Heard behind the water tower

Ol49-69 at Wolsztyn on 6.8.2012. Photo BTWT.

(Click image to enlarge.)

The Sroda Narrow Gauge railway is fighting for its life. Both the Mayor of Sroda Wielkopolska (where the line starts) and the Chief Executive of Sroda District Council (who own the line) favour turning the bulk of the 14 km railway into a cycle path. and keeping just a stub of the line at Sroda as part of a ‘Wild West’ theme park.

The Smigiel Narrow Gauge Railway has cancelled the trains planned for August. No explanation appears on the railway’s website. Apparently during a recent meeting, the deputy Mayor of Smigiel announced that the Town Council have ‘no interest’ in developing the line as a tourist attraction.

The team of bankers that have been injected into PKP SA and its daughter companies have vetoed the plan to move the heavy maintenance of Wolsztyn-based steam locomotives to Chabowka. Meanwhile Leszno overhauled Ol49-69 (the boilerwork was done at Interlok in Pila) is acquiring a good reputation amongst Wolsztyn drivers for its powerful and reliable performance.

Many thanks to BTWT’s dedicated team of informers who keep their ears to the ground!

BTWT Brain-twister 3

Rebuilt and relaid 600mm gauge line, but where?
Photo BTWT.

(Click image to enlarge.)

In our last Brain-twister competition we asked, What links two of Poland’s newest underground stations with a 15th century confirmation of a union between two nations? Amazingly our previously astute and assiduous competition solvers all seem to have been asleep for this round although it was so very easy!

The latest underground station to open in Poland is at Warsaw’s Chopin Airport as reported in BTWT on 22 May. Identifying the station would have won 2 of the 6 marks available. Previous to that the last underground station to open in Poland was not on Line 1 of the Warsaw Metro, but the pre-metro, fast tram station underneath Krakow Glowny main line railway station. Identifying the pre-metro station would have gained another 2 marks.

Finally, both stations link to the old Warsaw – Krakow railway which passes through Radom. The Commonwealth of Poland and Lituania was confirmed there in 1401. Identifying Radom and its treaty would have earned the final two points.

Today’s brain-twister is even easier. For example, identifying the narrow gauge railway above gains an automatic single point! Though you will have to work quite hard to gain all the 6 points available for fully solving today’s riddle:

     Two neighbours – different in all ways but one,
One carries people on their annual quest to the sun.

The other carries treasure wrested from the deep,
Is little known, less lauded, but by no means asleep.