The Zeeuwsch-Vlaamsche Tramweg Maatschappij N.V. (ZVTM), in Terneuzen, was a public transport and freight company that operated in Zeelandic Flanders. It first operated a network of narrow-gauge railways. After World War II, it switched to busses.

The ZVTM was founded in 1911. It was the result of the combination of multiple plans. Passenger transport was about as important as agricultural transport. The latter was dominated by the transport of sugar beet to nearby sugar factories. These played a big role in founding and managing the ZVTM.

After World War II, ZVTM was not able to restore its raiway operation. Freigh traffic switched to lorries and passenger traffic switched to busses. The company lost its independence in 1971. In 1978, ZVTM was merged into streekvervoermaatschappij Zuid-West-Nederland

Tram company

Context

The first steam tram company in Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen was the Stoomtram Maatschappij Breskens–Maldeghem (BM) which started a line from Breskens to Maldegem in 1887. Just east of that, the IJzendijksche Stoomtramweg Maatschappij (IJzSM), began to operate the short line from Schoondijke to the border at Veldzicht in 1891. Stoomtram Hulst–Walsoorden (SHW) began to operate in 1902. Its line went from the Belgian railway station at Hulst to the provincial ferry at Walsoorden.

All three existing companies wanted to extend their lines. Meanwhile, a committee had been formed in the east of Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen. This wanted to build a railway from Hontenisse (Kloosterzande) to Zelzate in Belgium. This was the so-called Plan Fruijtier, which was given a concession to build that line. All plans more or less counted on government subidies. In 1908, the national government offered to advance money for the line to Zelzate, but only if that would also connect to Sas van Gent.

In 1909, two plans were discussed by the provincial government. The SBM plan for a line to Terneuzen was not supported. The IJzSM plans for a line from IJzendijke via Sas van Gent to Drieschouwen and then to the border near Moerbeke and for two other lines did get support. The national government then required that for customers, the line from Hontenisse to Zelzate and the connection from Zelzate to Sas van Gent would function as if both were operated by a single company. This induced IJzSM and the committee to merge and found the company Zeeuwsch-Vlaamsche Tramweg Maatschappij N.V. (ZVTM).

Foundation of the ZVTM

On 23 May 1911, the government approval for the foundation of the Zeeuwsch-Vlaamsche Tramweg Maatschappij came in. On 29 June 1911, the contract that established the ZVTM was registered in Terneuzen. Mr. Lippens, a lawyer from Ghent, became president of the company. Mr. P. Dieleman from Middelburg became secretary. The other members of the supervisory board were: Engineer Paul Lippens from Ghent; L. de Groot from Antwerpen; Mr, Ninave, director of the Franz Wittouck sugar factory in Zelzate; P.F. Fruijtier member of the Dutch parliament; Aug. Heijlen of the Vicinaux in Louvain; J.A. van Rompu shipping agent in Terneuzen; and mr. K.P. Vermandele of the Rotterdamsche Bank. The Lippens family owned a big part of Moerbeke Sugar Factory.

In its final form, ZVTM would get a share capital of 800,000 guilders, divided in 1600 shares of 500 guilders each. Fruytier, Dieleman, and Heylen would form the executive. The supervisory board remained almost identical. Of the share capital, shares worth 110,000 guilders were not taken initially.

It was easy to merge the concession Fruijtier into the new company. Merging IJzSM into ZVTM took more time. On 26 April 1911, an extraordinary meeting of IJzSM shareholders took place right after the regular annual shareholders meeting. A proposal to sell the assets of IJzSM and then to liquidate it failed, because there were not enough shareholders present. In October 1911, another extraordinary shareholder meeting was held. It discussed a proposal to abolish the company and to transfer everything to the ZVTM for 110,000 guilders in shares of that company. This proposal was approved.

Initial plan of the ZVTM The new company made small changes to the combined plans. A significant difference was that the line from Hontenisse to Selzate would now end at Drieschouwen instead of at Selzate. In Drieschouwen it would connect to Sas van Gent and to Moerbeke. The combined plan of the company envisioned these lines: IJzendijke–Philippine–Sas van Gent Sas van Gent–Drieschouwen–Zuiddorpe to Moerbeke Pyramide–Hoofdplaat Philippine–Terneuzen–Zaamslag Hontenisse–Drieschouwen Sas van Gent–Selzate

Of these, the parts from IJzendijke to Moerbeke were initially considered to be the main line of ZVTM. In late 1913, the company started tenders to construct the whole of this line in two parts. Somewhat later, on 11 June 1914, ZVTM tendered and gave orders for: a border railway station near Moerbeke; a restored and expanded train depot at IJzendijke; a station at Pyramide; a station at Sas van Gent; and at Drieschouwen: a central office, central train depot, central work sheds, a warehouse and a fuel depot.

World War I

In World War I, Germany invaded Belgium on 4 August 1914. After the German army took Antwerp on 10 October, the border between Zeelandic Flanders and Belgium was closed.

ZVTM opened the line from IJzendijke to Sas van Gent on 1 October 1914. On its (combined) Schoondijke - IJzendijke line, ZVTM initially offered services to transport: closed freight car loads of at least 5,000 kg; ditto for open freight cars; and transporting general cargo to a limited number of stops.

It seemed that ZVTM was planning to systematically expand its rail network, but World War I posed different requirements. For example, the war cut the only overland connection for vehicles between the western and eastern parts of Zeelandic Flanders. This happened to use Belgian territory. Therefore, on 5 January 1915, ZVTM also began to offer passenger traffic on its existing line.

World War I also disrupted the communications between the Netherlands and its colonies. One of the products that used to be shipped en masse from Java, was raw sugar. Meanwhile, a considerable part of the sugar beet from Zeelandic Flanders was traditionally exported south, but in 1914/5, this was not allowed. The line from Sas van Gent to Selzate nevertheless became operational on 1 September 1915. That same month, the line to Moerbeke also became operational.

These circumstances might have induced the Dutch government to contract with ZVTM for a faster construction of the other planned lines. A detailed May 1915 contract called for a speedy construction of the remaining lines and held provisions for military transport. It allowed the state to take ownership of the company at any moment, provided that it paid an indemnity.

The close cooperation between ZVTM and the government indeed accelerated construction. By 1 July 1916, the lines: Sas van Gent–Selzate; Sas van Gent–Drieschouwen–Moerbeke; Drieschouwen–Zaamslag–Stoppeldijk–Kloosterzande; and Zaamslag–Terneuzen, were all ready to be taken into use.

After 1 July 1916, only Terneuzen–Philippine and Pyramide–Hoofdplaat to be constructed. However, the war now led to delays. Authorities therefore had to allow ZVTM to take more time than previously agreed. On 4 April 1918, the line from Pyramide to Hoofdplaat began to operate.

The line from Philippine to Terneuzen was also delayed because ZVTM had trouble to acquire the required grounds at a reasonable price. It therefore thought an expropriation law would be required. Even so, the line was approved for operation by the government in February 1918. In fact, it was ready, but not finished. Several switches had not been delivered, many loading tracks had not been completed, and many buildings were only wooden sheds. Even so, the Philippine–Terneuzen line started to operate on 1 March 1918.

In 1917 ZVTM acquired the shares of the Stoomtram Hulst–Walsoorden (SHW), which had operated since 1902.

1920s For public transport, ZVTM had to connect to the ports of Zeelandic Flanders. At the time, these were: Breskens, Hoofdplaat, Philippine, Terneuzen, and Sas van Gent. Of these, Breskens, Terneuzen, and Walsoorden had steam ferries across the Scheldt. At Sas van Gent, Axel and Moerbeke, ZVTM connected to the Belgian State Railways.

Carrying freight, especially sugar beet, was about as important as carrying passengers. ZVTM had direct connections to Sugar Factory Sas van Gent, Eerste Nederlandsche Coöperatieve Beetwortelsuikerfabriek, the sugar factory in Selzate, and Moerbeke Sugar Factory. It also connected to the chemical plant in Sas van Gent. Across the network, there were 43 big loading tracks. These were 80–180 m long and 15 m wide, excluding the track itself. These were paved and had a railroad scale. Three others were smaller. Six loading tracks were heightened for easy transport of cattle and machinery.

In business, ZVTM had a difficult start. In 1920, revenue increased from 506,209 to 672,645 guilders, i.e. by 33%, but the cost increased by 45%. Salaries alone increased by 66%. That year, earnings before interest and taxes were 89,673 guilders but the result was a net loss of 16,140 guilders. Transport of sugar beet increased from 80,306t in 1919 to 112,830t in 1920. Passenger traffic decreased. In 1923, ZVTM reorganized, leading to less employees and lower wages. In 1922/3 138,500t of beet were transported. In 1923/4 this was 148,500t. Passenger traffic decreased again due to competition from regular and irregular bus services. Net profit in 1923 was 51,912 guilders. In 1924/5 164,500t of beet were transported. In 1925/6, this was 152,500t. Passenger traffic increased slightly by giving strong reductions. In 1926 128,000t of beet were transported. In 1927, this was 122,000t. 1929 was very stable year, with a reasonable profit. Beet transport was 120,500t and passenger traffic remained stable. In 1930, 126,000t were transported. The gradual decrease in the amount of sugar beet that it transported was worrying for ZVTM, because lorries were taking an increasing chunk of this traffic.

The seat of the company was moved from Drieschouwen to the Scheldekade in Terneuzen on 12 October 1925.

1930s

+ ZVTM revenue 1925–1936 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 620,411 509,806 499,242 508,282 549,691 524,386 294,378 337,802 320,658 297,307 273,472 267,096 261,197 243,673

In about 1930, most local tramways were in deep trouble. World War I and the years immediately following it, had caused a drastic increase in the cost of labor. The government had reacted by giving a emergency subsidy on fuel, but by 1929 this had become a permanent subsidy. Meanwhile, busses and lorries gave strong competition to the local tramways. The government then appointed the commission Van der Vegt. It had to investigate what was to be done.

One of the things that the commission noted, was that the bus companies were cherry-picking on the tramways. While the trams were legally bound to offer transport in a region, the bus companies preferred to ride on the more lines at busy hours. The central government had been too slow to bind bus companies to similar conditions. In general, the commission noted that trams were slower (35 km/h) than the new means of transport. Therefore new local lines for passenger transport were unlikely. This did not apply to freight traffic. In the end, te report did lead to a change in how local tramways were subsidized.