EP07 | 87015aewn

Polish “roarers”

Another weekend trip of January escapism

EP07-338 in a fresh coat of retro two-tone-green is working IC85107 from Szczecin to Olsztyn, just a pathetic load 3

A small number of heavily rebuilt EU07A locos can be found on Gdynia to Wroclaw ICs, EU07A-001 is seen at Gdansk.

With large numbers of locos stopped awaiting funds for overhaul, PKP have resorted to hiring in from Cargo, EU07-336 one such welcome loco at Gydnia on the 0531 Bialystok – Szczecin. It will have worked from Olsztyn most likely taking over from a CD Goggle which PKP have a handful of on long-term loan.

Not just locos, PKP also don’t have enough stock of their own that works so ZSSK have provided some fine Zilina B 249s seen here at Gdansk Wrz with EP07-1003.

Another green’un is EP07-174 seen at Gydnia next to a “real as fuck” EN57 to complete the scene. ‘174 is about to remove itself and dead inside classmate EP07-435 from a very late TLK81105 which was two and a half hours down after locomotive failure.

The Poznan – Wroxlaw line is the latest to be being rehabilitated and upgraded. We had gone down early to do the Poznan – Woltzyn kettle turn…to be greeted with a cart! Oh well, EU07-302 entered the book to Koscian.

EP07-345 at Gdansk with the 1735 Gdynia – Poznan

EU07-220 was another appearance from the Gydnia whirlpool, despite plenty of passenger locos hanging around but not for us to question. It had replaced the inward EP07 at Gydnia on the 1023 Szczecin – Bialystok and is seen here leaving Sopot where we just had time for a celebratory beer before heading back home.

Polish Bash for some PKP and the KS “vice” Gala

PKP Bash – February 2012 to whip in some PKP “Roarers” and hit the Katowice area where new private operator KS Koleje Slaskie had taken over lots of local routes from PKP but without any units to run them – clever!

Having travelled on EC249 from Berlin to get a SU46 diesel over the border we spent a night in Wroclaw which despite a Saturday afternoon OHL riot was fairly productive before moving on to Katowice. With gen fairly sketchy but a raft of hired in locos available we were soon in mass scooping mode. Railpool Traxx locos were working the majority of services with PKP Cargo providing EU07 and ET22s for some of the branches so once again some “freight only” ET22 passenger action was available, just like every other time I’ve been in Poland!