Thomas Kautzor writes of his visit between 3rd and 5th May 2024 and a
further 4 day visit in December 2025 (parts 6 and 7).
Halat Ammar Station (km 581/594):
Not visited. Ruined one-storey four-arched station.
This was the site of wrecked 2-8-0 110 (Hartmann 3545/1911, ex 85) lying on its left side with explosion damage. It had been identified by Philipp Ashforth who found stampings. While Lawrence made an attack in the area on 19.09.1917, the loco was in fact blown up by a party of the Beni Atiyya tribe on 28.06.1918, after the line north of Halat Ammar had been completely dislocated in 04.1918. The loco appears to have been cut up completely for scrap, as there are no signs of it on Google Map and
no recent photos of it have emerged.
Zat al-Hajj Station (km 608/610):
One-storey station, water well and 2-tank water tower. The nearby pilgrim route Ottoman castle (971 AH/1564 AD) has a large reservoir. The local mud-house village is completely abandoned, except for the mosque.
This station is 5.5 km off Route 15 (Tabuk to the Jordanian border) on a tarred road, the next three stations
are very close to Route 15.
Bir Bin Hermas (km 630/635):
One-storey station, water wind pump and 1-tank water tower.
Hasim (km 654/655):
One-storey station.
Al Muhtahab (km 667/677):
One-storey station.
Tabuk (km 692):
The large city-center station complex consists of approximately 10 building, including a one-storey station, 2-track loco shed, 2-tank water tower, wind pump, two two-storey administrative buildings and three two-storey residential quarters. There is a café and some artisanal shops. It is part of the Tabuk Regional Museum, of which the huge building (built 2010-2018) overshadows the complex. The old Ottoman castle (976 AH/1559 AD) is 800 meters south of the station.
The loco shed contains the railway section of the museum, with many maps and photo displays, small objects, a DHP 0-6-0T and a restored Belgian-built bogie covered wagon. The steam loco is one of DHP class E 101-108 (Tubize 872-879/1893), of which 101/2/5/6 were shown as withdrawn from DHP by 1925, while 103/4/7/8 ended up with CEL in Lebanon in 1961. Formerly located at Medina, it had rust marks on the cab side suggesting 108, but as that loco ended in Lebanon it might in fact rather be 105 or 106. It was moved from Medina to Tabuk between 12.2012 and 2015.
