The Magic of Poland

[EddieB]

Having discovered the "Little Didcot" thread (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51212-little-didcot/?p=594691) which relates Castle's erm, experiences on the "Wolsztyn Experience", I'm wondering what interest (if any) there is on the Polish prototype scene.

 

I first visited Poland as a teenager in 1976, ostensibly on a family package holiday to Zakopane with my parents.  At the time, Poland had the reputation of being the steamiest country in Europe, but among the most difficult in terms of photography.  The state operator Orbis controlled virtually all tourism (although they had started to organise tours for railway enthusiasts), which made it harder for independent travellers to go as they pleased.  Assistance came from the director of the newly established Railway Museum in Warsaw, who did his best to help Western enthusiasts steer clear of forbidden subjects (military installations, bridges, etc.) and issue permits for photography and for six steam sheds on an "approved" list.  Possession of a permit did not guarantee exemption from the attention of the Railway Police, but I'll leave that for another time.

 

As far as Zakopane was concerned, the timing of our visit was unfortunate as electrification of the line from Krakow had recently been completed.  That meant that all the iconic OKz32 2-10-2T locomotives had gone, to be replaced by rather boring EN57 units on local services.  Steam had disappeared from Zakopane altogether, although the nearest steam workings were to be found just up the line at Nowy Targ, where Ty2 2-10-0s worked the branch to Podczerwone.

 

A quick word about Ty2s.  These are the well-known Deutsche Reichsbahn "kriegslok" type (BR 52), of which around one-fidth of the total build (i.e. around 1,400 out of 8,000) ended up in Poland.  Back in 1976, they were to be found virtually all over the system.

 

The Ty2s at Nowy Targ were shedded at Chabowka, famous now for its Skansen or outdoor railway museum which occupies the site of the former shed.  Trains to Krakow and beyond are required to reverse at Chabowka.  Chabowka is also the junction for the line to Nowy Saçz, which is still used for steam excursions from Chabowka, but in 1976 steam predominated with green TKt48 2-8-2Ts on passenger and Ty2s on freights.

 

Having caught an e.m.u. service from Zakopane, our first ride behind steam was with TKt48-166 from Chabowka on a train of four-wheel carriages.  Nowy Saçz was, and still is, an important centre and I needed to be fairly circumspect with photography.  There was much steam activity around the station, mainly by Ty2s.  In between trains we took refreshment at the station buffet - extremely liquid and some horrible, greasy grey soup.

 

Chabowka shed - now the site of the museum

 

Cows were grazed on any patch of grass - even between the shed and the running line!

 

Running behind TKt48-166 en rote to Nowy Saçz

 

From the bridge (oops, sorry) at Nowy Saçz, shunting by a couple of Ty2s.  At the time I failed to identify two small tank locomotives parked among the stored carriages and SM42 diesels awaiting attention at the works.  Much later, I discovered that they are TKh5 class 0-6-0Ts (the German class 89.0), of which five out of the total of ten passed into PKP ownership.  (Some were subsequently sold into industrial ownership)

 

 

 

Although mainly found on passenger services, to which they well well-suited on the curving and graded line between Chabowka and Nowy Saçz, the 'T' of the TKt48 ("towarowy") identifies that they were originally designated at freight locomotives.  Here is TKt48-113 on a freight service at the intermediate station of Marcinkowice.

 

Finally, back at Chabowka, here is TKt48-139 that had brought us back there.

 

Plenty more if there's interest...

[PhilH]

Yes please.

[ColinK]

More please. I've been over to Poland a couple of times in recent years and it is a fascinating place for railways, but not somewhere to take SHMBO.

[The Stationmaster]

Oh dear - does this new thread mean that I now have to start scanning all my Polish pics from 1975 (including steam on the Zakopane branch - but only a Ty2 I'm afraid).

[EddieB]

Oh dear - does this new thread mean that I now have to start scanning all my Polish pics from 1975 (including steam on the Zakopane branch - but only a Ty2 I'm afraid).

Yes, definitely!

[EddieB]

Staying with Zakopane and 1976 and to prove that it wasn't just about steam.

 

Early morning sees the long distance arrivals, including overnight sleepers from Warsaw and Gdynia. Note the first class sleepers in the land of social equality.

 

 

Double-heading was probably a balancing working, EU07-060 having just worked in with one of the overnight trains.

 

Parked in the station was an EP02 electric (probably EP02-07 now preserved at Chabowka), for "reheating electric trains" according to the lettering (i.e. train heating from the OHL).

 

There was a freight terminal outside the passenger station at Zakopane.  ET21-626 and the EU07 on "our train" aren't working "wrong line" (Poland normally adopts right-hand running), but are on parallel single lines.

 

Okay, I lied.  It was all about steam.  Here are a couple of shots of Ty2s at Nowy Targ working freight and passenger on the Podczerwone branch.  Ty2-911 (now preserved in working order at Chabowka) and Ty2-1204.

 

 

 

It's probably worth mentioning that Zakopane is an all-year round resort, with spectacular views of the High Tatra mountains and famous for its winter sports.  (I'd say however that the Slovak side of the mountains is prettier, despite a devastating storm a few years ago).  Parts can seem a little too touristy, but the mountain trails afford a sense of escape - not to mention wolves, bears and lynxes in them thar hills (chances of seeing any, vanishingly small).  The literati might be interested in seeing Joseph Conrad's house (as was, for a time) - the horror (sorry!).  An ideal base for a non-railway spouse, while the museum at Chabowka is a short distance away (and the mountain rack and tram systems over in Slovakia).

[Bon Accord]

Keep them coming Eddie. Interesting to see you took a shot of a WARS restaurant car, easily one of the better on train catering setups in Europe today; everything quite cheap and simple, but all freshly made. You have to wonder why such a setup seems so impossible in the UK, even on the longer distance routes.

I normally visit Poland twice a year for my driving and firing fix at Wolszytn, although during my last visit in October I made a point of visiting the museum in Warsaw before returning home. Still a canny place which thankfully hasn't quite go the hang of that Western European habit of taking life too seriously!

[The Stationmaster]

The last time I went to Zakopane we had a bottle of Coca Cola fresh solid overnight in the glove box of the car and about 9 inches of snow overnight on the handrail of our hotel room balcony.  (Plus we were arrested the next day for phot'ing Tkt48s on local trains up near Nowy Sacz - remarkably the young lady I had 'taken along for the weekend' still thought me sane enough to eventually marry, but she never told her mum about the arrest bit)

[SM42]

Having had not one iota of interest in the railways of Europe for many years, this all changed when I met Mrs Sm42 and experienced rail travel in her native Poland.

 

It was like stepping back in time and I was hooked. You can probably tell this from the avatar.

 

Green locos, corridor coaches, what more do you need.

 

Unfortunately, my knowledge of Polish railways before 2007 is sketchy to non existent and I'm still trying to catch up with the current scene, so I am really pleased to find this topic, especially as the Tkt 48 (my favourite steam loco) has featured. A mightily impressive tank loco in a photo. More so in the flesh

 

Keep those photos coming and if you want some more modern stuff I'll see what I can do.

 

Finally, if you have never been to Wolsztyn during the parade  weekend at the beginning of May you are missing a weekend of utter steamy madness in a style only the Poles could do. Try it.

 

Andy.

[46444]

Great photos Eddie.  

 

Please keep them coming if you have more

 

Any narrow gauge photos at all with a few Px48's?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[DavidR]

Having had not one iota of interest in the railways of Europe for many years, this all changed when I met Mrs Sm42 and experienced rail travel in her native Poland.

 

It was like stepping back in time and I was hooked. You can probably tell this from the avatar.

 

Green locos, corridor coaches, what more do you need.

 

Unfortunately, my knowledge of Polish railways before 2007 is sketchy to non existent and I'm still trying to catch up with the current scene, so I am really pleased to find this topic, especially as the Tkt 48 (my favourite steam loco) has featured. A mightily impressive tank loco in a photo. More so in the flesh

 

Keep those photos coming and if you want some more modern stuff I'll see what I can do.

 

Finally, if you have never been to Wolsztyn during the parade  weekend at the beginning of May you are missing a weekend of utter steamy madness in a style only the Poles could do. Try it.

 

Andy.

 

If you want to know more about the history of all Polish standard gauge loco's, try this website. It's a mine of information!

http://www.locomotives.com.pl/

[EddieB]

Thank you for the encouragement - the narrative from 1976 continues.

 

Krakow was and still is an interesting city.  To get there from Zakopane means a choice between rail or coach.  Obviously the train is more interesting, and cheaper, but it is a much longer journey (of around four hours, even today) since it involves three reversals and follows a rather tortuous route.  I should say that a journey of this length in an EN57 e.m.u. was not the most comfortable, but I'd happily ride it again to return to those steamy days.

 

We visited Krakow independently by catching an early morning coach and leaving in the early afternoon to arrive back in the last of daylight.  On the return journey, the second reversal was made at Sucha Beskidzka where there is a junction with the non-electrified line from Zywiec (where the beer comes from!).  PKP used to have a repair works located there.

 

Pulling into Sucha B. and out again, Ty2-179 was moving ET21-474 onto the "live section.

 

On the opposite platform, SP42-166 (the passenger version of the ubiquitous SM42) was in charge of the connecting Zywiec service.

 

Back at Chabowka, where the third reversal was made, we passed this little diesel Ls40-5447 within a freight train.   The Ls40 was the more common industrial form of the PKP SM02 class, the running number corresponding to the works number (Fablok of Chrzanow).  Although widely used in industry, PKP had only a dozen of these locomotives, which it did not find very successful.   Locomotives being sent to the works for repair carried a red plate like the one shown here.  However, as this one translates as "gauge exceeded", it probably identifies an out-of gauge load.

 

Staying in the area of Krakow, I'm going to jump ahead in time, to 2002 and a couple of items that might be of interest.  (I'll stay with black and white for the time being).  First here is the preserved EP03-01, the sole survivor of a class of eiight Bo-Bo electrics built by ASEA, Sweden in the 'fifties.  Although this locomotive belongs to the Chabowka Museum, it is retained in working order and therefore usually based at Krakow-Prokociem depot, the main electric locomotive depot in Krakow (and the former home base of the British-built EU06 clas, of which more shortly).

 

Still from 2002, just another semi-derelict Ty2?  Something rather special, in fact.  Subsequently converted to the standard type, Ty2-7 was originally DRB 52KON 52.1956 (Henschel 27284/1944) and is the last remaining example from the batch of "kriegsloks" built as condensing locomotives for the Eastern Front. (Piko used to make a model).  Thankfully the locomotive has been set aside for preservation and is, I believe, now at Chabowka (I did hear of plans to move it to Pyskowice or Skierniewice).

 

When I photographed it, Ty2-7 was one of a handful of withdrawn steam locomotives at Krakow-Plaszow.  An old shed and extensive yards might overlook that the name Krakow-Plaszow will always be remembered as the site of a notorious Nazi concentration camp, where unspeakable crimes and barbarities took place.

 

 

Ok then, deep breath and back to 1976 and the main station at Krakow.  We've slipped out of the hotel in Zakopane under the cover of darkness and caught a bus to Krakow.  This was the start of our "Big Trip" around Poland, the result of weeks of poring over timetables in the Central Reference Library and reports in Continental Railway Journal.  At Krakow-Glowny we bought our tickets and boarded the train to Katowice. The early morning weather wasn't too encouraging, but at least it was compensated by the sight of one of the EU06 locomotives built by English Electric in the 'sixties.

 

 

Plenty more to come, although my Px48s and Wolsztyn come from a slightly later era.

[EddieB]

If you want to know more about the history of all Polish standard gauge loco's, try this website. It's a mine of information!

http://www.locomotives.com.pl/

 

That website certainly is an excellent resource, but is far from complete in terms of PKP standard gauge (and especially, though not exclusively, the vast array of locomotives inherited by PKP that disappeared prior to World War 2).

[SM42]

Eddie

Ty2 7 wasn't at Chabowka in September this year and in 2009 was supposedly at Plaszow depot. Whether it is still there who knows.

 

I found Chabowka a little bit sad. A bit like Barry really. Whilst there was active restoration work ongoing in the shed, there were also lots of engines slowly rusting away outside.  The torrential rain during my visit didn't help the atmosphere though.

 

Andy

[SM42]

Seeing that little LS40 above reminded me of this little gem (basking in typical March weather)  found across the road from Zielona Gora station.

 

 

The wheelbase on these, I think makes them look almost toy like.

 

Andy

[EddieB]

So far the lines covered have been in Galicia, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the endf of the First World War.  Travelling west from Krakow we passed into Upper Silesia ("Slask" in Polish), a major industrialised and coal-producing area which had been part of the Prussian Empire, wholly ceded to Germany at the Treaty of Versailles.  There was much strife as the population consisted of a German majority, but a revolting Polish minority (in the revolutionary sense, of course) and, following three uprisings (commemorated by scultures in Katowice) the territory of Upper Silesia was split between Germany and Poland, with towns like Katowice and Tarnowskie Gory becoming part of Poland.  The rest of Upper Silesia and the whole of Lower Silesia (with its regional capital at Breslau - now Wroclaw) remained parts of Germany until the national boundaries were re-drawn after World War Two, when they became Polish.

 

The main line between Krakow and Katowice was heavily trafficked, with junctions and parallel routes with many freight trains, getting steamier as we went.

 

First what appears to be a mineral train hauled by at ET21 electric near Jaworzno.

 

Then an unidentified Ty246 2-10-0 having passed Ty45-25 (plume of smoke in distance).  I'll say more about these types later.

 

At Myslowice I saw Ok22-3, my first of this class, reversing toward the station.  Nicknamed the "Polish P8" they were one of the earliest new locomotive designs for the nascent PKP (the "22" indicating year of introduction, i.e. 1923*), having a high-pitched boiler and Polish style cab atop what is effectively a Prussian P8 (DRB class 38.10) chassis.

 

The most common type of steam locomotives were Ty45, which were to be found over much of the country, but with a concentration in Silesia.  During the Second World War, the main Polish locomotive builders had been taken over by the Wehrmacht and production turned to German wartime designs.  The immediate need for serviceable locomotives in its aftermath was achieved by developing the pre-war Ty37 type, but incorporating certain German features, such as the "bathtub" tender.

 

Ty45-280.

 

Ty45-96, double-heading another member of the class.  (This picture actually belongs in the next section, as it is at Zabrze).

 

In my correspondence relating to permits, the Director of the Railway Museum had warned against photography at Katowice and Bytom, as these were "sensitive" places.  I therefore stowed my camera after arriving at Katowice, but not before taking a shot on the approach as we passed of Tr203-482 on station pilot duties.  After a quick look round outside the station - including seeing the monuments to the uprisings referred to earlier - we continued our journey westward.  Out came the camera again, just in time to catch some shots of the roundhouse containing predominantly Ty45 steam and SM42 diesel locomotives.

 

The Tr203 class were the standard US Army Transportation Corps 2-8-0s (often referred to, slightly erroneously, as "S160").  After the War, PKP acquired 500 of these locomotives, which it tend to use for shunting and local trip working.

 

 

*Not a mistake, the number seems to indicate when design was completed and building commenced, the first locomotive usually delivered the following year (or the one after).

[46444]

Great photos once more Eddie. 

 

The accompanying narrative is really interesting.  Thanks for taking the time to post these photos and share your travels in 1970's Poland.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[EddieB]

Seeing that little LS40 above reminded me of this little gem (basking in typical March weather)  found across the road from Zielona Gora station.

 

The wheelbase on these, I think makes them look almost toy like.

 

Andy

Slightly different model, the Ls60.  Ls60-67 was built locally, by "Zastal" in Zielona Gora in 1966.  I would infer 67 was also the works number.

[EddieB]

From Katowice we continued west into the region of Upper Silesia that remained part of Germany until after the Second World War.  Our destination was Pyskowice, at the time one of six depots on an approved list for visiting.

 

Typical of many steam-hauled freights passed en route was Ty23-62 near Gliwice, one of the earliest Polish 2-10-0 type, of which 606 were built.  Largely confined to Silesia, where they still seemed plentiful in 1976, their decline had started and all were to be withdrawn by 1979.

 

We passed a number of industrial systems, most commonly worked by "Ferrum" 0-6-0Ts built in large numbers after the Second World War.  (One has been preserved as PKP "TKh49-1", but to the best of my knowledge PKP never used this type and the number is ficticious - several are to be found in the UK). In common with the system already noted for the Ls40 diesel, industrial locomotives tended to carry their works number - which makes the identity of TKh-13212 something of a puzzle.

 

 

So we arrived at Pyskowice.  An initial reluctance to honour my permit was soon overcome and I was accorded a guided tour of the depot, with its allocation of Tr203, Ty23 and Ty45, able to take photographs as I pleased.  While getting the paperwork in order, I was asked to wait in the drivers' mess, with its duty board listing the locomotives and the crew assigned to them that day.

 

Ty45-144 on shed at Pyskowice.

 

The last passenger workings of the OKl27 2-6-2Ts were on the Pyskowice to Bytom line, trains being composed of double-deck stock.  (I believe the locos were based at Pyskowice, but none were on shed when I visited in the early afternoon).  Here OKl27-53 is running around its train, having arrived bunker first from Bytom.

 

I was treated to a run-past and display of black smoke from Ty45-36.

 

With my guide conducting me around in German, I thought I'd misunderstood when he said something about a woman when Tr203-499 approached on hump shunting duties.  No, it was true, the locomotive was being controlled single-handledly by a woman driver.

 

What I didn't realise at the time, and only discovered much later, was that the Sand Railway also had a locomotive depot at Pyskowice.  This was a huge industrial concern that operated a fleet of steam locomotives (industrial designs such as the TKp "Slask" 0-8-0T type to massize TKz 2-10-2Ts, alongside a fleet of Ty45s) and electrics.  The electrics were of two types, the 3E (which were very similar to the PKP ET21 class) and the earlier, boxy 2E53 Co-Co of which nine were built by Pafawag in the 1950s, incorporating components from Metropolitan Vickers.  Sadly all the 2E53s have long gone - none are preserved as such, although two bodies have been grounded and converted into stores.

 

The Sand Railway depot was at the back of the main PKP depot.  One of its former steam locomotives Tp4-217 (KPEV G8.1 type) is plinthed at the entrance.

 

A few years ago a group was formed with the intention of establishing a railway museum in the then abandoned PKP depot at Pyskowice.  They encountered many trials and tribulations (many of which can be read here: http://polishrail.wordpress.com/) regarding lease, ownership of locomotives and a collapse of the roundhouse roof underr the weight of snow (shades of Baltimore?).  Here's a view of the roundhouse and the distinctive signal box over the running line, looking distinctly abandoned, again from 2002.

 

From Pyskowice we caught a train to Bytom - hauled by a TKt48, newly drafted in and shortly to displace the OKl27s.  At Bytom we then caught a connecting train to Tarnowskie Gory.

 

As mentioned earlier, Bytom was one of the places warned as being sensitive, so my camera was put away.  It was only in 2002 (again) that I next visited Bytom.  Parked in the main station was ET41-090, one of the Bo-Bo+Bo-Bo double freight locomotives derived from the EU07 (in turn derived from the EU06, and hence having British roots).  I wouldn't have seen any of this type in 1976, as they were introduced in the following year.

 

Bytom was at the centre of an extensive network of 785mm gauge lines in Silesia.  Plinthed in a road haulage hub on the edge of town, Tw47-2558 is an 0-10-0T built by Chrzanow in 1948.

 

To Tarnowskie Gory.  A place that felt quite relaxed in 1976 and with quite a lot of steam passing through the station.  It was and is the home of the PKP Railway School and, until a few months before my visit, the collecting point for the locomotives to be put on display at the Railway Museum in Warsaw.  It has been my priviledge to contribute a couple of photographs to a comprehensive book on the railway history of the town, published locally - it seems that Western enthusiasts were almost alone in recording the steam scene in the 1970s! 

 

(Edit: New edition published this year http://odk.pl/wezel-kolejowy-tarnowskie-gory-1857-2013,22729.html, the original had date range 1853-2007 and only a very limited print run).

 

 

Ok22-24 awaiting departure with a passenger train of double-deck carriages.

 

Dusk starting to fall as Ty246-76 takes water under the road overbridge.  I'd switched over to HP5 frommy normal FP4 at this point, even then struggling with a 1/15th exposure.  The Ty246 were large 2-10-0s of distinctive American design, of which 100 were built by Baldwin, Lima and Alco for PKP in the aftermath of the Second World War.  They were used extensively on the North-South corridor that ran through Tarnowskie Gory, until displaced by electrification and in particular, the ET41 class.

 

Again, jumping forward to 2002, Tp1-18 (KPEV G7.1) is preserved outside the Railway School at Tarnowskie Gory.

 

From Tarnowskie Gory, we caught a train back down the main line to Katowice.  After finding something to eat we then bought tickets, boarded a north-bound overnight train  and crammed into a packed seating compartment for the next stage of our journey.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Eddie,

Bloomin' fantastic atmospheric photos there, thanks for posting!

I do like Poland, the Poles themselves and their railways, unfortunately I'm not that keen on their loco's huge headlamps!!! Just something you get used to, I guess!

Anyway, there certainly was a fascinating amount of variety to be seen back in '76. I admire you're pluck in visiting then.

I went to Poland in 1990, just after the wall came down and found a third way to go from Krakow to Zakopane - by push-bike!

It was all on an organised trip by "Bike Events" whereby about a hundred of us mostly Brits cycled from Krakow to Budapest!

I think it took at least two days cycling, maybe three (I honestly can't remember!) to get to Zakopane, I remember going on a somewhat circuitous route once and coming across a line of abandoned steam locos in a rather lonely valley - it was quite eerie! I did take a picture or two, if I come across them I'll try and get them posted.

At the time my little group from Derby were vehemently anti-railway so I had be careful about how much railway time I got at risk of either getting too much flack or being left behind!

All the best,

John E.

[EddieB]

Sounds a bit like Zebiec scrapyard, near Starachowice - but that's further north (in the vicinity of Starzysko-Kamienna) - unlikely to have been the place you visited.  I'd be interested to know exactly where and what you saw - photos appreciated!

[EddieB]

Thursday, 5th August 1976 dawned bright and clear.  Despite sitting upright in our cramped compartment and a few spiteful knocks from our fellow passengers, we'd managed to snatch some sleep during the night.  Travelling north, the arterial route avoids Inowroclaw, then splits before reaching Bydgoszcz - we were taking the western fork, approaching Bydgoszcz Glowny from the West.

 

Bydgoszcz, formerly known as Bromberg, was an important railway centre when it was part of the Prussian state, before becoming part of Poland in 1919.  As we drifted into the station, we had a good view of the depot to the North of the station, at that time almost 100% steam.  The first locomotive we saw was a Pm2 Pacific (DRB class 03) shuffling off towards the coaling stage (it was obscured by bushes by the time I pressed the shutter).  Unfortunately that was the only one of its class I saw in steam, as they were being displaced by Pt47s being cascaded onto their last remaining passenger duties.  Another member of the class (Pm2-19) was visible in front of the roundhouse - smashed cab windows probably a sign that it was out of service.  Alongside it was Ty4-67, the familiar DRB class 44 heavy freight 2-10-0, of which 132 found their way into PKP stock.  Both types were withdrawn by the end of 1978 and, perhaps surprisingly only one of the Pm2 and none of the Ty4 locomotives have been preserved.

 

 

In addition to the ranks of steam locomotives outside the roundhouse, more were lined up alongside the railway headquarters.  Here is Pt47-177 parked in the company of a couple of Ty45s, and Ty2-335 behind one of the few diesels we saw then, SP45-167.

 

 

Discretion prevailed over any desire to approach the depot for photography, and besides what was intended to be the highlight of the trip - Torun - beckoned.  After buying our tickets for the next leg of the journey, our train approached from Pila behind Pt47-163.  A run down the main line behind PKP's last type of express passenger locomotives lay ahead.

 

 

 

But now for a short interlude from 1995, when I next found my way to Bydgoszcz.  To say I had driven from the UK there tells only part of the story, as my roundabout trip had included a number of ferry crossings to take in parts of Holland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Germany - perhaps the most indirect route to Poland you can think of!

 

By 1995, steam had almost - but not entirely - vanished from Bydgoszcz.  Where before the depot had housed an assortment of steam locomotives of several classes, it was now predominated by the SU45 class diesels, re-classified as "universal" (SU) from "passenger"  (SP).  They included SU45-167, the same loco we had encountered in 1976.

 

 

Of course the Pm2 Pacifics had now long gone, as had the Pt47s that had replaced them on the Pila to Torun services.  Local trains were now in the hands of Roumanian FAUR diesels of class SP32, introduced from 1985.  Here is SP32-082 at Pila.

 

A couple of smaller diesels present at Bydgoszcz depot in 1995 were SM03-198 and SP30-253.  The SM03 were built both for PKP (which had 273 of them) and industry (as Ls150 or 2Ls150).  The SP30 were some SM30 re-classified as passenger machines, later reverting to their original classification.

 

 

Also present were a number of 411S type snowploughs.  Built by ZNTK Stargard, they are not self-propelled, and were to be found throughout Poland (PKP had 158 of them) as well as the former Czechoslovakia.

 

In 1995, Bydgoszcz still had steam in reserve, in the shape of Ty2-149 and a classmate.  Preserved at the depot is TKp1-46, a Prussian T13 0-8-0T (DRB 92.5), the only surviving member of its type in Poland.  (Pt47-93 is also preserved in front of the Railway Headquarters at Bydgoszcz).

 

Edit: Don't know why the content posted twice within the same message - now removed.

[46444]

Tanks Eddie once more for posting these wonderfully atmospheric photos and the narrative.

 

Nice to see a bit of 785mm gauge as well!  

 

Merry Christmas,

 

Mark

[EddieB]

Steam dominated the main line from Bydgoszcz to Torun.  Traffic was heavy and we passed several stream-hauled freights.  Torun had a huge depot, crammed full of locomotives, with but a handful of ST44 diesels.  I was rather surprised to see a streamlined Pacific locomotive (now restored and preserved as Pm3-3 at the Warsaw Railway Museum) - but mostly obscured by a lineside building when I attempted a photograph from the train.  A couple of Ok1 4-6-0s (the ubiquitous Prussian P8) were busily shunting as we neared the station.  This was going to be the highlight of the trip - or so I thought.

 

Ty51-59, one of over two hundred heavy freight 2-10-0s built during the 'fifties, passed en route.

 

Arriving at Torun I confirmed permission to photograph with a member of the station staff on the platform, left my parents on a station bench, then set about photographing the two station pilots.  At Torun Glowny, the station buildings and concourse occupy an island between the main platforms and running lines.  Tr203-36 was acting as station pilot on one side of the station, Ok1-181 on the other.

 

 

At which point I was grabbed from behind by two members of the grey-uniformed Railway Police and marched backwards to a cramped office in a dark corner of the station, where a more senior policeman was waiting.  My trusty Fujica ST801 was taken from around my neck and placed on an otherwise bare table.  Whatever was passing through Torun over the next couple of hours, I wouldn't be photographing it.

[SM42]

Eddie

 

Could this be Pm3 3 at Warsaw Railway museum?

 

 

 

Andy