Wczoraj

From: Dave Cromarty 
Newsgroups: misc.transport.rail.europe
Subject: Poland - steam trip report (8 kbytes)
Date: 7 May 1995 17:45:27 +0100
Message-ID: <799864385snz@imago.demon.co.uk>
Reply-To: dave@imago.demon.co.uk

Trip report - Poland 27-28 April 1995

This was a trip organised by 'Steam Railway' magazine in the UK. We
started out from Gatwick at about 2230 on 26th, landing at Poznan at
0115 on 27th. At Poznan the airport was opened specially'
refreshments had been laid on and an ad hoc bureau de change set up
in the airport lounge! We left about 0200 in three coaches for the 80
km drive to Wolsztyn shed where a number of steam locos were being
prepared. Wolzstyn shed has a traditional half roundhouse and turntable
and is about 400 metres away from the station. The locos present were
mainly class Ol49 2-6-2s; there appeared to be only one serviceable
tank loco. There was one Ok22 class 4-6-0 which was temporarily dead
but was resuscitated later in the day. Those with tripods had a ball
taking night photographs of the shed - those without got cold :( We
were able to see the 0427 and 0517 (or thereabouts) departures to
Poznan, both hauled by Ol49s.

A Ty45 2-10-0 left the shed about 0515 and moved up to the station to
make up a train of 4 wheel coaches and freight wagons which was
due to depart at 0635 for Grodzisk on the line to Poznan. While this
was going on it was starting to get light and it was possible to take
some daylight (well, 1/60th at f1.8 with ISO400 film) shots before
wandering up to the station in time for a diesel departure to Leszno.
Very 60's BR, the Co-Co diesel, with two tone green livery, a small
yellow warning panel and a red buffer beam.

We boarded the 4 wheelers at about 0630 ready to depart at 0635
behind Ty45-379, which made stately progress as far as Rakoniewice,
15km from Wolsztyn, where 'shunts' was billed in the timetable
helpfully provided by Steam Railway. 'Shunts' turned out to mean
'pass' and there was some time for photography before we were cleared
off the track to enable 0600 ex Poznan to pass safely, behind a Co-
Co diesel. The Ty45 then resumed its leisurely progress along the
main line to Ruchocice, where a disused loading bay provided a
suitable grandstand for two run pasts, the second of which was fairly
spectacular with dense clouds of clag from the Ty45 in the bright
sunshine. Back on the train for the last 7km to Grodzisk where,
unfortunately, the mixed terminated that day (the next day it was
booked to run down the branch to Plastowo).

The majority of the party decided to spend the day steam-bashing, it
proving possible to return to Wolsztyn, do a round trip to Poznan and
finally return from Wolsztyn to Poznan, all behind steam. The Ty45
obligingly waited on the next road to provide a photo opportunity as
Ol49-69 passed it. Ol49-69 took us back to Wolsztyn in a 4 car
articulated double deck set with three axle shared bogies (US -
trucks) between the vehicles. A break at Wolsztyn allowed a walk
round the town; to British eyes the shops are pure 1950s (and none
the worse for that). As a non-Polish speaker I struggled (successfully)
to buy postcards and stamps, and as with everywhere else I've been in
Europe I was impressed by the willingness of people to help an
apparently ignorant foreigner.

Back at the station Ol49-69 had been fed and watered, and turned, and
was briskly away to Poznan with the 1115. The 105 minute schedule for
50 miles (81km) to Poznan is not too demanding for these hefty 2-6-2s
and the trains run very punctually. The 1340 from Poznan provided a
change of haulage to Ol49-7 which had spent the morning on Poznan
shed (presumably) after working the 0517 ex Wolsztyn. Back at
Wolsztyn we found that the shed foreman had been true to his word,
and Ok22-31 had been restored to life to work the 1544 to Poznan.
This loco being of more antiquated appearance than the Ol49s caused a
few more kilometres of film to be exposed. There was no noticeable
difference in the trip back to Poznan, as the Ok22 is also a fairly
hefty loco for a 4 coach train, double deckers or not. Incidentally I
had previously visited the line in September 1993 when most trains
seemed to be single deck stock, and not all that full; this time the
double deckers all seemed to be well patronised. Is this typical of
PKP generally?

Arriving back at Poznan at 1730 it was hotel time. Is there any truth
in the rumour that EuroDisney is to have a new white knuckle ride
called the Polish Taxi Driver? If not, there should be. There is
incidentally a substantial tram system in Poznan, worth a visit in
its own right. The shower in the hotel was wonderful; I can't get
quite so excited about Lech, the local beer.

Day 2 started in the bus again, this time en route to the small town
of Sroda, south east of Poznan, which is the terminus of a 750mm
gauge branch to Zaniemysla. We arrived here just in time (we thought)
to photograph the 1037 arrival, only to find it arrived at 1115. This
did at least provide ample time to inspect the two 750mm gauge 0-8-0s
on the shed (one of which appeared to be workable), and various
bizarre items of rolling stock. The train arrived as promised, hauled
by the third 0-8-0. These locos are similar (or even identical) to
those used on the Gniezno system, and are very quaint looking to a
British observer more familiar with the ex LNWR G2! The Polish locos
seem to be much smaller even than the 0-8-0Ts on the Bad Doberan and
Putbus lines in Germany - but maybe it's just the way they look.
Anyway, two coaches and 120 demented Brits didn't prove to be any
problem (well not the coaches, anyway) and we trundled off to
Zaniemysla, supposedly non stop to save time. Either the train crew
or the loco seemed to resent such a change in routine, and we stopped
at all stations anyway.

The organisers made sterling efforts to provide photographic
opportunities on the way back. A 'false start' was requested from
Zaniemysla; the driver gave the loco just enough steam to move and it
proceeded at a stately pace past all the photographers without a hint
of exhaust. At the first intermediate stop the guard had been fully
briefed and he stood in the middle of a field in front of all the
photographers making sure the train set right back and that the
fireman knew lots of clag was required. Unfortunately he omitted to
move out of everybody's shots, and the driver shut off before
reaching the second group of photographers. Still, we were
progressing, and the next run past went well, with lots of visible
exhaust right past the cameras. Another example of a basic will to
co-operate overcoming all the language difficulties.

Back at Sroda we raced off to the pub in the best railtour tradition,
and had a good lunch, with more Lech. Unfortunately this took rather
longer than planned but we were just in time to lineside the 1426 ex
Zaniemysla about a mile from Sroda (be warned if you ever go there -
both locos are chimney first into Sroda, and they aren't turned). We
returned to Poznan by bus in time to photograph an Ol49 on the 1730
arrival, and were then transferred to the shed where a visit had
been organised and we were able to photograph Ok22-31 and Ol49-7
being prepared for the 1940 and 2040 departures, respectively, from
Poznan.

It turned out that our return flight had been delayed by several
hours and the organisers had managed to arrange for the long
suffering bus drivers to take another trip to Wolsztyn. This enabled
us to take a final trip with Ol49-7 on the 2040 ex Poznan. Due to
certain station delays, the reasons for which are of course shrouded
in mystery, the loco was worked quite hard. This provided a fitting
finale and enabled your correspondent to realise a life long ambition
over the 13km from Strykowo Poznanskie to Plaszkowo Wlkp. (What
_does_ "Wlkp." stand for ?) After all this the return by bus to Poznan
airport and 737 to Gatwick was a bit of an anticlimax, but made much
more tolerable by GB Airways' excellent 'fry-up' (microwave) breakfast.

I hope all these ramblings are of some interest - I might inflict 
more disjointed memoirs  on you when I get back from the Netherlands
next month :)

BTW apologies to any Polish readers - I know there is an accent on 
the second 'n' of 'Poznan' but my character set can't cope.

Dave
-- 
Dave Cromarty               dave@imago.demon.co.uk 
All opinions are mine and should not be attributed
to any other person or organisation.