The railway operates on a unique 700mm track gauge, which is rarer than the standard 600mm or 900mm industrial gauges.
Many locomotives in the collection were salvaged from Dutch peat-mining operations where they replaced horse-drawn barges.
The museum site is situated on a former runway of the Valkenburg Naval Air Base, which closed in 2006.
The railway line circles the entire museum complex, providing views of the surrounding polder landscape.
The collection includes locomotives manufactured by major European industrial firms like Henschel and Orenstein & Koppel.
The museum functions as a living archive, performing mechanical restorations on-site to keep historical machines operational.
Stoomtrein Katwijk Leiden is a narrow-gauge railway museum located on the former Valkenburg Naval Air Base. It operates vintage steam and diesel locomotives on a track circuit surrounding the museum site. The collection preserves industrial narrow-gauge equipment originally used in peat extraction, brickworks, and light freight transport across the Netherlands. Visitors can ride in open-air carriages while observing preserved rolling stock and railway infrastructure. The museum also maintains an extensive indoor display of stationary engines and smaller narrow-gauge artifacts. It is the only museum in the Netherlands dedicated specifically to 700mm gauge industrial heritage.
The elevated platform area near the main engine shed provides a panoramic view of the locomotives departing the station.
Bring a windbreaker or light jacket, as the open-air train carriages can be breezy even on sunny days.
Plan your visit to coincide with 'Steam Days' when multiple engines are operational simultaneously.
Wear sturdy, comfortable footwear, as the terrain around the tracks and engine sheds can be uneven.
Do not attempt to walk along the tracks outside of designated areas, as active locomotive movements occur throughout the day.
Operates primarily on weekends, public holidays, and specific days during school holidays; closed during the winter season.
