Wolsztyn in 1996

Home   Poland & Germany 1996   Dresden in 1996   Wernigerode in 1996

Wednesday April 3

I arrived in Poland on a very cold Wednesday April 3 1996. The welcome from the less than friendly border police at Kunowice reminded me that I was now well and truly in the former communist part of Europe. However in his favour was the fact he spoke English. During my stay in Poland I found very few locals that did speak English so I had, like many before and after me, to use sign language to get my myself (partially) understood.

I travelled overnight from Bruxelles Midi to Poznan Glonwy on the 'Ost-West Express', train 241. From Poznan I travelled behind steam to Wolsztyn on the 08:10 departure.

Once I arrived at Wolsztyn I went to find the locomotive shed and the shed master. In his office I managed to arrange to stay at the shed accommodation despite my total lack of Polish and his of English. After I had settled in the basic but more than adequate room I had been allocated I headed in to town to get some food and generally get a feel for the place. As I walked up the track towards the station Ty2 406 arrived with a very lengthy mixed freight train. Sadly this was the only time the Kriegslok ran during my stay.

PKP Ty2 406 at Wolsztyn station having just arrived with a lengthy freight train. April 3 1996

A rear 3/4 view of PKP Ty2 406 at Wolsztyn station having just arrived with a lengthy freight train. April 3 1996

Having wandered around the small, but attractive, town I returned to the shed and had a good look around. There was a lull in activity outside so I wandered in to the shed and took some photographs of the locomotives. These locos were very different to anything I had previously seen and as such I spent a fair amount of time studying their detail differences even if I didn't for sure know what everything did.

PKP 4-6-0s Ok22 31 and Ok1 359 inside the steam shed at Wolsztyn. April 3 1996

PKP Ty2 406 at rest inside Wolsztyn shed. April 3 1996

When I returned to my room a group of British enthusiasts had returned from their day of chasing and shortly afterwards a very friendly German chap appeared with his daughter. It was good to find some people that spoke English and were able to give me up to date information on what was running and when.

On their advice, just before 5pm, I walked a short way from the depot back towards Poznan to await a hoped for simultaneous arrival of steam hauled trains from Leszno and Poznan. Predictably this didn't happen ! Given the weather I was glad to get back inside again once the trains, both hauled by the standard Ol49 2-6-2 locos, had arrived at their destination.

PKP 2-6-2 Ol49 81 arrives at Wolsztyn from Leszno in the snow. April 3 1996

Click to read on.

Home   Poland & Germany 1996   Dresden in 1996   Wernigerode in 1996