[1] After the completion of Jæren Line from Stavanger to Egersund, in 1878, proposals were made to build an extension westwards along the coast, that eventually would reach Oslo.

The first part of what was named the Vestland Line was passed by Parliament in 1894, and would run from Egersund, via Sira, to Flekkefjord.

The line was built by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) and was 64 km (40 mi) long.

Along the section from Sirnes to Flekkefjord, there were many vertical cliffs straight into the fjord, forcing 5.4 km (3.4 mi), or 38 percent, of the line to be built in tunnels.

Francis Hagerup, when delivering the line's opening speech, remarked that no other railway had until then been more difficult to construct.

Flekkefjord Station was built as a three-story brick building in Art Nouveau.

Passengers could transfer to steam ship services that operated eastwards along the south coast towards Oslo.

A train departed to Egersund on 31 October 1904 with several notable passengers: Prime Minister Francis Hagerup, State Railways director Elias Sunde and board member Sven Aarrestad, director of traffic Jens Christian Mellbye, Flekkefjord's mayor and city council as well as other mayors of the district.

NSB introduced the first diesel multiple unit with the introduction of "lightning trains" that corresponded with coach services that connected with the Kragerø Line.

[4] In 1923, it was decided by parliament that the Sørland Line, that would connect Oslo, Kristiansand and Stavanger, would follow an inner route.

This gave a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph), and creative solutions such as lowering height of the ballast by 20 cm (7.9 in).

The route from Egersund to Sira received a better upgrade, since it was to become part of the main line through Southern Norway.

From 1956 to 1966, also Class 86 units were used on the line, but the narrow profile of the tunnels made operations problematic.

Major investments would be needed to upgrade the line to a suitable speed, and through the 1970s this became an important issue of debate.

[5] The line has been suggested preserved as a cultural heritage, since it represents one of very few railways with the original narrow gauge profile intact.

However, the Norwegian National Rail Administration have since banned the operation of draisines until the line is fully fenced in.