from Meljine 1967, to the right the Red Cross rest home - one of the largest in Yugoslavia

Entering Meljine.

Looking back to Savina with the Monastery and the military (now civil) Hospital.

The railway track crossed around in the outskirts of Meljine,

but it is today part of the main road in the middle of the town.

The track split from the road, heading right,

and continue to this tunnel.

The tunnel is closed and serve as a place where a local guy makes a living.



The road for cars was forced to klimb, hanging outside this cliff

before the new road came with another tunnel.









Closing up the final destination, Zelenika,

where there was built a new harbour to connect the railroad to the world.

Not suprisingly, this first hotel in Herceg Novi,

Hotel Plaža in Zelenika was opened in 1902.



Zelenika Railway Station





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This last two pictures are from August 1968, when the railroad tracks was removed.

67 years of railroad history had come to an end.

An enthusiast from Mikulići, Marko Bradovica,

has made a wonderful plan to reopen the railway

between Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi as a touristic attraction.

It would be a great pleasure for the region

if he succeeds getting the emotional and financial support he needs.

The sceneries travelling this track on a train would be just amazing.

I really wish him good luck.

For more information of how it was to travel this line

and of technical and material descriptions,

please go to

http://www.penmorfa.com/JZ/index.htm

Lot of credit also to

http://www.zeljeznice.net/forum/index.php?/topic/5936-uskoplje-zelenika/

Thanks a lot for following me all the way.

Hope to see you somewhere soon on the Šetalište.