The photograph, by Mike Leatherdale, shows Jan on the Ol 49 bringing the afternoon train from Posnan into Grosdysk (Click on picture to enlarge).
To celebrate a major birthday, my friend Mike Edwards had been given the present of an engine-driving holiday in Poland organised by the Wolsztyn Experience. Mike had already invited two of his motor bike enthusiast friends to join him and he asked if I'd like to make up a foursome. After some hesitation, I booked. In September, 2003, I met up with the three other participants at Stanstead and we had an excellent flight with Air Berlin to Berlin.
We'd a number of hours in Berlin before catching our train to Poland, so we caught the shuttle bus to the city to see some of the sights like the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and the remains of The Wall. We travelled on the subway system and ended up at the excellent Museum of Technology where we spent a fascinating few hours. Suspended above the entrance to the museum is a complete aircraft - a Douglas C47, the military version of the famous DC3 'Dakota'. This is the aircraft which was the mainstay of the post-war Berlin Air Lift when the Russians tried to break the spirit of West Berlin by imposing a supply blockade. The splendid collection of railway locomotives was of particular interest to us all and outside there was even a working railway giving rides to a nearby museum site, sadly using diesel haulage. Eventually, we made our way to Berlin Zoo station, to catch the electric hauled express which was to take us to Poland. As the train made its slow departure from the city, we passed through areas which not so long ago had formed part of East Berlin and been virtually inaccessible.
An uneventful journey took us into Poland and we got off at the station where we were to be met, to continue by road to Wolsztyn. We were allocated rooms in the Wolsztyn Experience Clubhouse and a nearby flat. During briefings by Howard Jones, the organiser, the week was mapped out for us.
Mike and I volunteered go 'on the cushions' (travel as passengers) to Posnan to help fetch back a 2-8-0 freight locomotive which was returning from another part of Poland. We caught the early train from Wolstyn to Posnan, crewed by other people on the experience. There wasn't too long to wait before we heard the clank of an approaching steam locomotive and the class 'Tr5' stopped to pick us up. The Polish crew had some English so, once introductions were made, we set off light engine for Wolsztyn. On this leg, Mike drove and I fired. It had been decided, at some stage, that we would be combined with the following steam-hauled passenger train, so we were stopped to wait for the passenger train and shunted onto the front so that we made our first entry to Wolsztyn doubled headed in fine style!
On each day, we would work one of the 'diagrams', sharing the driving and firing and, of course, under the supervision of the Polish crew as we were handling public services on the PKP nationalised railway. When we were there, there were three basic 'diagrams':-
- an early service from Wolsztyn to Posnan, returning in the middle of the day.
- an afternoon service from Wolsztyn to Posnan, returning in the early evening.
- an afternoon service from Zybaszynek via Wolsztyn to Leszno.
Wolsztyn to Posnan is 50 miles reasonably flat, with about 21 stops, ending up 'under the wires' at the major station at Posnan, for which two hours is allowed.
Zebaszynek to Leszno is 50 miles, with a fair bit of 'collar work' (uphill), with 18 stops, for which one and three quarter hours is allowed.
The diagrams are designed for diesel haulage so, when using steam, there's no time for hanging around.
We were lucky in that we got to work on three different tender engines on the various diagrams:-
4-6-2 Pm 36-2 'Piekna Helena'
2-8-2 Pt 47-65
2-6-2 Ol 49-111
Of course, I also got to fire the Tr5 2-8-0 freight locomotive.
Jan, with Peak Rail driver Mike Edwards, on the footplate of Ol49 111 at Wolsztyn (Picture: Bob Roberts)
All of the trips were special, but I remember two particularly. First, an early train to Posnan which I drove from Wolsztyn with the massive Pt47. It was dark, it was raining, and we thundered towards Posnan, whistling for the many level crossings. Secondly, the afternoon train from Zybasynek to Lesno with the Pm36 'Piekna Helena' ('Beautiful Helen'). Mike had driven light engine tender first from Wolsztyn to Zybasynek to pick up the stock and I took over just after Zybasyn. We had to drive quite hard to meet the required sectional timings. As we passed through the forest section, the wailing of the whistle echoed back from the trees at each minor crossing. All too soon, we were at Lesno, dropped the coaches and then Mike drove light engine, tender first again, from Lesno back to Wolsztyn for disposal.
My photographs of this trip are at Polish Railways (PKP).
