Gare de Treignes
Gare de Treignes, or Treignes Railway Station, is an old railway station in southern Belgium. The station has a long history that started in the 19th century. Today, steam trains still arrive here, but the station building stands mostly forgotten, and some old rolling stock is rusting on the abandoned tracks.
Treignes railway station opened on 15 June 1854. The line connected Charleroi with the French border near Vireux-Molhain. The railway company Société du chemin de fer de l’Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse built the station.
At first, Treignes was only a small stop. The nearby station of Vierves handled the border traffic. But traffic on the railway grew fast. In 1902, the station became more important because it handled customs and passenger checks for trains crossing the border. A new and much larger station building opened in 1912.
Passenger trains stopped running on 29 September 1963. Freight traffic continued for some years, but it also ended in 1977. Parts of the railway line towards France were later removed.
Saved by Steam Trains
The railway line did not disappear completely. In the 1970s, volunteers created the tourist railway CFV3V, also known as the Three Valleys Steam Railway.
Steam trains started running again between Mariembourg and Treignes in 1975. Then, in 1994, the group opened a railway museum near the station. Old locomotives, railcars, and passenger wagons are still displayed there today.
The old station building itself had another use after the closure. In 1972, the Free University of Brussels bought the building. The university created the Paul Brien Environmental Centre inside the station. Later, some rooms also became exhibition spaces for the local ecomuseum.
Life and decay
Outside, old railway tracks, steam trains, and museum wagons create a strange mix of life and decay. The station is also surrounded by forests and hills. That gives the place a calm atmosphere, far away from busy cities.
