Hesselby Jernvägsmuseum

The Stationshuset Hesselby, the station building, was built in 1902. It was the largest intermediate station on the railway line between Slite and Roma, the Slite-Roma Jernväg (SIRJ). Only 50 years later, the train connection was already abandoned and the station building functioned as a post office after 1953.

The foundation of Gotlandståget

After the last train on Gotland came to a halt in the early 1960s, the tracks were also removed. In 1972, the association Föreningen Gotlandståget was founded and bought the station ground in Dalhem and also the steam locomotive SIRJ 3 "Dalhem". In the following years, buildings, locomotives and wagons were restored. On October 8, 1978, the first phase was completed and Gotlands Hesselby Jernvägar (GHJ) was inaugurated.

Between 1978 and 1992 and since 2008, the association has used the steam locomotive as a museum train. Today it runs regularly on the route between Hesselby and Roma. However, the association's collection has grown quite a bit in the years since its founding. Today, the fleet consists of four steam locomotives, three diesel locomotives, two rail buses, 18 passenger coaches and countless freight wagons and service vehicles.

The station area and railway museum

Since the foundation of the association Gotlandståget, several buildings have been restored on the site of the station. Today, the entire station consists of the Hesselby Station and its toilet block, a workshop, two train sheds, a turntable, a magazine and a number of outbuildings.

The magazine from 1939 now houses a permanent exhibition of the railway museum on two floors. A wide variety of objects as well as old timetables, photos and uniforms tell the story of the railway on Gotland.

Today, the station's annexe houses the Hesselby Jernvägskafé. It does not only offer space for up to 70 guests, but also homemade snacks. Since 2002, some of the buildings on the Hesselby station site have been declared historical monuments.

The train line between Hesselby and Roma

After the station building was completely renovated between 1972 and 1974, the rails on the line between Dalhem and Eken were also installed again until 1978. For many years, the museum train commuted on this short route until more rails were to follow in 2006. Between 2006 and 2015, further track sections were added piece by piece, and the current connection between Hesselby and Roma is around 6.5 kilometres long. The journey on the museum train takes about 30 minutes.

For those who would like to experience the route at close range, it is also possible to ride parts of the route on a rented handcar on train-free days.