Pleszew

This line (formally named the Krotoszynska Kolej Dojazdowa) dates back to 1900.  At one time the line ran from Krotoszyn through Pleszew to Broniszewice, a total distance of 50km.  The Pleszew Miasto – Broniszewice section only opened after the Second World War and closed in 1972, while the Krotoszyn – Pleszew Wask. section closed in about 1987.  This left a section about 5km long from Pleszew Miasto to Pleszew Wask., on the standard gauge Jarocin – Ostrow Wielkopolski line.

In 1989 the line carried 189,091 passengers and 343,213 tons of freight.  However, the line was mixed standard/narrow gauge throughout almost its entire length, and all freight was carried by standard gauge trains.  Narrow gauge (750mm) trains used to always be two Romanian coaches hauled by a Lyd1 diesel, but one or more Romanian rail-cars were introduced in about 2000.  Following a gradual reduction of the timetable, the last trains ran on 9 June 2001.  This duty was performed by driver Pawel Piorek and conductor Czeslaw Dymny operating railcar MBxd2-216 with the last pair of trains being 7426 leaving Pleszew Miasto at 16.53, arriving at Pleszew Wask at 17.03, leaving Wask again at 17.34 and arriving back at Miasto at 17.44.  The event was commemorated with a headboard and Polish flags on the front of the railcar, and a number of local residents and railway workers rode or watched the train, with detonators exploding on departure from Wask and arrival at Miasto.  It was rumoured that the local authority was interested in taking over the line to run tourist trains, but this does not appear to have happened.


plez-1s.jpg (11338 bytes) plez-2s.jpg (11338 bytes)
September 1995 September 1995
Pleszew Miasto station on left, works to right, mixed gauge track through the platform

 

The standard train set of Lyd1 and 2 Romanian coaches is ready for its next trip to Pleszew Wask.

 

plez-4s.jpg (11338 bytes) plez-4s.jpg (11338 bytes)
October 1996 September 1995
Standard gauge activity at Pleszew Miasto. This short freight is on the mixed gauge line At Pleszew Wask passengers are dropped off to join the main line train while the Lyd1 pulls forward a little to run round the Romanian coaches

 


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Last Updated 14 October 2003