5521 returns to the UK

I understand 5521 will be arriving back to the UK at the middle of May and is departing Wolsztyn for the last time at the end of the parade on Saturday, staying overnight in Poznan before heading north for export sometime first week of May.

 

Interesting, was wondering if she'd ever return here - do you know where she'll be based, and if she'll go mainline?

 

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=19246

Hmm...I wonder...

 

I would imagine it's retaining it's air brakes and compressor... attractive for somelines.

A mainline ticket in Poland isnt quite the same as a mainline ticket in the UK, or Germany for that matter (PKP locomotives cannot run in Germany, but they do vice versa).
Whilst the MAV and CSD locomotives visiting Wolsztyn travel relatively easily over the borders, the lack of the required signalling equipment prevented them running within Poland, the same is true in Slovakia and Hungary, hence the pilot locomotives etc.

 

Air braked ... attractive to the NVR then as they have a loco shortage at the moment... pure speculation on my part!

 

Who owns the engine?

 

I could be wrong, but I thought it was Bill Parker

 

but would it be an International locomotive or a domestic locomotive ?

I might be pure speculating maybe 5521 has one last trick up it's sleeve before coming back. :-k
i'll be posting from Wolsztyn at the end of next week.

The two "jack russell" locomotives of Wolsztyn are definitely the tkt tank and 5521, the last few years they double headed in and back from Wroclaw... and you certainly knew when they were coming.

 

You are a teese ... do you know someting I don't?

 

Part of the reason for adopting that particular setup with the pump, is that it's relatively straightforward to remove, and just requires a few bolts to blank off the remaining holes.

Whether it's actually intended to come off in the near future, I couldn't say!

 

5521 does not have air brakes all it has is a main res and a train pipe, it has a pump and a controle valve thats it. while running on a train in poland the engine did not have brakes it was a swinger on the front of the train but when running round the normal western combination brake valve is used.

 

Here's a picture of 5521 last year, (There was also a funny green leprachaum flag around for some reason)

 

Any ideas where she will be based then, is she off to a railway local to the Flour Mill maybe?

 

Maybe they will keep it at the flour mill so that only they can drive and fire it, because no one else would have any clue on how to drive the thing (according to them).Its not that good or exciting so why bother bringing it back over here leave it over there to rust.

 

Axe to grind ? certainly sounds like it, you haven't much idea of the needs of most preserved railways if you think a Small Prarie of all things is useless, granted they are ten a penny but they are handy things to have.

 

I understand that it's now been announced officially..

5521 will operate the 17.10 VIP special from Wolsztyn to Poznan, Bydgoszcz and Gydnia on Saturday with ol49-69.

This will be 5521's final departure and a 250 mile high speed mainline railtour with a prarie.
This is the engines final PKP run, the engine will be exported early next week.

 

How many stops for water?

 

To be honest..

I dont know, though watering infrastructure is still very prevalent throughout Poland, finding a working water tower shouldnt be a problem... even in some odd /non-steam areas. I was in Chojnice last year, an area really not known for steam and it had a freshly overhauled water tower in the platform, and in Jaroslaw, where I dont think even the locals have seen steam in 15 years had a water tower still dripping water. I would imagine it'll just top up at each station stop enroute. Coal is available in many coal yards on route also.. maybe a horse with cart to move it from the yard to the platform in some places is still common!!

I can count them and let you know afterwards.

fyi Bydgoszcz has a very impressive wooden round house (although derelict), and a scrap BR52 on a turntable at the back of the Shed, a tkh on a plinth and a second working mainline half round house, used as an Electric locomotive workshop, visible from the station.

Although not certain, from Poznan I would assume mainline to Gneizo from Bydgoszcz I would imagine it would go via Chojnice to Koscierzyna (Steam Shed for summer working) onwards to Kartuzy and to Gydnia... (it would seem most logical) and avoids Tczew and Gdansk.

 

will it be arriving back into hull or immingham as it went out from one of these?
mark

 

Has 5521's tour of Europe been sucessful ? Did it bring in loads of money to fund the next overhaul? and why did it go out to Poland in the first place?

Any chance of it coming back home via the CT ? \/

37422.