{{Short description|Railway line in Northwest Jutland, Denmark}}{{Infobox rail line |name = Lemvig Line |native_name = Lemvigbanen |image = Midtjyske-jernbaner-lemvigbanen-am-1105257.jpg |image_width = 300px |image_alt = |caption = The Lemvig Line near {{rws|Harboøre}} in 2018 |type = Railway line |system = Danish railways |start = {{rws|Vemb}} |end = {{rws|Thyborøn}} |stations = 19 |open = 20. juli 1879 ({{rws|Vemb}}-{{rws|Lemvig}})<br/>22. juli 1899 ({{rws|Lemvig}}-{{rws|Harboøre}})<br/>1. november 1899 ({{rws|Harboøre}}-{{rws|Thyborøn}})<ref name=DanskeJernbaner/> |owner = Midtjyske Jernbaner<ref name=OmMidtjyskeJernbaner/> |operator = Midtjyske Jernbaner<ref name=OmMidtjyskeJernbaner/> |character = Local railway |stock = |linelength = {{convert|56.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} |tracks = 1 |gauge = {{RailGauge|sg}} |electrification = No |speed = {{convert|75|km/h|mph||abbr=on}} |map = thumb|300px|center|Map of the Lemvig Line {{Lemvig Line}} }} {{Update after|2026}} The '''Lemvig Line''' ({{langx|da|Lemvigbanen}} or ''Vemb-Lemvig-Thyborøn Jernbane'' (''VLTJ'')) is a {{convert|57|km|mi|abbr=on}} long local railway line in Northwest Jutland, Denmark.<ref name=OmMidtjyskeJernbaner/> The railway links the fishing port of Thyborøn and the market town of Lemvig with the Danish railway network.

Established in sections between 1879 and 1899, the standard gauge single track railway line is mostly level. It is currently owned and operated by the regional railway company Midtjyske Jernbaner (MJBA) which runs frequent local train services from {{rws|Thyborøn}} and {{rws|Lemvig}} stations to Vemb station on the Esbjerg–Struer railway line, with onward connections from Vemb to the rest of Denmark.

The unelectrified railway is operated with a fleet of five double-unit Y-train railcars, but from 2025 battery trains are gradually starting to operate on the Lemvig Line, as the first railway line in Denmark.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nanna|last=Lindbæk Qvesel|title=VLTJ suser nu afsted som det første grønne tog i Danmark|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/vltj-suser-nu-afsted-som-det-foerste-groenne-tog-i-danmark|trans-title=VLTJ is now speeding off as the first green train in Denmark|newspaper=DR|date=14 July 2025|accessdate=5 November 2025|language=da}}</ref> VLTJ has its own workshop and servicing facilities on the line in Lemvig.

==History== The first section of the railway line from {{rws|Vemb}} on the Esbjerg–Struer railway line to the market town of Lemvig on the Limfjord was opened on 20. juli 1879.<ref name=DanskeJernbaner/> The second section from Lemvig to Harboøre opened on 22 July 1899, followed by the third and last section from Harboøre to the fishing port of Thyborøn by the North Sea on 1 November 1899.<ref name=DanskeJernbaner/>

The railway was used to test a prototype hydrogen-powered train in 2010.<ref>{{cite news | title=Demonstrating the power of hydrogen | url =http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/demonstrating-the-power-of-hydrogen.html | work =Railway Gazette International | date = 2008-01-01 | author=Claus Torbensen}}</ref>

==Map== <mapframe width="400" height="300" align=center> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "page", "title": "Danish Railway VLTJ.map" } </mapframe>

==Operating company== {{Infobox company | name = Vemb-Lemvig-Thyborøn<br>Jernbane A/S | logo = Lemvigbanen logo.svg | logo_size = 100px | caption = | type = Aktieselskab | genre = | fate = Merged with Odderbanen | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = 1879 | founder = | defunct = 2008 | location_city = Lemvig | location_country = Denmark | location = | locations = | area_served = Denmark | key_people = | industry = | products = | services = Passenger transportation | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = www.lemvigbanen.dk (defunct) | footnotes = }} The Lemvig Line was built and originally operated by the two railway companies ''Vemb-Lemvig Railway'' (VLJ) and ''Lemvig-Thyborøn Railway'' (LTJ), which on August 16, 1921 were merged to form the company ''Vemb-Lemvig-Thyborøn Jernbane A/S'' (VLTJ). Until 1 January 2008, the railway was operated by VLTJ which was then merged with Hads-Ning Herreders Jernbane A/S (the operating company of the Odder Line in East Jutland) to form the regional railway company Midtjyske Jernbaner.<ref>{{cite web |title=Midtjyske Jernbaner |url=http://www.regionmidtjylland.dk/regional+udvikling/kollektiv+trafik/regionale+busser/midtjyske+jernbaner |date= |work= |publisher=Region Midtjylland |language=Danish |accessdate=28 July 2009 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716114157/http://www.regionmidtjylland.dk/regional+udvikling/kollektiv+trafik/regionale+busser/midtjyske+jernbaner |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Stations == [[Image:MX 26-Mx 41.jpg|thumb|VLTJ MX 26 (front), previously a DSB class MX diesel locomotive, at {{rws|Lemvig}} in 1999.]]

thumb|MJB 10B arriving Klinkby station === Victoria Street Station === thumb|Lemvigbanen train at Victoria Street station (in Vejlby) A single platform station on the line.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Midtjyske Jernbaner, VLTJ |url=https://www.visit-nordvestkysten.com/northwest-coast/whatson/midtjyske-jernbaner-vltj-gdk606766 |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=VisitDenmark |language=}}</ref> Its original name was '''Vejlby Stoppested'''. Previously, passengers who wanted to ride the train had to turn the signal themselves, a vertical pole with a plate at the top, to make the train stop. The train driver then made sure to turn the signal back before the train moved on.

This station, approximately 1&nbsp;km north of Vejlby, in a popular summer tourist spot,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historie |url=https://mjba.dk/midtjyske-jernbaner/historie/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Midtjyske Jernbaner |language=da-DK}}</ref> was originally open during the summer period to cater for the bathing tourists who from Vejlby Nord had to travel approximately 500m to the sea along a gravel road.

The name Victoria Street Station was assigned by some citizens, allegedly at a time when the Lemvig Line took too long to refit a nameplate at the platform. The name refers to a nearby ''Viktoriavej'' and was formally recognized by the railway company in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vestjylland set gennem togruden |url=https://mjba.dk/vestjylland-set-gennem-togruden/ |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=Midtjyske Jernbaner |language=da}}</ref>

== Popular culture == The railway achieved fame in Denmark, when the band {{ill|Tørfisk|da|Tørfisk (musikgruppe)}} in 1985 wrote the song "VLTJ" describing a trip with the railway. This song later achieved cult status. The song is based on the Irish folk song "Poor Paddy Works on the Railway".{{portal|Trains|Denmark}}

== See also == * History of rail transport in Denmark * Rail transport in Denmark * List of railway lines in Denmark * Transport in Denmark

== References == {{reflist|colwidth=20em|refs=<ref name=OmMidtjyskeJernbaner>{{cite web|url=https://mjba.dk/midtjyske-jernbaner/|title=Om Midtjyske Jernbaner|publisher=Midtjyske Jernbaner|language=da|accessdate=5 November 2025}}</ref><ref name=DanskeJernbaner>{{cite web|url=https://danskejernbaner.dk/vis.bane.php?BANE_ID=163&content=Lemvigbanen-Vemb-Lemvig-Thybor%C3%B8n-Jernbane|title=Lemvigbanen, Vemb–Lemvig–Thyborøn Jernbane|website=danskejernbaner.dk|language=da|accessdate=5 November 2025}}</ref>}}

== Further reading == {{refbegin|colwidth=30em}} * {{ cite book | last=Jensen | first=Niels | title=Danske Jernbaner 1847–1972 | trans-title=Danish railways 1847–1972 | year=1972 | publisher=J. Fr. Clausens Forlag | location=Copenhagen | isbn=87-11-01765-1 | language=da }} * {{ cite book | last=Jensen | first=Niels | title=Vestjyske jernbaner | trans-title=Railways of West Jutland | year=1977 | publisher=J.Fr. Clausens Forlag | location=Copenhagen | isbn=87-11-03821-7 | language=Danish | ref=Jensen (1977) }} {{refend}}

== External links == * [http://www.lemvigbanen.dk/ Official website] * {{cvr|cvr=36899115|name=Lemvigbanen. Vemb-Lemvig-Thyborøn Jernbane A/S}} *{{in lang|da}} [http://danskejernbaner.dk/ Danske Jernbaner] – website with information on railway history in Denmark

* [http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/dk/private/VLTJ/pix.html VLTJ at The Railfaneurope.net Picture Gallery] - Photos

Category:Railway companies established in 1879 Category:Railway lines in Denmark Category:Railway lines opened in 1879 Category:1879 establishments in Denmark

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