Irish Railway Record Society

Central Europe Tour 2002

The fifth IRRS European tour took place from 20 August to 1 September 2002 with 40 participants – the largest number since the tours began in 1987. The tour included the Hungarian State Railways (MAV), the private Hungarian/Austrian railway GySEV/ROEE, the Slovakian railways (ZS) and the Austrian Federal Railways (OBB). Four members resident in England joined the tour as well as 35 from Ireland while Mr. Joe Kirby travelled from Western Australia to participate.

Leaving Dublin and Heathrow airports on the morning flights of the Hungarian Airlines MALEV on 20 August, the group united at Budapest airport to travel by a special coach to Deli railway station. Here the party joined a limited stop InterCity train to Fonyod on the shores of Lake Balaton hauled by a standard MAV V43 class electric locomotive. At Fonyod a connection was made with a following stopping train to Balatonfenyves for a two-night stay at the Hubertus-Hof Hotel – a delightful hunting establishment in a secluded wooded area. The hotel management welcomed the party at the station and collected the luggage. The group walked to the hotel and were met at the entrance by a Schnapps reception.

Early the following day the group returned to Fonyod to join an express for Kezthly. Here we joined a beautifully restored vintage train with a 2-6-2T steam locomotive for our journey to Badacsonytomaj, on the northern shores of the lake, and back. Disappointingly the steam engine had a defect and was assisted by an M43-class diesel locomotive. At Tapolca the locomotives ran around the train in both directions and the high number of movements here made for a very interesting visit. Of particular interest were the Soviet built M62 class locomotives – now rare in Hungary. Some members took the opportunity to have a trip with an M62 en route to Pecs detraining at Balatonfenyves.

After a leisurely start on Thursday 22^nd, the group travelled on the local agricultural narrow gauge system which, sadly, has deteriorated track. The 55-minute journey in a reserved open sided coach followed the sides of the fields terminating at Csisztafurdo. The booked coach was occupied when the party arrived but another carriage was hastily added and the diminutive 4-wheel diesel set of with four coaches. On our return the hotel management and staff transferred the luggage back to the main station where we said farewell and left for  Budapest   Deli  on  a  stopping train which  soon  became  crowded.  On arrival at Deli, we took a No. 18 tram to the major tram intersection at Moszkva ter. Here we joined the world’s busiest tram route, Nos. 4/6, for a high-speed trip through the streets of Budapest and over the River Danube, to the Pava Plaza Hotel for five nights.

It was intended on the first day in Budapest to have a trip to the narrow-gauge line in the south from Kiskunmajsa to Kecskemet. At Budapest, we joined an InterCity train to Szeged at Nyugati station – a magnificent structure of cast iron and brick created by the Eiffel Company of Paris. Sadly, due to an earlier fatal incident, trains were severely disrupted resulting in a delay of 80 minutes and missed connections. However, the weather was excellent and the party dispersed to various locations to do some photography and view the city of Kecskemet.

Each Saturday in summer the heritage section of the MAV operate steam excursions to the Danube Bend and the group travelled on the train in a reserved coach. The locomotive was a fine 4-8-0 passenger engine built in 1928 in Budapest. The train terminated at Szob on the Slovakian frontier where the engine turned on a triangle. On the return journey, some of the group had a footplate trip for a modest charge.

Sunday morning 25^th was spent doing a circular trip of the hills above the Buda side. Setting off on the Routes 4/6 tram, the group were quickly at Moszkva ter. Changing to a No. 56, we arrived at the terminus of the Cog Railway. This is a delightful line ascending the hill to a station close to the terminus of the Children’s Railway. The Children’s Railway opened in 1948 to train young people who wished to pursue a career with the Hungarian State railways. The party caught a train hauled by a 2-6-2T steam tank locomotive to the other terminus at Huvosvolgy. From here, the group took trams to Nyugati station for a short trip in an early railcar to the Railway Museum. Here, an excellent afternoon was spent exploring the wide range of exhibits including some working for the benefit of museum visitors.

After a free day in Budapest on the 26^th the group left from Nyugati station on the 10.05 EuroCity express for Bratislava in Slovakia arriving at 12.30. After depositing the baggage, a visit was made to the railway museum followed by time for lunch and a short visit to the city. After crossing the city by the inter-station bus service, the participants left from Petrzalka station – a fine modern station mainly serving trains to Austria - for Bruck a de Leita and then to Neusiedl am See. Here we were stranded for an hour by the en route failure of the connecting train. From here, we were on the line of the Gyor Sopron Ebenfurti Vasut (GySEV) a private railway, which operates in both Austria and Hungary. After taking the next available train and changing at Eisenstadt we arrived an hour late in the historic town of Sopron. Our hotel, the Pannonia, collected the luggage and the party took the 10-minute walk to the hotel for a 3-night stay.

Our destination on Wednesday 28 August was Graz in Austria travelling over the renowned Semmering route. The group was met at Sopron station by Mr. Peter Lendvay, Passenger Manager of the GySEV, who was of much assistance in making arrangements in the Sopron area. The group took the 08.42 departure from Sopron, and arrived in Wiener Neustadt to connect with a Vienna to Venice EuroCity Express. Wiener Neustadt station was impressive as it was in the last stages of reconstruction with about 10 long straight platforms and several bay platforms. After traversing the Semmering pass, the group changed at Bruck a de Mur for Graz where there was also major expansion in progress. The party used the city’s excellent tram service to reach the centre with some taking the steeply graded line to the Schlossberg – one of the main tourist attractions in Graz. In the evening, the same route was followed back to Sopron.

By now it was time for an ‘easy day’ though some took a day trip to Vienna. The majority travelled on a local passenger train from Sopron to Fertoboz to join a special charter of the delightful 760mm-gauge narrow gauge train owned by the GySEV Company to Nagycenk. The train was hauled by a small 0-6-0T steam engine and had five carriages. At Nagycenk there was a collection of narrow gauge rolling stock items on display in the open. After two hours the train returned to Fertoboz where a fleet of taxis took everyone back to Sopron to spend the afternoon exploring this interesting town or photographing the train movements. The GySEV rolling stock is in yellow and green livery and would not be out of place in Kerry!

On the last morning at Gyor, the party travelled on a limited stop train to Budapest Deli hauled by MAV electric locomotive 1047 001-1,

On arrival at Deli station the group assembled for the group photograph. Barry Carse, on behalf of the participants, then presented Oliver Doyle with a Roco Ho gauge model of the exact locomotive, which hauled the train to Budapest, in appreciation of having organised, and led the tour. Oliver then expressed his thanks for the gift.

After transferring by tram to Nyugati station and having some lunch, the group took the InterCity train to Nyiregyhaza, close to the Ukrainian frontier. This train had been advertised to depart earlier than the timetable schedule due to single line working and it being diverted via an alternative route. After a punct-ual arrival, a coach took the party the two kilo-meters to the Hotel Korona for a 2-night stay.

Saturday 31 August was the last full day and was spent on the narrow gauge system, which extends north-eastward from Nyiregyhaza, and is Y shaped system. Leaving Nyiregyhaza the double-headed train had six coaches, two for each or the termini and two for the junction station at Herminatanya. On arrival at the home signal for Herminatanya, the leading locomotive was detached and ran into the station. Meanwhile the two up trains from the branches, each with two carriages, had amalgamated. The down train then worked into the station and the locomotive and leading two carriages departed for Balsai Tisza-part. The second locomotive, which had been on the down train, took the next two carriages with the group on board to Dombrad. The remaining two carriages which terminated at the junction were attached to the rear of the four carriages already forming the up train. Quite a remarkable operation on a remote narrow gauge railway in 2002! – all in the interest of ensuring passengers do not have to change but in reality most passengers were in the wrong portion arriving at Herminatanya. On arrival at Dombrad many of the group purchased refreshments before the few open shops closed for the weekend.

A leisurely journey home was planned for Sunday 1 September with a late morning departure from Nyiregyhaza at 11.15 for Budapest Nyugati. Again, due to pre-planned engineering work the train operated in an altered schedule and the party was treated to yet another route approaching Budapest. After refreshments the group left by coach for Budapest airport and the 18.50 MALEV flight to Dublin.

Copyright © 2002 by Irish Railway Record Society Limited
Revised: October 06, 2006 .