2nd October 2102 - From Zadar to ZagrebTuesday 2nd October 2012 This morning dawned rather overcast, still muggy but without the thunder. Though there was the offer of a lift on the coach transferring the suitcases quite a few people decided to quickly walk to the station before the threatened rain started again – we got there and were greeted by the sight of the station cleaning ladies sweeping large quantities of water off the concourse which had poured through the rather decrepit ceiling overnight. There was just enough time to grab a photo of the train (still with 2062 008) before the heavens opened and we had to seek refuge in our compartment. 2062 008 at Zadar The weather started to clear as we retraced our steps to Knin but the sun stubbornly stayed behind a cloud at all three photo opportunities. The first two were fairly conventional one at stations but we were rather taken aback when the train stopped just outside a tunnel on a rocky ledge high above the valley shortly before Knin and it was announced as a photostop. Sure enough, everybody who wanted to bailed off onto a large flat area with a sheer drop off the edge and the train set back slightly so we could photograph it “coming out of the tunnel”. Once everybody had taken their pictures, it pulled back up to where we were standing and we all clambered back on board – thanks to whoever suggested it and to the crew who facilitated the whole thing. 2062 008 near Knin The tour was booked to stand for nearly two hours at Knin during which a depot visit had been requested and the loco had to run round the train. The plan was for us to be taken down there by road coach but these failed to materialise so, following a few negotiations, it was arranged that we would be taken down there on the train; this was well received as Knin depot is away from the station and yard and is accessed via a triangle so this would be a very welcome bit of new track. The loco had already run round the train by this time so, as time was now short, it was decided that we would propel down there ; perhaps if we had gone down on the train first of all we could have turned the whole train on the triangle and done both sides leading to the depot. The depot itself was rather empty with only a couple of diesel units and three demic locos, one of which was tucked away at the back of the service shed. It was mentioned by some people that there had been a very recent clear out of some other withdrawn locos that had been dragged away to the works in Zagreb, the three remaining there were in no fit state to be moved by rail. 2061 101 at Knin We returned to the station to pick up the passengers who had chosen to stay in the town and to await our amended path north. We were told that it was now at 13:00 rather than 12:43 due to engineering works further down the line, but just after one o’clock, the freight which had arrived in the yard whilst we were waiting for the non-existent busses to the depot departed; that would delay us for a while as there is a very steep climb out of Knin and no chance to take a run at it due to a speed restriction protecting workers refurbishing three girder bridges just beyond the station. Sure enough it was more like half past one when we finally did get away and, once over the speed restricted bridges, the noise from the loco was immense as it set to the long and steep gradient. At the first station 14km down the line, Pađene, there was a surprise when we pulled in alongside the freight that had preceded us and even more of a surprise when we set off first, what was the point of letting the freight precede us at Knin then? No doubt there was some sort of weird (to us) logic at play here. Now we were set to make good time to Zagreb, or not, as the loco suddenly started struggling some 3km further on and came to a stand in a slight cutting where the gradient had eased off a bit. After a bit of fiddling around, it was announced that the loco had a traction motor problem but could, thankfully, be moved so the train was rolled back into the station at Pađene to await events. Many people were hopeful that we might get one of the locos off the freight or even be combined with the freight but as soon as our train arrived in the loop the freight was away, leaving us to contemplate our fate. 2062 008 at Pađene The weather was now more like high summer than autumn so at least that took minds off our predicament, being stranded in the middle of the country with the nearest rescue loco being goodness knows how far away. At least the sunshine meant plenty of “last photos” of our faithful steed 2062 008, many people had been hoping for a change of loco, but not in these circumstances! 2062 008 at Pađene Much to our surprise, it was announced not too long after our arrival that a new loco was on its way. Though we had seen it earlier in the day, most of us had forgotten about 2062 010 which was passed at Zadar this morning – it had departed on the local trip freight sometime after us and had arrived at Knin not long after we had left. It soon arrived at the station and more photos were in order as it removed the errant 2062 008 from the train and left it to one side to be collected later. The shunting was all done by the station “red cap” who did not appear to be equipped to perform such duties (and probably has not had to for many years) as he merely donned his uniform jacket to protect his pristine white shirt and had two fistfuls of paper towels in an attempt to keep his hands clean. 2062 010 at Pađene With 2062 010 duly attached, it was back to the business in hand but with a rather late arrival in Zagreb looming. Up hill and down dale the weather changed from bright sunshine to overcast and even mist by Lička Jesenica as we doggedly stuck to our schedule some two hours late, even down to calling at Ogulin and running round when we could have saved a few minutes by retracing our outward route via the avoiding line. The final arrival time at Zagreb was two hours and five minutes behind schedule and our hotel had kindly agreed to keep the buffet dinner option available for those who still wanted something to eat at this late hour. Comments
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