A short trip to Bulgaria to have a blast on 87006 on the last day of a six-day PTG Railtour, with a couple of days thrown in doing some service trains.

Weds: EZ8973 Gatwick – Sofia, grabbed a ride on 52064 doing the Istanbul – Belgrade shunt then 43533 forward to Pirdop for a couple of happy hours photting ‘sevens’ and then 45173 onto Kazanlak for the night.

Thurs: An earlyish start only to be carted out with two ‘red’ units being provided for a run to Stara Zagora changing at Tulovo, then 44070 to Karnobat, where I missed a shunt before winner 46234 into Burgas for a quick blast in the Black Sea before a roundabout route to Varna with 46125, 45195 and 45155 providing haulage.

Fri: PTG tour with 87006 Varna  – Sofia via Plovdiv – photos on a seperate page here

Sat: A trip on the narrow gauge then into Plovdiv for 07123 on the Panagjurishte branch which is currently loco-hauled, then back to Sofia prior to flying home Sunday. 46125 both ways on IC8611/8614 so having not had a 46’1 before plenty of KMs off that one now!

As usual, please click on the photos for full captions

06097 Filipovo

07123 Panagjurishte

07123 Filipovo

07123 Panagjurishte

43310 Plovdiv

44070 Karnobat

44070 Lozerano

44115 Vervara

44151 Pazardzhik

44185 Plovdiv

45150 Plovdiv

46125 Burgas

46205 Karnobat

46205 44070 Lozerano

55212 Karnobat

61005 Kazanlak

75008 Septemvri

32072 Lozerano

3013 87012 Pirdop

232678 Pirdop