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Bashing in Poland?


fezza
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I am off to Poland for a few weeks with work. Does anyone have any suggestions for decent diesel hauled routes? Is there any surviving narrow gauge that is a must see? Finding it difficult to get up to date info in English... Thanks for any help.

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As you say, the problem is finding current information.  Here's some suggestions for starting points, which may give some leads to follow up.  Poznan has been mentioned a couple of times on this site, so it might be worth running a search to see if there's anything that might be helpful.

 

Narrow gauge - there's quite a bit of narrow gauge in the vicinity of Poznan, but most now seem to be tourist operations.  This website: https://www.narrowrail.net/poland/ is would be very useful were it to have been updated since three years ago.

 

Diesel haulage - the "europeanrail" group on groups.io carries recent reports of travels and observations, but it does seem that Poland has been lacking in popularity of late.

 

The Polish publisher Eurosprinter produced a very useful Atlas of Private Operators: https://www.eurosprinter.com.pl/130,pl_atlas-przewoznikow-kolejowych-polski.html , but dated for 2011 it is now well out of date.

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Poznan has quite a large Depot with diesels and Electrics (I think) and the Station is quite a busy one. It is also a westernised town and that's a pity. Wolsztyn isn't that far from there, is a charming Country town and that is where the Steam Loco Depot/Museum is. Nice train ride by modern units from Poznan. Look at Poland Steam Railways or Wolsztyn Steam on Google and you will find info. I think the Steam workings are to Leszno at the moment? Be a little wary at Poznan (and maybe Leszno) Station as they still don't quite understand train enthusiasts taking photo's despite the number that go there from all over the world.

Have fun.

Phil 

Edited by Mallard60022
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I stayed in Sopot (in the north between Gdansk & Gdynia) in 2013 & took a return trip to Bydgoszsz to watch a Polish speedway league match. That was loco hauled but I can't remember if it was Electric or Diesel but it seemed to be the normal form of haulage. I remember from the timetable that journeys on a Sunday were faster than during the week!

Bydgoszsz looks about a hour NE of Poznan so may well be on the same line.

 

I also took several trips to Gdynia on local services. The trains looked & felt a lot less modern than in the UK. There was certainly no safety mechanism stopping trains when the doors were open because the driver or guard left them wide open between stations on 1 occasion.

 

I found the foreign railway experience very enjoyable.

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Diesel hauled services summer 2018 courtesy of Polish Rail Gen on yahoo groups

IC SU160 Diagrams (Not official!)

Lublin

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Plan A

 

Day 1

TLK28103     Lublin - Lukow                                                              05.23 – 06.39            1-7                           

TLK82173     Lukow – Lublin                                                              07.37 – 08.53            1-7                           

TLK28105     Lublin - Lukow                                                              11.03 – 12.04            1-7                           

TLK82105     Lukow – Lublin                                                              15.38 – 17.22            1-7                           

TLK28173     Lublin - Lukow                                                              18.55 – 20.13            1-7                           

TLK82103     Lukow – Lublin                                                              21.31 – 22.46            1-7                           

 

Day 2

TLK21100     Lublin - Lukow                                                              07.26 – 08.51            1-7                           

TLK52100     Lukow – Lublin                                                              09.30 – 10.52            1-7                           

TLK25102     Lublin - Lukow                                                              12.11 – 13.27            1-7                           

TLK52103     Lukow – Lublin                                                              13.50 – 15.05            1-7                           

TLK25101     Lublin - Lukow                                                              16.45 – 18.27            1-5                           

TLK25101     Lublin - Lukow                                                              16.48 – 18.27            6-7                           

TLK12101     Lukow – Lublin                                                              19.39 – 21.06            1-7                           

 

Day 3

TLK28101     Lublin - Lukow                                                              08.57 – 10.21            1-7                            TLK21110 Lublin - Lukow       17.25 – 18.57                     1-5         

TLK12103     Lukow – Lublin                                                              11.28 – 12.55            5, 6                          

TLK21103     Lublin - Lukow                                                              15.08 – 16.29            5, 7                          

TLK82101     Lukow – Lublin                                                              17.35 – 18.55            1-7                           

TLK28170     Lublin - Lukow                                                              21.11 – 22.38            1-7                           

TLK82170     Lukow – Lublin                                                              04.49 – 06.11            1-7                           

 

Plan B

 

Day 1

IC23104        Hrubisow Miasto - Rzeszow                                        05.52 – 09.54            1-7                           

IC32104        Rzeszow - Hrubisow Miasto                                        19.08 – 23.17            1-7                           

 

IC SU160/CD754? Diagrams (Not official!)

Bialystok

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Day 1

TLK18104     Bialystok - Olsztyn                                                       05.28 – 09.19            1-7                           

TLK53100     Olsztyn - Elk                                                                  11.18 – 13.40            1-7                           

TLK35101     Elk - Olsztyn                                                                  15.15 – 17.32            1-7                           

TLK81104     Olsztyn - Bialystok                                                       19.24 – 22.58            1-7                            ?

 

Day 2

TLK81170     Olsztyn - Elk                                                                  05.14 – 08.03            1-7                           

TLK16105     Elk - Olsztyn                                                                  10.50 – 13.07            1-7                           

TLK61105     Olsztyn - Elk                                                                  15.28 – 17.52            1-7                           

TLK18170     Elk - Olsztyn                                                                  21.56 – 00.15            1-7                           

 

Day 3

TLK18152     Suwalki - Bialystok                                                       06.24 – 08.13            1-7                           

TLK31107     Bialystok - Suwalki                                                       10.34 – 12.22            1-7                           

TLK13106     Suwalki - Bialystok                                                       15.42 – 17.29            1-7                           

TLK81153     Bialystok - Suwalki                                                       20.17 – 22.04            1-7                           

 

IC Standard SM42 Diagrams (Not official!)

Gdynia

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Days 1

TLK45070     Gdynia - Leba                                                               08.22 – 10.39            1-7

(Lebork 09.39 to 09.53                                                                      )

TLK55164     Leba - Lebork                                                               10.57 – 11.49            1-7                           

TLK50161     Lebork - Leba                                                               20.17 – 21.03            1-7                           

TLK56190     Leba - Lebork                                                               21.28 – 22.14            1-7                           

 

Days 2

TLK65190     Lebork - Leba                                                               06.59 – 07.45            1-7                           

TLK55160     Leba - Lebork                                                               08.15 – 09.08            1-7                           

TLK15151     Lebork - Leba                                                               13.05 – 14.03            1-7                           

TLK51150     Leba - Lebork                                                               14.33 – 15.27            1-7                           

TLK50165     Lebork - Leba                                                               18.26 – 19.19            1-7                           

TLK54070     Leba – Gdynia                                                               20.19 – 22.12            1-7                           

(Lebork 21.12 to 21.13)

 

IC SU42-1000 Diagrams (Not official!)

Gdynia

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Days 1-4

TLK50175     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  05.08 – 06.44            1-7                           

TLK50157     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  07.22 – 09.08            1-7                           

TLK50171     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  07.57 – 09.47            1-7                           

TLK50173     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  08.35 – 10.28            1-7                           

TLK50155     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  12.55 – 15.22            1-7                           

TLK50159     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  19.53 – 21.31            1-7                           

TLK50159     Gdynia - Hel                                                                  20.34 – 22.28            1-7                           

 

TLK55156     Hel - Gdynia                                                                  07.08 – 08.48            1-7                           

TLK55154     Hel - Gdynia                                                                  13.00 – 14.51            1-7                           

TLK55170     Hel - Gdynia                                                                  19.02 – 21.06            1-7                           

TLK55172     Hel - Gdynia                                                                  19.50 – 21.44            1-7                           

TLK55180     Hel - Gdynia                                                                  20.15 – 22.07            1-7                           

TLK55158     Hel - Gdynia                                                                  20.56 – 22.40            1-7                           

 

IC CD754? Diagrams (Not official!)

Gdynia

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Day 1

EIC1541        Gdynia - Hel                                                                  11.03 – 12.58            1-7                           

EIC5140        Hel - Gdynia                                                                  14.44 – 16.47            1-7                           

 

REG SU42 Diagrams (Not official!)

Gdynia

Valid from 23.06.2018 to 01.09.2018

 

Day 1

55265           Chojnice - Hel                                                                07.10 – 12.25            1-7                           

(Gdynia 10.30 – 10.32)

90544           Hel - Gdynia                                                                  13.40 – 15.33            1-7                           

90521           Gdynia - Hel                                                                  16.52 – 18.45            1-7                           

90556           Hel - Gdynia                                                                  19.25 – 21.27            1-7                           

 

Day 2

90513           Gdynia - Hel                                                                  11.28 – 13.38            1-7                           

55256           Hel - Chojnice                                                                14.12 – 19.41            1-7                           

(Gdynia 16.13 – 16.33)

 

IC SM42 Diagrams (Not official!)

Szczecin/Gdynia

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Day 1

TLK80195     Szczecin Gl - Kolobrzeg                                                02.27 – 05.07            1-7                           

TLK18170     Kolobrzeg – Szczecin Gl                                               07.01 – 09.48            1-7                           

TLK81170     Szczecin Gl - Kolobrzeg                                                19.33 – 22.07            1-7                           

TLK88195     Kolobrzeg – Szczecin Gl                                               23.10 – 01.40            1-7                           

 

IC CD754/SU42-1000 Diagrams (Not official!)

Gdynia

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Plan A - Day 1 (SU160)

TLK80173     Krzyz – S                                                                        trzelce Krajenskie Wsch                           04.42 – 05.07           1-7          

IC85103        Strzelce Krajenskie Wsch – Pila Gl.                              06.38 – 07.59            1-7                           

IC84102        Pila Gl. – Krzyz                                                              08.52 – 09.41            1-7                           

IC78103        Krzyz – S                                                                        trzelce Krajenskie Wsch                           13.14 – 13.38           1-7          

TLK87102     Strzelce Krajenskie Wsch - Krzyz                                 15.44 – 16.09            1-7                           

IC48103        Krzyz - Pila Gl.                                                               19.40 – 20.26            1-7                           

IC58109        Pila Gl. – Krzyz                                                              20.54 – 21.38            1-7                           

 

Plan B - Day 1 (SU42-1000)

TLK58110     Gdynia - Pila Gl.                                                            11.48 – 15.34            1-7                           

TLK28101     Pila Gl - Szczecin Gl.                                                      18.00 – 21.14            1-7                           

 

Day 2

TLK81100     Szczecin Gl. – Pila Gl.                                                    07.02 – 10.15            1-7                           

TLK85110     Pila Gl. - Gdynia                                                            17.20 – 21.18            1-7                           

 

IC SU42 Diagrams (Not official!)

Wroclaw

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Day 1

TLK60173     Wroclaw Gl. – Kudowa Zdroj                                       05.53 – 09.41            6-7                           

TLK66150     Kudowa Zdroj - Wroclaw Gl.                                        12.22 – 15.15            6-7                           

 

Day 2

TLK60151     Wroclaw – Kudowa Zdroj                                             12.50 – 16.26            6-7                           

TLK66172     Kudowa Zdroj - Wroclaw                                              19.02 – 22.04            6-7                           

 

REG SU42 Diagrams (Not official!)

Zielona Gora

Valid from 23.06.2018

 

Day 1

88214           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          08.42 – 09.31           1-7          

88571           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                11.53 – 12.41            1-7                           

88232           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          13.32 – 14.21           1-7          

88237           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                16.15 – 17.00            1-7                           

 

Day 2

88217           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                09.59 – 10.47            1-7                           

88218           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          10.42 – 11.31           1-7          

88573           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                14.46 – 15.31            1-7                           

 

88436           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          15.00 – 15.49           1-7          

88255           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                17.04 – 17.49            1-7                           

88256           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          18.06 – 18.55           1-7          

 

Day 3

88238           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          15.51 – 16.40           1-7          

88259           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                19.13 – 19.58            1-7                           

 

88204           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          05.06 – 05.55           1-7          

88206           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          06.35 – 07.24           1-7          

88260           Kostrzyn                                                                        – Gorzów Wielkopolski                          21.00 – 21.49           1-7          

 

88209           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                06.27 – 07.08            1-7                           

88211           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                07.39 – 08.27            1-7                           

88575           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                21.34 – 22.16            1-7                           

 

88409           Gorzów Wielkopolski – Kostrzyn                                20.49 – 21.26            5                              

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Forgot to say that the railway journey from Wroclaw to Kudowa Zdroj is a fantastic journey climbing into the mountains on the czech border. Not much there when you get there though! It was deep with snow when I visited in January last year.

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Narrow gauge railways can be found in Gniesno and also between Znin and Gasowa, neither of which are too far from Poznan. I  haven't been to the former but the latter has a little railway museum at Wenecia and is a very pleasant trip in the open sided carriages in good weather. There is also a reconstructed Iron Age settlement at Biskupin. There is not much to see at Gasawa.

 

 

Diesel loco haulage is being replaced by DMUs on most routes  and those listed above by GD are quite a trek from Poznan in most cases. Electric loco haulage is far more common at present but EMUs areas creeping in more and more. Don't expect trains to get anywhere quick either. Things are getting better but what we in the UK would expect to take 2 hours may take 4 in Poland.

 

Wolsztyn is around an hour by train from Poznan. To go around the shed will cost 10zl (£2)

 

In Poznan city centre using buses and trams may be better than the car. Buy tickets in advance and validate in the little yellow machines on board. They are time limited. 15, 30, 45, 60 mins and 24hrs are available and can be used on both buses and trams till the time runs out. 

 

Poznan has two model shops. Lokomtyw at 17 Polwiejska (No 18 tram to stop of same name near the Stary Browar shopping centre) or a No 2   tram to Plac Wiosny Ludow which is at the other end of the street. The shop moved into a little arcade that is opposite the Lech Poznan supporters shop a few months ago. Not been there since but used to have a small but good range. 

 

A little further out is Dataland in the Solacz district. No 9 tram from city towards Piatkowo and get off at Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy. (takes around 15 mins) The shop is on the right about a 100yds up the road in the direction the tram went towards Piatkowo. A small but very well stocked shop. (3 is a crowd in there) It is under the owner's house so look out for the Faller and Piko adverts on the balcony railings of the house.

 

There is a lot of work going on around Poznan city centre so some of the trams may be diverted in the central area. 

 

Oh and don't forget to partake of coffee and cake at a Kawiarnia. Heaven. 

 

Travelling around by train and public transport is quite cheap. Have fun. 

 

Andy

Edited by SM42
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......and lo, Andy appears!

P

 

HTH, although all I can offer is personal observations made from my visits as I have trouble keeping up with all the news. It's in Polish you see, a  language of which I, unfortunately, don't know enough.

 

You can probably guess whereabouts in Wielkopolska I spend most of my time. 

 

Yep, the cake shop. 

 

If you are there long enough (Poznan that is, not the cake shop) Fezza we may just bump into each other. 

 

Andy

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The other year the steam train operations ran from Lezno to Zbaszynek which I did a couple of days. On one day they had substituted the steam locomotive for a diesel, think it was boiler wash out day.

 

Steam crews will ask you if you want to ride in the cab but they have a tendency to specify a cost of a few Zl.

 

Even bahn.co.uk identified which trains were steam.

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The other year the steam train operations ran from Lezno to Zbaszynek which I did a couple of days. On one day they had substituted the steam locomotive for a diesel, think it was boiler wash out day.

 

Steam crews will ask you if you want to ride in the cab but they have a tendency to specify a cost of a few Zl.

 

Even bahn.co.uk identified which trains were steam.

That was a good turn that one. I took a LE to Zbaszyneck for one of those and there was some main line stuff from there before we turned off for Wolsztyn. Great fun. IIRC the Leszno line from Wolsztyn was a bit rough compared to the Poznan route, but that was 15 years ago.

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Forgotten to mention that when I was doing the steam train from LE the line from Poznan to Wolsztyn was being rebuilt.

 

Some good running on the main Poznan to Berlin line heading into Zbaszynek.

 

There are plenty of stuffed and mounted steam locomotives at various stations including Zbaszynek.

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Never mind the diseasels, get the EE Wirescrapers in!

 

I very much doubt any Vulcan-built EU06s work service trains these days, but you never know...

 

In any case, if your fall back moves involve an EU07, at least you can be confident that it has British Heritage, albeit under licence.

 

I'd advise that you make a beeline for Wolstyn though. Beast of a place.

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Forgotten to mention that when I was doing the steam train from LE the line from Poznan to Wolsztyn was being rebuilt.

 

Some good running on the main Poznan to Berlin line heading into Zbaszynek.

 

There are plenty of stuffed and mounted steam locomotives at various stations including Zbaszynek.

 

I believe that one's moved now.

It has.  The Tp3 0-8-0 that was plinthed beside the line at the approach to Zbaszynek station has been removed for refurbishment, but (I think) the 750mm gauge Px48 0-8-0 is still plinthed in the town, opposite the Cultural Centre.

 

The Ty51 plinthed beside the platform at Rzepin has recently had a repaint.

Edited by EddieB
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  • 3 months later...

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