Storekvina Station


Storekvina Station is a railway station of the Sørlandet Line situated at Storekvina in Kvinesdal, Norway. Located from Oslo Central Station, it is served by long-distance trains operated by Go-Ahead Norge. In addition to intercity services to Oslo and Stavanger, the eight daily trains in each direction serve as a commuter link to Kristiansand, located an hour away.
The station was opened on 17 December 1943 as part of the segment of the Sørlandet Line between Kristiasand and Sira. The line past the station was electrified from 18 February 1944. It received a station building designed by Gudmund Hoel. Although previously possessing a passing loop, the station was bypassed in the automatic train control installation in 1969. The side tracks have since been removed and the station has been unmanned since 1986. Storekvina had 32,100 passengers in 2008.

History

Storekvina Station was built during the Second World War under the German-administrated expansion of the Sørlandet Line west of Kristiansand. The station building was completed in 1942 after designs by Gudmund Hoel at NSB Arkitektkontor. It was originally proposed to be named Stor-Kvina, but this was changed to Storekvina. Irregular revenue traffic commenced on the line on 17 December 1943 and the station became operative from the same day. Electric traction was introduced on 18 February 1944, ahead of ordinary traffic commencing on 1 March 1944.
The Sørlandet Line received automatic train control from 1969. Storekvina never received an interlocking system and the former passing loop was officially taken out of use from 1 June 1969. The station remained manned for sale of tickets and handling cargo until 1 June 1986.

Facilities

Storekvina Station is a station on the Sørlandet Line, located from Oslo Central Station at an elevation of above mean sea level. The station is located just west of the Gyland Tunnel, which runs almost the entire distance to Gyland Station. The station no longer features any passing loops, and consists of a single track and a single platform, the latter long and tall.

Services

The station is served by long-distance trains operated by Go-Ahead, counting eight daily services on weekdays, including a night train service. These operate from Oslo via Kristiansand to Stavanger. Travel time is about one hour to Kristiansand, two hours to Stavanger and less than five hours to Oslo.
The station had 32,100 annual passengers in 2008. The catchment area of Storekvina Station covers the municipalities of Kvinesdal and Farsund. The station is situated north of the administrative center of Liknes. Agder Kollektivtrafikk operates a shuttle service to the village in connection with the train services. This must be ordered at least two hours in advance.