Steam train from Dendermonde to Puurs

The old Baasrode-Noord railway station has an extensive collection of historical engines and carriages and in the summer months also serves as the starting station for an authentic steam train. It takes travellers to Puurs along line 52, which has not been in official use since the 1980s but has been kept open since 1977 by the Belgian Steam Locomotive Friends association, who put on pleasure rides to keep the spirit of railway heritage alive. The association was later renamed as Steam train Dendermonde-Puurs (SDP). The vintage railway carriages in the collection originate from the beginning of the 20th century.

Travel in a K1 from 1933. This carriage was built by Baume & Marpent with interiors by Henry van de Velde, who was appointed artistic adviser by the board of directors of Belgian railway company NMBS on 11 March 1932. Van de Velde, pioneer of the decorative arts in Belgium, applied his unique style to the benches, window and door hardware, luggage racks, cane holders and lighting fixtures. Once this first-class carriage had become defunct, it became part of the collection at the Dutch Steam Foundation (SSN), the museum for steam engines in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. But the NMBS later bought it back and after extensive restoration it now offers enthusiasts the opportunity to dine in style while taking a cosy journey through the Scheldt region.