Historical finds from everyday railway life
The historical collection and the BLS passenger transport archive are housed in the former EBT locomotive depot in Burgdorf
The BLS Foundation looks after the historical collection of BLS Ltd. devoted to passenger traffic. A tour of the collection can be arranged upon request as part of a group.
The historical collection was established in 2003. The trigger was the new division of tasks between SBB and BLS in 2001, which turned the nationally active BLS into a regional and suburban railway. For the Canton of Bern, as the primary shareholder, this signalled the end of a significant era in transportation policy, one that merits preservation for future generations.
Until 2007, the collection was stored in the material warehouse of the Bönigen workshop. After the merger with Regionalverkehr Mittelland, the collection was relocated to the former RM premises in Burgdorf, where the BLS Foundation was already housing its vehicles.
Originally, the collection focussed on public relations, PR and advertising and included posters, brochures and audiovisual material. Later, elements from various railway domains such as paintings, lanterns and uniforms were added.
The collection focuses on the history of BLS before 2001.