4th July 2015 - A brief trip through SlovakiaSaturday 4th July 2015 Another very hot day was forecast and even at 7:30 in the morning it was too warm for us to want to bother walking over a mile to the station so reception kindly called a cab for us. At just over £2 it was good value and got us there in good time despite being slightly delayed by the aftermath of a collision between a car and a bus at the end of the road that the hotel was on. The station kiosk was raided for a supply of water before we made our way out to the train which would have M61 001 in sole charge all day; even though we were going through Slovakia later there would be no change of loco as this particular M61 had been specifically rostered for the tour as it is authorized to run in Slovakia. M61.001 at Sajóecseg4th July 2015. On 13542 8:10 Miskolc-Tiszai to Kazincbarika. On leaving the main Miskolc-Tiszai station we turned right towards Miskolc-Gömöri, where the train reversed yesterday, but this morning we carried straight on to Sajóecseg where the loco ran round so we could cover the freight branch to Sajóbábony. This line is around 8kms long though the tour could only cover the first 5 or so kilometers as the customers it served were chemical plants so it would not be a good idea to get too close! We terminated in what appeared to be a closed station and the loco propelled the train a short distance to the limit of where we were allowed once the loco had run round. M61.001 at Sajóbábony4th July 2015. M61.001 with 13542 8:10 Miskolc-Tiszai to Kazincbarcika at the limit of where the train was allowed to proceed on the branch. As we were on a freight line with no other trains to disturb us, there were two photo stops on the way back to Sajóecseg, the first at a level crossing a short distance after leaving Sajóbábony and the second approaching a low hill where those who wished could clamber up to get a panoramic view; we declined the latter opportunity – far too hot to be doing any hill climbing. M61.001 at Sajóbábony4th July 2015. On 13542 8:10 Miskolc-Tiszai to Kazincbarcika. All this made us late back at Sajóecseg but a swift run to Kazincbarcika coupled with some stand time here put us back on course and gave enough time to photograph the class 628 on a freight and other locos and units here. Kazincbarcika4th July 2015. 628 224 stands next to M61.001 on 13544 10:55 Kazincbarcika to Bánréve. A Bzmot DMU arrived heading in the opposite direction to the special then we were off again to Bánréve for another run round so we could do the line to Ózd. The Bzmot unit we saw at Kazincbarcika followed us to Bánréve then went down the branch first with our train following some 10 minutes later. 127 421 at Ózd4th July 2015. On 5914 11:13 Kazincbarcika to Ózd. Whilst we were “enjoying” the roasting hot conditions outside the train at Ózd, word filtered through that there was a problem concerning the driver for the next leg of the tour through Slovakia. It appeared that he had arrived at Bánréve before we set off for Ózd and decided that he would like a ride down the branch with us but had banged his head whilst climbing aboard the M61 and was now sampling the delights of a Hungarian hospital rather than a branch line. Most people on the train probably thought that we would have to wait whilst ZSSK found another driver, if a spare one could be even be conjured up on a Saturday afternoon but after waiting for around 20 minutes at Bánréve the original driver duly returned, complete with large square dressing on top of his head. Ózd4th July 2015. 127 421 working 5925 12:03 Ózd to Kazincbarcika passes M61.001 on 13545 12:12 Ózd to Bánréve. It was a pleasant enough run through Slovakia along a secondary line to Fil'akovo and we passed a class 754 “goggles” on a passenger train as well as a couple of freight trains before arriving at Fil'akovo via a large loop. There was a small shop on the platform and many people dug out their supply of Euros and rushed across to raid it for cold drinks and ice creams before taking yet more photos of the train. Even our Slovakian driver got in on the act, roping in one of the local staff to take his photo as he posed next to the M61 so it looked as if there were no hard feelings following his altercation with the top of the cab door frame, perhaps he should have borrowed the shunter's hard hat! M61.001 at Fil'akovo4th July 2015. With the Slovakian pilot driver who ended up having a visit to a Hungarian hospital after he banged his head on the cab door frame of the M61! We headed back into Hungary via a steep climb to the border station at Somoskőújfalu, a brief stop for photos followed by another stop to take even more photos a short while later at Salgótarján külső. Approaching Kisterenye, we stopped again though this was at a signal rather than being for photos. After standing for a few minutes a man clutching a square green board with a white edge approached the train and climbed onto the loco then the train passed the signal at danger. It was a semaphore signal and as we gently trundled past the problem could be clearly seen, a broken wire. Dropping the signalman off outside his box, we carried on into one of the loops and waited for a passenger train to cross before setting off again to have one final photo stop at the lineside approaching Jobbágyi. M61.001 at Jobbágyi4th July 2015. Photo stop approaching Jobbágyi with 13535 13:34 Fil'akovo to Budapest-Keleti. That was it on the photograph front and we had an uneventful run back to Budapest, arriving at Keleti station about 5 minutes late at 17:40, just right to walk down the road to the Mercure hotel, collect our bags, check in and freshen up before dinner. Comments
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