Vicinal Tramway
The National Company of Light Railways (, abbreviated as NMVB; , abbreviated as SNCV) was a state-owned transportation provider which comprised a system of narrow-gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country, including the countryside, and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system. They were and included electrified city lines and rural lines using steam locomotives and diesel railcars; half the system was electrified. The company gradually switched to buses and dismantled the tram tracks. Only the coastal line, the Charleroi light rail system, and the short line to the caves at Han-sur-Lesse are still in commercial use; four museums hold significant collections of rolling stock, including the museum at Schepdaal and the ASVi museum in Thuin. The longest () and oldest (40 years) tourist tramway is the ''Tramway Touristique de l'Aisne'' (TTA), between Érezée and Dochamps. A sponsoring group called "Tramania" has supported var ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Coat Of Arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full achievement (heraldry), heraldic achievement, which in its whole consists of a shield, supporters, a crest (heraldry), crest, and a motto. A coat of arms is traditionally unique to the armiger (e.g. an individual person, family, state, organization, school or corporation). The term "coat of arms" itself, describing in modern times just the heraldic design, originates from the description of the entire medieval chainmail "surcoat" garment used in combat or preparation for the latter. Roll of arms, Rolls of arms are collections of many coats of arms, and since the early Modern Age centuries, they have been a source of information for public showing and tracing the membership of a nobility, noble family, a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Han-sur-Lesse
Han-sur-Lesse (, ; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Rochefort, located in the province of Namur, Belgium. Han-sur-Lesse was called Ham from 1139, Ham Han Sur Lesche, from 1266, Han Sur Lece from 1465 and Ham sur lez from 1528, by which time it had 14 families. The village then declined, with plague, epidemics and Franco-Spanish wars, but by 1766, there were 62 villagers. In 2021 the population was about 1,000. The place is famous for the '' Grottes de Han-sur-Lesse'', a cave complex carved under a hill by the river Lesse, which tourists reach via a preserved remnant of the country's vicinal tramway system. The metre gauge line opened in 1906 as a branch off the Rochefort-Han-sur-Lesse- Wellin line, which was open from 1904 to 1957. Between 1988 and 1992 the village tram terminus was moved from a loop around the church of Saint-Hubert de Han-sur-Lesse to a loop on the other side of Rue Joseph Lamotte. The church of Saint-Hubert, in the centre of ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Track Gauge Conversion
Track gauge conversion is the changing of one railway track gauge (the distance between the running rails) to another. In general, requirements depend on whether the conversion is from a wider gauge to a narrower gauge or vice versa, on how the rail vehicles can be modified to accommodate a track gauge conversion, and on whether the gauge conversion is manual or automated. Sleepers If tracks are converted to a narrower gauge, the existing timber sleepers (ties) may be used. However, replacement is required if the conversion is to a significantly wider gauge. Some sleepers may be long enough to accommodate the fittings of both existing and alternative gauges. Wooden sleepers are suitable for conversion because they can be drilled for the repositioned rail spikes. Concrete sleepers are unsuitable for conversion. Concrete sleepers may be cast with alternative gauge fittings in place, an example being those used during the conversion of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway from to . ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Metropolitan Areas In Belgium
National statistics differ between five Metropolitan areas in Belgium. , Sarah Luyten, Etienne Van Hecke, Instituut voor Sociale en Economische Geografie, K. U.Leuven These five metropolitan areas (Dutch: ''Agglomeratie'', French: ''Agglomération'') are also covered by statistics as separate (LUZ). Metropolitan areas See also *[...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after Tournai and Couvin. With a population of 565,039, it is the List of most populous municipalities in Belgium, most populous municipality in Belgium, and with a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million people, the country's Metropolitan areas in Belgium, second-largest metropolitan area after Brussels. Definitions of metropolitan areas in Belgium. Flowing through Antwerp is the river Scheldt. Antwerp is linked to the North Sea by the river's Western Scheldt, Westerschelde estuary. It is about north of Brussels, and about south of the Netherlands, Dutch border. The Port of Antwerp is one of the biggest in the world, ranking second in Europe after Rotterdam and List of world's busiest container ports, within the top 20 globally. The city ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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French Language
French ( or ) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European family. Like all other Romance languages, it descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. French evolved from Northern Old Gallo-Romance, a descendant of the Latin spoken in Northern Gaul. Its closest relatives are the other langues d'oïl—languages historically spoken in northern France and in southern Belgium, which French (Francien language, Francien) largely supplanted. It was also substratum (linguistics), influenced by native Celtic languages of Northern Roman Gaul and by the Germanic languages, Germanic Frankish language of the post-Roman Franks, Frankish invaders. As a result of French and Belgian colonialism from the 16th century onward, it was introduced to new territories in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, and numerous French-based creole languages, most notably Haitian Creole, were established. A French-speaking person or nation may be referred to as Fra ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dutch Language
Dutch ( ) is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken by about 25 million people as a first language and 5 million as a second language and is the List of languages by total number of speakers, third most spoken Germanic language. In Europe, Dutch is the native language of most of the population of the Netherlands and Flanders (which includes 60% of the population of Belgium). "1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." (page 153). Dutch was one of the official languages of South Africa until 1925, when it was replaced by Afrikaans, a separate but partially Mutual intelligibility, mutually intelligible daughter language of Dutch. Afrikaans, depending on the definition used, may be considered a sister language, spoken, to some degree, by at least 16 million people, mainly in South Africa and Namibia, and evolving from Cape Dutch dialects. In South America, Dutch is the native l ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dochamps
Dochamps (; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Manhay, located in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. The earliest mention of the village is from 1011, but there appears to have been an earlier Viking settlement here for some time. Its remains were destroyed in the 1612 by Huguenots. In 1642 the village was pillaged and destroyed by Dutch Calvinist troops. Several of the villagers were burnt to death inside the church tower, while others escaped to a nearby forest and later rebuilt the village. In 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, the village was again damaged by war. The church of the village has foundations from the 12th century but largely dates from the 17th century when it was rebuilt after the sack of the village. It was restored again after World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Érezée
Érezée (; ) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers , had 2,968 inhabitants, a population density of . The municipality consists of the following districts: Amonines, Érezée, Mormont, and Soy. Other localities are Clerheid and Fisenne. Attractions *Tramway Touristique de l'Aisne __NOTOC__ The Tramway touristique de l'Aisne (, ''Aisne Tourist Tramway'') is the official designation of the tourist use of a former rural vicinal tramway in Belgium. The line is the oldest and longest tramway in the province of Luxembourg (Bel ... See also * List of protected heritage sites in Érezée References External links * Municipalities of Luxembourg (Belgium) {{LuxembourgBE-geo-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tramway Touristique De L'Aisne
__NOTOC__ The Tramway touristique de l'Aisne (, ''Aisne Tourist Tramway'') is the official designation of the tourist use of a former rural vicinal tramway in Belgium. The line is the oldest and longest tramway in the province of Luxembourg (Belgium), Luxembourg, between Érezée and Manhay, Dochamps. It is a rail gauge, gauge line along the Aisne river. The extension from Forge à la Plez and Dochamps to Lamorménil was opened by Prince Laurent of Belgium on 21 June 2015. See also * Tram * Vicinal tramway • Belgian Coast Tram • Tram de Han * List of town tramway systems in Belgium External links *Press file*Official web site of the TTA Tram transport in Belgium Metre-gauge railways in Belgium Heritage railways in Belgium Tourist attractions in Luxembourg (Belgium) Érezée Manhay {{Belgium-transport-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tourist Tramway
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a part of the efforts to preserve rail transit heritage. In addition to preserving street-running rail vehicles, heritage streetcar operations can include upkeep of historic rail infrastructure. Working heritage streetcars are closely related to the growing global heritage railway movement and form a part of the living history of rail transport. The vehicles are called streetcars or trolleys in North America and trams or tramcars elsewhere. The first two terms are often used interchangeably in the United States,Young, Andrew D. (1997). ''Veteran & Vintage Transit'' (). St. Louis: Archway Publishing. with ''trolley'' being preferred in the eastern US and ''streetcar'' in Canada and the western US. In parts of the United States, internally powered buses made to resemble a streetcar are often referred to as "trolleys". To avoid further confusion with trolley buses, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) refers to them as "trol ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Thuin
Thuin ( or ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Biercée, Biesme-sous-Thuin, Donstiennes, Gozée, Leers-et-Fosteau, Ragnies, Thuillies, and Thuin (including the hamlets of Hourpes and Maladrie. Thuin is the headquarters of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (International Canine Association). History Origins This area was already being used as a burial place in Gallo-Roman times, around the 2nd and 3rd century. The earliest name of the settlement, ''Thudinium Castellum'', referring to a Roman fortification, is found on a 9th-century offering in Lobbes Abbey, which lists various neighbouring towns and related tithe duties. The village was a possession of the abbey of Lobbes and, together with the abbey, became part of the Bishopric of Liège in 888. The neighbouring Aulne Abbey, reputedly founded in the 7th century by Landelin, a repentant robber, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |