david1234 Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Hi all, I am in the research stage for my next project,and I was hoping I could ask for a few pointers. I am intending on modelling the last vestiges of steam in Poland, having been inspired by the idea of Kriegsloks running into the 1990s. I am really struggling however to find prototype information, such as photos, maps, and general information. This is only to be expected given the political situation at the time and the difficulties in taking photos of railways in the Eastern Bloc. I have done an extensive search on google and found very little unfortunately. Does anyone have any idea where I can look for more information? I am willing to work with Polish language websites if required. Any help would be really appreciated. Many thanks David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Hi David, As you're no doubt aware, this has quite a wide scope. There is quite a lot of information out there if you know where to look. In general, the use of steam locomotives declined during the 'seventies and 'eighties such that by the time the Berlin Wall came down (which marked a watershed into greater openness) there was very little regular operation. However quite a few steam locomotives were never officially withdrawn, so remained on the "active list" into the early 'nineties. It was around this time also that Wolsztyn started to emerge as an operational museum depot - and the only place I saw working steam during a visit to Poland in 1991. For reports of active steam, back issues of Continental Railway Journal are worth tracking down, which also give something of the flavour of visiting during the Warsaw Pact era. For photographs, there are albums such as "Die letzten Dampflokomotiven der Polnischen Staatsbahnen" (Eisenbahn Kurier, 1976) but many of the best books are hard to find/expensive. If you can track it down, the Quail Map Company produced a Railway Map of Poland, which has excellent detail and historical information. Failing that, there's a pretty useful map within the PKP timetable (published annually) or one from Eisenbahn Kurier. I started a thread here on RMweb a couple of years ago about various travels in Poland which may also give a few pointers, albeit with a gap in visits between 1976 and 1991. Do you have a specific region or locomotive types in mind? Aside from the kriegsloks (Ty2 and Ty42), the classes most prevalent during the "last days of steam" on standard gauge were TKt48, Pt47, Ol49, Ty51, Ty43 (DRB heavy kriegslok), Ty45 and Tr203 (USATC). With a narrower selection I can give further pointers to recommended books, magazines, articles and websites, TKt48-143 shunting at Wolsztyn, May 1991. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bingley hall Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Go to Flickr. Search for Poland steam locomotive and you'll get over 7000 images Admittedly around half will be Wolsztyn, but it's a start. https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=Poland%20steam%20locomotive Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david1234 Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 Many thanks for all the pointers and suggestions. At this point I am still fairly ignorant of the Polish scene as it was in the '80s so it is handy to have an idea of where to begin to research the topic and narrow my focus down to something specific! I have got a few old issues of the Continental railway journal (thanks for that suggestion by the way, I hadn't heard of it before) on order now so hopefully they will provide me with a way into the subject to start with. Thanks again, your help has been much appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted December 8, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 8, 2016 Hi all, I am in the research stage for my next project,and I was hoping I could ask for a few pointers. I am intending on modelling the last vestiges of steam in Poland, having been inspired by the idea of Kriegsloks running into the 1990s. I am really struggling however to find prototype information, such as photos, maps, and general information. This is only to be expected given the political situation at the time and the difficulties in taking photos of railways in the Eastern Bloc. I have done an extensive search on google and found very little unfortunately. Does anyone have any idea where I can look for more information? I am willing to work with Polish language websites if required. Any help would be really appreciated. Many thanks David I have a great Polish book of photo's given to me by a Polish friend. I'm sorry I do not loan it out. Parowozy. w fotografii Tomasza Roszaka You might find a copy through Google. There are Polish enthusiasts groups on Fartbrook. Most of the folk speak English and some have been very helpful with info in the past. Try a search there. OK so mostly recent years pics but a lot of great stuff. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Jamieson Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 I have a great Polish book of photo's given to me by a Polish friend. I'm sorry I do not loan it out. Parowozy. w fotografii Tomasza Roszaka You might find a copy through Google. There are Polish enthusiasts groups on Fartbrook. Most of the folk speak English and some have been very helpful with info in the past. Try a search there. OK so mostly recent years pics but a lot of great stuff. Phil I have an album by the same author in English/German with the simple title "Steam Locomotives/Dampflokomotiven", which was being flogged at Wolsztyn shed in the mid 1990s. I wonder if it's a translation of the same book aimed at the many British and German visitors to the area at that time. I expect quite a few copies made their way back to the UK so it might be possible to pick one up second-hand here. The ISBN is 83-7079-105-0 Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted December 10, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 10, 2016 I have an album by the same author in English/German with the simple title "Steam Locomotives/Dampflokomotiven", which was being flogged at Wolsztyn shed in the mid 1990s. I wonder if it's a translation of the same book aimed at the many British and German visitors to the area at that time. I expect quite a few copies made their way back to the UK so it might be possible to pick one up second-hand here. The ISBN is 83-7079-105-0 Bill Evocative photos from the 80s? Lots of arty shots including men and machines? Scrap yards, some works? Not that many working train shots, but enough for lineside detail. maybe the same book. There are some really great Fartbrook pages of pics from Polish enthusiasts/photographers. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Jamieson Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 Evocative photos from the 80s? Lots of arty shots including men and machines? Scrap yards, some works? Not that many working train shots, but enough for lineside detail. maybe the same book. There are some really great Fartbrook pages of pics from Polish enthusiasts/photographers. Phil Hi Phil, Yes, sounds like the same book - three consecutive pages showing cabs, chimneys and dome covers. This is it - http://picclick.co.uk/Steam-Locomotives-Dampflokomotiven-182246899384.html Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted December 10, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 10, 2016 Hi Phil, Yes, sounds like the same book - three consecutive pages showing cabs, chimneys and dome covers. This is it - http://picclick.co.uk/Steam-Locomotives-Dampflokomotiven-182246899384.html Bill That's the one. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Jamieson Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Bearing in mind that so much of the north and west of present day Poland was Prussian/German territory at the time the railways were built through to 1945 (some areas until 1920/21), a lot of information can be found from German sources. For example there's a very interesting four book series on Eastern German railway history from Bufe Fachbuch Verlag (Bufe Specialist Publishing) covering Schlesien, Ostbrandenburg & Posen, Pommern and Ost- & Westpreussen. Unfortunately they are now out of print but there seem to be quite a few secondhand copies about, albeit the prices are rather steep e.g. https://www.amazon.de/Eisenbahnen-Schlesien-Siegfried-Bufe/dp/3922138373 Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben racey Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Hi, These days there are some excellent polish publications on railways, and for those guys, steam is still very recent history. There's some good stuff here: https://www.eurosprinter.com.pl/o-firmie,1.html?sLang=en They did a book on the Ty2 - Wojenna Lokomotywa Na Pokojowe, however it looks like it's sold out. This is an excellent photo album: https://www.eurosprinter.com.pl/46,en_ostatnie-polskie-parowozownie.html I'm looking out for their book on the TY43 next year, should be a good one... KMD also do some good history books, trackplans and the like. Their magazine is difficult to order online, but you may find something on ebay etc http://www.kmd.pl/index.php Hope that's all useful! Cheers for now. Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 M.A.R.C.Models has, in the past, done brass etches for the double-deck commuter coaches, worth keeping an eye out for some. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 I was in Poland in 1979 and 1986 when there was plenty of 'everyday' steam working - the only problem being the ridiculous restrictions on photography. I went back in 1993 and 1994 by which time only Wolstyn and a couple of n.g. lines were still 'real steam'. In 1979 I picked up a Polish railway book "Parowozy Kolei Polskich" (I think that's the title) which details all the PKP steam classes - whether it's still available is another question. I also have a number of n.g. loco and rolling stock drawings. As mentioned above the CRJ would have a lot of useful info - unfortunately I gave all mine (mid 70's - mid 90's) to the Vintage carriage trust last April. The "World Steam" newsletters of the time would also carry details of what was working and where, There is also a set of PKP loco drawings here: http://plany.zonk.pl/parowozy/ If you have any specific questions I'd be happy to help. Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Many years ago I bought a book which will probably be of interest. "Steam beneath the red star" by Ron Ziel and Nils Huxtable ISBN 0-8488-0929-7 Many of the photos were taken during the 1970's and there are tales of escaping the long arm of the law! Edit - this looks to be available on the usual major seller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Just been watching a few interesting film clips on YouTube. The search I did was PKP 1970's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben racey Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I was in Poland in 1979 and 1986 when there was plenty of 'everyday' steam working - the only problem being the ridiculous restrictions on photography. I went back in 1993 and 1994 by which time only Wolstyn and a couple of n.g. lines were still 'real steam'. In 1979 I picked up a Polish railway book "Parowozy Kolei Polskich" (I think that's the title) which details all the PKP steam classes - whether it's still available is another question. I also have a number of n.g. loco and rolling stock drawings. As mentioned above the CRJ would have a lot of useful info - unfortunately I gave all mine (mid 70's - mid 90's) to the Vintage carriage trust last April. The "World Steam" newsletters of the time would also carry details of what was working and where, There is also a set of PKP loco drawings here: http://plany.zonk.pl/parowozy/ If you have any specific questions I'd be happy to help. Ray. That's a comprehensive set of drawings, you could build a new OL49 with that lot! Cheers for now. Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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