The Magic of Poland

[burgundy]

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.

John

Could it have been Chabowka? Just off the main road from Krakow to Zakopane?

Best wishes

Eric

[EddieB]

Yes, as far as I know, the locomotive at Warsaw is Pm3-5 (Borsig 14926/1940, originally DRB 03.1015), preserved as "Pm3-3" and is the same locomotive that I saw stored at the depot in Torun.  PKP acquired nine of these locomotives, which originally had streamlined casing over the motion (similar to an A4).  The class became extinct in 1968 and the last one was retained for preservation.  I think it was "discovered" by western enthusiasts a little while before my visit, as I know of one individual (group?) who managed to visit Torun shed and photograph it rather better than I did.  Sadly that image was too late to be used in Ransome-Wallis's "Last Steam Locomotives of Eastern Europe" (which used a photograph supplied by PKP) - albeit taken by the major contributor to the chapter on Poland.

 

Anyway, here's one of my shots of "Pm3-3" after it was moved to Warsaw (taken in 1999).

 

And here it is - or rather the top of its smoke deflectors - at Torun in 1976.

 

The PKP was never a major user of Pacifics, all but three being locomotives of German origin that found there way to Poland after the Second World War.  Apart from the nine streamlined Pm3 class, there were thirty-five of the Pm2 (DRB 03, which I've mentioned previously) and it appears one DRB class 01 which was allocated the number Pm1-1, before returning to Germany in 1951.

 

The first and, for a long time only, PKP Paciific was ex-Württemberg State Railway C class 2010 (Esslingen 3571/1910) which became PKP Om101-1, ceded to Poland from France in 1920.  During WW2 it was captured by the Soviets and possibly ended its days in Roumania.

 

The other two Pacifics were of course the Pm36 class, one of which has been restored to working order as Pm36-2 at Wolsztyn.  Of the two original locomotives, Pm36-1 was streamlined, but disappeared during WW2.  Pm36-2 was unstreamlined, and survived the war to become PKP Pm36-2 in the new post-war numbering system ("PKP-B").  After withdrawal in 1970, it was placed in stored at Tarnowskie Gory, before being moved to the new museum at Warsaw, where I first saw it in 1976 (still carrying the number Pm36-1).

 

Unusually, Poland turned to the 2-8-2 arrangement for its principal express locomotives - the pre-war Pt31 class and the post-war Pt47 class.  Before those, it did however experiment with the 4-8-2 arrangement in the form of the Pu29 class.  Only three were built, the type not perpetuated as they proved too longf for many of the turntables.  Only one survived to become PKP-B Pu29-1, again lasting until 1970 when it was set aside for preservation.   It is now to be found at the Railway Museum at Koscierzyna

 

All this talk of Pacifics reminds me that a rather unusual 600mm gauge Pacific survives in Poland - but I'll leave that for another time (soon).

 

[Allegheny1600]

John

Could it have been Chabowka? Just off the main road from Krakow to Zakopane?

Best wishes

Eric

Hi Eric,

Having had a (very) quick look at your link, I doubt it as I don't recall any buildings in the vicinity and it was a very quiet little road we cycled down (24 years ago!). I wish I could lay my hands on the notes/route description we were given but they seem to have vanished in the mists of time and house moves.

I have found a few photos that I will get onto here, sadly not yet the specific one I was thinking of.

Cheers,

John E.

[the penguin of doom]

Hi Eddie.

 

A smashing thread this one. Like Andy, Mrs Penguin hails from Poland, so we regularly get a trip behind an EU07 from Gdansk or Sczcecin through to Swidwin, (her home town), in Northern Poland. There are two steam loco's on static display in the locality, one at Stargard Szczecin, possibly a TY42 and the other at Sczcecin Glowny which is a large tank engine.

 

I have also visited Chabowka during an open day while the sun was shining and we, (Me, Mrs P and a friend who works for PKP), got a cab ride in one of the steamers based there. Unfortunately, at that time I was not showing a massive interest in the Polish Railways, (this has changed and I have now even reverted to being a "train spotter"), so am not sure of the loco classes that were present.

 

Keep the posts coming if you would, very enjoyable.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[SM42]

Ah Sean

 

The lure of train spotting is strong in Poland. Perhaps it's the rarity (i.e only there a few times a year) perhaps it is to relieve the tedium of train travel at 60 - 100kmh. Who knows? What I do know is you do get some strange looks sometimes and Mrs SM42 sinks lower into her seat.

 

There does seem to be an attraction to plinthing locos in Poland.  Almost everywhwere you go there is something sat there like a railway gate guardian.

 

Eddie, I'm really enjoying this look back at a Poland I never knew and looking forward to the next instalment. Fascinating stuff and great to see what are now museum pieces as they were.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[EddieB]

I'll start with an apology and explain my recent edit of post #20.  Without checking, I had thought that several Pm2 class Pacifics had survived in Poland, but in fact only one has been preserved, namely Pm2-34 at the Railway Museum in Warsaw.  I'm not aware whether any of the class carried green livery in service - certainly those I saw in 1976 were black - the museum does seem to like painting almost everything green.

 

Now for something of an oddity.  In 1935 the firm of Tubize (Nivelles) built six 600mm gauge Pacifics for an exhibition ("Expo") in Brussels, numbered 1 - 6.  Somehow no. 3 (Tubize 2179/1935) ended up in industrial service at a sugar plant in Poland (ZPC Chelmica).  Retired from service in the 'seventies, it is now on display at the 600mm gauge museum at Wenecja.  Even more surprising is that a second locomotive was "discovered" in Belgium a few years ago, having been hidden away in a private collection.  This second locomotive is now at Stomcentrum Maldegem awaiting restoration: http://www.stoomcentrum.be/ (follow menu 'Rollend materieel' for narrow gauge steam, then "Lilliput").

 

Finally (for the time being), the standard PKP express passenger locomotive between the wars was the Pt31 2-8-2.  A total of 110 were built (including 12 by the DRB after the invasion of Poland).  Sixty-six passed back into PKP ownership after WW2, the last survivors being withdrawn in 1980.  I never saw any during my 1976 visit, as by that time they were concentrated in the East of the country - Lublin, Chelm, Rozwadow.  Two are preserved - Pt31-49 at Jaworzyna (which on the occasions I've visited was awaiting restoration inside the roundhouse) and Pt31-64 at Chabowka.

[SM42]

Eddie mentioned the museum at Wenecja.

 

This can be found next to the station of the same name on the narrow gauge line (Zninska Kolej Powiatowa) between Znin and Gasawa. The train stops here for  around 20 minutes but unfortunately on my trip I didn't think this was enough time  to do the museum justice. Also Mrs SM42 had the archaeological museum at Biskupin (also on the line) in her sights so I had to graciously give way, ( I had, after all had a ride on the train that had been worked into the circuitous route to get there).

 

The line itself is quite interesting as its winds its way through some typical polish scenery and if the weather is good (as it was when we visited) the open sided carriages are a blessing for from the train photography.

 

Add to this the railway museum and castle ruins at Wenecja, the obligatory bar at Znin (with a beer garden that is so close to the line the trains nearly carry away the umbrellas) and you have a wonderful day out.

 

The only down side to our visit was that there was nothing in steam that day so we had to make do with diesel (LYd 2) haulage . Here are a few photos from 2011 as a brief interlude from the 70s nostalgia

 

Our train from the beer garden

 

 

2 from over the fence at Wenecja museum

 

 

 

 

Our train at Wenecja

 

Crossing the road after running round at Gasawa

 

 

 

 

Andy

[EddieB]

Returning to 1976, my experience at the hands of the Railway Police at Torun was far from unusual.  At the time it was very much recognised as an occupational hazard and I think most railway enthusiasts - including many on organised tours - were detained by Railway Police at the larger stations or by the regular police in open country.  To say there was an informant culture would be overstating things by a long way - most Poles were independent and put up with the system only under suffereance - but quite a few enthusiasts believe their arrests came about as a result of informants alerting the police.

 

Officially, and propagandists within Poland and sympathisers outside its borders were quick to point out, photography of trains and locomotives was not illegal in Poland.  However there was a list of forbidden subjects and clearly the rules that existed were either not widely communicated or open to local interpretation.  (Any similarities to the situation that prevailed here under the People's Democracy of Blair were purely coincidental).

 

Obviously my parents were quite alarmed when I approached them in the company of my two captors asking for my passport.  They followed me back to the office and wouldn't let Mr Big close the door on them. They certainly weren't going to stand by passively while their son was hauled off to the salt mines.

 

My passport, permit and correspondence from the Director of the Railway Museum were scrutinised and their content meticulously recorded.  On the back of a cigarette packet.  (No doubt they found their way onto a more official and enduring record later).  The member of staff that I'd asked for permission was summoned and gave a non-commital response.  All the while I could hear the pounding of steam locomotives outside - oh, what might have been.

 

Finally, with a warning that permission was all well and good for little places, but Torun was far too big and important and photography couldn't be allowed, I was free to go.  My camera was returned to me (no confiscation of film).  Even a handshake was presented (which my parents refused - good on them).

 

So, chastened by the experience we caught the next train out, hauled by 2-6-2 Ol49-107.  Our destination was Poznan, but intending to break the journey at Gniezno.  The camera stayed hidden until the doors were shut and the train was in motion.

 

The route afforded further views of the depot complex that was Torun (mainly Ty2 and Ty4 2-10-0s present).

 

The next station of importance was Inowroclaw, where we passed another Ok1, this one (Ok1-336) on a train of double-deck carriages.

 

 

Revisiting the area in 1995, Torun seemed eerily empty and quiet.  The station itself had changed little from what I remember, although a "Ferrum" industrial 0-6-0T was plinthed there.  No restriction on photography, but little apart from a couple of SM42 diesels and the plinthed steamer to photograph.

 

Then on to Inowroclaw.  By then Inowroclaw had grown in importance with the development of the North-South arterial coal route (Magistrala Węglowa) and served as a stabling point for the double Bo-Bo+Bo-Bo electrics of classes ET40 (Skoda, Czechoslovakia), ET41 (Cegielski, Poland) and ET42 (Novocherkassk, USSR) and all types could be seen hauling coal from the mines of Silesia northwards or returning empties from the Baltic ports southwards through the station, or being serviced at the stabling point alongside.

 

 

(Sorry, the colour slides are in a bottom drawer blocked in by books and magazines - the b&w shots more accessible - and it was a pretty foul day anyway).

 

It was here at Inowroclaw in 1995 that I encountered my worst experience in Poland, and the only time I've feared for my personal safety in that country.  A very resentful and very drunk driver of an ET42 took exception to me taking photographs of his locomotive.  I won't go into the full details, but having ordered me over to the loco depot (not realising what was in store, I thought it better to comply) he threatened to break my camera gear unless I handed over some hard currency.along with other various threats which, in the state he was in, he seemed quite capable at least of attempting.  I was only "released" when some of his collegaues realised that enough was enough and physically restrained him.  (This being a man that a few minutes before had been in charge of moving 160 tons of locomotive).  So much for laying down any bad memories of 1976.

 

Next time, on to Gniezno (at various times) and no more tales of woe!

 

[Edited to identify locomotive on our train to Gniezno]

[SM42]

Looking forward to the Poznan section as it's Mrs SM42's  adopted home town and now my second home. Be interesting to see how it looked back then.

 

 

BTW, Gniezno is the place to get the bus to Znin, which coveniently passes through Gasawa en route

 

Andy

[EddieB]

Talking of Poznan, the latest news from Poland is that from the new timetable introduced earlier this month, steam now works from Wolsztyn only to Leszno.  Steam to Poznan has now finished.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi all,

Bad news on the steam loco pics, I'm afraid as I can't find them (it) anywhere but I'm sure I took at least one (sorry!).

Anyway I did find a selection of obviously Polish shots (others may be Czech (Slovak) or Hungarian) so here we go, they are not the highest quality I'm afraid, just digital photos of the original photographs, must get a scanner sometime.

This was *just* a tram but I thought it quite quaint, I liked the fact that the trams here sometimes ran in the median between dual carriageways.

You can see how dirty Krakow was at this time, I believe it was one of the most polluted cities in Europe then (1990).

Apologies for the blurred finger in the way, this was a very hastily snatched shot and when I looked back, the driver was shaking his fist at me!!!

Just shots showing trains in the countryside!

I have no recollection of where this was, maybe not even in Poland but I thought it interesting.

After my group and I had cycled from Krakow to Budapest over the course of 10 days, we took a break of one day then took the train all the way back to Krakow overnight, I suspect this was the loco that hauled us back through Poland.

Not a very restful night as passports & visas had to be checked at each border.

Thankfully, I took a shot of Krakow station too.

 

That's it for my definitely Polish shots, I'll start a new topic for the rest of the trip sometime!

Cheers,

John E.

 

[the penguin of doom]

The photo of the Blue stock carrying the tracked vehicle is interesting John.

 

There are similar items of stock stabled at Stargard Szczecin and I've often wondered what the tracked vehickes are for, (presumably not tanks.....?)

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[DavidR]

The trams are Konstal 105N s, (known locally as 'Aquariums', because of the large windows), which are operated in this area by Silesian Tramways. Mostly they go around 'mob-handed', in pairs, but a few routes - notably the Katowice to Sosnowiec line (#15),are operated by single cars.

Some are being modified with new front ends and padded passenger seating (replacing the moulded single bum-numbing earlier species). If you go onto You Tube and type in 'Katowice trams', there is a wealth of viewing.

[EddieB]

Moving on to a place that Gniezno introduction (ugh).  In 1976 we decided to break our journey here.  After my experience at Torun, I was extra carefulabout photography in and around the station.

 

The depot is located at the back of the station.  I discovered that the gents' loo on the main platform gave a good view of the locomotives arranged about the turntable - with my father posted on look-out duty I was able to grab some photographs.  These were followed up by some more taken quickly from the road bridge that crosses the lines to the South of the station and affords an excellent view over the depot.  Unfortunately at the time I didn't know that the narrow gauge station was just over on the other side of the bridge, so I never made it that far.

 

The double-deck carriages that were to form our onward connection to Poznan we conveniently parked in the station a long time before departure.  From the upper storey of an empty carriage I could watch and photograph the movements through the station.  It's surprising how seldom people tend to look up and, despite plenty of people travelling, my activities went unobserved.  It was virtually all steam with classes Ok1, Ol49, Pt47, Ty2 and Ty43 represented.

 

Ok1-309 runs light through the station.

 

Ty43-20 was acting as station pilot.  Gniezno had a large allocation of these heavy kriegslokomotiven (DRB class 42).

 

Pt47-1 arriving with a semi-fast train.

 

 

As it turned out it was 1998 before I returned to Gniezno and was able to visit the narrow gauge station and yard.  At that time the remnants of the once extensive Kujawska 750mm system were part dieselised, but steam was still in regular service (this being before it became a tourist operation and part of the "Wolsztyn Experience".  The station platform was occupied by an MBxd2 railcar and trailer ready to form the next passenger service, but in the yard Px48-1754 was assembling a freight consisting mainly of standard gauge wagons on transporter wagons.

 

 

When I returned to Gniezno in 2002, the same Px48-1754 was stored out of use with a classmate.

 

After the end of regular steam working on PKP, Gniezno depot retained the facility to carry out overhauls and repairs, and has provided servicing for the Wolsztyn locomotive fleet.  Steam locomotives have been stored outside the roundhouse, awaiting renovation, which makes an interesting comparison between one of my photographs taken from the road bridge in 1976 and one taken from a similar viewpoint in 2002.

 

 

In 1976 we departed for Poznan behind Ok1-346.  However, before leaving Gniezno in this account, I'll make mention of the Sredzka 750mm system, based at nearby Sroda, which was the last of the PKP narrow gauge lines to be 100% steam worked.  Obviously a detour was necessary during my 1998 visit, Px48-1902 being active on shed on that occasion.  To my regret I failed to photograph "Pikus", the black and white terrier that was the ever-present mascot at Sroda shed. 

 

 

[EddieB]

Talking of Polish narrow gauge, reminds me that there are a couple of books that I'd recommend:

 

i) Schmalspurbahnen in Polen (Clössner & Gussman, Rohr 1998) - summarises the status of each of the narrow gauge systems as at date of pblication, with maps and track plans; also includs an essay on the narrow gauge in the 'seventies (German text).

 

ii) Koleje waskotorowe Polski Polnocnej (Pokropinski, Cibet 2000) - covers the n.g. lines of an area in Northern Poland (to the SE of Gdansk), but includes numerous track plans and scale drawings of locomotives and rolling stock (Polish text with German summary).

 

I've don't know the current availability of these titles, but certainly worth keeping an eye open for.

[EddieB]

We left Gniezno behind "P8" Ok1-346.  Nearing Poznan we passed another of the class (Ok1-208) on a return working.  Shunting nearby was SM41-71, one of the Ganz-MAVAG Bo-Bo locomotives that became something of a Comecon standard.  Based on the MAV M44 class, similar locos were exported to Poland (SM40 and SM41), Bulgaria (51), Czechoslovakia (T455.0), Soviet Union (VME1) and Jugoslavia (744), China (ND15) and Albania.

 

 

Still reeling somewhat from my experience at Torun that morning, I tried to be fairly cautious at Poznan, with the result that many of my photographs could have been a lot better.  On the other hand, I know of groups who were systematically arrested there, and I know I was "being watched" at one time, at least, by a member of the Railway Police.  (Just after midnight, waiting on the platform for our train, with cameras put away for the night).

 

Poznan is on the main line from Berlin to Warsaw, and most traffic was electrically hauled.  However an international train was being worked through by a DR diesel-hydraulic 118 083-5 (the following year I was able to reciprocate with a PKP SP45 diesel at Berlin Ostbahnhof, but that's another story).  The 118 class was the East German counterpart of the V200 class in West Germany, with similar "Warship" styling.

 

Pt47s were to be found on the semi-fasts on the non-electrified lines.  Here are Pt47-87 and Pt47-132 on such duties.

 

 

A new class - to me - was the Ty5 2-10-0 (DRB 50), with Ty5-48 shunting.  These locomotives appear to have been drafted into the Poznan area a couple of years before my visit (somewhere in Pomerania is suspected - they were largely unknown to Western enthusiasts before that time).  PKP had fifty-eight of them, including four bought from the Soviet Union in 1961.  They survived until 1979.

 

One notable absentee from my 1976 visit to Poznan was the Ol49 class, that I had encountered working only as far as Gniezno.  It wouldn't be until 1998 that I'd get to see one of these locomotives at Poznan, by then part of the steam operations out of Wolsztyn.

 

Our aim was to catch an overnight train along the main line to Warsaw.  The train, when it arrived in the early hours, was running several hours late (the station departures board was not a model of punctuality).  It would be another overnight in an ordinary seating compartment.  Still, it had been a long and tiring day and sleep could be expected.

 

 

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Nice things Ty5s, I drove one round Poznan shed yard during a 'Magic of Poland' trip in 1975 - so happened that our PKP guide was a Poznan Loco Inspector  Even managed to stop it on a rising brake at the shed outlet signal which went down very well with the locals.

[EddieB]

Still running late, we arrived in Warszawa-Wschodnia (East) to a bright and sunny morning, behind an SP45 diesel and a new EP08 electric.  I hope no one is offended if I say that Warsaw seemed a bit of a "nothing" city, lacking the historic charm it would have had if it hadn't been devastated in WW2.  While some parts had been lovingly restored in their former styles, there was much by way of Soviet-era brutalist concrete, with the skyline dominated by one of Uncle Joe's "wedding cake" skyscrapers - the Palace of Culture.

 

Walking across the Wisla (Vistula) road and rail bridge, we were passed by EN57 local passenger trains and ST44 diesels both on freight and light engine.  The PKP ST44 is of course the familiar Lugansk M62 diesel-electric.  Here is ST44-490 crossing the bridge light engine.

 

A visit to the new Railway Museum was the order of the day.  First I decided to pay a visit to its director at the office I had written to requesting permits.  Despite having requested that I call in at the office, the staff seemed a little surprised to see me, but I was warmly received and left with some leaflets and photographs.  That visit was also to spark a research interest in the railways of Poland, the Director having explained that the nascent PKP had inherited something like two hundred different classes of locomotives when it was formed.  At the time I found that figure hard to believe - much as I find it hard to believe that so much information has come to light in recent years (and quite an intriguing story in itself).

 

The Railway Museum had been established a few months before at Waszawa-Glowny station - in the process of being decommissioned as services were transferred to the underground gloom of the new Waszawa-Centralny station.  At the time the museum collection consisted of nine standard gauge steam locomotives, plus various smaller artefacts displayed indoors.  TKi3-119 is an ex-Prussian T9.3 2-6-0T, but the locomotive behind OKa1-1 is the sole surviving example of the strange Latvian Tk class 2-2-2T dating from 1931.

 

Warszawa-Glowny still served as a terminus for some passenger services.  Here is Skoda built electric EP05-01 after arrival there.

 

Our final leg of the journey involved catching an afternoon train from Warszawa-Centralny to Krakow, thence a bus to Zakopane.While the central main line was electrified, there was still plenty of steam in action, particularly at the major junctions.

 

Near Radom, a meeting of the old and new orders in freight haulage - a Ty43 2-10-0 pulls away to overtake an ET22 electric.  Shortly after our visit there were food riots in Radom, one of the precursors to the opposition that found its focus among the shipworkers of Gdansk a few years later.

 

The most important junction, and certainly the steamiest place, was Starzysko Kamienna, with Ty51 2-10-0s on freight and Pt47s on passenger trains.  Shunting all along the route was in the hands of the Tr201 class - the UNRRA equivalent of the Tr203 that predominated elsewhere.

 

Ty51-9.

 

Ty51-100.

 

Seen near Kielce, SM15-7067 is the Polish equivalent of the Soviet TGM3 design.  PKP had twenty-seven such locomotives (two are preserved), but this is one of twenty-nine industrial units (also classified Ls750H).

 

Despite having changed to HP4 film, the diminishing daylight did not help my attempts to photograph a moving locomotive from a moving train: in this case Tr201-36 shunting at Jedrzejow.

 

So we arrived at Krakow in the dark and at Zakopane in the early hours of the following morning, in good need of rest and a shower (Polish plumbing hadn't reached its modern reputation back then).  Cue a run-in with our party-carded tour courier for absconding without police registration for a few days.  We made one more trip to Chabowka (as already covered) and soon it was time to fly home from Krakow - a palpable sense of relief upon take-off in the hands of British Airways.

 

There have been more visits to Poland, but that's a summary of what I saw of the country and its railways in the 'seventies.  I've been fortunate to visit most parts except the extreme South-east (which I'm told is very scenic), including most of the places I passed through in 1976.  The country has changed a lot - for the better; in all but one respect - oh for a time capsule to return to when it was full of working steam!

 

 

[tcy]

Thank you all for the interesting stories and rare photographs!

I would like to ask EddieB about WARS sleeper in Zakopane. Is it possible to read, whether it is 1/2 class (WLAB) or 1. class only (WLA)?

Greetings from Poland

Tomasz

[SM42]

Just stopped by here again after a bit of a break and I would like to echo Tomasz's thanks for an enjoyable thread.

 

Some bits of Poznan in your pictures are very recognisable today, especially the building with the outside staircase  to the left of the water crane.

 

Thanks again

 

Andy

[EddieB]

Thank you Tomasz for your kind comments., and welcome to RmWeb.

 

I can't be sure whether the WARS sleeper was WLA or WLAB - here's a section from a higher resolution scan which may help:

 

While on that subject of coaching stock, a rather poor shot (I think my train was moving) of a light-coloured PKP carriage within the formation of a Warszawa Wsch. - Zakopane train, passed at Bialy Dunajec.  I'm trying to remember whether this carriage was light blue or (perhaps) orange?  Unfortunately the lettering at the top of the sides seems indecipherable.

[the penguin of doom]

I travelled from Stargard Sczcecin to Krakow in a Light Blue couchette sleeper about 4 years ago. If I recall, it had a Yellow stripe along the side similar to the picture above, (all be it the one in the picture above is Black and White). I'll try and find the picture I took of it in good time and post it here if that's alright EddieB?

 

As is the norm with most sleeping cars, it was a very restless night.....!

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[tcy]

I can't be sure whether the WARS sleeper was WLA or WLAB - here's a section from a higher resolution scan which may help:

Great! It is 1st class sleeper WLAhxz, type 11A, built 1949 at H. Cegielski, Poznan, Poland. 14 units were built.

 

While on that subject of coaching stock, a rather poor shot (I think my train was moving) of a light-coloured PKP carriage within the formation of a Warszawa Wsch. - Zakopane train, passed at Bialy Dunajec.  I'm trying to remember whether this carriage was light blue or (perhaps) orange?  Unfortunately the lettering at the top of the sides seems indecipherable.

Another unique photograph!  This is one of 30 1/2 class sleepers purchased 1974 from GOSA, Yugoslavia. Please note the Wegmann type boogies. The carriage was blue with orange WARS inscription. At the top you could read: SCHLAFWAGEN, WAGON SYPIALNY (Polish) and the same in Russian (спальный вагон  - Spal'nyj Vagon). These wagons were relatively quickly withdrawn from service due to components of Western origin that were used in their construction. Spare parts were expensive or not available...

[EddieB]

I travelled from Stargard Sczcecin to Krakow in a Light Blue couchette sleeper about 4 years ago. If I recall, it had a Yellow stripe along the side similar to the picture above, (all be it the one in the picture above is Black and White). I'll try and find the picture I took of it in good time and post it here if that's alright EddieB?

 

As is the norm with most sleeping cars, it was a very restless night.....!

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

Please feel free to add photos and information to this thread, Sean (or anyone else who wants to contribute).  Likewise if anyone wants to ask information or request photos relating to Polish prototypes, then don't hesitate.  I'm not saying we (collectively) can answer, but we'll try to help.

[EddieB]

Great! It is 1st class sleeper WLAhxz, type 11A, built 1949 at H. Cegielski, Poznan, Poland. 14 units were built.

 

Another unique photograph!  This is one of 30 1/2 class sleepers purchased 1974 from GOSA, Yugoslavia. Please note the Wegmann type boogies. The carriage was blue with orange WARS inscription. At the top you could read: SCHLAFWAGEN, WAGON SYPIALNY (Polish) and the same in Russian (спальный вагон  - Spal'nyj Vagon). These wagons were relatively quickly withdrawn from service due to components of Western origin that were used in their construction. Spare parts were expensive or not available...

 

That's really amazing, Tomasz - thank you so much for identifying these vehicles.  I must admit that I never paid as much attention to carriages as to locomotives and have found information on them quite hard to come by.  I have a basic overview of coach and wagon classification in a little book ("Kolejnictwo", by Stefan Smolis) that I bought during that 1976 visit, but it doesn't give any breakdown of types and numbers constructed.

 

I'm guessing that the principal PKP/WARS sleeper services were those running through to Zakopane, hence coming across more than my fair share of "special" carriages.