Ukraine & Hungary July/August 2019 – Mariupol, Berdiansk, Kherson & MAV Nostalgia Lake Balaton Gala

After a successful trip to Mariupol in 2018, I’d discovered while researching that trip, that there was a lot more to be done diesel-wise in the area bordering the Donetsk region and when I finally got my arse into gear I found all the Summer holiday trains to Berdiansk in the UZ timetable and a very last minute trip followed; once I’d got my head around the days of running and having done a simplifier to help with the quick planning.

A bit of even more last-minute planning resulted in me flagging my flight home from Ukraine and heading over the border into Hungary to cover the 2^nd MAV Lake Balaton Gala weekend of the season, and flying home from Budapest instead.

Flights

Booked through Wizz Air

W9-6001 0720 Luton – Kyiv

W6-2201 0615 Budapest – Luton

Hotels

Kherson (Ukraine) – Apartment on Ushakova – a few minutes’ walk from Kherson station, a bloody good choice it was too. The owner of the flat was waiting outside the entry door to the block, which is at the rear, and she escorted me up to the 4^th floor. When she opened the front door, which stood out from the rest in the block, it was like opening the wardrobe doors and entering Narnia, through a door into a different world. From the outside the block looks typically Soviet, built for a purpose. Inside the block the old stairway that leads through the block was concrete with one flight not even being level and leaning downwards! Most of the apartment doors in the building were metal-fronted and those that were wood looked like they’d seen better days. It was a side of Ukraine I’d not seen before, you know, the real Ukraine and all that, but the flat itself was absolutely cracking. It was modern, spotless, had very good WiFi and the bonus of having air-con was not to be sniffed at. There was even a washing machine in the bathroom, which was rinsing the sweat out of the clothes I was wearing the moment the owner walked out of the door. With access to the block requiring a key, if you can actually call it that, there is nowhere to leave the keys to allow access without the owner being present; likewise, when departing.

Szekesfehervar (Hungary) – Panama Motel – is a 40-minute walk from Szekesfehervar station. I had a room with questionable WiFi and what turned out to be a sweltering room. The air-con in which didn’t seem to want to cool at all, but rather blow air out. Thankfully I had a skylight window and thanks to a bit of rain each evening, the cool air was welcome in the room. It was clean enough, for the price, and had a decent shower in the bathroom with a very good fridge in the room to keep my pop and sarnies cool. I could only pay with cash, so had to withdraw enough to pay on my second night.

Train Tickets

Ukraine – booked on the excellent UZ website

Hungary – all booked real-time on the very useful MAV Vonatinfo App, which allows you to set up individual people in it and book for them as you go along, while it remembers your credentials; whether you’re Priv, only want a reservation, etc, etc.

Thursday 25^th July 2019 (The hottest day in the UK, ever!)

Needless to say, with the temperatures reaching 40 degrees across the UK, it was far hotter than we Brits are used to, and it wasn’t long before our whole railway system was in total meltdown; to coin a very apt phrase! So, there I was, minding my own on the sofa at home while trying to smash my way through the latest season of Peaky Blinders, before I went away; and my wife’s work phone kept interrupting. Eventually, what was being sent through on it put an end to the Peaky Blinders and had me quite concerned with how I was going to get to Luton Airport.

The wires had come down just north of Peterborough and LNER were advising people not to travel at all for the rest of the day; having caped most of their trains for the rest of it as well, despite already operating an emergency timetable due to the hot weather. While looking at alternative ways of getting to Luton, for an 0700 flight the following morning, it then came to light that the wires were down in the West Hampstead area and the Midland Mainline was closed south of Harpenden; with nothing operating for the rest of the day. At this point, even though there was potentially an EMT service to get me from Sheffield to Luton, I was in no position to get for it; so, my nicely planned last train to London for the 0314 Thameslink to Luton Airport Parkway for breakfast at the airport wasn’t looking so good at all.

By 2000 most of the lines north of Peterborough had reopened and I resigned myself that going ECML to London, a lot earlier than planned, was the right thing to do and I had to feel for the people on board the first train I flagged to London; which should have departed Doncaster at 1718. It was over three hours late when it left and to add insult to injury, LNER’s shocking management of their service and fleet brought Kings Cross to a standstill and the train I did to London, not far behind it, overtook it at Finsbury Park; to allow my train into the last vacant platform at Kings Cross as the crew for the waiting 2200 Kings Cross – Newcastle were on-board, and it was 2245 when we departed Finsbury Park! Quite why they either, didn’t transfer the crew from one to the other when both trains were stood in adjacent platforms, or just release the doors on both sets and allow people to get straight onto the Underground, is a mystery.

It was 2256 when I arrived into Kings Cross, which wasn’t far after the time I’d initially been expecting to depart Doncaster. Having taken the time to figure out the best way to get to Luton Airport, I’d settled on doing the Green Line #757 bus from Victoria; which were apparently, according to National Rail, accepting rail tickets for Luton in light of their being no train service! Either way, it was only £11 single on the bus, which ran every 30 minutes until 1am and almost hourly after that. I figured being at Victoria for a bus was better than trying o board at Baker Street and being denied. With time currently on my side, I had a quick stroll over the road to St Pancras, on the off-chance road transport was being provided every now an again. Imagine my surprise when at 2308 a train departed St Pancras Low Level for Bedford; with me on it. A check of various apps on my phone revealed that it was the second train to operate through from London to Luton since the farce had occurred, with the previous on being only 15 minutes in front; so I’d arrived at the right time, and was at Luton Airport Parkway by midnight waiting for a bus to the airport. At this point, I couldn’t help but think that had I not known about either farce, I’d have been winging my way to London at this point, having finished watching the Peaky Blinders, not rushing my tea and not rushing out of my wife a lot earlier than planned. As it was by 0030, I was standing at Luton Airport staring at the arrival & departure screens, which added a bit of insight as to why the airport was rammed with people and there was chaos around every corner.

Moves for Thursday 25^th July 2019

Friday 26^th July 2019 (A long day, travelling from Luton to Kyiv then onwards towards Donetsk)

Having been mesmerized by the arrival & departure screens for some railway stations earlier in the day, I’d not even considered that the weather would have caused chaos in the skies as well, but a storm over eastern Europe had resulted in many flights being cancelled and there were at least half a dozen that still hadn’t departed Luton, which should have gone well before midnight; some ended up being over 5 hours late by the time they left; and many more were equally as late landing.

Despite there being flights departing until around 4am, nobody was allowed through security until 3am, so the security guard who’d given me the gen about the storm told me. Everyone who was airside had been there since the booked departure time of their flight and nobody else was allowed through until the first flights started to depart in the morning.

It was an anxious wait, camped out on the hard floor of Luton Airport’s main concourse; along with many, many others. I had considered a hotel while on the train, but everything was full; and I know knew the reason for that. Charging sockets were limited, and every plug socket had a phone charger plugged into it. Every now and then, through out the night, the departure screen was updated with cancellations and delayed departures. Thankfully, my Wizz Air 0720 departure to Kyiv Zhuliany remained on time, as did all the Wizz Air flights that morning: with Easy Jet taking the brunt of the cancellations. While there were people on-hand to help those who’d been dealt a bum-hand throughout the night, tensions still got to boiling point every now and then but all-in-all everything was handled quite well, from what I could see.

I was having breakfast by 5am, after making sure I was among the first wave through security, before it got busy, and was delighted when my plane was boarding well before the booked departure time. Then, just after the boarding complete announcement, the doors were re-opened, and two people ended up leaving the plane. It turns out that the gate staff had allowed one too many people onto the plane and as it happened the double-booked person was the last onto the plane! The result of them leaving the plane was the cabin staff having to go through the luggage racks, end to end, to confirm who each and every bag belonged to, which makes sense under those circumstances. But it resulted in a 40-minute late departure from Luton and a 25-minute late arrival into Kyiv Zhuliany. It wasn’t a flight I could remember much about, for obvious reasons!

Passport control at Zhuliany was one line for foreigners and 6 for Ukrainians. Still, I managed plane to Kyiv Volynskyi station in less than 30 minutes and that was including the 15-minute walk from the airport to the station. At which I went to one of the ticket booths, at the bottom of each set of steps down onto the platform, bought a single to Kyiv Pas for UAH8 and was pointed to the correct platform, after being shown the departure time of the next train, on a list. Trains for Kyiv Pas depart from the nearest platform to the airport, which doesn’t have its own ticket booth; so, you have to buy one from one of the other platforms anyway.

I didn’t have long to wait for a very wedged EMU to arrive and take me into Kyiv Pas Suburban station, which is the bay platforms at the west end of the main station building. No sooner had I got there though, was I heading back to whence I came from with VL80K-140 dragging failed EMU ER9M-4007 on 6015 1357 Kyiv Pas – Fastiv. There was no time to buy a ticket but at least I still had one for the return journey from Kyiv Volynskyi; having not gone through the barriers to exit to the suburban platforms.

That little escapade cost me a bit of time and as a result I was in a bit of a rush when I got back to Kyiv Pas. I’d intended to get a Vodafone sim card from the shop inside the station building but when I found the main station building cordoned off by the police, I had to use McDonald’s WiFi to find an alternative place to get one from; and there just so happened to be a Vodaphone mini-store inside the large Novus supermarket and I had the bonus of killing two birds with one stone as a result. My sim card cost UAH155 and had unlimited data for a month. It could be topped up to keep it active but to do so would cost UAH180, making it cheaper o just buy another sim when I returned in September. Previously, Ukraine sim cards had been valid for 1 year without being topped up, but not anymore.

Sim card sorted, food sorted, bag of goodies sorted, and with VL80T-1078 at the head of 148 1546 Kyiv Pas – Odesa Holovna, I was very grateful of the pillow that lay on my lower berth in platskart. I was really starting to flag a bit by this point and it was only by sheer luck that I was awake at Hrebinka to find TEP70-0056 replacing the VL80 for the run south towards IT Shevchenko and after a bit more sleep I found myself waiting it out in a dazed state at IT Shevchenko, where ChS8-078 arrived with 227 1607 Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk; which had been in the adjacent platform to 148, before each departed Kyiv in different directions.

While I would be heading to Berdiansk on this trip, it wouldn’t be on train 227 but the sole reason for being on it was because it was the only train that does Dnipropetrovsk – Chaplyne – Polohy – Verkhniy Tomak 1. And once the AC to DC traction changed had taken place at Pyatikhatki Styk and ChS8-078 had given way to ChS2-098, that was me completely in the land of nod. I’d feared that the lady with the baby in my compo might put pay to a good night’s sleep but the fact that I was so knackered resulted in me nearly jumping out of bed when the poor baby touched my hand while was asleep; bless it! It was nice when the lights eventually went out though, and everyone was horizontal. Up until that point I’d been in deep sleep but kept waking up with a banging headache. Once the lights were out and earplugs were in, that was it, I was dossed right out!

Gen for Friday 26^th July 2019

ChS4-040 142 2320 (P) Bakhmut – Lviv
ChS8-077 12 1357 Kyiv Pas – Novooleksiyivka
VL80K-140 (1/2) (Drag ER9M-4007) 6015 1357 Kyiv Pas – Fastiv 1
VL80T-1078 (2/1) 148 1546 Kyiv Pas – Odesa Holovna (to Hrebinka)
TEP70-0056 148 1546 Kyiv Pas – Odesa Holovna (Hrebinka – IT Shevchenko)
ChS8-078 (2/1) 227 1607 Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk (to Pyatikhatki Styk)
ChS2-098 227 1607 Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk (Pyatikhatki Styk to Dnipro)

Kyiv
ChME3-571
ChME3-5349
ChME3T-5516
ChME3T-6390
ChME3T-6393
ChME3T-7320
ChME3T-7126

Moves for Friday 26^th July 2019

Photos for Friday 26^th July 2019

Saturday 27^th July 2019 (Mariupol to Berdiansk via Zaporizhzhia)

Waking for a piss while the train was at Dnipropetrovsk did have its benefits, and I found that ChS2-037 had replaced its classmate for the run to Chaplyne; which was a loco change I’d not even considered when I’d dossed out. I was completely oblivious to the electric to diesel loco-change taking place at Chaplyne but was pleasantly surprised to find brand new, with 2019 works plates, GE’s TE33AS-2021/TE33AS-2020 at the head of the load-20 rake when they slithered away from Verkhniy Tomak 1, with is situated on the Berdiansk branch. The 3km walk from Verkhniy Tomak 1 to Verkhniy Tomak 2, which is on the Fedorivka side of the mainline junction from Volnovakha, took 35 minutes and I arrived with only 5 minutes to spare for 104 1523 (P) Zhmerynka – Mariupol; just as a GE TE33AS-20xx went bowling through with 10 1903 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol.

It didn’t register at that point that train #10 was down the pan and neither did it register when a train with Kyiv – Mariupol boards arrived into Verkhniy Tomak 2 with GE TE33AS-2027 piloting 2TE116-1471a/b, that it wasn’t actually my train! It was only when the stewardess who refused me access to the train, in the coach my ticket had on it, went to fetch her mate who spoke a little English, that it was pointed out to me that the train I was trying to board was actually a late running 084 1632 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol. When I realised what was going on and my brain had engaged, I quickly apologized for my mistake and asked if I could board the train anyway, but only as far as Komysh Zoria. For which UAH100 was handed over and it was only while I was standing in the vestibule contemplating what the hell had just happened, that I actually realised that 084 wasn’t even booked to stop at Verkhniy Tomak 2; just to add to the confusion.

The 40-minute journey flew by and at Komysh Zoria I had a brief time to gather my throughs while waiting for 104 (P) 1523 (P) Zhmerynka – Mariupol to arrive, which it did so with 2TE116-1175a/1610b. This time, I had no problem accessing the train and was in my rightful berth in no time. At Volnovakha though, I was soon reunited with the two stewardesses on board the preceding Kyiv – Mariupol service and as 084 was sat waiting to go with ChS2-467 piloting VL8M-1402, I wasted no time in getting friendly with them immediately. This time though, my UAH100 even got me a compartment all to myself; and as 084 Kyiv – Mariupol eased out of Volnovakha, VL8M-1215 was just dropping onto 104 Kyiv – Mariupol to work it through to destination.

As I’d not been sure of what plan to execute I gave myself options by booking tickets on all trains between Mariupol & Fedorivka during the afternoon, with the cost being negligible and allowing me to decide on the day what I wanted to do. And in fact, I’d not actually planned to go to Mariupol at all but as 084 was late it gave me an option to go down the branch and head straight back out with 070 1250 Mariupol – Lviv; which wasn’t even in the platform when 084 arrived not far off 2-hours late.

It looked like VL8M-1089 had worked 10 1903 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol from Volnovakha and its set was being shunted into the adjacent sidings by a Mariupol based ChME3 that had a pantograph mounted on its roof; which I can only assume is for ice-breaking duties during the winter months? Classmate, ChME3T-7365 was shunting the rake together to form 070 1250 Mariupol – Lviv in the sidings and once VL8M-1215 had arrived with 104, the rake was shunted int the platform, where VL8M-1484 was waiting to work the train; or so I thought. Having photted it and walked to the back of the train to my seat, it was only when we curved around to the left when departing Mariupol that I noticed an additional engine at the head of the train. It seemed that piloting trains was an in thing in the Donetsk region on this particular day!

After a long walk from the back of the train to the front at Volnovakha, I found VL8M-488 being detached from VL8M-1484 and then I walked back from what was now the back of the train to the front, to find 2TE116-855a/b shunting a coach off the train to allow 2TE116-1609a/b to drop on and work the train forward to Fedorivka.

After the mad morning, I was grateful of a relaxing trundle to Rozivka, where, after a short wait, GE TE33AS-2003 arrived with 142 2235 (P) Odesa Holovna – Mariupol and I was soon alighting at Zachativska to wait for the return working of 104 1450 Mariupol – Kyiv Pas. Which, not surprisingly, arrived a little late, but not too late to bugger my evening move up, with GE TE33AS-2017. While waiting classmates TE33AS-2029/2028 had hammered through with a heavy freight and TE33AS-2015 was sat in the station waiting the road forward when 104 arrived.

Having sussed out the Verkhniy Tomak 1 to 2 walk earlier that morning, I had to do the same in reverse in the evening but with a lot less time to do it. The reason for the opposing move was to cover 116 1800 Berdiansk – Kyiv Pass which is the only loco-hauled train to do Polohy – Zaporizhzhia 1 direct. I certainly had to get a shift on when I got to Verkhniy Tomak 2 but had a few minutes to recover while waiting for what turned out to be 2TE116-1100b/1419b with 2TE116-1207a/b dead inside on train 116; and I was into Zaporizhzhia 1 at 2310, spot on time.

Immediately upon arrival, ChME3-1851 dropped onto the rear of 116 and shunted the two Belarus coaches off. It then shunted them out of the station, deposited them in the distance and returned to the station to drop on top of ChS2-391, which had arrived with 242 1850 Kryvyi Rih – Henichensk; it then shunted the whole caboodle out of the platform and onto 190 2130 Dnipropetrovsk Holovna – Henichensk. Meanwhile, VL8M-1206 was running round a works train in platform 5 and ChS2-432, which had arrived with 190, ran-round and once ChME3-1851 had deposited 242 back into the station, it topped ChS2-391 and the pair eventually departed for Henichensk once the portions were coupled. ChME3-1851 then headed back out into the darkness to recover the two coaches ex 116 and dropped them onto the rear of 100 Novooleksiyivka – Minsk Pas, which is formed of purely BCh stock. That was the excitement done, although during the few hours I had at Zaporizhzhia 1 I did see the following VL8’s, either on freight or running light through the station: VL8M-497, VL8M-1201, VL8M-1206, VL8M-1394 & VL8M-1413. And earlier in the day I’d seen the following VL8’s on the Mariupol line: VL8M-488, VL8M-696, VL8M-1084, VL8M-1089, VL8M-1215, VL8M-1402, VL8M-1484.

I was ready for bed when ChS8-185 drew out of Zaporizhzhia 1 with 261 2214 (P) Kharkiv Pas – Berdiansk and was very grateful that the compartment door was unlocked at such an ungodly hour. Even the compo lights and corridor lights were out, making it quite hard to see what I was doing as I attempted to make my berth up. Thankfully it was a lower one and I was horizontal soon after departure from Zaporizhzhia 1; hoping I’d not woken the in the guy opposite berth, which I didn’t realise was actually a girl until I came around on the approach to Berdiansk, 5 hours later!

Gen for Saturday 27^th July 2019

ChS2-037 227 1607 Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk (Dnipro to Chaplyne)
TE33AS-2021/TE33AC-2020 227 1607 Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk (Load 20) (from Chaplyne)
TE33AS-20xx 010 1903 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol (Load 10) (Fedorivka to Volnovakha)
VL8M-1089 (assumed) 010 1903 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol (Load 10) (from Volnovakha)
TE33AS-2027/2TE116-1471a/b 084 1632 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol (Fedorivka to Volnovakha)
ChS2-467/VL8M-1402 (1/2) 084 1632 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mariupol (from Volnovakha)
2TE116-1175a/1610b 104 1523 (P) Zhmerynka – Mariupol (Load 18) (Fedorivka to Volnovakha)
VL8M-1215 (2/1) 104 1523 (P) Zhmerynka – Mariupol (Load 18) (from Volnovakha)
ChME3-xxxx 6955 0702 Volnovakha – Komysh Zoria, 6956 1248 Komysh Zoria – Volnovakha (Load 1)
VL8M-488/VL8M-1484 070 1250 Mariupol – Lviv (Load 20) (to Volnovakha)
2TE116-1609a/b 070 1250 Mariupol – Lviv (Load 20) (Volnovakha to Fedorivka)
TE33AS-2003 142 2235 (P) Odesa Holovna – Mariupol (Load 16) (Fedorivka to Volnovakha)
TE33AS-2013 104 1450 Mariupol – Zhmerynka (Load 18) (Volnovakha to Fedorivka)
2TE116-1100b/1419b 116 1800 Berdiansk – Kyiv Pas (to Zap 1)
ChS7-xxx 100 2138 Novooleksiyivka – Minsk Pas
ChS2-391 242 1850 Kryvyi Rih – Henichensk
ChS2-432 190 2130 Dnipropetrovsk H. – Henichensk (then topped ChS2-391 on 242 forward after portions shunted together)

ChME3-1851 shunt 2xMinsk thro coaches off 116, then shunt ChS2-391 with 242 1850 Kryvyi Rih – Henichensk to 190 2130 Dnipropetrovsk H. – Henichensk, then shunt 116s portion onto to 100 at Zaporizhzhia 1

Mariupol Line
VL8M-696, VL8M-1215, VL8M-1089, VL8M-1402, VL8M-488, VL8M-1484, VL8M-1084

ChME3-5752 & 3512 at Fedorivka
VL8M-1413, VL8M-1206, VL8-497, VL8M-1394, VL8M-1201 @ Zap 1
ChME3T-7206, ChME3-2651, ChME3-1851 @ Zap 1
Moves for Saturday 27^th July 2019

Photos for Saturday 27^th July 2019

Sunday 28^th July 2019 (A return trip to Berdiansk and then a failed attempt at the Zaporizhzhia Children’s Railway)

I in coach #1 on board 261 Kharkiv – Berdiansk, which was the rear coach heading down the branch. I was booked in the same coach, but the compo next door, on the way back from Berdiansk, which turned out to be a good place to be when GE TE33AS-2011 ran-round its 13-coach rake at Berdiansk for the run back up towards Verkhniy Tomak with 262 0830 Berdiansk – Kharkiv Pas. The platform at Berdiansk was heaving with holidaymakers returning to normality after holidaying by the sea at Berdiansk. It took an age for the train to board and while the GE ran-round there was ample opportunity to get some snacks and cold drinks from one of the shops adjacent to the station, which charge Ukrainian tourist prices, I might add.

The load-4 rake of platskart coaches to form 6850 0934 Berdiansk – Pologi was in the station but there was no sign of a loco(s). The only loco in the station was the GE and before being dropped back onto the train, the crew seemed to be interested in its bogies, particularly the axles it seemed. I thought nothing of it though and took up residence in the corridor of my Kupe coach, where I had a plethora of windows to choose from, that opened quite a way. While I’d heard a couple of these brand-new GE’s pottering through stations on freights, I’d not had the pleasure of become acquainted with one up-close and personal, despite having had a couple in Azerbaijan and some the previous day as well; and I have to say, for a 2019 built locomotive I wasn’t underwhelmed at all. Yes, its stuffed but so are the Genesis in the US, and pretty much every other GE built since the 1980’s, but it ticked the boxes in the noise stakes. With the Berdiansk line being quite steep in places it was put through its paces and then some, it was a shame it was only a load-13 rake though as some of the trains to Berdiansk are load 20! I was impressed, and it beat wallowing in my own sweat in my upper berth all the way along the branch.

At Verkhniy Tomak 1, whatever option I chose, of the 4 available, would shape the rest of the day. If it had been an odd day of the month an afternoon back along the Volnovakha line was available, but as it wasn’t options were limited to covering the two local passenger trains, 6850 0934 Berdiansk – Pologi and 6894 1222 Fedorivka – Verkhniy Tomak 1 and then doing one of the evening trains back towards Fedorivka for my booked 317 Zaporizhzhia 1 – Odesa to Mykolaiv that night.

As 262 arrived into Verkhniy Tomak 1 early, there was no flap on when I got off to do 116K 1915 (P) Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk back down the branch to head off 6850 local coming up it. 2TE116-1154a/b were more than adequate for the train and as I left on 116 I could see the crew of TE33AS-2011 checking over the bogie area of the loco again; which again I thought nothing of, after all it was a very hot day. I should probably have thought more of it though and after a short wait at Nelhivka, 2TE116-533b/a delivered me back to Verkhniy Tomak 1; where surprisingly, TE33AS-2011 had been deposited onto a siding and TE33AS-2005/TE33AS-2019 were now at the head of the train. Luckily, I’d had the foresight to book tickets to places I might need them to on this trip, which allowed me to keep options open. When I presented the ticket for train 262 to the same attendant who’d queried why I was getting off short of my destination in the first place, he looked more than bemused. I assured him that I would be going through to Zaporizhzhia this time; and 5-minutes after arriving on the Pologi local, which had already departed to head directly north, the pair of GE’s were easing around the curve which connects the Pologi – Berdiansk line to the main Volnovakha – Fedorivka line at Verkhniy Tomak 2. Booking more tickets than I needed and to places I hadn’t originally planned to go to, on various trains, had definitely paid off by this point. And for the few pence it cost on top of what I’d actually planned to do, it was nothing in the grand scheme of things; and I’d highly recommend that anyone visiting Ukraine does the same to allow a flexible bash where needed. Meanwhile, the pair of GE’s made mincemeat of the load-13 train as they hammered towards Fedorivka. At this point, aside from the bellowing, I had to rethink my options for the day and thanks to a late trip report from Craig Ryan, which I’d read immediately after he’d posted it, while waiting at Zaporizhzhia the previous night, my plan for the night changed completely.

Despite making the late running 6894 1222 Fedorivka – Verkhniy Tomak 1 at Fedorivka, I decided to flag Melitopol TEP70-0110 that was working it and bin the train 317 move that night. Instead I would head back to Zaporizhzhia, cover the Children’s Railway and then head to Mykolaiv via Dnipropetrovsk, Apostolove & Kherson; where I could join 317 at stupid o’clock in the morning and continue with the bash as booked. This was where having a Ukraine sim, and access to the UZ App made re-planning a bash a whole lot easier while on the move; and by Zaporizhzhia I had the late afternoon and early evening mapped out, with tickets booked and downloaded in the UZ app.

As soon as ChS7-175 arrived into Zaporizhzhia 1 with the late running 262 0830 Berdiansk – Kharkiv Pas, I was off down the road towards the Zaporizhzhia Children’s Railway; which is only a 700m walk straight down the main road that leads away from Zaporizhzhia 1 station. Unfortunately, though, I missed the last train of the day and had to settle for photting TU2-144 arriving with a fairly well-loaded 5-coacg train, before walking back to the station empty handed in the red pen stakes. I couldn’t grumble though and after a decent chicken kebab from one of the shacks outside the station I went about the late afternoon electric bash; and thankfully didn’t end up shitting through the eye of a needle later on, after the kebab had digested.

After getting off ChS2-426 at Synelnykove 1 on 232 1115 Henichensk – Ivano Frankivsk it was a ChS7-fest for the rest of the evening; with ChS7-305 giving way to ChS7-211 at Dnipropetrovsk Holovna on 092 1205 Kostiantynivka – Odesa Holovna and then ChS7-173 dropping me back at Dnipropetrovsk Holovna on 070 0115 Lviv – Mariupol. I then took a steady amble to Dnipropetrovsk Lotsmanska station, once I’d figured out where it was on a map! Which took some doing as even Google doesn’t bring it up straight away; possibly because the station was renamed from Pivdenny to Lotsmanska recently?

With the whole evening now swinging on what Craig had posted the previous night, I was grateful to both him, and UZ when I came across 2TE116-1370b/a at Dnipropetrovsk Lotsmanska, waiting to head south with 6407 2025 Dnipropetrovsk Lotsmanska – Apostolove. I hadn’t even realised that there was any loco-hauled service over the route until about 20 hours ago! Thankfully it wasn’t wedged, and I managed to get spread out in a lower berth right behind the engines. The opening windows made a difference as the temperature dropped down when night began to fall; from baking to just warm! It turned out to be a pleasant but tedious journey, and one that would have been a whole lot worse had there not been somewhere to stretch out. The moral of this little bash is, it’s never too late to post a trip report; note to self!

With an 0042 arrival into Apostolove, 225 1435 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mykolaiv Pas was already in the station, with the electric having been removed and 2TE10M-0479b/a already attached ready for departure. It was a plus 15’ and thankfully a right time arrival from Dnipro allowed for a stress-free transfer from one train to the other and time to get the engines before boarding as well. I made the most of my lower berth in Platzkart during the short journey to Kherson but was far from refreshed upon arrival.

Gen for Sunday 28^th July 2019

ChS7-185 (2/1) 261 2214 (P) Kharkiv Pas – Berdiansk (to Fedorivka) (Load 13)
TE33AS-2011 261 2214 (P) Kharkiv Pas – Berdiansk (from Fedorivka), 262 0830 Berdiansk – Kharkiv Pas (to Verkhnii Tomak 1 – fail hot axle boxes)
TE33AS-2005/2019 262 0830 Berdiansk – Kharkiv Pas (Verkhnii Tomak 1 – Fedorivka)
ChS7-175 (1/2) 262 0830 Berdiansk – Kharkiv Pas (from Fedorivka)
2TE116-1154a/b 116 1915 (P) Kyiv Pas – Berdiansk (from Fedorivka)
2TE116-533b/a 6850 0934 Berdiansk – Pologi (Load 4)
ChS2-051 12 2258 (P) Novooleksiyivka – Kyiv Pas
ChS2-211 (1/2) 11 1507 (P) Kyiv Pas – Novooleksiyivka
TEP70-0110 6894 1222 Fedorivka – Verkhnii Tomak 1 (Load 2)
ChS7-303 (2/1) 4 1440 Zaporizhzhia 1 – Uzhhorod
ChS2-426 232 1115 Henichensk – Ivano Frankivsk
ChS7-305 (1/2) 092 1205 Kostiantynivka – Odesa Holovna (to Dnipro)
ChS7-211 (1/2) 092 1205 Kostiantynivka – Odesa Holovna (from Dnipro)
ChS7-173 (1/2) 070 0115 Lviv – Mariupol
2TE116-1370a/b 6409 2025 Dnipropetrovsk Lotsmanska – Apostolove

TU2-144 Zaporizhzhia Children’s Railway
Moves for Sunday 28^th July 2019

Photos for Sunday 28^th July 2019

Monday 29^th July 2019 (A day bashing the Kherson – Mykolaiv line)

2TE10M-0479b/a went through to Mykolaiv Pas on 225 1435 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mykolaiv Pas and thankfully I didn’t have too long to wait until 2TE10UT-0014b/a turned up with 317 1930 Zaporizhzhia 1 – Odesa Holovna; and I was dossed out in my berth before the train even departed for Mykolaiv. The coach attendant seemed quite amused when I presented him with a ticket from Zaporizhzhia 1 and simply waved me on board with one of those “what the fuck” kind of waves. He was soon waking me up for Mykolaiv Pas, which seemed to have arrived in no time. A nice sleep through to Odesa is what I could have done with but a mad dash out to a waiting taxi was what I had to contend with instead, if I wanted to carry on as planned.

Others who visited the area in April had reported that local trains from Kherson to Vadim were being worked by 2TE10’s and stock. The trains they’d seen them on didn’t exist since the timetable change, but the equivalent trains now ran a bit earlier from Kherson, and all started at Mykolaiv Vantazhniy; which I don’t know if this was the case before the timetable change. This move allowed me to cover one of the Vadim trains but as Mykolaiv Pas is on the wrong side of a triangle, I had to get a taxi to Mykolaiv Vantazhniy as both Vadim trains run direct to Kherson, without going into Mykolaiv Pas; where a reversal would then be necessary.

I was cutting it a bit fine as it was, with Mykolaiv Pas to Vantazhniy being 8km by road and Google saying it would take to minutes. From getting off train 317 to 6572/6571 0600 Mykolaiv Vantazhniy – Vadim departing I had only 17 minutes and should really have gone to a different station that would have afforded me more time to get there. Still, taxis were plentiful and the one I chose even had a driver who spoke no English at all thrown in for good measure. Mustn’t grumble though as I was scurrying onto the platform 60-seconds before departure after throwing some money at a poor bleary-eyed woman behind a ticket counter. I’d like to say my gamble had paid off, which it had by the way, but without doing this move anyway, I’d have to wait at Mykolaiv for the train it makes at Kherson to arrive back anyway; and then it’s a plus 42’ onto the next train to Kherson. So, it was a good move anyway and the fact it turned out to be hauled was the bonus of it; not that I found out what the locos were until Kherson anyway. Where, thanks to a bit of lateness, I was thankful that 2TE10UT-0017b/a had pulled into platform 2 with 6572/6571 0600 Mykolaiv Vantazhniy – Vadim, right alongside 2TE10M-3446b/a which were waiting to depart with 101 0803 Kherson – Kyiv Pas. It wasn’t as though I had the length of station to jog down to get to my coach, it was as though someone was extending the platforms so that they were never ending; which is what jogging down a 17-coach train feels like these days; and yes, I do mean because I’m old and knackered!

It was already in the high 20’s before I jogged down the platform at Kherson and by Mykolaiv it was into the low 30’s and as if I hadn’t been sweating enough by the time 2TE10M-3446b/a had departed Kherson, I’d melted into my berth during the journey and by the time I’d ambled down the platform at Mykolaiv Pas to get a photo 2TE10M-3446b/a had morphed into 2TE10UT-0032b and the pair were already heading towards the shed.

I found a decent sized supermarket over the road from Mykolaiv Pas and stocked up for the day, taking into consideration I was checking into an apartment in Kherson when I got back there. It would get used again later as well. But for now, just enough to keep me going and a lot of ice-cold liquid from a fridge that was on overdrive!

ChME3-2534 had shunted a rake off the rear of 101 at Mykolaiv, which had boards for 957/958 & 61/62 which is the Kherson – Mykolaiv – Moskva portion rake that runs with 61/62 to/from Mykolaiv and then on to Kherson as 957/958. I was booked on 62 the following day and it only runs on even dates, so I was guessing that the rake was being sent empty to Mykolaiv for servicing. After 101 departed, 2TE10M-3446a/b returned from the direction of Mykolaiv shed and took the Moskva rake out of the station, before returning light. Meanwhile ChME3-2533, ChME3-5044 and ChME3-1977 were all shunting in the yard by the station, in which were two trains headed by new GE TE33AS’s. ChME3-1977 sounded bloody good while shunting ad was about the best-sounding ChME3 I’ve heard in Ukraine. It would be nice to get it on one of the locals for a thrash around the countryside; but then again, I was probably being treated to more noise while standing at Mykolaiv listening to it shunt heavy freight wagons around in the yard?

2TE10UT-0065a/b arrived with 110L 1539 (P) Lviv – Kherson, on board which I resumed melting into my seat while everyone on board got themselves ready for getting off in Kherson, having been on board for the duration by the look of it. One thing you can’t be on these trains, especially in platskart, it shy. Girls flaunt everything they have, and then some in Ukraine and on-board trains their “lounge” wear often leaves little to the imagination. There was a first for me on this train though, not one, but two different women decided to get changed back into their day-wear in the compo opposite where I was sat and neither batted an eyelid while they basically stood in their underwear and put their clothes one; and by clothes, I mean garments to cover up the bits that matter! If I wasn’t already hot and flustered, I’d have had something to get hot and flustered about and it certainly took my mind off the fact that I really was melting into my seat and felt like I’d pissed myself!

For some reason the journey to Kherson flew by and I was soon getting out of the sauna on board and into the oven outside. My place to stay for the night was sought on Booking.com and was only a few minutes up the road from the station. With most “decent” hotels in Kherson being a good walk from the station, Apartment on Ushakova seemed like a sensible option, at a stone’s throw away. And a bloody good choice it was too. The owner of the flat was waiting outside the entry door to the block, which is at the rear, and she escorted me up to the 4^th floor. When she opened the front door, which stood out from the rest in the block, it was like opening the wardrobe doors and entering Narnia, through a door into a different world. From the outside the block looks typically Soviet, built for a purpose. Inside the block the old stairway that leads through the block was concrete with one flight not even being level and leaning downwards! Most of the apartment doors in the building were metal-fronted and those that were wood looked like they’d seen better days. It was a side of Ukraine I’d not seen before, you know, the real Ukraine and all that, but the flat itself was absolutely cracking. It was modern, spotless, had very good WiFi and the bonus of having air-con was not to be sniffed at. There was even a washing machine in the bathroom, which was rinsing the sweat out of the clothes I was wearing the moment the owner walked out of the door. With access to the block requiring a key, if you can actually call it that, there is nowhere to leave the keys to allow access without the owner being present; likewise, when departing.

I had enough time to get my clothes washed, on a quick wash, and hung out to dry in the bay window at the front of the flat. A shower was needed but within minutes of walking back out into the afternoon sunshine, I was sweating like a pig again, although I was at least a clean one now! 2TE10UT-0028b/a were already attached to 109Sh 1233 Kherson – Lviv, when I got back to the station and 2TE10UT-0064a/b were sat with a rake of stock too. Over in the station yard ChME3T-6928, ChME3T-5875 and TEM2-3042 were all present and doing their stuff. The run out to Mykolaiv was at least in a platskart bay with an opening window, and more importantly, it was a run that was a few minutes early into Mykolaiv; and just as well as I had to leg it over the footbridge to make the plus 4’ onto 766O 0714 Kyiv Pas – Kherson, straight back. I only had a plus 17’ onto the next return trip to Mykolaiv back at Kherson too and after a spirited run from 2TE10UT-0067b/a that plan ended up in the bin a few minutes after arrival.

It was all go at Kherson with 2TE10UT-0064b/a waiting to depart with 255 1444 Kherson – Lviv and in the main platform ChME3-4508 had just arrived with 6202 1200 Brylivka – Kherson and was run straight round to work back with 6203 1442 Kherson – Brylivka. Meanwhile, as ChME3-4508 was shunting off the stock, ChME3T-5875 ran through the station and bolted to the opposite end of it; then to my surprise ChME3-4508 continued to run-round and dropped on top of it. Which is what changed my afternoon plan, slightly. I’d planned to cover the returning Brylivka local later in the evening but the fact there were now two reasons to do it at the head of the train, was reason enough to do it now; especially as I suspected only one of the two would return that evening.

It didn’t change my plans too much for the afternoon and the outcome would still be a return trip to Mykolaiv. I had tickets for three of the four afternoon trains from Kherson to Mykolaiv and with 2TE10UT-0064b/a being on 255 1444 Kherson – Lviv there wasn’t a need to do it anyway. As I wasn’t sure how I was going to get back from Putejska, the first station that 6203 stopped at, and I spent the journey on the UZ app, booking another ticket for 133 1542 (P) Ivano Frankivsk – Mykolaiv Pas; just in case I missed the next two options. Google Maps showed the walk back from Putejska as being 5km and taking almost an hour. It was straight down a main road and although I set off walking, it was only a matter of time before I managed to flag down a taxi, which saved me from burning my head in the sun, and ending up an even sweatier mess than I already was, by the time I got back to the station.

The good news was, I made 375 1528 Kherson – Kharkiv Pas, the bad news was I’d wasted my time booking a ticket for 133 1542 (P) Ivano Frankivsk – Mykolaiv Pas. Couldn’t complain though as TEP70-0156 was sat waiting with 765O 1552 Kherson – Mykolaiv and TEP70-0087/TEP70-0082 were sat waiting with 375 1528 Kherson – Kharkiv Pas; so I melted my way to Mykolaiv again in a coach full of returning holidaymakers, with rafts of children. After a walk over the road to the supermarket again, I returned with a rather large ice-cream to keep me company and was treated to the most relaxing journey of the day, in my very own coach back to Kherson. I was the only person occupying coach #4 on board 226Sh 1743 Mykolaiv Pas – Kyiv Pas, with 2TE10UT-0015b/a at the helm, and even the two young coach attendants seemed put off that they had a solitary passenger in their coach. The plus 7’ off 133 1542 (P) Ivano Frankivsk – Mykolaiv Pas made easily, after 2TE10UT-0075a/b arrived with it.

I reveled in my personal coach back to Kherson, for the last time, but had to get a shift on upon arrival. After dumping my bags at the apartment, I was straight into a taxi to take me out to Kherson Skhidniy to cover the return 6701 1500 Apostolove – Kherson local, which had been reported in April as being a ChME3. Unfortunately, and rather inconveniently, it didn’t stop at Putejska, otherwise I’d have gone out for the return Brylivka local and done that to Putejska for the Apostolove local back into Kherson. As it happened, ChME3T-5875 was running to shed, after arriving back into Kherson with 6203 1717 Brylivka – Kherson, when ChME3T-7371 arrived into Kherson with 6701 1500 Apostolove – Kherson. The Brylivka rake was left in the main platform but the Apostolove rake terminated in a platform adjacent to the carriage sidings at the east end of the station and was left there after ChME3-7371 ran to shed.

It had been a thoroughly enjoyable day, despite the warm weather, and the air-con in the apartment had kept the place nice and cool. It was nice to sit down and relax of an evening, knowing there was a proper bed only yards away, while drinking tea whenever I wanted; albeit by using an old-school kettle that had to be boiled on the gas hob! Roll-on tomorrow…..

Gen for Monday 29^th July 2019

2TE10U-0479b/a 225 1435 (P) Kyiv Pas – Mykolaiv Pas (from Apostolove)
2TE10UT-0014b/a 317 1930 (P) Zaporizhzhia 1 – Odesa Holovna (to Mykolaiv)
2TE10UT-0071a/b 317 1930 (P) Zaporizhzhia 1 – Odesa Holovna (from Mykolaiv)
2TE10UT-0017b/a 6571/2 0600 Mykolaiv Vantazhniy – Vadim (Drag DMU D1-783)
2TE10UT-0070a/b 251 1700 (P) Kharkiv Pas – Odesa Holovna
2TE10M-3446b/a 101 0803 Kherson – Kyiv Pas (to Mykolaiv)
2TE10UT-0032b 101 0803 Kherson – Kyiv Pas (Mykolaiv – Dolynska)
TEP70-0031 122 1525 (P) Rivne – Mykolaiv (from Dolynska)
2TE10UT-0032a 256 1413 (P) Lviv – Kherson (Dolynska – Kherson)
2TE10UT-0065a/b 110L 1539 (P) Lviv – Kherson (Dolynska – Kherson)
2TE10UT-0028b/a 109 1233 Kherson – Lviv (Kherson – ???)
2TE10UT-0030a/b 298 2359 (P) Kyiv Pas – Kherson (??? – Kherson)
2TE10UT-0067b/a 766 0714 Kyiv Pas – Kherson (??? – Kherson)
2TE10UT-0064b/a 255 1444 Kherson – Lviv (Kherson – ???)
TEP70-0087/0082 375 1528 Kherson – Kharkiv Pas (Kherson – ???)
TEP70-0156 765 1552 Kherson – Kyiv Pas (Kherson – ???)
2TE10UT-0075a/b 133 1542 (P) Ivano Frankivsk – Mykolaiv (Apostolove – Mykolaiv)
2TE10UT-0015b/a 226 1743 Mykolaiv Pas – Kyiv Pas (Mykolaiv – ???)

ChME3-4508 6202 1200 Brylivka – Kherson
ChME3-4508/ChME3T-5875 6203 1442 Kherson – Brylivka
ChME3T-5875 6203 1717 Brylivka – Kherson
ChME3T-7371 6701 1500 Apostolove – Kherson (terminated at a platform adjacent to the CS, Apostolove end of station)

Mykolaiv shunt locos
ChME3-2533, ChME3-2534, ChME3-5044, ChME3-1977 (loud)

Kherson shunt locos
TEM2-3042, ChME3T-6928
Moves for Monday 29^th July 2019

Photos for Monday 29^th July 2019

Tuesday 30^th July 2019 (Kherson to Konotop via train #62 1110 Mykolaiv – Moskva)

I was grateful of a good night’s sleep and just as grateful of a decent kitchen to get my sit sorted out before heading out of the door at 0730. Cereals done, coffee downed, cheese butties made up, remaining milk poured into an empty bottle for the train and most importantly, showered and dressed, I was pleased to hear a knock at the door at the agreed time of 0730. After a few simple pleasantries I was on my way and the owner even sent me a message later that morning thanking me for leaving her apartment clean and tidy.

2TE10UT-0075a/b were already attached to 101 0803 Kherson – Lviv and while everyone else was boarding, I got a few shots while waiting for the rush to die down. The sun was already turned up to full melt mode, and the morning had barely begun. Respite from the heat came on board though, in my air-con Kupe coach, in which I had a compo to myself for the run to Mykolaiv.

As I walked down the platform at Mykolaiv Pas ChM3-1977, which is an assumption based on the noise it was making, was just heading off towards the shed direction with a single coach. I couldn’t find a local train that matched the departure time, not for a Tuesday anyway; but on some days of the week 6314 0822 Mykolaiv Vantazhniy – Tymkove would have been a perfect match. It didn’t return to the station, or yard, and I never saw it again when I departed later that morning; so, what it was, and where it went, was a mystery.

I waited it out in the shade at Mykolaiv Pas, not wanting to wonder too far as I suspected there might be a sunt move to try and ned in when 957 0915 Kherson – Moskva Kievskaya portion arrived, which would then join with the main 062 1110 Mykolaiv Pas – Moskva Kievskaya; but I just didn’t know how the two portions would get joined. When 2TE10UT-0065a arrived with 957 though, I was soon shown how the portions would be shunted together as ChME3-2534 followed straight in behind and was immediately attached to the rear. With the crew of the ChME3 having wondered off to the station building for coffee I had plenty of time to sort myself out a way to bash the shunt move and standing right by the train, using the UZ app to booked s ticket in coach 12 from Mykolaiv Pas to Novyi Buh almost did the trick; but for the fact that 062 was a train that didn’t support electronic confirmation, so despite booking the ticket while standing by the bloody train, I still had to rush over to the ticket office to present my booking reference, in exchange for a “proper” ticket. The things we do for winners, which on this occasion I was grateful to the crew and their coffee break for!

As I rushed back over the ancient footbridge at Mykolaiv Pas, grateful that there hadn’t been a queue at the booking office, I had time to photograph 2TE10UT-0032a arriving with 110L 1539 (P) Lviv – Kherson, before turning around to phot TEP70-0156 arriving from the opposite direction with the ecs to form 062 1110 Mykolaiv Pas – Moskva Kievskaya. At which point the crew of ChM3-2534 clambered back aboard and the coach attendants for 957 gathered up their punters; well those that wanted to get back on board for the shunt anyway. Some just stayed on the platform and waited for it to be shunted back in before boarding again, while others waved at family members who were returning from the shop with ice-cream as their train was shunted out. It was a simple shunt, just straight back out of the station then onto the rear of the main train in the adjacent platform. And while the shunt was occurring TEP70-0156 was removed from the train, in favour of 2TE10UT-0048a/b.

I’m not sure what the coach attendant thought as I got back off after the shunt, with both my bags, and walked towards the front of the train, initially to spot the 2TE10, but I never returned to the same coach. I did see her again later during one of the various loco changes. After being in platskart for only the shunt, I was grateful, again, o the fact I was booked in an air-con Kupe coach; which was only because I’d not been ale to book a ticket on 957 when I’d made the bookings for the whole trip; which makes a mockery of the booking system when I could stand at the side of the train and book a ticket easily on the same stock but using the 062 train number to make it, and not the 957 one!

The only unfortunate thing about my 13h06m journey from Mykolaiv Pas to Konotop was the fact that I had an upper berth; which again makes a mockery of the booking system when I cold book a ticket on the UZ app while standing at the side of the train before it departed, in an adjacent coach which had whole compartments empty, yet at the time of my booking there were only upper berths available. My compo, unlike others in the coach, was fully occupied from Mykolaiv Pas and I couldn’t have wished for a better bunch, all of whom were heading to Moskva.

Sasha and his wife Natasha looked like they were in it for the long-haul and despite my protests when they offered, no apparently was not an option and by the time I’d finished eating lunch with them I’d decided I like his home made spiced beef stuffed with garlic and carrots, had his tomatoes all over my t-shirt when I’d misjudged how juicy they were, and was beginning to feel the glow of the Cognac they’d been plying me with. I had however, successfully managed to resist washing it all down with the copious amounts of Ukrainian beer they’d been supping after lunch. Needless to say, the compo was in relaxation mode for most of the afternoon and I was the only thing that seemed to be alive in it, when I went to collect engine numbers!

062 Mykolaiv – Moskva is a train that does some interesting track, and one that had been on my list to do for a while. Randomly I’d been in a position to do the opposing working last year but hadn’t been able to book on it on the UZ website or app; and that seems to be the case permanently for train 061 Moskva – Mykolaiv. Booking on train 062 has never been an issue though and doing it from Mykolaiv to Konotop, via Dolynska, Znamianka, Im Terasa Shevchenka, Hrebinka and Bakhmach Pas saw engine changes at each of the aforementioned places. With the following featuring on the train during my journey:

957 0915 Kherson – Moskva Kievskaya portion

2TE10UT-0065a Kherson – Mykolaiv Pas

ChME3-2534 shunt 957 to 062 at Mykolaiv Pas

062 1110 Mykolaiv Pas – Moskva Kievskaya

TEP70-0156 ecs into Mykolaiv Pas

2TE10UT-0048a/b Mykolaiv Pas – Dolynska

VL80S-470 (1/2) Dolynska – Znamianka Pas (reverse)

VL80T-1843 (2/1) Znamianka Pas – Im Terasa Shevchenka

2TE10UT-0068a/b Im Terasa Shevchenka – Hrebinka (via Cherkasy)

2TE116-791b/a Hrebinka – Bakhmach Pas

ChS4-040 from Bakhmach Pas

Each of the engine changes took a minimum of 20 minutes and the standing time for those alone during the journey was 2h03m and during the 13h06m I was on board only 3h34m was with electrics at the head of the train. It’s a train well worth doing for both the track and railtour like engine changes along the way. And if you get in a compo with a couple like Sasha and Natasha, who spoke no English at all but were very friendly, you’ll get a taste of Ukrainian life; and I got two when the. remainder of lunch was served up for dinner in the evening, followed by a second bottle of Cognac, and a second helping of “no is not an option”!

It was a proper Ukrainian train journey, where everyone was friendly, there were plenty of stops to stretch legs and everyone on board made use of the time to get off and buy whatever the needed for the journey. I can understand the sellers cycling along the platforms with their cold water, pop and beer but those with sticks that had smoked fish hanging off, in the baking heat, didn’t seem to be doing much of a trade at all. My trip to the supermarket the previous day, and time making up cheese butties that morning, had seemingly been a waste of it. But the whole trip had been an experience worthy of wasting cheese butties for!

As ChS4-040 dropped on to the train at Bakhmach Pas, RZD VL80S-1114/VL80S-101 ran through light and we later caught up with them at Konotop, where they were attached to a freight in the yard and then departed while I was sheltering under the station canopy from the pouring rain. I didn’t have long to wait though, for ChS4-191 to take me forward to Putyvl on 124 2120 Kyiv Pas – Kostiantynivka; a move to maximise sleep more than anything else. Although when ChS4-052 arrived with 775K 2107 (P) Kharkiv Pas – Kyiv Pas it was well past midnight but I’d had the foresight to book onto the through Kharkiv – Kherson platskart coaches on 775K, which then get shunted from 775K to 766O 0714  Kyiv Pas – Kherson on arrival into Kyiv. Which was exactly the move I had to do last year when I couldn’t get on 061 Moskva – Mykolaiv from Konotop, but at least I discovered a shunt move at Kyiv by default as a result. I had a compo to myself when I boarded too, which is never a bad thing. Despite the bonus shunt, and time on board 775K at Kyiv, I had to be careful not to miss the shunt, and more so, not to over-doss and get carried away to Dolynska; which is the first stop on 766 after it departs Kyiv!

Gen for Tuesday 30^th July 2019

2TE10UT-0075a/b 101 0803 Kherson – Kyiv Pas (Kherson – Dolynska)
D1-783? 6571/2 0600 Mykolaiv Vantazhniy – Vadim
2TE10UT-0032a 110L 1539 (P) Lviv – Kherson (Dolynska – Kherson)
2TE10UT-0065a 957 0915 Kherson – Mykolaiv Pas
ChME3-2533 shunt 957 to 062 at Mykolaiv Pas

062Sh 1110 Mykolaiv Pas – Moskva Kievskaya
TEP70-0156 ecs into Mykolaiv
2TE10UT-0048a/b Mykolaiv – Dolynska
VL80S-470 (2/1) Dolynska – Znamianka Pas
VL80T-1843 (1/2) Znamianka Pas – Im Terasa Shevchenka
2TE10UT-0068a/b Im Terasa Shevchenka – Hrebinka
2TE116-791b/a Hrebinka – Bakhmach Pas
ChS4-040 from Bakhmach Pas
ChS-191 124 2120 Kyiv Pas – Kostiantynivka

GE’s
TE33AS-2017 Mykolaiv on a freight
3xTE33AS on Mykolaiv shed
TE33AS-2024 Dolynska on a freight

Moves for Tuesday 30^th July 2019

Photos for Tuesday 30^th July 2019

Wednesday 31^st July 2019 (A morning in Kyiv before flagging my booked flight home and heading to Chop instead)

I was wide awake when 775K rolled into Kyiv Pas, spot on time. A quick scan outside the train revealed a dull morning, which could be expected with the amount of rain that had fallen overnight; and it was still drizzling at this point. ChME3-571 was the only one in the station area and it was started up shortly after I’d spotted it and dropped onto the through coaches for Kherson within 5 minutes of being started up. I made the most of my berth after the shunt had taken place and only got off 10 minutes before the booked departure of 766O 0714 Kyiv Pas – Kherson, at which point I ambled over to whence the coaches had originally come from and boarded 786 0721 Kyiv Pas – Shostka, in the adjacent platform to that which 775K had arrived; with VL80T-1439  waiting to depart with it.

As I was originally supposed to fly home from Kyiv at 1300, I’d originally only booked a couple of Darnytsia moves for the morning but had used the UZ app to add another return trip in the early afternoon, to allow the time to be passed away before I headed towards Chop on 749 1407 Kyiv Pas – Ivano Frankivsk. It was  rewarding morning, if you like nedding about on electrics that is, and another VL80 got added to the mix when VL80T-1487 arrived into Darnytsia with 148 1941 (P) Odesa Holovna – Kyiv Pas, on a train that had been solidly worked by VL80T-2027 for a good couple of years; and I only mention it because I’d had two different VL80’s on the train in a week, so maybe ‘2027 is now demic? The other trains covered were a mixture of ChS4’s and ChS8’s but I did have to do one of the new airport services out to Darnytsia at one point; for a bonus move. Tickets for these can be purchased from ticket machines on the footbridge that leads over the tracks, at the entrance to the platforms where the dedicated airport trains depart from. All trains I saw were formed of crappy single car 620M DMU’s.

The morning was over all too soon, and with my original fight home having departed, I walked up the road to a favourite haunt called Spaghetti for lunch, which is opposite the Ibis City Centre, and then boarded 749 1407 Kyiv Pas – Ivano Frankivsk, which has three through coaches attached, two for Wien Hbf and one for Wroclaw. I was booked in the Wien portion, which was 3-tier sleeper coaches, in which I had a lower one in the middle of the coach. I did end up sharing from Lviv, but the guy was straight into his upper berth and only surfaced for the border grip at Chop.

Train 749 is formed of air-con seating coaches only, of which the 1^st class are right behind the loco and the through coaches were at the rear. It runs non-stop to Lviv and did so, but for a 10-second stop, for what I can only assume was a crew change on the loco; and a very quick one at that. It arrived into Lviv a couple of minutes early and ChME3-1325 was on the back of the train, ready to detach the three through coaches, within minutes of our arrival. The short rake for 145 2100 Lviv – Uzhhorod was in the adjacent platform, headed by ChS2-814 and once the three coaches had been shunted across to the rear of 145, the Wroclaw one was split off and left in the platform behind it, and the ChME3 buggered off back to the yard. Meanwhile, 2M62U-0215b/a re-engined 749 for the run to Ivano Frankivsk; and while they were doing that 2M62U-0088a/0230a arrived with 144 1346 Vorokhta – Kyiv Pas.

I had time to nip and grab something to eat from one of the shacks outside Lviv station, which is currently a building site, with no trams running up from the main road to the turning circle outside the station front at the moment; mostly because it doesn’t exist now. It looks like the whole station front area is have a 21^st century makeover and my guess would be it’ll reincarnate as a transport interchange; although I could be completely wrong, and the tram lines might be dismissed for good?

Back at the station, only a few minutes before its booked departure, ChME3-3257 dropped onto two platskart coaches that were clearly marked up for 964 2055 Lviv – Rava Ruska and it departed a few minutes late. I’d never seen this train hauled personally but its now shown in the UZ timetable as a 9xx train, which I’m sure indicates that its hauled; and can be a mixed train if required? So, it looks like it’s a solid turn now.

I was grateful of being able to get into the through sleeper coaches on 749/145/32519/140 as I wouldn’t have been reveling in the stupid o’clock fester at Chop otherwise. It wasn’t solid doss to Chop either as I had to spot what piloted 145 from Lavochne to Volovets and was actually quite surprised it was piloted anyway with only being a short rake of about 12. Still, being at the back of the train didn’t have its advantages when it comes to getting loco numbers both in the dark and at stations where the train isn’t even booked to stop. Luckily, I was able to spot VL11M-xxx trough the window of my berth after it came off at Volovets, so all was well, until we were rudely awoken once 145 arrived into Chop, for the border checks. At least we could lounge in our berths during the gauge-changing process though and ChME3-2797 was waiting in the adjacent platform to drag the two through Wien coaches off the rear of 145 and straight into the gauge changer.

It was quite a noisy affair in the outside gauge-changer at Chop, quite unlike the one I’d been through recently at Brest on RZD stock, which had been almost silent in comparison. Still, it was done quickly and ChME3-3480 was easily spotted as it brought the through coaches from the opposing working into the gauge-changer, along with the MAV coach for the local Chop – Zahony service; which it attached to the north end of our two coaches and dragged all three out of the gauge changer and propelled them back into Chop station. Once the ChME3 was detached, the MAV train loco was attached to the front to work 32519 0328 Chop – Zahony; and I was very grateful to find M62, 628053 running by the stock at Zahony while I was having my passport gripped; before being allowed off the train. It didn’t drop back onto the coach for the return working either but there was a 418 visible on the shed, from the station. I’d been hoping for 418188 on the Chop – Zahony move, which had been working it solidly the week before I’d headed out to Ukraine; but I wasn’t complaining! It was now time to start buying tickets for moves in Hungary and having arrived into Zahony at 0246, with the clocks having gone back an hour in the new time zone, it was going to be a long day indeed…..

Gen for Wednesday 31^st July 2019

ChS4-052 775K 2107 (P) Kharkiv Pas – Kyiv Pas
ChME3-571 shunt through portion 775 to 766 at Kyiv
ChS4-049 766 0714 Kyiv Pas – Kherson
VL80T-1439 (1/2) 786 0721 Kyiv Pas – Shostka
ChS8-075 (2/1) 124 1740 (P) Kostiantynivka – Kyiv Pas
620M-008 824 0846 Kyiv Pas – Borispol
VL80T-1487 (2/1) 1941 (P) Odesa Holovna – Kyiv Pas (from Hrebinka)
ChS8-073 (1/2) 45 2100 (P) Uzhhorod – Lysychansk
ChS4-026 142 2320 (P) Bakhmut – Lviv (to Kyiv)
ChS4-058 142 2320 (P) Bakhmut – Lviv (from Kyiv)
ChS4-209 12 1357 Kyiv Pas – Novooleksiyivka
ChME3-571 ecs for 7/8 Kyiv Pas – Ivano Frankivsk
ChME3T-7126 ecs for 749 1407 Kyiv Pas – Ivano Frankivsk
ChS8-030 (2/1) 749 1407 Kyiv Pas – Ivano Frankivsk (to Lviv)
ChME3-1325 shunt thro Wien portion 749 to 145 at Lviv
2M62U-0215b/a 749 1407 Kyiv Pas – Ivano Frankivsk (from Lviv)
ChS2-581 601 2040 Lviv – Solotvino (to Chop)
2M62U-0088a/0230a 144 1346 Vorokhta – Kyiv Pas (into Lviv)
ChS2-814 145 2100 Lviv – Uzhhorod
VL11M-026b/a pilot 145 Lavochne – Volovets
ChME3-3257 (loud) 964 2055 Lviv – Rava Ruska (Load 2)
Moves for Wednesday 31^st July 2019

Photos for Wednesday 31^st July 2019

Thursday 1^st August 2019 (Day 1 of 3 in Hungary – Zahony to Szekesfehervar via Keszthely)

It was a day where I was permanently glues to the MAV mapper, from the moment arrived into the country. Of course at 3am there isn’t much to spot moving but I was perfectly capable of spotting things at Zahony with my own eyes and with summer stalwart 630030 already waiting with the set to work 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy, I was pleased to find classmate 630026 lurking behind it with the set for 6219 0358 Zahony – Nyiregyhaza. The through Wien coaches off 32519 from Chop were attached to the rear of EC140 0341 Zahony – Wien Hbf when the whole train was propelled onto them back 480005, which worked the train towards Budapest.

I wasted no time in buying a ticket on the MAV app for 6219 and did the train throughout. At Nyiregyhaza 630026 was run-round the set to work back to Zahony with 6220 0559 Nyiregyhaza – Zahony; but that’s all it did for the day and was replaced at Zahony by 630017 for 6207 0803 Zahony – Kobanya Kispest; which had also been lurking at Zahony in the morning darkness. The idea for the day was to head towards Debrecen to cover the early morning 448 shunt from IC639 to IC619 and then be in position to cover some of the electrics that I’d seen working on the mapper recently, along with 418188 that was at Debrecen. And with some of my requited 431’s working along the Hatvan – Fuzesabony – Miskolc corridor, including to Eger, I could cut across on the diesel line from Debrecen to Fuzesabony if needed, to head things off at the pass.

630138 kindly worked 6109 0537 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest, and that after I’d only just missed 630028 on the preceding train 6199 0434 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest. Of the two though, I ended up on the correct one as both went to Ferencvaros after arriving at Kobanya Kispest, with only 630028 coming back off again, later that afternoon. And although I had every intention of having it, I was nowhere near it when it did come back out to play.

Despite my best laid plans for the Debrecen area, alas, it just wasn’t to be. 418188 was hunting on the shed and it never worked a train all day, the reason for that probably being as the line from Debrecen to Fuzesabony was closed for engineering work, which meant two less 418’s required for the day’s turns. That also meant that despite 431023 and 431371 being out on Eger turns, it would have meant heading back o Nyiregyhaza and then going the long way around via Miskolc to get at them and essentially wasting a day. At least 448410 produced for the booked shunt of the Mateszalka portion off IC639 0447 Mateszalka – Debrecen, which arrived with 418333, to the rear of IC619 0524 Zahony – Budapest Nyugati, which arrived and departed Debrecen with 431370.

As luck didn’t have it either, 630035, which had been out for the last week on the Miskolc/Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy holiday trains, was on 15609 0527 Miskolc – Balatonszentgyorgy today and it ran in front of 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy after it had come around Szolnok avoider, so I was going to have to wait all day to get hat in going back as well; or not at all, as the case turned out! I passed it though! So, having booked a ticket on 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy with 630030, I was Budapest bound and by the time I got there the day was pretty much mapped out, thanks to my constant perusal of the MAV Mapper; and the fact that 4G in Hungary was very good, countrywide.

With 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy being right away Ferihegy to Szekesfehervar, I got off there and did 431134 into Budapest Nyugati for the Metro to Budapest Deli. I’d spotted M62 628302 on the mapper piloting 418309 on 9209 0519 Szombathely – Gyor and had been watching to see if it continued on the diagram and was quite surprised when it did 19809 0807 Gyor – Keszthely instead; with 418309 carrying on its diagram as booked. With 19809 0807 Gyor – Keszthely & 19808 1843 Keszthely – Gyor having sporadically been M62’s throughout the summer, I’m guessing MAV had been short of a 418 for 19809, hence the piloting move to get one in place? Either way, 628302 became the name of the game and I had until 1843 to get to Keszthely for it, on its return working.

Having spotted GySev 430323 on IC909 0606 Szombathely – Budapest Deli, doing it back out of Deli seemed like a sensible idea, especially when classmate 430320 dropped out on the other GySev turn IC907 0805 Szombathely – Budapest Deli; which is a one in for one out move at Deli. Having made my way to Deli via the Metro, I came across MAV’s nicely painted 431001 standing on the blocks and while pointing my camera at it I felt a presence behind me and soon had a hand visible as I looked through the viewfinder. Assuming it was another crank messing about I simply moved to one side and continued with what I was doing, while not even moving my eyes from the viewfinder. The hand followed though and when the Hungarian voice started to jibber at me, I knew it wasn’t another crank; and 2 minutes after the initial exchange of words, which neither of us could understand from the other, I beckoned the security staff over and the heated debate between myself and a miserable shunter soon came to an end as he was ushered away by the security staff, and basically told to leave the foreign tourist alone to take pictures of the old train! The whole situation took me by surprise, especially with the number of cranks in Hungary taking photos, and especially as I was attempting to take photos of a MAV heritage loco too!

431015 on 19794 1100 Budapest Deli – Tapolca got me out to Kelenfold to do GySev 430320 back in on IC907 0805 Szombathely – Budapest Deli, at which point GySev 430323 was poised to drop onto the opposite end to work back out with the same stock, forming 9004 1230 Budapest Del – Szombathely. In the adjacent platform was a very scruffy looking MAV shunt loco 460005 and having kept an eye on what it was doing I was able to become a useless tourist and leap aboard as it began one of its moves. It was evident that the shunt move would only be from one platform to the other, based on the stock and labels in the windows; so, there was never any harm of having to walk back from the carriage sidings, thankfully!

All set, with my ticket bought in the MAV app, I was happy to let 430323 take the strain until I needed to get off for 630035 coming the other way, and I was almost in a world of my own when we arrived into Szekesfehervar; with my attention being on the yard side of my train, initially. When a glance to the right revealed an M62 just dropping onto a train in platform 1 though, it was like a Summer’s morning at Retford in 1992 when someone had banged on the window of the Mk4 set I was on to tell me 31116 had just gone to Sheffield. Only this time I didn’t have sandwiches made up on the table, but I did get off the train with my shoes in my hands!

Over in platform 1, 628315 was just being tied on when I got to the front of the train, which turned out to be a slightly late running 16907 0653 Zahony – Tapolca. The bonus of the move out to Balatonalmandi was that 418164 was heading the opposing working of 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony, the issue with the move was that as 16907 should have already departed Szekesfehervar the MAV app wouldn’t let m buy a ticket for it and there was no way I was running to the ticket office for one, just in case the train left. The only option at this point was to buy a ticket for the next train, which would technically not be valid until its departure time and hope for the best. The fact that I never got gripped on the way out could have been a blessing in disguise but with a ticket for the return journey I was at ease and had plenty of time to work out an alternative move for the evening; which I resigned myself to flagging 630035 as it headed back to Miskolc that afternoon instead of swapping onto he Zahony turn at Balatonszentgyorgy. It was either that, or 628302, and I put my odds on the V63 working the following day more than the M62.

The only option after arriving back at Szekesfehervar was to do 480014 on Ex1866 1435 Budapest Deli – Keszthely, through to destination, and with tickets sorted on the MAV app I relaxed along the way, passing 630030 with 16706 1436 Balatonszentgyorgy – Zahony and 630035 with 15606 1522 Balatonszentgyorgy – Miskolc; both having returned to whence they’d come from instead of going back o the opposing location; as seemed to be the norm. A reason why was offered up on the MAV Mapper later that night when 630030 was removed from 16706 at Nyiregyhaza and replaced by 630028, which had got itself there on 6196 1542 Kobanya Kispest – Nyiregyhaza after spending most of the day at Ferencvaros Shed, having arriving in the capital that morning on 6199 0434 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest. And at last, something seemed to be about to break the 630030 monotony…

At Keszthely it took me a moment to figure out that the 418 on stock in the platform was 418301 with 19894 1639 Keszthely – Szombathely, which should have already departed! Another move without a ticket ensued but this time I was able to buy one from the guard, who seemed quite taken aback when I only wanted a ticket to the first shack, Gyenesdias, after rushing from one platform to he other to make his train. There was no rest there either when 418126 almost immediately rolled in with 18803 1646 Tapolca – Pecs, which dropped me back at Keszthely before 480014, which I’d previously arrived with, had even finished its run-round!

628302 was soon shunted into the platform with its two coaches to form 19808 1843 Keszthely – Gyor and rather than risk the plus 5’ at Tapolca I got off at Balatonderics to do the Bzmot back to Balatonszentgyorgy for 431181 to Szekesfehervar on EC201 1638 Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor – Budapest Deli. It was then a 35-minute walk to the Panama Motel, which was the cheapest place I could find in Szekesfehervar, that looked decent enough. With everything being ching in Budapest over the weekend due to the Grand Prix, the usual decent places in Budapest were off limits at way over double their usual price! I had a quiet room at the Panama Motel though, with questionable WiFi and what turned out to be a sweltering room. The air-con in which didn’t seem to want to cool at all, but rather blow air out. Thankfully I had a skylight window and thanks to a bit of rain each evening, the cool air was welcome in the room. It was clean enough, for the price, and had a decent shower in the bathroom with a very good fridge in the room to keep my pop and sarnies cool.

Having been keeping a constant eye on the V63 situation throughout the day, I’d spotted no less that 11 different ones working on the mapper, 630011, 012, 017, 026, 028, 030, 031, 035, 040, 045 & 138. 630012 had probably been the most stealthy, having slipped into Budapest Deli quite early in the afternoon and then working 8018 1855 Budapest Deli – Dombovar, which unless you were in Budapest at the time of it being allocated on the Mapper, you’d have had no chance of having anyway. 630045 had been the other, under the radar one, which had sat at Budapest Nyugati all day and then worked one way on IC614 1318 Budapest Nyugati – Zahony. Both of those were on the radar for the morning, along with 630028 & 035 on the Balatonszentgyorgy holiday trains; and I was in the right place to cover them all.

Gen for Thursday 1^st August 2019

Ukraine

ChME3-2797 through Kyiv – Wien portion off 145 to Gauge Changer at Chop (CIS gauge)
ChME3-3480 through Kyiv – Wien portion from Gauge Changer to 32519 at Chop (Standard gauge)

Hungary

628053 32519 0328 Chop – Zahony
EC140 main train backed onto thro portion from Kyiv which had been conveyed on 32519
480005 EC140 0341 Zahony – Wien Hbf

418156 2919 0245 Lajosmizse – Budapest Nyugati
430323 909 0606 Szombathely – Budapest Deli
480002 7400 0610 Budapest Keleti – Bekescsaba 0840, 7407 1019 Bekescsaba – Budapest Keleti
431336 EN1205 1828 (P) Split – Budapest Keleti
431234 3337 0623 Szolnok – Budapest Keleti
431023 5027 0558 Miskolc Tiszai – Fuzesabony
433216 809 0514 Pecs – Budapest Keleti
480014 Ex1866 1435 Budapest Deli – Keszthely
117309 19611 1836 Ukk – Balatonszentgyorgy
431181 EC201 1638 Zagreb GK – Budapest Deli

630011 IC802 0745 Budapest Keleti – Pecs, IC815 1310 Pecs – Budapest Keleti, IC808 1745 Budapest Keleti – Pecs
630012 8018 1855 Budapest Deli – Dombovar
630017 6207 0803 Zahony – Kobanya Kispest, 6206 1442 Kobanya Kispest – Zahony
630026 6219 0358 Zahony – Nyiregyhaza, 6220 0559 Nyiregyhaza – Zahony
630028 6199 0434 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest, (ecs/light to/from Ferencvaros), 6196 1542 Kobanya Kispest – Nyiregyhaza, 16706 1436 Balatonszentgyorgy – Zahony (from Nyiregyhaza)
630030 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy, 16706 1436 Balatonszentgyorgy – Zahony (to Nyiregyhaza)
630031 IC959 0527 Zalaegerszeg – Budapest Deli, IC958 1730 Budapest Deli – Zalaegerszeg
630035 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy, 15606 1522 Balatonszentgyorgy – Miskolc Tiszai
630040 EC78 0730 Timisoara Nord – Budapest Keleti (from Curtici), IC756 1710 Budapest Keleti – Lokoshaza
630045 IC614 1318 Budapest Nyugati – Zahony
630138 6109 0537 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest, light to Ferencvaros

628302 pilot 418309 on 9209 0519 Szombathely – Gyor (from Celldomolk), then 19809 0807 Gyor – Keszthely, 19808 1843 Keszthely – Gyor
628315 16907 0653 Zahony – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar with 480009 from Zahony), 1973 1638 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar with 480009 to Zahony)

418333 IC639 0447 Mateszalka – Debrecen
448410 shunt thro Budapest portion to IC619
431370 IC619 0524 Zahony – Budapest Nyugati
431134 IC717 0745 Szeged – Budapest Nyugati
431015 19794 1100 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (to Szekesfehervar)
430320 907 0805 Szombathely – Budapest Deli
430323 9004 1230 Budapest Deli – Szombathely
431001 18504 1205 Budapest Deli – Balatonszentgyorgy
431166 Ex1874 1235 Budapest Deli – Keszthely

418118 19704 1300 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar), 19701 1740 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar)
418126 18802 0709 Pecs – Tapolca, 18803 1646 Tapolca – Pecs
418142 8900 0457 Szombathely – Pecs
418164 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony (to Szekesfehervar)
418163 19794 1100 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar), 19703 1540 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar)
418188 Debrecen spare

418301 19897 0925 Szombathely – Keszthely, 19894 1639 Keszthely – Szombathely
418304 18897 0717 Szombathely – Kaposvar, 8844 1310 Kaposvar – Fonyod, 8833 1511 Fonyod – Kaposvar,  18896 1722 Kaposvar – Szombathely
418305 39510 0515 Gyor – Veszprem
418309 9200 0840 Gyor – Szombathely (to Celldomolk)
Moves for Thursday 1^st August 2019

Photos for Thursday 1^st August 2019

Friday 2^nd August 2019 (Day 2 of 3 in Hungary – Szekesfehervar area)

Luckily, or not depending on your outlook on the situation, I was up for a piss at 0430 and as the computer was already set up I had a quick glance around the Mapper; which put pay to any further sleep and I found myself walking to Szekesfehervar station for 4549 0548 Szekesfehervar – Budapest Deli, to intercept 8019 0410 Dombovar – Budapest Deli at Kelenfold. 431006 did the honours on 4549, which I’d expected to be a Flirt EMU, and dropped me nicely into 630012 on 8019 at Kelenfold. By which time I’d figured out that I could get to Rakos for 431234 coming in on 3337 0623 Szolnok – Budapest Keleti and had 432256 out from Keleti on 3422 0720 Budapest Keleti – Sulysap after scooting over from Deli on the Metro.

The 0430 piss-call also revealed 630045 heading to Budapest on 6199 0434 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest. After the previous day when 630028 had done the same train and then spent most of the day at Ferencvaros, I wasn’t holding my hopes up for it going back out anytime soon. The only way of getting to 6292 0842 Kobanya Kispest – Zahony, which I assumed was the return working for the stock off 6199, was to get off 431234 at Kobanya Felso, walk to Kobanya Also and do 432200 to Kobanya Kispest on 2832 0758 Budapest Nyugati – Cegled. By the time I’d got to Kobanya Also, 630045 was already shown on the Mapper as doing 6292, which then continued the mad morning as I then needed to get to Kelenfold for 630035 heading my way on 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy; which would ironically run non-stop through Ferihegy to get to Kelenfold, followed closely behind by 630028 on 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy, which would stop at Ferihegy! Still a nice little move followed with 431340 taking me straight back to Kobanya Kispest on 6109 0537 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest and then a Flirt EMU round to Kelenfold on the 0927 ex Kobanya Kispest. 630035 turned up spot on time with 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy and 630028 did the same at Szekesfehervar with 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy and while I was nedding one Kelenfold – Szekesfehervar for the other forward to Siofok, 628333 was making its way around the north coast of Lake Balaton with 1972 0800 Budapest Deli – Tapolca; having re-engined it at Szekesfehervar.

With there now being two M62s out, with 628302 having done 19809 0807 Gyor – Keszthely again, I was thankfully that I’d spent the previous afternoon seeking out 628302 now 628333 was out and my afternoon now became a whole lot simpler, with needing to be at Szekesfehervar at 1700 anyway, when the weekend’s MAV Nostalgia Balaton Gala would kick off. So, in a mirror move to the previous day’s 16907 0653 Zahony – Tapolca for 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony at Balatonalmandi, this time I went to Balatonfured and had 418148 out for 628333 back. Thankfully the storm that drenched our coach on the way out to Balatonfured had stopped by the time we got there but the air was a lot cooler as a result. When the M62 stormed into Balatonfured with 9 coaches, I realised that the probable reason for it’s use was due to the extra three coaches at the front of the train, which were reserved for a large school party. Seemingly the “usual” school-kids train that was operated by MAV on the lake didn’t have enough capacity with the 13 coaches I’d spotted 628194 with at Szekesfehervar earlier!

At Szekesfehervar the M62 went to sed while 480009 worked forward with 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony; which was a train it had become synonymous with during the 2019 Summer timetable. 628089 & 628194, along with M61 618019 in its new orange livery, were all in the yard at Szekesfehervar ready for their turns along the lake the following day but there was no sign of the M40 that was supposed to be working 19796 1700 Szekesfehervar – Tapolca. It wasn’t until 19066 1600 Budapest Deli – Veszprem arrived into platform 1 at Szekesfehervar that I even realised that the rear portion is split off that to form 1700 Szekesfehervar – Tapolca. There were plenty of cranks about, Hungarian & English alike, and once the Veszprem portion had departed all the cameras pointed in one direction; to where the waiting M40 was sat, poised to drop onto its set. As it turned out 408114 was provided to work the train, not 408219 as it had been expected to be. And after the train departed about 20’ late, it didn’t cover itself in any glory at all. It was a bit crap, making no noise at all and didn’t seem to be able to pull itself, let alone the train it was heading; which probably had a lot to do with why it never made it through the weekend and was the reason 408209 was sent to assist it on the Sunday of the Gala?

418312 was the nag back from Balatonfured on 19701 1740 Tapolca – Budapest Deli and it dropped me straight into 431336 on EC1204 1900 Budapest Keleti – Split, which I couldn’t resist doing to Siofok for 431148 back on EC201 1638 Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor – Budapest Deli; resulting in a late finish, the same as the previous evening. The walk back to the Panama Motel was in a lot cooler climate though and it was almost refreshing walking the deserted street late at night, dodging puddles along the way. Back in the sweltering room I soon had it cooled down when the skylight was opened up but I went to bed hoping it didn’t pound it down again, otherwise there was going to be a lot of water on the room floor; and all my belongings were situated so as to avoid such a drenching, just in case…

Gen for Friday 2^nd August 2019

431234 3337 0623 Szolnok – Budapest Keleti, evening Szolnok
431336 EC1205 1828 (P) Split – Budapest Keleti, EC1204 1900 Budapest Keleti – Split
431148 EC201 1638 Zagreb GK – Budapest Deli

630011 IC817 0914 Pecs – Budapest Keleti, IC814 1345 Budapest Keleti – Pecs, IC811 1914 Pecs – Budapest Keleti (pine at Dombovar, bus to Pincehely, 433333 restart train at Pincehely 74′ late)
630012 8019 0410 Dombovar – Budapest Deli
630017 IC1560 1024 Nyiregyhaza – Budapest Nyugati, IC606 1518 Budapest Nyugati – Zahony
630028 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy, 15606 1522 Balatonszentgyorgy – Miskolc Tiszai
630031 959 0527 Zalaegerszeg – Budapest Deli, 19794 1100 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (to Szekesfehervar), 19705 1140 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (from Szekesfehervar), IC958 1730 Budapest Deli – Zalaegerszeg
630035 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy, 16706 1436 Balatonszentgyorgy – Zahony
630040 IC759 0640 Lokoshaza – Budapest Keleti, light/ecs Keleti – Deli at 1830
630045 6199 0434 Nyiregyhaza – Kobanya Kispest,6292 0842 Kobanya Kispest – Zahony, 6213 1503 Zahony – Cegled

628302 19809 0807 Gyor – Keszthely, 19894 1639 Keszthely – Szombathely
628333 1972 0800 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar with 480009 from Zahony), 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony (to Szekesfehervar with 480009 to Zahony – load 9)
408114 19796 1700 Szekesfehervar – Tapolca

418126 18802 0709 Pecs – Tapolca, 18803 1646 Tapolca – Pecs
418142 8907 0615 Pecs – Szombathely, 8902 0810 Sopron – Pecs (from Szombathely)
418301 19897 0925 Szombathely – Keszthely, 19808 1843 Keszthely – Gyor
418304 18887 0717 Szombathely – Pecs, 18886 1558 Pecs – Szombathely (FO to Pecs vice Kaposvar)
418305 9200 0840 Gyor – Szombathely (to Celldomolk)
418307 16907 0653 Zahony – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar with 480009 from Zahony)
418309 9212 0636 Gyor – Celldomolk
418312 19704 1300 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar), 19701 1740 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar)
418317 9203 1504 Szombathely – Gyor (from Celldomolk)
Moves for Friday 2^nd August 2019

Photos for Friday 2^nd August 2019

Saturday 3^rd August 2019 (Day 3 of 3 in Hungary – MAV Nostalgia Lake Balaton Gala)

The MAV V63-fest had dwindled a bit the previous day, with only 8 being out in total and for a Summer Saturday in Hungary, in 2019, a mere 6 V63’s being out was something of a let-down; but that’s all that had produced by the end of the day and with all six having been out on the previous two days it made my life somewhat easier on a day where the heat was intense and I had a big bag to carry around with me.

After a relative lay-in to 7am, I had been considering an early start for 628089 on 9710 0429 Szekesfehervar – Tapolca but it was at its destination before I got onto railway premises that day! Thanks to the relatively cool morning air, I wasn’t too sweat-soaked by the time I reached Szekesfehervar station to do 19700 0700 Budapest Deli – Tapolca; which 418118 kindly dropped onto after 431368 had shunted off. With the Mapper showing everything doing what it was programmed to have done thus far, it was a simple trip out to Balatonalmandi for 628089 back to Szekesfehervar on 19707 0740 Tapolca – Budapest Deli. Where a fill-in move was required to pass the time while waiting for 628194 to work.

There were two options for the fill-in move, 630028 on 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy and 630035 on 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy. I opted for the former in the hope I might make the dead at Siofok and get back to Szekesfehervar early and having had the front coach to myself on 15609 I pissed the dead at Siofok, manly as 431002 with Ex1857 0919 Nagykanizsa – Budapest Deli was 60’ late! It wasn’t an issue though and despite the late running there was never an issue making 628194 back at Szekesfehervar. So, for the third day running I did 16907 0653 Zahony – Tapolca for 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony, ad for the third day running I got off at a different place. This time with 628194 dropping me at Balatonfuzfo for M61 618019 to take me back to Szekesfehervar, which was the noisiest engine I had all day, and that’s saying something!

With there being no V63s to try and get in of an afternoon I had a grand plan hatched to head over to Gyor and get some of my required 418/3’s dealt with but the Spring 2019 diagrams didn’t hold up and everything went awry but by the time I got to Gyor, despite only one of the 418’s I needed sticking to what I thought it would, I still managed to be in Gyor at the right time to get all three in, in quick succession! So, after 433159 Szekesfehervar – Kelenfold on 18405 1218 Balatonszentgyorgy – Budapest Deli and GySev 471003 Kelenfold – Gyor on IC916 1610 Budapest Keleti – Sventgotthard, I came across 418307, 418310 & 418317 at Gyor and knew 418309 was on its way to Gyor at that point on 39523 1700 Veszprem – Gyor. The station red-cap at Gyorszabadhegy, which is essentially at the other side of town, did have a look of wonder on her face when I turned up for a second time, within a 30-minute period. And despite buying single tickets on the app for all four journeys, just buying one in each direction would have sufficed. In fact, buying nothing at all would have sufficed! I couldn’t grumble at having paid about 50p for the afternoon’s entertainment in Gyor, and the widow labels I’d collected had probably cost MAV more than the fare I’d paid.

From Gyor, I was essentially homeward bound, although my flight wasn’t until 0615 the following morning from Budapest. I chose to do a Railjet back towards Budapest, mainly as it was the same price as the other IC’s and likely to be more comfortable. OBB’s 1116217 did the honours on RJ165 1040 Zurich Hbf – Budapest Keleti and despite a delay at Tatabanya for police to attend to some youths that seemed like they didn’t have tickets, it made 433187 at Kelenfold with 18718 2140 Budapest Deli – Fonyod; which I did out to Dinnyes to pass the night away as much as I could. I did know 630031 was coming the other way with 18511 2018 Balatonszentgyorgy – Budapest Deli, so there was method in the madness. I opted to walk from Budapest Deli to Nyugati, which took about 45 minutes, and was surprised to find 432293/432291 in multi on 2620 0235 Budapest Nyugati – Szolnok. I even checked the cables were in when I realised both pantographs were up, which isn’t something you see very often at all in Hungary on passenger trains. I didn’t have to wait too long at Ferihegy for a 200E bus to the airport and having bought a ticket at Nyugati before I’d departed, I was able to validate it on boarding the bus and save HUF100 in the process; as there are no ticket machines at the bus stop at Ferihegy station.

Gen for Saturday 3^rd August 2019

630011 IC817 0914 Pecs – Budapest Keleti (to Dombovar)
630017 IC1562 1224 Nyiregyhaza – Budapest Nyugati, IC626 1718 Budapest Nyugati – Nyiregyhaza
630028 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy, 16706 1436 Balatonszentgyorgy – Zahony
630031 959 0527 Zalaegerszeg – Budapest Deli, 18504 1205 Budapest Deli – Balatonszentgyorgy, 18511 2018 Balatonszentgyorgy – Budapest Deli
630035 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy, 15606 1522 Balatonszentgyorgy – Miskolc Tiszai
630045 6120 0430 Szolnok – Nyiregyhaza, IC617 0924 Nyiregyhaza – Budapest Nyugati, IC1658 1418 Budapest Nyugati – Nyiregyhaza

MAV Nostalgia Weekend on Lake Balaton
408114 19747 0908 Tapolca – Balatonfured, 19748 1740 Balatonfured – Tapolca
618019 1972 0800 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar), 16906 1238 Tapolca – Zahony (to Szekesfehervar with 480009 to Zahony)
628089 9710 0429 Szekesfehervar – Tapolca, 19707 0740 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar),19794 1100 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar), 19703 1540 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar)
628194 16907 0653 Zahony – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar with 480009 to Szekesfehervar), 1973 1638 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar)

418108 19897 0925 Szombathely – Keszthely, 19894 Keszthely – Szombathely
418118 19700 0700 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar with 431368 into Szekesfehervar), 19705 1140 Tapolca – Budapest Deli (to Szekesfehervar)
418126 18802 0709 Pecs – Tapolca, 18803 1646 Tapolca – Pecs
418148/418149 19792 1000 Budapest Deli – Tapolca (from Szekesfehervar)
418301 19809 0807 Gyor – Keszthely, 19808 1843 Keszthely – Gyor
418304 18897 0717 Szombathely – Kaposvar, 8844 1310 Kaposvar – Fonyod, 8833 1511 Fonyod – Kaposvar,  18896 1722 Kaposvar – Szombathely
418305 39512 0725 Gyor – Veszprem, stuff then, 9226 1749 Gyor – Celldomolk
418309 39510 0515 Gyor – Veszprem, stuff then, 39523 1700 Veszprem – Gyor
418310 39526 1754 Gyor – Veszprem
418317 9297 0704 Szombathely – Gyor (from Celldomolk), stuff then, 9206 1840 Gyor – Szombathely (to Celldomolk)
418318 9201 1704 Szombathely – Gyor (from Celldomolk)

431146 9020 0420 Veszprem – Szombathely
433280 IC819 0602 Pecs – Budapest Keleti (to Dombovar)

Moves for Saturday 3^rd August 2019

Photos for Saturday 3^rd August 2019

Sunday 4^th August 2019 (Only at home for 6 hours…..!)

Budapest airport looked like a dosshouse as I walked through I at around 4am, there were people dossed on the floors everywhere. Luckily, I was able to amble straight through security and was on my plane home well in advance of departure time; yet it still departed late. Thanks to some girl who waited until the doors had been closed before deciding she was shit-scared of flying and crying it out to the cabin crew at the front of the plane, while pleading to get off the plane. The result of her and her boyfriend being let off was the full baggage confirmation check that had to be carried out, which was ultimately what made us late departing. I’d only ever had this kind of thing happen once, which was randomly on the outbound flight to Kyiv on this very trip!

The flight itself was ok and I managed to make 1S10 0930 Kings Cross – Edinburgh with 91132, which meant I was t home by midday. It was a short-lived trip home though and I was back on 1E18 1430 Edinburgh – Kings Cross at 1656 to London and heading out to the US the following morning for the Illinois Railway Museum Gala…….

Gen for Sunday 4^th August 2019

432293/432291 2620 0235 Budapest Nyugati – Szolnok
630011 IC809 0514 Pecs – Budapest Keleti, IC812 0845 Budapest Keleti  – Pecs, IC803 1514 Pecs – Budapest Keleti
630012 8019 0410 Dombovar – Budapest Deli then to Ferencvaros
630028 16709 0459 Zahony – Balatonszentgyorgy, 15606 1522 Balatonszentgyorgy – Miskolc Tiszai
630030 IC1560 1024 Nyiregyhaza – Budapest Nyugati, IC606 1518 Budapest  Nyugati – Zahony
630035 15609 0527 Miskolc Tiszai – Balatonszentgyorgy, 16706 1436 Balatonszentgyorgy – Zahony

Moves for Sunday 4^th August 2019