cab ride on the Malmbanan from Kiruna, Sweden to Narvik, Norway

The Malmbanan or Iron Ore Railway runs 170 km between Kiruna in Sweden west to Narvik in Norway, and carries major amounts of iron ore to the Narvik ice-free port. In fact securing this operation against British control was the main reason for Hitler's invasion of Norway in April 1940. The Malmban is also treated as running another 304 km in the opposite easterly direction from Kiruna to the Swedish Baltic port of Luleå, all up, 573 km.

These photos were taken by Geoff Churchman in early June and despite being technically summer with the midnight sun already applying, it was very cold, with some of the journey in snowfalls, as can be seen. The last 40 km of the journey from Riksgränsen (literally "The empire's border") to Narvik is inside Norway which is called the Ofotbanen by the Norwegians.

Between Riksgränsen and Narvik the line changes 520 metres in altitude so with full trains weighing over 5,000 tonnes or more, heavy duty electric locomotives have been used, previously the three-coupled Dm3 sets, popular with railfans, now twin-coupled new IORE sets as in the photo taken at Narvik.