A special journey through time at the STAR Museum Railway

Heritage railway

STARS

special time travel

Historic railway

History

An exciting day out at the STAR Museum Railway

Embark on a truly special journey back in time by train at Museumspoorlijn STAR. The Stichting Stadskanaal Rail, as the railway is officially known, was founded in June 1992. Its primary objective is the preservation of the historic railway line between Veendam-Stadskanaal and Stadskanaal-Musselkanaal as an industrial monument of the Veenkoloniën. The addition of STAR to the name of the operating museum is a nod to the ‘Stadskanaal-Ter Apel-Rijksgrens’ (Stadskanaal-Ter Apel-State Border). This was the Groningen-Drenthe Railway Company in the 1920s.

The STAR Steam Railway, how it all began

The current railway line on the route between Veendam and Musselkanaal is a remnant of what was constructed at the start of the last century. Both the STAR and the NOLS, the Noord-Ooster Locaal Spoorweg Maatschappij (Northern East Local Railway Company), focused on this. Starting in 1905, this allowed Stadskanaal to be reached from the direction of Gieten in Drenthe. In the years that followed, the network of lines was expanded with both the Emmen to Stadskanaal line and the Stadskanaal to Veendam line. When the Musselkanaal-Ter Apel railway line was completed, Stadskanaal became the most important junction. In addition to passengers, goods were also transported on the line from Stadskanaal.

Deployment of many volunteers

Although the museum railway was founded in 1992, the first train did not run until 1994. There was a lot of deferred maintenance, and the 27-kilometre-long track also had to be cleared of the necessary trees and bushes. The Dutch Railways had kept the railway operational with minimal effort until 1991, but numerous platforms, level crossings, and stations had already been demolished by then. Thanks to the efforts of many volunteers, the first museum train ran in 1994, allowing the 25th anniversary of STAR Museum Railway to be celebrated at the end of 2017. Today, the museum train is a popular attraction in the region and far beyond.

A coloured timetable

On the museum railway’s website, you will find a coloured timetable that tells you exactly when the trains depart. For example, on green operating days, trains run the route between Stadskanaal and Veendam, and on red operating days, they also run between Stadskanaal and Musselkanaal. On yellow operating days, an event is planned and the train does not run. On blue operating days, a special timetable is in effect which will be announced on the website at least a month in advance. You will also find all information on the website about the Stadskanaal, Veendam, and Musselkanaal stations, as well as about the Bareveld and Wildervank stops.

Mien Ruys was nicknamed ‘Bielzen Mien’ (Sleeper Mien) due to her use of railway sleepers in her garden designs. This trend was very popular throughout the Netherlands in the 1970s. She therefore enjoyed working with straight shapes such as rectangles and squares.

Museum and permanent exhibition

In addition to a special train journey, you can also visit the museum at Museumspoorlijn STAR. Here you can, among other things, take a look inside a real steam locomotive and take a seat in the driver's cab. There is also a permanent exhibition on the history of the railway, and films are shown regularly. Furthermore, when you have purchased a train ticket, admission to the museum is free.

In short, Mien Ruys' Gardens offer a fantastic experience for everyone.

Packages and combi-tickets

To get the most out of your visit to the STAR Museum Railway, choose one of our various packages or combi-tickets. For example, with the Blauwestad package, you will travel by both a modern train and a classic bus. This package also includes a boat trip on the beautiful Oldambtmeer lake and a visit to the impressive sand sculptures of Blauwestad. In addition, combinations with, for example, a visit to the Veenkoloniaal Museum in Veendam are also possible.

Plenty to do for children

Naturally, there is also ample attention given to the youngest visitors to the museum railway. For instance, they can work as a conductor for a day or travel by steam train from Stadskanaal to Veendam to visit the Doe Museum. For older children and, of course, adults, there is also the 'Gaststoker' (Guest Stoker) package. With this, you help out on the steam locomotive and learn under the guidance of an experienced stoker how to get these impressive machines moving.

Out and about in your own train

Suppose you are having a family reunion, a company outing, a children's party or any other celebration. What could be better than a trip out in your own steam or diesel train? Museumspoorlijn STAR offers you this unique opportunity and organises an unforgettable day for your party and you. From a train ride to a buffet and from a museum visit to a coffee and cake reception, anything is possible. Furthermore, the media room in the carriage shed is ideally suited for business presentations, and you can conclude the day with drinks together in the lovely station restaurant. Looking for even more Activities in the area?

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