Abandoned Steam Trains in Poland - Part 2

[@FoxfieldRailwayOfficial]

Wish we had a turntable like they do. However, we are indeed working hard to restore and bring back history so that it never dies here ❤

[@madendo456]

There may be many fallen locomotives here, however in 2016 or so, the museum over at jaworzna Śląska bought the fastest express steam loco in Poland, the pt31 49. There are plans to make it run once more. so who knows what the future holds!

[@charlestowler902]

I can confirm that Pt47112 was working on 5th July 1990 - when I managed to ride behind it for 21 kms from Wałbrzych, sadly a shorter journey than it should have been, as part of the line on to Kłodzko was being worked on. The loco subsequently relocated to wolsztyn when PKP steam at Wałbrzych ceased...

[@allDIYtrains]

Makes me happy to know of the many many running mainline steamers in Germany. Fetching one soon.

[@lmm]

Sounds exciting

[@allDIYtrains]

@@lmm oh yes, really looking forward to this.

[@TheMofRider2]

The Ty5 is a former german BR50, and if you look at nearly any german loco from that series you will find that very same tender. The only diffence might be (but it doesn't have to) the handle of the water reservoir lid. The Ty51 is the biggest steam loco series built in Poland. It was constructed in the factory of Hipolit Cegielski in Poznań and used for very heavy and long distance freight trains, f.e. those connecting Upper Silesia with the Baltic harbours. Also, Ty51 and Ty45 were important work units on the former Upper Silesian sand raliways. No. 223 was the last one in service on PKP network, and in its last operation years, stationed at Wolsztyn, ran several touristic passenger trains on the lines surrounding that place. Ty45, similar to Ty2 and Ty42, were widely used in Poland for nearly everything what was needed at the moment - light freight, heavy freight, shunting, branch line passenger service or even "last mile" operation of express trains on lines, where the speed limit was low and "big" express locomotives either proved unefficient or needed off time to prepare for the return run (this is mainly about trains terminating at smaller but important destinations like near the seaside, in the mountains or at other places where the track simply ends).

[@weekendrailroader]

Place your bets now, how long til Lawrie brings home a Polish steam locomotive? :D

[@davidty2006]

Whenever he can afford it.

[@trainspotter66]

We really really appreciate the things you do for us lawrie❤🫶👍😁amazing video😊

[@llwi-l]

I want all of them to return to service at some point.

[@lmm]

Very unlikely sadly

[@llwi-l]

@@lmm Yeah but we can hope they do all return to service at some point.

[@vernongoodey5096]

If you’ve got the cash then get them going. Howard Jones did just that from 1997 to this year when he passed away

[@sebskyYyy]

why??

[@douglasfleetney5031]

In 1969 when I was four my Dad took me around Barry. A few months later he went for a job at Queenborough (Isle of Sheppey), again I was taken around the discarded, unwanted and unloved giants of steam. Seeing these brings back the same emotions, the same sadness and the everlasting question of why? Progress? Really, I call BS on that. Hundreds of men laid off, hundreds of futures disposed of. All because Steam is no longer fashionable or PC. Thanks Lawrie. May need to get hold of you one-to-one over a potential visit to a private railway (Steam, of course).

[@Secr_productions]

Can you just summarise that no way ima read all that.

[@thestati0nmaster579]

Hundreds of men laid off because you no longer needed an army of fitters to clean and maintain locomotives. I don't agree much with the Beeching Cuts but most of the ideas of the previous 1955 modernisation plan would have been more fruitful had it been put in action more effectively, such as replacing steam locomotives with diesel/electric locomotives.

[@Secr_productions]

@@thestati0nmaster579 thank you

[@Secr_productions]

@@thestati0nmaster579 also if beaching didn't do it the next person would of I don't prefer it but at the end of the day it's life we are the only problem and so we have to make more intellectual mechanical things and later we have electrical locomotives

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Just found your channel and Subscribed. Very nice engines

[@lmm]

Thank you very much

[@marcgriselhubert3915]

I went to Wolztyn several times in the early 90's. At that time there were active lines to Leszno, Zbazynek, Poznan, Sulechow and Nowa Sol from Wolsztyn and four or five steam locomotives were in pressure everyday for freight or passenger services. The crews were friendly and it was possible to have footplate rides and even take the regulator if you asked politely (in polish if possible...) and give them a little money at the end of the journey. I had the opportunity to drive Pt47 65 a lot of times, several Ol (59, 69, 23, 32, 105), several Ty (don't remember the numbers) and Ok1 359 (which was my favourite with the Pt). Those were the days...

[@rainerwagner8528]

Well, Lawrie! This 1E(2-10)-freight loco is one of the in thousands of this type(as you told it later, 11:00) produced german wartime locomotive Type 52, which you can find in not only museal function until today in Romania, Bulgaria and Turkije! And of course, it makes me very sad to see all the machines rusting away! May be there comes times, when they are needed, but gone away since decades! I hope that his times never will come! Many states had a tactical reserve of steam locos, but that ended since years and nearly all of the locos had been melted to new steel.

[@stuartross282]

Type 52 still in use in Bosnia

[@garysmith2450]

Nice. I drove 49-69 and 49-59 with the Wolsztyn Experience twice. RIP Howard Jones.

[@Arkay315]

Lawrie's adventures in the polish locomotive graveyard part 2

[@Plokman040]

Why is Thomas timeless? Because it shows a wonderful place, a place we all wish was real. The Island of Sodor, the last bastion of vintage steam, diesel, and electric. It is a magical place, a storybook land of wonder and a dream I wish existed for every country. Heritage is important, because if we forget them how can we go forward?

[@kineticrail]

Quite reminiscent of the old videos from Woodhams scrapyard in the 70's and 80's

[@roberttwardowski9711]

Go to Chabowka near Tatra Mountains. You will find Lot of locomotives there.

[@lmm]

It's on my list to visit

[@eze8970]

TY 🙏🙏

[@TheSonic10160]

Well, the cool thing about this place is they've got so many spare parts for all their running engines and cosmetically restored ones. But yeah there's not really any point to a museum having 6 of the same thing unless they're busy enough that they're all in use.

[@FlyingFoxandBambi4475]

That OL49 tender with no engine attached to it is from Number 7.

[@trainsandtrams2020]

The Pt47 really looks the part, too bad it's no longer a runner. I am now a subscriber to your channel, looking forward to more of the same kind of content.

[@jakubtym6574]

5:33 those signs on the tender say "Long live the Class Congress" and "worker unity" comunist slogans from those times it seems

[@CaptainDonut0]

That black train whit white trim remindes of our sibirian exile locos we have in expo.

[@Pentium100MHz]

I have been in Wolsztyn twice, but other than doing the main thing there I have only looked that the locomotives near the street. However, I did see some of the locomotives they have outside near the depot and that includes a fireless loco, it looks weird, but cool.

[@KS-oc4hu]

There is a nice collection of steam locos in the museum in Warsaw too

[@drdewott9154]

Interesting stuff. The OL 49 seems like a very practical locomotive type and, though its great to see as many surviving as there are, its sad to see so many in shabby condition. I actually know one even made it to Denmark, OL-49 77. It was donated to Langå municipality in the 90's by a sister town in Poland and put as a monument in front of one of their schools, to symbolise the importance of Langå as a major railway junction in Denmark. However it was moved away a few years ago due to rust damage, making it unsafe to climb onto. It currently sits at Orlas scrap yard in nearby Bjerringbro, however with no plans for scrapping, as the owner collects a lot of vintage equipment. They also own another steam locomotive, DSB F-class shunter 677.

[@orys]

It's not about "the mood changing" in Poland. It's just a matter of money. You have to remember that we had a steam locomotives in regular use up to something like early 1990s - I used to live next to the main cargo line and I saw them pulling cargo trains about this time when I was a kid. It's just we have SO MUCH of them that we don't have money to restore them all. If you travel by train across Poland you will see abandoned steam locomotives in many places in Poland. Some of them were towed to Wolsztyn, Jaworzyna Śląska and other places in hope that they will be restored one day (or used for parts to restore other units of the same series). But some are still there. Important thing is nobody scrapped them. And now, I don't think anybody would dare, as they probably have already legal protected status.

[@lmm]

I think currently three engines in ticket on the standard guage in Poland. It's not a matter of restoring them all - but there's not the want to keep the engines that have run in recent years running, less so these ones. The abandoned engines have little hope, there are engines in better condition in various museums that, with money and enough people, may steam again.

[@orys]

@@lmm there is want. But there is no money. And wrong people are placed in charge. I don't want to go to deep into it, it's politics and you don't want a flamewar of Poles now in your comments, as this channel is not about this, but wrong people are put in charge everywhere and money are being siphoned of everything nowadays. Heritage railways is one thing, but at least this is less of more still managed by people who, while might not have means, might still have a clue about steam trains. If you want to know how bad it COULD be, check what happened to the world famous arabian horse stables after a long-time world-class expert in charge of that instiution was replaced by a party nominate who "always wanted to try himself in something like farming". Yes, I don't remember it exactly, but this is the real gist of the quote. The isntitution with centuries of history that survived parition of Poland, two world wars and 45 years of communism was virtually destroyed in just 5 years. If you run some NGO, heritage institution, or even a state owned museum today, either you brown nose the government, or you are put on the side-track - in an optimistic outcome - or replaced by some ignorant party nominate, who'll destroy your lifetime work in no time. Hence lack of funding in one places - mostly where money would really be needed - and bunch of cronies burning money on some stupid, but politically approved projects. The only institution independent from the ruling party that is really well funded in Poland nowadays is Catholic church, and that's only because they are their political allies :( Poland might look nice on the surface, but a lot of things are happening underneath that aren't visible from abroad, and you'd be surprised how far things went in that field.

[@mateuszgrzybek4419]

Yeah, our steam locos preservation is a bit pathological here in Poland

[@orys]

It's just we have so much of them, as they were in service as recently as 1992 or so...

[@testpilotbg]

Hello Lawrie! I hope you make more restoration videos! *sorry for my english if i spelling something wrong.*

[@testpilotbg]

I love this video Too😄

[@retr0bits545]

Purchase one of the locomotives and bring it back to the UK!

[@lmm]

They'd all be out of gauge. The only place you could run one would be the Nene Valley Railway.

[@davidty2006]

They are a little on the expensive side.... Nevermind the costs of getting it moved to Gdansk and then on a ship back to britain.

[@DE_mikus]

did you know that the Polish Railways wanted all steam locomotives to be in reserve (I have a teacher who worked on the railway for 35 years )

[@stefanszymura91]

If you want to see a beautifuly restored and working (very seldom, only a few times a year) locomotive, you can google out the TY42-24 from Pyskowice.

[@lmm]

I didn't think that was currently working? I have seen it when it came to Wolsztyn. Absolutely stunning.

[@FlyingFoxandBambi4475]

That Ol49 with the tender number 60 is Number 85

[@stefanszymura91]

BTW, you may check also a set No. 6280 of COBI bricks (LEGO compatible). It's a VERY NICE model of BR52 / TY2.

[@lmm]

I will!

[@greghayes9118]

I’m sure with the appropriate business plan and some crowd funding one of those engines could be brought back to life.

[@terrier_productions]

I do hope they find a new home

[@bentullett6068]

Its sad to see these big beasts in the state. You can however see the design inspiration for UK locomotives like the BR 9F.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

These locomotives could still have a future, I have seen examples in a much more bad state restored to working condition in the UK. Wasn't the Wolsztyn roundhouse and museum owned by a private initiative now?

[@lmm]

It is, but they only just are keeping the running engines in service. They may look to restore engines in the museum, but none of these outside.

[@TheMofRider2]

Yes, it is, but sadly the new director is interested in everything else than making locos run again. One, the Pt47-65, underwent its periodic reparation to at least run that one regular service, but there are no signs for a soon restoring of any other locomotive at Wolsztyn. Meanwhile Chabówka has 2 or 3 running locomotives (Ty42-107, Ty2-911 and maybe Ty2-953), some other are being worked on, Jaworzyna Śląska is at least collecting funds to restore one of its' locos, the private Ty42-24 stationed at Pyskowice is also running after boiler checkup, and some other subjects are working on their steam locos.

[@Super_Paprika]

@@TheMofRider2 Not sure about Ty2-953 but they are now repairing two of their tank engines OKz32-2 and TKt48-191.

[@iljaharris1899]

9:20 Axle load of a Ty5 and a Ty2/Ty42 should be more or less the same. German class 50 (Ty5) was intended for the use on branch lines. Nice video!

[@Foxo1441]

wish you could go to järnvägsmuseet in gävle sweden on its opening day and help out at driving some steam. Would be fun to see you in swedish locos

[@lmm]

If you know someone who can help make it happen - I'd love to

[@vernongoodey5096]

Hi you mentioned putting cash into these and restoring them. Don’t know if you said but the reason you are seeing steam on the mainline at Lesno is because of a man HOWARD JONES he went out on a few specials started by Steam Railway magazine & set up THE WOLSTYN EXPERIENCE. Basically PKP said if you have the money we’ll keep steam going which is what he did until this year when he sadly passed away! He received a MBE for services to Anglo Polish friendship as part of the plan he purchased houses in WOLSTYN and bought a lot of tourists to the town when they needed it!

[@lmm]

Yes, I was at his memorial last weekend. We were good friends.

[@vernongoodey5096]

@@lmm nice one. Met him a few times many many years ago

[@below_average_polish_citiz7038]

As a Polish person I can confirm that this is real

[@Questionsarelong]

Do you reckon the didcot railway centre will restore one of these as they had the lovely pleasure of restoring the pendennis castle? Would be awesome to see one of these in britain

[@lmm]

No, because it wouldn't fit inside the shed. It's wider and taller than British engines, despite running on the same tracks as British stuff.

[@matthewg3056]

Something about polish trains that really makes me feel like they belong in argentina

[@redlight722]

The 2-8-2 Makato is missing it’s coupling rods, to possibly pull it around? I have seen this in the States on larger engines. Only here some of them had a torch took to them. If so, glad they removed them so they could be used again elsewhere.

[@and3583]

Reminds me of Barry Island in the 80s

[@garymills7494]

Hi, there are a few Kriegslokomotiven (German: for "war locomotives", singular: Kriegslokomotive) or Kriegsloks within that yard. Built during WW2 by the Germans and still used in Serbia.

[@Braveplantt]

imagine someone brought it to a heritage railway

[@lmm]

It wouldn't fit in the UK sadly

[@Braveplantt]

@@lmm well then, get it to other ones in europe

[@ukaszwalczak1154]

Really sad. When you go anywhere else in Poland, i recommend the GKW/Upper-Silesian Narrow Gauge Railway. The T49 there is the only one of it's kind, in Poland atleast, that actually runs, the other Ryśies/Lynxes stay in place in Museums. Edit: At 15:28, the writing on the tender translates to 'Long live the class congress of working unity', i really don't know what it even means as a Pole, probably something to do with unions or smth.

[@mirageblacktvseries8998]

Wow

[@jackminett768]

Just wondering if there’s going tk be a Corris falcon review after the headboard I saw a while back? 🤔

[@Arturobrito0502]

Was the whole operation has been saved? I hope it has

[@TouyaTetsuya]

Its sad that trains just rots away, every museum/railroad just dont have the money..

[@robertdshannon5155]

The stoker is US design as are butterfly doors on backhead

[@JenniferZecker]

STEAM TRAINS!!!!!!! FOREVER!!!!

[@richardjayroe8922]

In the US the 2-8-2 was used only for freight/ goods trains and some switching/shunting duties

[@davidty2006]

Here in britain mainly freight though with the odd few passenger trains, Meanwhile the newest Mikado P2 2007 is basically gonna do mainly passenger.

[@paulkandi]

The problem is money, many stored locos on our heritage lines may never see service again, steam and diesels ...when their ticket runs out...they will just sit there for many years to come and maybe thats right its the spares more valuable than the engine itself, if restoration was started on a single engine and restored, the boiler ticket is only for 10 years, then it will be dumped as before before someone decides its worthy of another restoration..

[@gs425]

JUST A MINUTE.....the iddy biddy teencie weencie narrow gauge coal carrying wagon at 1:40 !!!!

[@lmm]

Yeah, they are lifted by the crane to move coal / Ash

[@gs425]

@lmm pop it in your pocket and bring it home !!! You know you want too !!! 😉

[@obscuresum51thegamer12]

Man when I watch this kind of stuff i was born in the wrong generation/time period bc i live steam engine like the really big ones and it hurts me to see them just rotting and i would love to get them running again and see them in there glory but i dont have enough money to do so

[@adriankabacinski4169]

Hi im from poland, and i have a question Are you going to any narrow gauge railway?

[@AdmiralPingu]

at 8:41 thats a German Br 52 Einheitslok

[@ggreg2258]

Looks like a huge graveyard!

[@lmm]

It is!

[@neilmitchell4259]

Hello what gauge do they run in Poland

[@lmm]

It's standard guage

[@Andrew-r4x]

please save those engines

[@Andrew-r4x]

this hurts me

[@siraff4461]

So how many subscribers will it take for you to get one of these?

[@andrewcowling5804]

Oh you lucky sod

[@itsmyview2024]

Price of oil may have influenced the return of coal fired steam.

[@lmm]

It has not. Steam is far more expensive than diesel

[@John-yf8qh]

While I agree that it's a terrible shame and tragedy that these beasts aren't yet spoken for. You must remember that things have been saved in a great deal worse condition than these beauties. Something I'm constantly reminded of as a hobbyist heavy machinery fitter (yep, I do that for fun and urge others to try it), most of the rust you see on the really big stuff is onky a few microns deep and won't affect it in the long run. Tinwork, the stuff that has rotted away, is easily replaced. As are gauges and dials these days... A re-firebricking is no big shakes it's just the boiler barrels that are the massive job on these. And, even that's not out of the question these days as we've seen quite frequently. It's the attitude of the polish people and ultimately polish government that needs work and I'd say this is at least a start in raising awareness.

[@lmm]

It's money - you're right, many of them look worse than they are. But a good number are knackered and would need major work

[@laurencecorr7255]

Go on the seven valley railway please

[@lmm]

I did a few years ago

[@bwilesuk]

Soooooo big

[@richardkristofic7520]

you should go to slovakia there are some much more then you saw here

[@lmm]

Oh really?

[@androidemulator6952]

I think there a working Kreig in Serbia ??

[@lmm]

There's a few still working in different parts of the world

[@Andrew-r4x]

just cosmecticallly restore them PLEASE preserve them THEM

[@lmm]

Would need a load of money to even do that

[@Andrew-r4x]

sadly thats true @@lmm

[@parowozownia1369]

Mam nadzieję że ol49 69 i 59 będą naprawione i nie wdaną w taki zły stan

[@adriankabacinski4169]

Mam nadzieję że tak😢

[@maxpayneau]

Teraz tylko Pt jest pod parą?

[@parowozownia1369]

Tak

[@androidemulator6952]

"Kreig" loks ?? - built during WW2 ??

[@lmm]

Some were, some built after.

[@frommarkham424]

2nd

[@sarugurung4262]

HLCH peremarpuett⌚️🏞 1225 Howell 2018🚂🚃🎼 Train😔

[@AustNRail]

Do any of these fit British guage standards? I ask this from an Australian perspective.

[@lmm]

No, our loading gauge is much smaller

[@raymondleggs5508]

Lokomotywy parowe

[@stekra3159]

In austria we still have 2 Kriegslocks working

[@lmm]

Oh really?