Going to Gelterkinden (2)

No 3 son, eschewing the fbb recommended S9 route to Olten ("have you seen how much it costs, dad?") travelled to Gelterkinden, the outer limit of his monthly season/rover ticket. He passed through Sissach and thus may not have noticed the S9 "shuttle" waiting in a neighbouring platform.

Driving south by car from Sissach to Luzern, modern motoring man would use the M2** motorway ...

... but, instead, take the good old-fashioned A2** ...

... and you would cross the "new line" (new in 1916!) by overbridge.

You might spot the single track "S9" route on the left which crosses on the level.

The S3 plus Intercity route snakes northbound and eastbound to Gelterkinden ...

... thence southbound through a much longer Hauenstein base tunnel south of the only other station at Teknau.

In 1912 advance work on the base tunnel through the Jura began. In four years an 8 km-long tunnel was built. During the half century since the summit tunnel was completed, tunnelling methods had fundamentally changed. Hand drills had been replaced by machines and horses had been replaced by smokeless locomotives. In addition, as a precaution, a powerful pump station was built to withstand any flooding of the tunnel. On 8 January 1916, the new line was opened.

The InterCity plus S3 line crosses the River Aare a tad east of the original ...

... before becoming part of the Olten complex of junctions and yards - plus the Lindt chocolate shop, of course!

But back to No 3 son's destination on Whit Monday. In common with many SBB stations the original building still stands ...

... now extended as an "Avec" supermarket and coffee shop.

A new station building has been built alongside the old, next to the obligatory bus station.

The lad did not report whether he travelled by "InterCity"** train ...

... or the S-bahn route 3.

Nor did he take the opportunity of a 105 bus ride back as far as Sissach ...

... taking him via Böckten.

We shall visit this village again using a different mode of transport in tomorrow's blog. Hint - Böckten no longer has a train service!

** UK style labelling to help comprehension?

 Still Going to Gelterkind blog  : Wednesday 19th June