Trains and other things: Kjelsås, Nittedal, Åneby, Hakadal, Grua, Roa, Grefsen

Today, I will do some train spotting at Gjøvikbanen railway near Oslo.

Train station at Gardemoen seen from my hotel

The news this summer is the direct VY train from Oslo to Malmö. The train takes 6 hours and 10 minutes and costs about 729 NOK, which is almost the same price as the flight from Oslo to Copenhagen, which I will take tomorrow, but I will save some time. There is also a bus, even the night bus from Oslo to Copenhagen, that takes 8 hours and 5 minutes.

There is also a ferry between Oslo and Copenhagen, but not that one

So, I'm on the 124 km-long Gjøvikbanen line constructed in 1904. But I'm not going all the way to Gjøvik; I'm only going as far as Roa. That's where all the diverted trains to Bergen and Stavanger are switching off on the line to Hønefoss.

My first stop is at Kjelsås, which is actually still located in Oslo; there is even a tram line terminating here.

The station is designed by Paul Due

A phone booth which is now a library

Here is one of the diverted trains to Bergen

Freight train from either Bergen or Stavanger on its way to Oslo

16 2214

Norsk Teknisk Museum is located here

The area near the station is part of Kjelsås bruk, the old sawmill industry

Time for me to move further

I will not visit all the stations along the line to Roa, here is Sandermosen

Snippen

Nittedal

The station is modernised recently with two platforms

This station is also designed by Paul Armin Due

Grenland Rail car is parked here at Nittedal

Åneby

The local cat is not in a hurry

Walking and running trails are everywhere in Norway

It's possible to walk to Nittedal where I just came from

Åneby tunnel, 177 m long

Train to Oslo

Hakadal station

Somebody lives here

Varingskollen, 546 m above sea level

All stations in Norway are well preserved and taken care of

There is a crafts shop at the station

Stryken station

This station is not served by all trains, so I think I will have to walk to the next station

Water tower

There is not much here at Stryken, except for the beautiful nature and Harestuvatnet lake

Train to Oslo

Green light for the freight train

Train 5507 to Bergen

187 421 and 187 410

So, instead of waiting for the next train, which will stop here in a few hours, I'm walking to Harestua a few km north

The road goes along the lake with scenic wild life

I can see Harestua from here

Kongevei - the road for the King

Before arriving at the Harestua station, I realize there is a bus stop and the bus is departing shorly

So, I take the bus from here to Grua

There are not many cafes and restuarants here, but there are many supermarkets to purchase some snack

Grua station

16 2203 on the way to Stavanger

Inside the station there is a waiting room with retro photos

Roa station

The train continues further north to Gjøvik

There are 7 tracks at this station, the VY train left to Gjøvik to the right, while the railway from Høneforss is to the left

Freight train from Hønefoss is arriving at the station

187 400 has previously been used by CFL Cargo in Sweden, and it had a small black CFL Cargo label. I have many photos of this locomotive on my blog

Now it has CargoNet livery

Norwegian salmon on the rails

Trains at Roa station, and now it's time for me to go back to Oslo

Bjørgeseter

I get off at Nittedal

187 400 is now here waiting for another train. Freight trains have less priority than passenger ones, and the line has only a single track. During the diversion, it is overloaded.