The Cockcrow Polish Steam Safari 2006

 

Or a tale of death camps, salt mines, beer, dodgy curry, steam engines and beer.

 

By Howard Guess

Photos by Carl and Claire, Graham and Howard

 

Krakow and things..

 

The GCR boys had two previous visits to the last remaining steam depot in Poland. This one, our third promised, to be a little different . I thought it was worthwhile writing down some of our exploits. For the record the participants this year were Kim, Graham, Paul, Dave, Howard, Carl and Claire. Kim was already at Wolsztyn the previous week.

 

Most people when “doing” the Wolsztyn Experience fly from the UK into Berlin Tegel airport and take the Berlin – Warsaw Express to Rzepin and catch a local train to Zbasyneck and onwards to Wolsztyn by taxi. This year we decided to do something different.  Instead of travelling on a Sunday we flew into Krakow on the Friday afternoon from London Gatwick .  The idea being to do some non-steam sight-seeing before journeying up from to Wolsztyn on the Sunday afternoon.

 

Luckily I was recommended a great place to stay.  I can recommend a small friendly guest house called  the GlobTrotter . There was no breakfast supplied but it has very clean, en-suite room and very convenient to all facilities. A local hotel, about 50 meters away,  has a breakfast buffer open to non-residents from 7.30am . Cost about 25zl . The guest house provided a mini-bus transfer from the airport. We were glad we did as the express bus into the town had been withdrawn some months ago and the local bus was packed full !

 

 

 

 


Paul, Claire and Carl wait for the rest of the rabble at the GlobTrotter!

 

 

After a great meal on Friday evening at a 17th century “theme” restaurant called the “Honey and Wine” (translated)  and a large quantity of beer we went to bed ready for some “sightseeing” on Saturday morning.

 

Two of our party didn’t make it breakfast the following morning. Its probably good to remind guests to reset your watches to Central European Time ! All made it to the Guest House’s mini-bus for a journey to Auschwitz and the neighbouring , more sinister Auschwitz Birkenau. The journey took over an hour in a snow blizzard. However the snow kept reasonably at bay for our time at both sites. It’s a good idea to get an English speaking guide who will take you round the gruesome exhibits and to tell of the Nazi atrocities.

 

Later in the afternoon the mini-bus took  us back to Krakow and onwards to the Wielicka Salt Mines  http://www.kopalnia.pl . This is a very impressive deep level mine with fantastic “rooms” one of which is the size of a large church . One of the beer experts in the party found it fascinating that a beer could be purchased and drunk 450+ feet underground!

 

After arriving back in the evening the GCR voted for a tradition Indian curry Polish style. This was a mistake and should not be recommended. We should have smelt a rat as the first curry house we thought we’d found , called the “oh Calcutta” turned out to be a ladies dress shop.

 

On Sunday morning the plan was to take the 12:15 inter-regional train from Krakow to Leszno and then on-wards to Wolsztyn for our week on the footplate. However like all good plans things have a habit of changing. On the Saturday night after the Krakow curry disaster I was contacted by my wife who told me to contact Howard Jones in Wolsztyn . Howard had been involved in sending a loco from Wolsztyn to Wroclaw with three ancient four wheeled carriages for some filming work at the main station. Howard advised us to get to Wroclaw in time to catch the return steam working back to Wolsztyn.

 

The journey from Krakow was uneventful except for spotting the various places you can still see plinthed or static steam locos along the line. The other experience on the inter-regional train was the lack of restaurant services on the train (was advised in the timetable) . However there was a Polish tramp selling vodka and beer from a plastic bag. So I suppose there was a “trolley” service available!  We also noted our tickets were inspected and clipped no less than 4 times!

 

On arrival at Wroclaw the engine (TR5-65) was in the station. One of our party who elected to spend the previous week had brought the engine up from Wolsztyn (involving  a 2am start!) . The filming work was still underway so we retired to the KFC shrine in the main station concourse.  Once the filming work was complete we boarded the train and departed for Wroclaw carriage siding for the loco to turn and take water.  This took a lot longer than expected due to some trouble with the stand pipes!

 

 

 

 


TR5-65 waiting the road in order to take water at Wroclaw around 4pm on Sunday 5th March . Kim is to the left of the driver.

 

 

The Incredible Journey. Or was it the Inedible Journey? We departed Wroclaw around 3pm and arrived back at Wolsztyn round 10pm. Accommodation in 4 wheeled luxury coaches. Paul, Graham and Howard observing protocol by  not putting their boots on the seats. Luckily there was a toilet on board but no  lighting and some steam heating .

 

 

 

We lost the electric loco at Leszno and finally arrived at Wolsztyn , tired, hungry and thirsty (more beer please Howard) around 10pm. Being on the footplate on an old freight locomotive limited to around 30 mph for around 3 hours was an interesting experience!

 

The Wolsztyn Experience

 

The week at Wolzstyn settled down to a steady pace. Howard Jones currently performed a 6 person, 3 turn rota and tries to guarantee 5 return trips per person during the week. This is provided loco available is not an issue.  Any excess are sold as add-ons.

 

The timetable also precluded two of own party from eating or more importantly drinking in the evening with the rest of the crew. The “railwaymans bar” close to the engine shed did a good trade that week. Howard had to send out for more beer at the guest house. Food in the town was acceptable although we took exception to the dull and dubious waitress at the Mars restaurant but their Gipsy soup was good. The so called “English Bar” was much improved from last year and is non-smoking. We also had acceptable meals at the “Europa”. Dave liked the Steak “TareTare” .

 

 

 

So , what about the trains?

 

There is an early morning turn which meaning departing Wolsztyn normally with one of the capable OL49’s  and returning just before 11am. The second turn , the  “anti-clockwise” turn,  involves booking on the 8.47am to Leszno . On arrival at Leszno the crew go passenger to Poznan (or return back to Wolsztyn and catch a later train to Poznan) as they will then take the evening Poznan service back ; returning around 10.30pm. The third turn is what we called the “clockwise” turn. This involves taking the 2nd Poznan out from Wolsztyn , then passenger to Leszno , and finally taking the afternoon train back to Wolsztyn.  The map below should be able to explain things:

 

 

 

 

A map showing the lines around Wolsztyn

 

We were very lucky with the rostered locos.  Most of the services on the Leszno line was worked by the old OK22-31 rather than one of the OL49.s . Number 31 has an open cab  . This allows the coal to swirl around in a rather alarming fashion! It produced copious quantities of black smoke and makes a  photographer’s dream.

 

The other locos in traffic were OL49-69 and OL49-111. OL49-7 was out of traffic having some welding done. OL49-23 was at the works in Gniezno and is due back in April . The two larger PT47’s numbers 112 and 65 were also out of traffic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday 6th March. OK22-31 leaves Wolsztyn for a second trip to Leszno. Due to the failure of the diesel rail bus the loco did two return trips on that particular day. Paul scored the highest mileage on that particular day. A return to Leszno , then back to Leszno and then return to Wolsztyn via Poznan . About 140 miles on the footplate. On the Poznan – Wolsztyn evening trip Kim and Paul experienced injector failure on OL49-69 and had to remove the fire  just prior to the end of their journey. The train arrived on time !

 

 

And again at Leszno. Unscheduled steam haulage.

 

 

 

 

Monday 6th March. Paul on OK22-31 having a break during his 140 mile day. Note the beer can acting as a light shade and the bottle  of sprite for the driver.

 

 

Waiting for the road for the second Leszno departure of the day.

 

 

 

 

Monday 6th March. The classic shot of an OL49 departing Wolsztyn for Poznan. To the left can be seen the rear of PT47-65 waiting to be sent to the works for repair.

 

 

“Hello John, Got a new motor?”.An Alexey Sayle look-a-like driver Irek Tomiak .  Dave in pensive mood on the jump seat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 7th March.  OL49-69 arrives back on Shed. The Leszno diesel railbus failed again but this time the replacement was a road bus rather than a steam train! In Poland every day is different. Injector issues again for number 69.

 

 

Same day. OL 49 being coaled up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 8th March. Carl and Claire on one of the OL49’s. I can’t understand why they didn’t have their honeymoon at Wolstzyn ?

 

Later Claire nearly ran over a wild ostrich with the  Ol49, but it dived into the
cess as the front wheels approached at 30mph. Irek, the driver described it as a "big
chicken". The ostrich is not native to Poland, so it must have been an escapee.

 

 

Wednesday 8th March. OL49-69 arrives back from Leszno.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 9th March.  Kim shuts the regulator on one of the OL-49’s . Note another Sprite bottle makes its way onto the footplate.

 

Carl and Claire had the disappointment of a diesel pilot on the  evening return Poznan train. However they were given an extra turn on Saturday to make up the deficit. The diesel was used on the following day as a replacement for a steam service.

We also managed to locate the 600mm “miniature” railway just east Poznan at the competitive rowing lake. The railway only operates in the summer months but would be a good place to visit if you have some time between trains.

 


Thursday 9th March. OL-49 69 returns to shed.

 

 

 


Thursday 9th March.  Russian tank at the military museum  in Poznan . The museum in well worth a visit and is only about 20 minutes  walk  (uphill) from the centre of the city. Just prior to the museum you will see the small  British and Commonwealth war graves for soldiers from the 1st and 2nd World Wars.  The museum is situated in the remains of the Citadel. This  was a 19th century Prussian fortified castle captured by the Germans in 1939 and flattened by the Russians in 1945. The museum  is well worth seeing . On my mid-week visit I was the only visitor!

 

 

British and Commonwealth war graves at the Citadel in Poznan. The museum is located directly behind the cemetery.

 

 

 

 


Thursday 9th March.  “Andrjez and Janus” Comedy Double Act.  Janus instructs his fireman on the correct way to hold the shovel. 

 

 

A fireman’s eye view of the road ahead . This was taken early one morning by Graham on the road to Poznan.  This demonstrates the Wolsztyn Experience is not for the 9 to 5 enthusiast . The first departure to Poznan is at 05:16hrs.

 

 

 

 

 


Thursday 9th March. We broke it! One of OK22-31’s springs expired and is receiving attention!

 

 

OL49 departs for Poznan .

 

 

 

 

 

Left.  Friday 10th March.  Graham on OK22-31 on the return run from Leszno. By this time the slow was falling heavily and visibility was poor.

 

The early Poznan train was substituted for a diesel and the only Poznan departure was at 11.36 for return at 15.30 . This was due to problems with OL49-69 . Kim helped fix a super heater elements. So , if you go to Wolsztyn you could potentially drive, fire and fix the locos too!

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sat 11th March.  Dave standing next to one of the OL-49’s at Wolsztyn station. Dave managed to obtain a PKP jacket in order to impress his London based Polish work colleagues

 


Sat 11th March.  The only steam departure to Poznan that day.

 

 

 

 

 


Sat 11th March.  Claire on her last driving  turn . She is carefully watching the steam chest gauge  to ensure it doesn’t  go too much over 1MP (mega Pascal) whilst re-starting the train from the numerous station stops.

 

 

Sat 11th March. The final view of OK22-31. Springs now fixed.

 

Quotes of the Week

 

Quote of the week from Dave whilst in Krakow  “Are we in Amsterdam?”

 

Second quote of the week from Dave “In want to go to the bar we were in last night” . To which Paul replied . “Yes , this is the bar we were in last night”

 

Third quote of the week from Paul, whilst in the salt mines underground bar “Dave, our drinking has sunk to new depths. 450 feet to be precise”

 

Mistake of the Week

 

Forgetting to set your watch and alarm clocks to central European time!

 

Scary Moments of the Week

 

Train brake failure. Two articulated lorries crossing the road in front of a train (this happened twice) . Oh, and a blow back which set the back head lagging alight. All being dealt with in the customary professional manner by the Wolsztyn crews.

 

Summary

 

If you want to experience the Wolsztyn Experience go now before it is too late. Will the same format last after 2007? I don’t know but I doubt it. I’m  sure Wolsztyn as an engine shed and working museum will operate in some format beyond 2007 but things will change.  Enjoy it now!