Steam services suspended.
Carriage fire at Wolsztyn, 25 February 2013. Photo OSP Keblowo.
(Click to see the original photo on the TPWP website.)
At around 1am on Monday 25 February the fire brigade were called to a fire at Wolsztyn. One of the two carriages used for the regular steam service was almost completely destroyed in the blaze, though the fire brigade managed to prevent it spreading to the second coach. With no spare steam heat-capable stock Koleje Wielkopolskie were forced to cancel today’s steam service. A railbus normally used on the Leszno service was substituted.
This unfortunate event has highlighted once again how tenuous the steam hauled service at Wolsztyn is, where the loss of one coach or a single locomotive failure can lead to the suspension of the service, often for a week or more. The steam service may now be suspended for some time until Koleje Wielkopolskie can obtain a suitable replacement coach.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013 at 07:03 |
This is the second incident involving the coaches in the last 2 weeks. The first service on Monday 11 February was delayed leaving Wolsztyn after damage was reported to a partition inside one of the coaches. The coaches are not owned by Kolej Wielkopolskie. KW leases them from Przewozy Regionalne. From what I heard whilst I was over there, KW has acquired some coaches but the are not currently certified.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013 at 11:21 |
There was talk of KW acquiring some ex-CD stock with steam heating. What’s up with that? (With all the PR stock sitting in the weeds around Poland, you’d have thought they could have found something there….)
Tuesday, 26 February 2013 at 19:59 |
I believe the CD stock was diesel railcar trailers, and was self contained oil heating. I think this particular CD stock was rejected. My understanding is that the stock they have acquired also contains standalone heating.
An update on the story. A 120A coach was worked north between Leszno and Poznan yesterday, behind an SM42 diesel. The coach, whilst also of type 120A is slightly different to those used previously, in the sense that it is half seating, half cycle capacity. Steam services have resumed this afternoon (Tuesday).
Tuesday, 26 February 2013 at 20:08 |
It is heartening to hear how quickly Koleje Wielkopolskie have remedied the situation – well done to all concerned!
Tuesday, 26 February 2013 at 20:39 |
I second that – excellent news – for now!
Now we have a new broom at the helm of Cargo all the bets are off re. the future of Wolsztyn shed.