Meschede train station

The middle of the 19th century was marked by the development of transport and the emerging iron industry, which in turn stimulated coal mining. On July 10, 1856, personalities from counties, communities, industry and economy met in Arnsberg and founded a committee to promote the construction of a Ruhrtalbahn. But it was not until 1865 that the Märkische Eisenbahngesellschaft decided to build a line from Schwerte to Brilon-Wald and to continue through the Diemeltal to Warburg to connect to the Kassel railroad. In the spring of 1870, construction of the line had reached Meschede, with the two tunnels at Glösingen and Freienohl causing particular difficulties. The construction work was delayed by the war, so that it was not until July 15, 1871 that the first locomotive could travel as far as Meschede. After acceptance of the line, the railroad was ceremoniously opened on December 18, 1871 with flag decorations, music and a large celebration. The locomotive that brought the guests to Meschede bore the coat of arms of the town of Meschede on the front. Meschede did not yet have a proper train station when the line was opened.

For the time being, a small house was used as the station building, which was given the name "Provisorium". After the construction of the first station building in 1872, the provisional building was converted to residential purposes and later used by the town administration. After an extensive renovation as part of the new bus station construction in 1998, the building is now the service center of Westfalenbus GmbH and the location of the Tourist Information Meschede.In World War II, the Ruhrtalbahn was often the target of air raids, and the stately station building from 1872 was also destroyed. After a few years of temporary barracks, the new Meschede station was inaugurated in 1955. The building contained, among other things, a 3rd class waiting room in what was described in the Westfälische Rundschau as a "solidly crafted interior" and a 2nd class waiting room "in restrained walnut".

In 2007, this building and two freight tracks were also demolished and
were demolished and a modern commercial building was erected as part of the "Bahnschiene West" urban planning project. Of the extensive facilities of the Meschede station (including the Lokschuppen with water tower, freight dispatch, loading tracks), which took up the entire area between Bahnhofstraße (today LePuyStraße) and Lagerstraße/ Sophienweg, little is visible today. In 2016/17, however, the platforms were extensively modernized with elevators and a new passenger tunnel, which also provides a pedestrian connection to Lagerstrasse.

^{Image1: The 1st station building, built in 1872 (Photographer: Bernhard Schulte)
Photo2: The "Provisorium" (photo: Rudolf Salingré)
Picture 3: Aerial view 1956 (Photo: Meschede city archive)}