SAVON-RADAN ryhmä





  • Savon Radan ryhmä organizes activities along the historical Savo line







SAVON-RADAN railway stations INDEX

railway map finland 1905
Old map the Finnish railway in 1905 concerning.

From Kouvola to Pieksämäki the following stations and stops were part of the Savo-line:

kouvola
kymintehdas
tehtaanportti
kuusankoski
voikkaa
harju
multamäki
selänpää
vuohijärvi
kirjokivi
hillosensalmi
voikoski
mouhu
kinni
varpanen
mäntyharju
mynttilä
lelkola
hietanen
otava
otava-satama
vuolinko
mikkeli
palosuo
hiirola
kalvitsa
pitkäaho
haukivuori
kantala
loukolampi
lamminmäki
meijerhovi
pieksämäki

Click on the alphabetical list at the left to see more about the different railway stations between Kouvola and Pieksämäki. The information will be published and updated as soon as there is (new) material.

The map of the Finnish railway in 1905 shows the large number of railway stations that has been built during the first 50 years.

Railways have been an important innovative regional character and the construction of the railroad through isolated rural regions has connected the hinterland of Finland with the economic center in the South. The railway has had an important influence on rural villages as they were isolated and have had even their own time. The railway created a uniform time in whole Finland.

In 1885 274 kilometers of the Savo line (Finnish Savon rata) was commissioned, connecting Kouvola (on the St. Petersburg line) through different stations to Kuopio , the line was open by 1889.
With the launch in 1889 of 13 stations along this Savo railway an isolated rural area gained the ability to be connected with the more prosperous southern Finland and was therefore able to develop economically in a better way. The stations meant not only a better transportation, but were also a major social center in the mostly small villages.
The stations were built in the traditional way with logs, and a large number along this line have the same characteristic architecture by Knut Nylander, called Oulu radan rautatieasema

After an explosive expansion from 13 to 32 stations until mid- 1950 the VR changed their policy in the second half of the 20th century. Many stops were taken out of the schedule and stations were closed and decay of the monumental buildings began. In the past these stations were the connection with unknown regions and stimulated the economic expansion in the villages, they connected people from rural regions to a different cultural habitat in the South.

These days villages have lost this source and most of the economic activity has moved to bigger centers. During the years the vital social power of small village communities is lost through the disappearance of public transport, shops, banks, post offices, schools and health care centers, now these services are all concentrated in cities.

At the beginning of the 21st century, a new interest in these empty and unused buildings started and since then many of them are in the hands of individuals, groups and different kind of organizations. This has initiated a development which prepares these valuable buildings into new functions. Through their central location it is inviting to set up activities for the local community and to start a revival of the local spirit. The users of the stations of the SAVON RADAN ryhmä have all a different content, but they have in common an independent attitude and a strong believe in new and alternative concepts to develop activities in different fields.

The participants are separate collected and published in a list on the page 'participants'.

Below all the railway stations has there has been build. The increasing of the speed of the trains is one of the reasons that the trains did not stop longer at all the stations. The reducing of the number of passengers is another reason to close the stations. In 2014 only 5 (out of 35)  stations are still in use as possibility for passenger traffic. More stations are planned to be closed in the future.

As public transport is a public affair and not a private one, it is important to develop the content into a direction that serves the (potential) users and contribute to a sustainable future for all.
It is time to start a slower form of public transport to connect small villages with the urban centers.
Commuter trains can use the rail too and make the life in rural region more comfortable and more concerning the national and regional policy.

Kouvola railway station
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Harju railway station
Kouvola
Kymintehdas
Tehtaanporti
Kuusankoski
Voikkaa
Harju
           
Multamäki railway station Selänpää railway station Vuojärvi railway station Kirjokivi railway station Hillosensalmi railway station Voikoski railway station
Multamäki
Selänpää
Vuohijärvi
Kirjokivi
Hillosensalmi
Voikoski
           
Mouhu railway station
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Varpanen railway station Mäntyharju railway station Mynttilä railway station
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Mouhu
Kinni
Varpanen
Mäntyharju
Mynttilä
Lelkola
           
Hietanen railway station Otava railway station Otava-asema railway station Vuolinko railway station Mikkeli railway station
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Hietanen
Otava
Otavan Satama
Vuolinko
Mikkeli
Palosuo
           
Hiirola railway station Kalvitsa railway station
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haukivuori railway station Kantaa railway station
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Hiirola
Kalvitsa
Pitkäaho
Haukivuori
Kantala
Loukolampi
           
Lamminmäki railway station
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Pieksämäki railway station      
Lamminmäki
Meijerhovi
Pieksämäki
     

 


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