Description

Mr Boelhouwers will start the lecture with a story about the genesis history of the RTM and further tell something about the development, uniqueness, existence and end of this company. He will support the story with photos shown on the projector. After the lecture, a number of film clips on DVD about the RTM will be played.

He writes:
"I have not been employed at the RTM myself. Only 2 of the 50 volunteers at the Museum van de Rotterdamsche Tramweg Maatschappij are former employees of the RTM. A few are still alive, but they have already reached an advanced age. Through an uncle of mine , he was assistant stationmaster in Amersfoort, my interest in rail transport was sparked at an early age. This was sparked when I went to MULO in 1955 in Zuidpolderstraat in Rotterdam-Zuid, a side street of Beijerlandselaan. Through this street, the steam or diesel tram from Numansdorp followed by a diesel from Strijen always passed by in the morning just before 9 o'clock. As a result, I always kept a special interest in the RTM. After leaving school in 1959 I joined the PTT as a telegraph operator. After the disbandment of the telegraph service in 1993, I held various staff positions until my early retirement from KPN in 1999. So I did not have any technical training. Even before I took early retirement, I knew I would volunteer at the RTM museum in Ouddorp. Due to private circumstances, this was only possible in 2001. I am there 1 or 2 (and sometimes even 3) times a week. My main task is restoring and maintaining interiors of the passenger carriages. I also help with track maintenance and am a conductor during the driving season. At home I also do a lot, namely writing pieces for the magazine for our donors and the history of the RTM. With the help of a couple of colleagues, for instance, I have made an inventory of all the objects that can still be found, such as surviving bridges, station buildings, depots, service houses, tracks, etc. (over 400 objects!). Furthermore, questions about the RTM are passed on by the board to a few staff members, including me, which one of us then answers. Currently, together with a colleague, I am sorting out about 3,000 RTM photos from the estate of the museum's previous chief workshop. In short, I put a lot of time, and have the opportunity to do so, into the RTM!

10.00 hrs Prior to the lecture: Histechnica General Assembly (in the Faculty Room of the Science Centre)

10.30 hrs Reception with coffee
11.00 hrs Lecture "The Rotterdamsche Tramweg Maatschappij" by Mr C. Boelhouwers (in the lecture room)
11.45 hrs Break
12.15 hrs Continuation of the lecture with a concluding discussion
12.45 hrs End of meeting

Speaker(s)

C. Boelhouwers

Location

Science Centre, Mijnbouwstraat 120,

2628 RX Delft

Organiser

History of Technology

Histechnica

Name and contact details for information

Further information from L.A. Hissink at the e-mail address below.

hissinkla@planet.nl

Directions