The Great Crete Loco Hunt

[Hando]

There was a Metre gauge 2-6-0 Krauss loco in Heraklion, Crete

The loco, (Z class) Z7538 was built by Krauss in 1902 for the Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways. It somehow managed to get its way onto Crete, for use in the construction of Heraklion Harbour. The loco was plinthed in a grassy verge beside the harbour. However, the loco was moved and unfortunately, I do not know where it was moved to, so here are some questions:

1. Has the loco survived?

2. If so, does anyone know if its whereabouts is on Crete?

3. If not on Crete, where is it anyway?

 

I am visiting Crete in a few weeks time, where I will stay near Heraklion, so it would be nice to know if it was in Crete, so that I could visit it.

Any information on this loco is gladly recieved

[EddieB]

There’s an unconfirmed report of it being sold to a dealer and scrapped. Otherwise several sources stating that it was removed from its plinth around five years ago, destination unknown.

 

In such circumstances, it might be hard to find someone knowledgeable - maybe an enquiry to the local municipal authority might provide confirmation.

 

Then again, there’s always Epimenides’ paradox to consider!

Edited July 13, 2019 by EddieB
Can you believe Cretans?

[Adam88]

I think it was spirited away by Patrick Leigh Fermor.  He used to do that sort of thing.

[AndySk]

Not much help for your search today perhaps, but here's a pic I took on a visit to Heraklion in June 1990.  It probably fell to bits before the scrap man got hold of it !