The Chosen Realm

Day 2 : 21st September 2004

Train Reporting Codes:
13879 : Keszthely to Kaposvár
13824 : Kaposvár to Szenta
RK : Szenta to Kaszó to Szenta
13823 : Szenta to Nagyatád
38908 : Nagyatád to Sarmellek
38901 : Sarmellek to Balatonszentgyörgy
29608 : Balatonszentgyörgy to Keszthely

Tour Review
(by Trevor Cockram)

Having discovered the quick route from hotel to station, the journey time was cut in half, but I think the HSE might have something to say about it if we used it in the UK. The stock had been stabled in the short siding at the end of platform one, so it was new track for almost everyone who got on. Our loco had passed light engine from Tapolca earlier, so it was no surprise when M62 203  backed on the front.  We shunted into the main platform to pick up the packed lunches and horror fizzy mineral water, so the less fizzy option of beer was unfortunately necessary.

Today offered little in the way of track having done most of the passenger lines after last years tour albeit in Bzmot for the most.

A brief stop at Balatonszentgyörgy before charging up the main line which skirts the lake. C50 5727 was visible at Balatonfenyes. One day I'll get round to doing the narrow gauge lines here. Stopping at Szántód-Kóröshegy to cross a service train the opportunity for a photo stop was taken.

We lost the Sergi at Siófolk, to be replaced by Ganz powered M44 215. Plinthed steam loco 376 649 looked in good condition alongside the platform. The next section to Kaspovár was always going to be slow with much of the line subjected to a 40 kph limit. The local railway control had made matters worse, by not allowing our charter to be coupled to the local Bzmot service, something we were permitted to do later in the week. Hence we were due a long stop at Tab, where we were shunted into the sidings next to the station building.

How to fill over on hour in Tab. Well, why not have a seminar! The M44 offers less platform space than an M40 but we all managed to squeeze on, or in front of the engine.

A group decided to explore the bar possibilities of Tab, whilst others retired to bar car for a slide show using Mat's laptop computer as the projector. An attempt the previous day failed with low battery. Now where have I heard that before? Today was more successful with even multi-media with a few GM and Grumpy sound clips. Its remarkable how a combination of beer and good company makes time fly by. The local service Bzmot arrived and went before we were allowed to depart after shunting back onto the main line.

Just after leaving Tab we acquired half a tree which required removal. The photo stop at Kisbárapáti mh was just by a level crossing leaving the one truck to wait whilst more images had been taken. The slack timings allowed time for another photostop at Felsömocsolád. The Bzmot unit that passed us at Tab was on its way back when we passed it again at Mernye. Speed picked up as we joined the mainline for he run into Kaposvár.

A short stop allowed a few photographs to be taken included a very smart V43 1149 and plinthed railcar ABy 473. Further photostops were made near Jákó-Nagybajion and at Somogyszob where another plinthed kettle 376 462 was located.

The first of the narrow gauge trips was from the woodyard at Szenta where our train of an open and a covered wagon were attached to C50 C-401. This was lined up nicely alongside M40 105. The consist was then propelled into the forest area the line was constructed to serve. A number of photographic stops were made when the light was reasonable before reaching the terminus of the line at Kaszó.

The other C50 was clearly not in a state to haul the train as it was in a dismantled state. In better condition was the kettle: ex CFF (Romainian) 764.406 on one side and AEV number 490.2001, it also had the painted name Karácsony.

At this stage we were a little concerned that the loco crew disappeared in a rather beat-up Trabant. Only to re-appear about 15 minutes later. At this time our main line departure time was looking very optimistic. The crew set out to make up the time, but unfortunately the C50 was not up to the high speed requested. It started by showering hot sparks from the exhaust, followed by even more sparks and a glowing red exhaust pipe, which by this time had split and something serious sounded wrong with the engine, this looked to be serious. Luckily the line was mostly downhill so limping rather more slowly we made it back Szenta with only a few scorch marks and bits of carbon in the hair. So if we had a kettle the effects would have been similar in the open wagon, perhaps there is some logic is travelling in the covered one.

Back to M40 105 for the next leg of the tour, and by far the best loco of the day. Departing 15 minutes late, we returned up the mainline to Somogyszob for the briefest of stops before heading down the branch to Nagystád. This line is normally only Bzmot and plinthed ABmot 400 suggests it's been so for a long time. The locals had heard about our tour are quite a number were there to look at the train, and more particularly the coaches. The M40 lived up to its reputation running around putting out plenty of clag and sound. A 20 minute late departure was made up by sharp operating during the run round at Somogyszob. It was getting rather dark for the next section of line, but the Keskenynyomközü vasút narrow gauge line at Mesztagnyö could be seen (one for another trip).

The final loco change was back at Balatonszentgyörgy where M43 1029 replaced the M40 for a trip up the final branch of the day. It was particularly disappointing to do this branch in the dark as it had very limited (or no traffic). The state of the track seen from the loco headlights suggested that the weed killer had not been up the branch for some time, but some of the larger bushes and trees had been cut for the passage of our train. There were a number of open level crossings that had been manned for the passage of the train. The remains of a platform and a station building were at Sármeilék. It is hope that the branch will see traffic again to supply aviation fuel to the nearby Balaton airport, which may be used by the low cost airlines. Returning to Balatonszentgyörgy a final run round was required before returning to Keszthely at 21.26

I should have stayed in the hotel as the dinner was in up in the town some 20 minutes from the hotel and in my view was the worst food on a Hungarian tour. The beef stew served with cold noodles was not filling and this was followed by a slice of Walls Viennetta (all the way from Gloucester!). The drinks were also excessively expensive and the service was appalling. Hence the Hofbrahouse in Keszthely is clearly in my view the worst restaurant I have been in for a very long time. (The music wasn't much better).

Route, Distances and Timing's (Booked & Actual)
(by Andy Powis/Trevor Cockram)

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