Demolition work began this Saturday at Denderleeuw train station on a 25-metre-high water tower dating from 1925, causing disruption to rail services between Denderleeuw and Geraardsbergen.
The tower once supplied purified water from the Dender River to steam trains but it has become structurally unsound. To ensure the safety of rail traffic, railway infrastructure, and staff, it must be dismantled, explained Infrabel spokesperson Frédéric Petit.
Demolition commenced with the removal of the tank at the top of the tower, and work is proceeding as planned. “This should take place over Saturday and Sunday, with the tower shaft scheduled to be dismantled on Monday,” said Petit. The entire process is expected to be completed within 72 hours, with debris removed via Loskaai next week.
For safety reasons, during the extended Pentecost weekend, one track between Denderleeuw and Brussels-South on line 50C is out of service. No trains are operating in either direction on line 90 between Denderleeuw and Geraardsbergen. The NMBS has adjusted the train service and deployed replacement buses, which will stop at all intermediate stations between Denderleeuw and Geraardsbergen.
Infrabel is also conducting various maintenance and renewal works on the rail infrastructure, including tracks, overhead lines, level crossings, signalling, and embankment management, on the Denderleeuw-Geraardsbergen line during this and the weekend of 14-15 June. An altered train service with replacement buses will also be in operation during the June weekend. Travellers are advised to consult the NMBS online travel planner.
