JAMIE'S RANDOM EUROPEAN AND REST OF THE WORLD RAILWAY PHOTOS.

[PhilJ W]

And more. https://www.mallorca.com/en/mallorca/tren-de-soller

[jamie92208]

Good morning again from the Charente.   The tardis is still in Mallorca on 25th June 2011. I was still on the Soller train.  The first part of the journey is on the plain then it starts to climb into the hills. The line is single tracked and we stopped at a small station with a passing loop.

Then into a long tunnel before passing another tain that was in a loop that overlooks the town of Soller.

Soller is the terminus of the railway and the start of the Soller tramway that goes down to the docks.  Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to ride the tramway but did have time to wander around the terminus which is also the HQ and workshops.  The staff were quite happy to let me wander around.

These are the workshops, the running shed is behind me.  The two systems are the same gauge and voltage so both use the facilities.

A heavily loaded tram then appeared up the hill from the port.

Whilst one of the motor coaches was busy putting a train together for my return trip.

More to come tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a somewhat damp Charente.  The tardis though is still in sunny Mallorca on 25th June 2011. The next working from the port headed up towards me. I had had time for a look around the station which included a shop that sold some models.  I did resist.

One of the toastrack tramway trailers dating from between 1913 and 1916.

And a motor car that I'm not sure of the provenance of.

Another view of the toastrack.

More stock outside the workshops.

And this lovely works vehicle that is still in use.

More tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[PhilJ W]

One question, what gauge is the railway and tramway? I always thought it was a metre but some sources say three feet.

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

One question, what gauge is the railway and tramway? I always thought it was a metre but some sources say three feet.

My book says 914mm so 3' it is. I think that the main line railway is metre gauge.

 

Jamie

Edited March 9, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a cloudy Charente.   The tardis fortunately is in warm and sunny Mallorca on 25th June 2011.  All too soon it was time to get back on the train to Palma.  Here motor coach No 3 is backing down to haul us.

Built in 1929

And as we got back into Palma this plaque proudly told us who had done the electrification.

One last look at the station.

Then turn left and across the road to the railway station which is underground.

 

One of the EMU's that operate on some of the lines.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a rather windy and grey Charente.  However it's still sunny where the tardis is.  It's in Palma Mallorca on 25th June 2011. I didn't do very well with photography in the station but this is one of the units.  From memory there were both Metro and railway units operating.

And also this rather nice looking tank engine with a more modern unit behind it.  However at this point a jobsworth objected to me taking photos so I had to put my camera away.  From memory there is at least one metro line plus i think three railway lines that head north east out into the countryside.  However I didn't have time to ride them. I had bought a ticket to the first station as a means of getting onto the platforms.

Then a change of scene.  We moved overnight to the port of Tunis.  Apparently we were the first cruise liner to call there since the Arab Spring revolution.   The port was a few miles out of town and the shipping company were offering bus trips into town to see the market.   These cost round about $70 per head.   I noticed a suburban electrified railway running past the port.  I believe that it came from Carthage.  Beth wanted to stay on the boat but I though that as I spoke a bit of French I could chance my luck.  I walked out through a largely deserted shopping mall at the terminal and found a taxi.   The driver offered to take me to Tunis and bring me back for about £5. I eventually managed to convince him that all I wanted to do was to find a bank to change some money then be dropped at the nearest railway station.  he did this and got tipped well.  There was no problem changing Euros at the bank so I ended up at the next station up the line from the cruise terminal.  I asked for a return to Tunis and thought that they asked for 5 Tunisian pounds.  I handed a note over and got 4 pounds 50 change.  Total cost for my ticket. 50p in sterling.  rather better than enriching Holland America to the tune of $70.   I then went onto the platform and in a couple of minutes this unit appeared.  It took me into Tunis and this was the scene at the terminus.

From there I asked directions to the main railway station and walked across town.  There was still some evidence of recent disturbances and a major bank was surrounded by barbed wire with soldiers and an armoured car outside but nothing untoward and the street felt safe.  I got to the station and asked if I could go onto the platforms to take photos and was waved through.  This rather long and low diesel was in one platform. I believe that it may be of Alco parentage.

Much of the station was electrified at 25 Kv and the tram system ran along what I think was the west side.

This was a very modern looking EMU in one of the platforms.

More tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a rather sunny but cool place.  It definitely wasn't ool in Tunis on 26th June 2011 where the tardis is at the moment. Another of the long low diesels pulled in.

This was the number plate.

I was eventually asked to stop taking photos, very politely, my French certainly helped. So I caught a very  crowded tram from outside Central Station back to the Maritime terminus.  The tram connects directly with the end of the platforms there.

Then wait for the next EMU back to the ship.

A cloaser look at one of them.

And got off at the rather run down station next to the cruise terminal.

I walked in through what i thought was a deserted entrance over some rubble but 4 guards stopped me but were happy with my ID and passport.  They were obviously not used to tourists using the local train.   However 50p against $70 is a no brainer to someone who lived in Yorkshire most of his life.   When iIgot back to near the shio I did see some alternative transport available. Cold damp towels handed ut by the crew at the bottom of the gangway were very welcome.

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a rather wet and damp Charente.   The tardis is still in a sunnier place, namely Tunis on 27th June 2011.  This was the view from our cabin.

It was waking up to that view that gave me the idea of using local public transport.  Anyway that evening we sailed off towards Sicily and our next stop was Palermo on the 28th.  Beth and I had a wander around the town, then in the afternoon I was allowed out on my own and believe it or not walked to the railway station. This rather modern unit was waiting to head back east.  I think that Palermo is the end of the line.

A Class 464 was also around.

Along with an older articulated design loco.

And this rather older EMU.

I rather liked the styling on the cab.

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[brushman47544]

10 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

This rather modern unit was waiting to head back east.  I think that Palermo is the end of the line.

A Class 464 was also around.

Along with an older articulated design loco.

Palermo isn’t in reality the end of the line, although it is a terminal station. The line continues round the suburbs then continues west to the airport station Punta Raisi (on a short branch) and on to Trapani. The modern looking unit is known as a Minuetto. It comes in both diesel (MD) and electric (ME) forms and there are both types on Sicily. Sicily was also the last part of Italy to use the E.656 Caimano locos on scheduled inter city passenger services long after they were replaced elsewhere. E.464 locos in the new IntercitySun livery are now used in top and tail mode on both those and a once a day return Palermo - Catania Frecciabianca service which goes the long way via Caltanissetta so not much use for through journeys. Regional E.464s continue to be used on local services alongside the units, although the older ones have now been withdrawn.

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a sunny but cool Charente.   The tardis has now moved to naples and it's the 29th June 2011.  We were only going to be in Naples for a day  and Beth didn't want to get off the ship to see Pompei. I again declined Holland America's kind offer of an escorted coach tour at about $100 and went independent again.  I took a tram, I think from the pier to the main railway station.   With trams and trolleybus wiring overhead it was nearly dark underneath the tangle of wiring at a junction.

The trams looked very modern though.

Nobody seemed to be bothered about me wandering round the station so I was happy to see what I think is a red arrow set.

And a very modern looking electric loco.

Then out into the street and walk down towards the station for the train to Pompei.  IIRC the circumvesuviana. The trams again with the dual wiring.

And a trolleybus.

As you will notice, I'm not very well up on Italian rolling stock and am very grateful for the informed comments.   I just like trains.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a warm but dark Charente.  The tardis though is still in Naples on 29th June 2011. I duly bought my tickets for the Cicumvesuviana to Pompei. Here we have arrived.   This unit is fairly clean.

Most were very heavily graffittied.  Rather ironic as it was a Roman invention.

I wasn't able to get a single unit number. 

This was heading back. 

 No sign of activity on Vesuvius that day fortunately. I think that it last erupted in 1944.

On our way back into the station this little diesel was in the coach yards.

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by jamie92208

[roundhouse]

The Naples terminus from our hotel window in 2008. Unfortunately we didnt have time to travel on the line.

 

[jamie92208]

4 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

The Naples terminus from our hotel window in 2008. Unfortunately we didnt have time to travel on the line.

 

It looked to be an interesting  system. I would love to have ridden more of it. Maybe one day.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good morning from the Charente.  The tardis is still in Naples on 29th June 2011. There were quite extensive storage sidings alongside the line on the way into the terminus. 2 different styles here plus the usual graffiti.

However there was some new stock around which seems to have stayed clean. I didn't see any of these running.

That was it for the Circumvesuviana. well worth a visit and Pompei was absolutely fascinating.  I had another short walk up to the main railway station and this trolleybus was arriving.

Having seen Bradford conductors struggling to catch the wire with trolley poles I thought that these guides at the terminus were a good idea.

Then it was time to head back towards the ship. Tram and bus alongside each other and the poles of a trolleybus just visible in front of the tram.

We've now moved forward a day and are docked at Civitavechia, the port for Rome.  About half the passengers got off there after 10 days and a new batch joined us.  Of course I had to do something to fill the day so headed into town by shuttle bus and on foot and by some mischance ended up at the railway station where this loco was around.  I think that it's an E44.

Jamie

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by jamie92208

[EddieB]

E444R.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a rather cloudy Charente.  The tardis though has moved on to Katakolon, IIRC} in the Peleponese in Greece. It's now the 4th July. The Yanks on board were celebrating and many of them were taking overpriced excursions to Mount Olympus.  We decided to have a look round the little port and stay in town.  This was on the quayside. A remnant of the narrow gauge system that still exists in part.

A short walk took me to the railway station and lo and behold a train appeared.

This rather neat looking DMU appeared.  I've no idea what class it is.

Then I went back to the ship where we sat on the balcony and watched the fun.  This lovely little tug. British built and rievetted construction was on standby.  They did manage to snap a hawser when mooring and watching the antics was brilliant.  

Meanwhile the MSC ship was getting ready to depart but 4 people appeared on the pier shouting and waving at it as if they expected it to come back for them.

They were eventually taken out on the tender and we then watched the antics as they all had to climb a rope ladder to the entry port.  I bet that they are never late for a ship again.

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by jamie92208

[eastwestdivide]

The Greek DMU looks like a Stadler product with the power units in the centre, a bit like those in E Anglia now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadler_GTW_in_Greece for example

[Johann Marsbar]

That tug looks like a modernised version of the old Alexandria Towing tugs, one of which I photographed on a gloomy evening off Parkeston Quay back in 1982...

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Johann Marsbar

[PhilJ W]

There was a 'utility' tug built to a standard design during the war rather like the Liberty ships but mostly built in the smaller British yards. Both vessels look like one of those.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente where it's a tad cool.  It was a bit warmer in the Aegean Sea on 5th July.  We had moved on to another part of Greece, namely Santorini . It's a collapsed Volcanic crater and we moored inside it.  The town is on the ridge and this was the view back down into the anchoridge.  The wires are for the cable car that took some of the passengers up from the landing stage.  I walked.

The view from the other side is interesting a flat plain and a Jet2 plane just touching down.

Coming back a better view of the cable car.

You can just see the cars on 1 cable in this photo.  The steps are interesting to walk down as you are constantly dodging trains of donkeys and a few horses that carry those who don't want to walk or queue. 

The lagoon isn't too safe a place to anchor.  A few years ago a cruise ship hit a rock and sank.  

Anyway we moved on and 2 days later woke up in Pireaus the port for Athens.  The morning's entertainment was watching the officer cadets of the Greek Navy raising the standard on their training ship alongside us.  I've never seen 5 people in uniform march in 5 different times before.   Anyway we got a taxi to the Acropolis and I had discovered that there is disabled access to the Parthenon.  Beth and I took it.  It's round the back and is a building site cage lift installed for the Olympic Games.  However it got us there. There was a good view of the city from the platform.

We went back down, had a meal then walked to the metro to go back to the port.  In the crowds I managed to have my pocket picked but we did get back to the ship. 

 

2 days later on 9th July we docked at Messina and this modern tram line ran past the dock.

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by jamie92208

[PhilJ W]

When I visited Athens in 1977 there was six of us wandering around the Acropolis when we came upon a steepish path. We decided to follow it and we shortly found ourselves inside the Acropolis. The Parthenon was closed off for renovation work (it had been neglected while the generals had been in charge) but we had a good look around. It was when we were about to leave that we realised that there was a pay booth for entry to the site. Not many can claim to have bunked into the Parthenon.

[PhilJ W]

Did they still have trolleybuses in Athens when you visited? When I visited they were placing brand new Russian built ones into service, quite a difference to the clapped out second hand Italian ones they were using, some dating back to the forties. They were on their last legs and very rattley.

Edited March 18, 2022 by PhilJ W

[jamie92208]

6 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Did they still have trolleybuses in Athens when you visited? When I visited they were placing brand new Russian built ones into service, quite a difference to the clapped out second hand Italian ones they were using, some dating back to the forties. They were on their last legs and very rattley.

Yes there were plenty of wigns of them. I think that the road was wired all the wY to Pireaus but didn't get any photos of them.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Yes there were plenty of signs of them. I think that the road was wired all the way to Pireaus but didn't get any photos of them.

 

Jamie

When I visited Athens Pireaus was a completely separate system operating a small fleet of pre-war trolleybuses. Regrettably I was unable to go there. I may have some photographs somewhere of the Athens trolleybuses.