‘Scene’ at Jenbach Railway Station, Austria on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Jenbach Railway Station is the only location in Austria where railways of three different gauges meet.

 

The standard gauge ‘Austrian Federal Railways’ (OBB) runs West to Innsbruck and on into Western Switzerland and East to Vienna and Hungary.

 

There are also connections North into Germany and South into Italy.

 

The Metre gauge ‘Zillertalbahn’ (ZB) runs South up the Ziller valley to terminate at Mayerhofen.

 

The 760mm. gauge ‘Achenseebahn’ (AB) runs North to terminate outside the village of Pertisau alongside lake Achensee.

 

(See blogs posted 22/11/2020 and 23/11/2020.)

 

4024 067-3 ‘Austrian Federal Railways (OBB)’. Bombardier Talent EMU

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

4024 056-2 ‘Austrian Federal Railways (OBB)’. Bombardier Talent EMU

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Showing something of the mass of infrastructure that accompanies todays modern electric railway.

 

 

 

 

D 15 ‘Zillertalbahn’. ‘ZB’ Diesel Hydraulic locomotive

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

VS6 ‘Zillertalbahn’ driving trailer

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

B15 ‘Zillertalbahn’ 4 wheel coach

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

The ‘ZB’ has a number of ‘elderly 4 wheel coaches which together with one of their steam loco’s provides them with a ‘Heritage Train’.

 

Some years ago, the ‘ZB’ donated a number of these coaches to the 

‘Welshpool & Llanfair’ (W&L) line in the UK.

 

I understand that the ‘W & L’ have negotiated with the ‘ZB’ a 2 year lease of a steam loco to run with the coaches.

 

THE WELSHPOOL AND LLANFAIR LIGHT RAILWAY (WLLR) Part 7 of 8

Another import from the ZB was this newer steel bodied coach again built by WMFAG at Graz in 1925.

 

A 4 wheel second open, It was built for the Salzkammergut Lokalbahn (SKGLB). in Austria and is finished in SKGLB livery as its No. C569.

 

Initially running on the WLLR in the ZB livery of red and cream and numbered B24.

THE WELSHPOOL AND LLANFAIR LIGHT RAILWAY (WLLR) Part 6 of 8

Other coaching stock in evidence on the day were.

These two former 4 wheel ZB Brake Third open coaches numbered B14 and B16.

These wooden bodied vehicles were built in Graz (Austria) by Waggon und Maschinen Fabrik A.G. (WMFAG) in 1901/2 and came to the WLLR in 1968.

Further imports were 2 bogie coaches from Hungary.

 

 

Built by and for The Hungarian State Railways (MAV) in 1958 at Debrecen.

THE WELSHPOOL AND LLANFAIR LIGHT RAILWAY (WLLR) Part 4 of 8

There are two other steam loco’s that are available for public inspection and these reside in a display shed just west of Welshpool station.

Unfortunately, such are the constraints of the shed that I found it impossible to take reasonable image’s of them so I am grateful to Andrew Charman, the Press Officer on the WLLR for the use of both the images seen here.

 

First is No.6, a ’Mallet’ 0-4-4-0T articulated locomotive named ‘Monarch’.

 

Built in 1953 by  W.G. Bagnall, it arrived on the WLLR in 1966. It came from Sittingbourne and at one time went to the Ffestiniog Railway before being returned to the WLLR.

 

Listed as ‘static at Welshpool’ and ‘being cosmetically restored’. I think it unlikely that it will be seen in service any time soon!

The other shed resident is a loco that saw service during the Second World War. Built by the Société Anglo Franco-Belge des Ateliers de la Croyère at Raisemes  in France. It was delivered to the German army in 1944 and captured in a stores depot by the Americans.

 

Sold in 1946 to the Styrian Government Railways in Austria and then on to The Zillertalbahn (ZB) again in Austria from where it arrived on the WLLR in 1969.

 

Originally a tender loco, It was converted to a tank loco in 1957 and It is now an 0-8-0T and was given the name of ‘Sir Drefaldwyn’ (translated as ‘Montgomeryshire’) by the WLLR.  

 

Again like Monarch, it might be some time before it is seen in service again.

THE WELSHPOOL AND LLANFAIR LIGHT RAILWAY (WLLR) Part 1 of 8

 

It is 25 years since I last visited the WLLR. On that visit I was accompanied by sons Andrew and Robert. This time, I only had Andrew for company because Robert has moved onto other interests (like beer, women and Sunderland AFC).

 

Authorized by the Light Railways Act of 1896, it opened in April 1904 as a ‘Common Carrier’ line, it was intended to improve communications in the area. 

 

Never having turned a profit it closed in November 1956.

 

Taken over by enthusiasts, it was re-opened progressively from West to East in 1963. Unable to use the original terminus in Welshpool, the railway now terminates at 

Raven Square on the outskirts of the town. 

 

The track gauge is 2 feet 6 inches and the distance between the termini is 8 and a half miles.

 

The image above shows the platform and station buildings at Llanfair Caereinion. The two coaches are dealt with in detail elsewhere in this piece.