Thursday, 1 September 2016

Kępno's intriguing, historic station(s)

Passing through Kępno station, which lies on the Wrocław to Poznań railway line, I had been struck by the inappropriate size and number of platforms here given the modest town that it serves. This rail junction stood on the Polish side of the pre-war border with Germany, with four railway lines running through it. Today, only two are still active, with one crossing over the other at the station, which has high-level and low-level platforms.

Below: Kępno station, general view. To the left, you can see the bridge that takes the east-west line over the north-south line. A lovely brick-built station dating back to 1872, nicely refurbished. Sadly, the station building was closed, so I could not get interior snaps.


Below: looking down from the high-level platform at the low-level platform.


Below: looking across from the high-level platform at the station building.


Below: looking down from the high-level platform at the station building.


Below: under the viaduct that carries the east-west line over the north-south line.


Below: view of the high level platform from outside the station building. A freight train was branching off the line from the west to the north (click to enlarge - it's just visible to the left of the pic, on the spur joining the two lines).


This overgrown Tkt48 tank engine (below) is in a sad state and needs urgent restoration work. It stands in contrast with the station building, which is well-looked after.


A fascinating station, a distant walk from Kępno's recently restored market square (below), but worth the effort. At eight o'clock, the lights come on... autumn draws nearer.


I have just read that already by half past midnight on 1 September 1939, reconnaissance units of the German army were in Kępno's market square. The darkness had begun.

This time two years ago:
Thoughts occasioned by the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of WW2

This time three years ago:
A green light for consumer spending

This time fiyr years ago:
Procrastination - is it the same as laziness?

This time seven years ago:
Remembering the outbreak of WW2

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

A similar station arrangement exists in Kostrzyn.

Michael Dembinski said...

@ Anonymous

Thanks! I knew I'd read this somewhere, but couldn't find it... Yes indeed. Similar - but what makes Kępno unique is that the lines cross at right angles. Plus, Kostrzyn was not in pre-war Poland, lying at it does close to the current German border.

Anonymous said...

But to be fair, both cities were Prussian at the time these lines and stations were built. :)

Bernd said...

There's indeed a lot if interesting railway history to be found in Poland, like here few weeks ago in Międzychód: https://www.flickr.com/photos/roomman/28351023274/in/dateposted/