Laxå - Kinnekullebanan - Mariestad - Herrljunga - Nora - Järle - Lindesberg

October is here, and it is time for another trip. Starting in Laxå by visiting a place that was abandoned some time ago. 

 Due to globalisation many small industry towns in Sweden stagnated, and many houses became empty. Now however, many of them are housing refugees.

 Through Laxå, both E20 road and Västra Stambanan (Western Main Line) is passing.

 According to this sign, Laxå is placed exactly between Stockholm and Göteborg.

 Laxå water tower in the background.

 High speed train line (X2) does not stop in Laxå.

 SJ Regional (X40) however does.

 X40 is the only double deck train in Sweden.

 Another X40 is coming.

 The first one to Göteborg, the second one to Stockholm

 Y31 is approaching, operated by Västtåg.

 Y31 (also known as Itino) is a diesel powered train operating on non-electrified railways.

 This line is between Hallsberg and Mariestad.

 From electrified Västra stambanan the train turns to non-electrified Kinnekullebanan.

 Many small towns are on this route, some of them the train is passing without stopping.

 Lyrestad...

 ...is one of the 4 places where Göta Canal is crossing the railway.

 Y31-B

 The train has arrived to Mariestad

 Mariestad Cathedral, opened in 1625

 Mariestad station

 Contemporary art by CityArtLab with artists from Sweden and Belarus

 Street art is getting more and more popular, specially in small towns.

 "Light affects my mood"

 "What can I do?"

 The passage between train station and the city centre

 In 3 languages

 Mariestad train station building

 Mariestad city park

 Another Y31/Y32 is approaching

 Y31 is a train set with two wagons

 Y32 is a train set with three wagons

 Fountain in the park

 Small cosy streets in Mariestad

 The old town of Mariestad

 Sculpture "The red male" at the old fire station.

 The symbol of Mariestad is its huge Cathedral

Another famous symbol is Mariestads beer (photo taken in Mjölby from previous post). Unfortunately no beer is produced in Mariestad since 1972, when Spendrups bought and moved the brewery to Grängesberg.

 Karlsholme folkets park at the lake Vänern.

 The park facilities.

 Y31 and Y32 linked

 From Mariestad the line Kinnekullebanan is continuing further southwest along the lake Vänern coast.

 The line Mariestad - Göteborg operated by Västtrafik (Göteborg and Västra Götaland public transport company).

 Kinnekullebanan is an old and with partly poor standard railway (non electrified and non ATC).

 The name is coming from the hill in the background called Kinnekulle, 306 m.

 Hällekis station

 The nature is beautiful around Kinnekulle

 October is still warm

 Lidköping

 Road 44 to Trollhättan

 Connecting to electrified Älvsborgsbanan

 And back on Västra Stambanan in Herrljunga

 Kinnekulletåget is moving on to Göteborg

 Herrljunga station is an important intersection stop for changing trains to Borås, Uddevalla, Stockholm among others.

 X50-3 västtåg to Göteborg

 Welcome to Herrljunga

 No more track number 5

 Train station waiting hall

 City centre

 Herrljunga church from 1865, built when the town became a railway town.

 Back to Laxå, in the sunset.

 Following day, the birds are preparing to leave for the winter.

 Kilsbergen in the autumn

 Kilsbergen is a 50 km long mountainous ridge (also known as blue mountain).

 At the north of the Kilsbergen there is a cosy town Nora.

 NBJ (Nora Bergslags Järnväg) was one of the first railways in Sweden, from 1854.

Today there are only museum trains running during the summer, but the Örebro region has plans to run local commuter trains here starting from 2030.

 During the summer, there is a possibility to stay the night in Nora Tåghem bed and breakfast...

 ...and eat in the restaurant "På spåret i Nora".

 Classic railbus Y6

 Nora is one of the three best preserved wooden towns in Sweden. The other two are Eksjö and Hjo.

 Nora town with the autumn leaves.

 Nora church

 Nora station and Nora lake

 Järle station (south of Nora) is the oldest train station in Sweden from 1854

 Train station was finished 2 years before the railway itself due to a problem with bridge over Järleån.

 Today this is the end stop for museum trains from Nora. Station building has a cafe during the summer.

 Just some km away is another cosy town of Lindesberg. Here with some contemporary art as well as in Mariestad.

 Paint the city is doing all the painting

 Some painting reminds the movies of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki

 Bergslagsbanan is passing through Lindesberg.