The Operators: Bulmarket

Bulmarket (Бчлмаркет)  is the rail arm of a large Bulgarian oil and gas company which is based in Ruse on the Danube. They were the second operator to gain Class 87s and have a corporate livery which is basically DSB Black and Red because of the EAs they had first, but does look very good on 87009 and 87025.

Bulmarket’s fleet has been built up in a piecemeal fashion, with a small number of Danish EAs being purchased in 2007, and then as the company continued to win traffic, ex BR electrics being used to bolster the fleet.

Bulmarket Class 87: 87009 / 87017 / 87023 / 87025

All of these fine machines are in traffic, having been exported in 2012 and entering service in 2013.

As a point of difference, all four Bulmarket sevens are fitted with twin pans, 017 & 023 being done in the UK prior to export with the other pair modded at Koncar prior to entering service.

Bulmarket Class 86 (DSB EA): EA 3002 – 86001 / EA 3003 – 86002 / EA 3005 – 86003 86006 / EA 3006 – 86004 / EA 3008 / EA 3009 – 86005. 2021 purchased EA 3007 EA 3010, EA 3020, EA 3022, entering traffic from June with some garish light blue stickers over the DSB red.

The EAs were exposed from Denmark in 2007, being overhauled at Koncar Podujane. EA3008 has never been used in Bulgaria and is withdrawn as a spares donor at Koncar Poduyane. 86003 was renumbered to 86006 in the style of 47299 – Obviously cheaper to renumber the loco than pay into the Histrino fund etc which they claimed poverty over! In early 2021, four more EAs were purchased from DSB after the classes final withdrawl from service in Denmark.

Bulmarket Canjunk: 86205 (86701)  – “85001” / 86213 – “85003” / 86231 – “85005” / 86233 (2011 – Spares Donor, Ruse Docks) /  86234 – “85006” / 86235 – “85004” /  86260 (86702) – “85002”

Bulmarket first lowered the tone of Bulgarian railways by importing 86233 in 2012 however they had the right idea by then abandoning it as a spares donor! In 2016 ETL/ACLG sold then six more cans for reactivation which sadly entered service from Autumn 2016. Search for something like  www.canjunkinBG.com for more info if you have to.

Bulmarket also operate a small number of ex-BDZ or ex-Industry Class 51/52/55 locos and a MDD4 “micro-rod” for shunting and trip work, and some Gyppo Vectrons.

There is little solid gen on Bulmarket, probably around three or four departures from Ruse Docks daily (but in any direction!) and finding a ‘seven’ certainly requires patience and luck. We believe that the locos are simply in a common pool and it’s luck of the draw what goes on the train, unless you’re covering a known back working! However it does seem that shorter workings more likely to drop a seven unless it requires two or three locos then anything goes. Both pairs and top/tail workings have been viewed, again with the preference for a EA to lead due to the superior cab environment.

From early 2018, Bulmarket locos can usually now be found stabled during the day on the field sidings just to the east of Sofia station which has made them much easier to find, for static photos at least. These are believed to be engines which are stabled between turns off Ilyantsi/Kostinbrod or work light to/from Dimitrovgrad ZS for international traffic.

Bulmarket Traffic

Bulmarket operate to terminals across the country, with viewed workings generally originating in the area and heading for Ruse, Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, Pleven and Varna areas in Bulgaria and also international transit traffic via Serbia. Personally, I believe much Bulmarket traffic is sporadic with few daily services – or we are just unlucky!

The odd photo of transit intermodal and other random traffic such as ZSSK steel wagons has surfaced but seems to be very much the odd train randomly being worked, perhaps subcontracted from another operator. Regular trains were being operated to/from Vratsa on behalf of DMV Cargo but this operator now has its own license and locos.

Ruse Sever

Plovdiv: Filipovo, Belozem, Plovdiv Raz

Dolno Ezerovo/Varna Iztok

Sofia Sever/Kostinbrod

Pleven Zapad

Vratsa (believed to be ceased)

Bulmarket are also mega M.