STEAM’S POLISH INDIAN SUMMER
Wolsztyn, Wroclaw, Czestochowa, Lodz, Poznan – unfamiliar names and even more unfamiliar pronunciations. Some of these towns and cities are in Silesia, much of which was part of Germany until 1945, and others are very much part of the central heartland of Poland.
Poland is unique in that some steam train services are still in operation and while the number of steam-hauled service trains has greatly diminished during the last 20 years, you can still go online and book tickets on certain services which will be headed by a steam locomotive.
Wolsztyn, with the last operational ‘roundhouse’ engine shed in Europe, has become the only surviving hub for main line steam train services. Wolsztyn’s distinction arises from its unique asset, the engine shed, and having that pool of skills and expertise in steam train operation and maintenance living locally.
‘Real’ main line steam services have now become limited to two trains per day, from Wolsztyn to Leszno on Mondays to Fridays and on Saturdays two trains from Wolsztyn to Poznan. Distances each way are 30 miles Wolsztyn-Leszno and 50 miles Wolsztyn-Poznan. However, during the time of my visit both the Leszno and Poznan lines were closed and for a two-week period they were operating a three trains per day service from Wolsztyn to Zbaszynek, a station on the Warsaw-Berlin main line.
While on any visit to Wolsztyn you can see numerous steam locomotives around the engine shed area, only three locomotives remain in operational condition.
They are PKP class 2-6-2 Nos.OI49-59 and OI49-69, both mixed traffic locomotives built at Fablok, Chrzanow between 1951-54 to perform similar roles to the ‘Black Fives’ on Britain’s railways. The third locomotive is the larger PKP Mikado 2-8-2 No. Pt47-65, designed to haul heavy 600-ton trains at 60mph, and built at Fablok, Chrzanow, between 1948-51.
Charter opportunity
Unfortunately, this locomotive had failed recently on a long distance excursion and was under repair during my visit.
There are also other steam locomotives operational in various other regional
