Bulgaria 2008
2nd October 2008 to 12th October 2008

This was my first visit to Bulgaria. From Saturday 4th to Friday 10th October I was on a railtour organised by PTG Tours - my first trip with them, and it was excellent.

The railtour routes were:

4th: short tram tour in Sofia.
5th: Sofia to Berkovica and back, hauled by 87019-6 all day: the first railtour anywhere for a Class 87 loco since withdrawal of the class from service in the UK.
6th: Sofia to Plovdiv via the branches to Asenovgrad and Hisar.
7th: Plovdiv to Stara Zagora via Mihajlovo, Simeonovgrad and Nova Zagora.
8th: Stara Zagora to Burgas followed by a visit to the salt railway there.
9th: Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo via Sliven, Dabovo, the branch to Gabrovo and an added run to Gorna Orjahovica.
10th: Veliko Tarnovo to Sofia via Gorna Orjahovica.

Other days:
2nd: service trains from Sofia to Pernik via Volujak.
3rd: service trains from Sofia to Makachevo, out via Botunets and back via Obedinena.
4th: a private visit was made to the Koncar works in Sofia where the ex-BR Class 87s are having their finishing touches applied before use with BZK in Bulgaria - see this collection.
11th: service trains from Sofia to Gjueshevo via Kjustendil and back.
Spare time in Sofia was taken up doing tram and trolleybus routes.

N.B. BDZ = Bulgarian State Railways, BZK = Bulgarian Railway Company, an independent freight operator.

<-- Index | Showing 1-24 of 52 pictures | Next -->
1918-built 600mm gauge Henschel 0-8-0T steam locomotive No.479 stands on a plinth inside Sofia Central station.
1918-built 600mm gauge Henschel 0-8-0T steam locomotive No.479 stands on a plinth inside Sofia Central station.
2008-10-03 09:17:00
 BDZ 30025/30425/30026 stands at at Makachevo after arriving on the 16:52 from Sofia via Botunets. Services on the route towards Karlovo were terminating at Makachevo due to engineeering works.
BDZ 30025/30425/30026 stands at at Makachevo after arriving on the 16:52 from Sofia via Botunets. Services on the route towards Karlovo were terminating at Makachevo due to engineeering works.
2008-10-03 18:18:00
 Sofia metre gauge tram 92, with trailer 501, waits at Pl. Vazrazhdane ready to work a charter service for PTG Tours.
Sofia metre gauge tram 92, with trailer 501, waits at Pl. Vazrazhdane ready to work a charter service for PTG Tours.
2008-10-04 16:00:00
 Formerly BR Class 87, now owned by BZK, locomotive 87019-6 stands at Jana in the rain/sleet/snow. Jana is on one of the suburban routes north of Sofia.
Formerly BR Class 87, now owned by BZK, locomotive 87019-6 stands at Jana in the rain/sleet/snow. Jana is on one of the suburban routes north of Sofia.
2008-10-05 08:47:00
87019-6 in the rain at the photo stop at Elisejina on the Sofia - Mezdra route.
87019-6 in the rain at the photo stop at Elisejina on the Sofia - Mezdra route.
2008-10-05 11:10:00
 During a short break at Vratza, 87019-6 shares the station area with heavily-graffitied Riga-built EMU 32107/32108.
During a short break at Vratza, 87019-6 shares the station area with heavily-graffitied Riga-built EMU 32107/32108.
2008-10-05 12:45:00
 After running round the railtour stock, 87019-6 stands at the branch terminus at Berkovica. The mountains are white-capped from the snow earlier in the day.
After running round the railtour stock, 87019-6 stands at the branch terminus at Berkovica. The mountains are white-capped from the snow earlier in the day.
2008-10-05 15:06:00
 87019-6 at Montana on the Bojchinovci - Berkovica branch (not the Montana in the USA!!).
87019-6 at Montana on the Bojchinovci - Berkovica branch (not the Montana in the USA!!).
2008-10-05 15:46:00
87019-6 at Bojchinovci.
87019-6 at Bojchinovci.
2008-10-05 16:06:00
 87019-6 at work - but not very hard! 70km/h and 450 Amps shows that the loco is having an easy time. Those familiar with the 87s will see a number of modifications made for use in Bulgaria.
87019-6 at work - but not very hard! 70km/h and 450 Amps shows that the loco is having an easy time. Those familiar with the 87s will see a number of modifications made for use in Bulgaria.
2008-10-05 17:33:00
 A view of the Iskar gorge north of Sofia, through the front cab window of 87019-6.
A view of the Iskar gorge north of Sofia, through the front cab window of 87019-6.
2008-10-05 17:51:00
 87019-6 at Sofia Central after arrival of the railtour.
87019-6 at Sofia Central after arrival of the railtour.
2008-10-05 19:27:00
1900-built standard gauge Maffei 0-6-0T steam locomotive No.47.05 is plinthed outside Sofia Central station.
1900-built standard gauge Maffei 0-6-0T steam locomotive No.47.05 is plinthed outside Sofia Central station.
2008-10-06 07:45:00
 Skoda-built BDZ Electric Loco No.61002-2 at Sofia Central ready to work the first part of Monday's railtour.
Skoda-built BDZ Electric Loco No.61002-2 at Sofia Central ready to work the first part of Monday's railtour.
2008-10-06 07:48:00
 61002-2 disappears into the undergrowth during the run-round at Bankja, the terminus of the branch from Volujak.
61002-2 disappears into the undergrowth during the run-round at Bankja, the terminus of the branch from Volujak.
2008-10-06 08:35:00
 After arrival back at Sofia, the railtour was taken forward by Russian-built BDZ diesel loco 07068-0.
After arrival back at Sofia, the railtour was taken forward by Russian-built BDZ diesel loco 07068-0.
2008-10-06 09:24:00
For the afternoon/evening visit to the Hisar branch, 07070-6 took over the railtour at Plovdiv.
For the afternoon/evening visit to the Hisar branch, 07070-6 took over the railtour at Plovdiv.
2008-10-06 15:38:00
 While the railtour was awaiting a path at Dolna Mahala up the branch to Hisar, BZK-owned 87019-6 and BZK-leased former Romanian loco 40 0582-3 pass through on a light engine move from Sofia to Pirdop.
While the railtour was awaiting a path at Dolna Mahala up the branch to Hisar, BZK-owned 87019-6 and BZK-leased former Romanian loco 40 0582-3 pass through on a light engine move from Sofia to Pirdop.
2008-10-06 16:47:00
 BZK locos 87019-6 and 40 0582-3 passing through Dolna Mahala heading north to Pirdop on a light engine move from Sofia via Plovdiv and Karlovo.
BZK locos 87019-6 and 40 0582-3 passing through Dolna Mahala heading north to Pirdop on a light engine move from Sofia via Plovdiv and Karlovo.
2008-10-06 16:47:00
 07068-0 at Hisar, the terminus of the branch from Dolna Mahala.
07068-0 at Hisar, the terminus of the branch from Dolna Mahala.
2008-10-06 17:31:00
43 533-9, built by Skoda in the early 1970s, passes through Svoboda, between Plovdiv and Mihajlovo.
43 533-9, built by Skoda in the early 1970s, passes through Svoboda, between Plovdiv and Mihajlovo.
2008-10-07 10:43:00
 A new power station under construction at Maritza, viewed from the railtour on the freight-only route between Simeonovgrad and Nova Zagora.
A new power station under construction at Maritza, viewed from the railtour on the freight-only route between Simeonovgrad and Nova Zagora.
2008-10-07 15:57:00
 Electric locomotive 134 of the Maritza power station system, seen shunting at Radnevo.
Electric locomotive 134 of the Maritza power station system, seen shunting at Radnevo.
2008-10-07 16:07:00
 Another view of Maritza electric locomotive 134 shunting at Radnevo.
Another view of Maritza electric locomotive 134 shunting at Radnevo.
2008-10-07 16:07:00
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