AUSTRIA 2007


Day 0 – Monday April 16th

I’ve called this ‘Day 0’ as the holiday didn’t really begin until the Tuesday – Monday was just a positioning move to get there! A lunchtime drive across to Manchester Airport, and we were on the 15.55 Thomsonfly flight from Manchester to Salzburg, arriving around 19.30. A trolleybus took us in the Salzburg station, and from there is was a 2 minute walk to the 4-star Renaissance Hotel, where I’d obtained a reasonably priced twin room via Octopus Travel.

After checking in (and getting one of the staff to use a boltcutter to break a suitcase padlock after my travelling companion lost his key!) we headed for the station to see what was around, followed by a beer in the station bar.

Day 1 – Tuesday April 17th

The first day of our Austrian Eurodomino (RIP) ticket saw us travel from Salzburg to Innsbruck (which was to be our base for three nights), but via a circuitous route, visiting a new country, Slovenia, on the way! A sociable 09.04 start from Salzburg saw us travel on a Munchen-Klagenfurt/Beograd service. Motive power was an 1116 ‘Taurus’ loco to Villach, where the train split. The 1116 continued to Klagenfurt with the main portion, whilst a Slovenian ‘Taurus’ 541001, took our part of the train forward.

We alighted at the first stop in Slovenia, Jesenice, for what should have been a 35 minute wait for a train back, allowing time for pictures of one or two Slovenian locos. Unfortunately, our return loco, 541002, failed before departure from Jesenice, and we encountered a 50 minute delay while a replacement loco (an OBB 1116) was taken off a freight to replace the ‘demic’ 541. The 1116 took us back to Villach, being replaced there by a Class 1044. We took this train back as far as Schwarzach St Veit, the plan being to catch the 16.11 service from here across to Innsbruck. Unfortunately, our late running meant we missed this and had to wait around 90 minutes for the next service, but the time was filled by visiting the station restaurant for a meal of schnitzel with pasta, apple strudel and some beer. Adding interest at the station was a preserved Class 1245 electric, 1245514, on display as part of a railway museum.

The 18.11 service took us across to Innsbruck, arriving at around 20.30, and the hotel (the Hotel Sailer) was less than five minutes walk from the station. I’d again booked the rooms via Octopus Travel, and although the hotel was perfectly ok and I have no complaints, it wasn’t to the standard of the Renaissance despite being advertised as a 4 star. Still, at around £35 for a single room with breakfast, it was still good value.

Day 2 – Wednesday April 18th

The plan for today was to head west, covering most of the lines in Austria as well as a quick trip across the border into Germany, plus another to Sargans in Switzerland to link up my Swiss track with my Austrian. An early start was planned, and we were fortunate that breakfast at the hotel began at 06.00, which meant we had time to eat before walking to the station for the 06.38 departure to Bregenz, again hauled by an 1116 ‘Taurus’.

From what we saw of Bregenz, it appeared to be shut! I presume it comes to life more in the summer, particularly as it is next to a lake. We had to do a 4024 unit to get to Lindau, where a couple of DB 218s were observed – must do a visit there behind 218s at some time! It was then back as far as Feldkirch on the same unit, then onto another 1116 to Bludenz. Changing trains here, a private owner EMU took us through the valley on the Montafonerbahn to Schruns and back. Back again to Feldkirch (this time on an ICE – and I sampled the drivers eye view for the first time) where there was time for a quick lunch in the buffet before heading for Switerland.

Another private owner unit took us through to Buchs, where we had a quick change onto an SBB Re4/4 (11164) took us to Sargans. Alighting here, we walked up to the front of the loco for a picture, only to find the driver stood in front of the engine having a slash! I waited till he’d finished before I took my shot…..

There is a loop at Sargans, and our return took us on the other side of it, this time behind 11198 as far as Buchs, where it was replaced by 1116218 for the journey back to Innsbruck (this being a through train from Zurich). We sampled the on train catering on the return journey with a Wiener schnitzel and potatoes.

Arriving back at Innsbruck at around 17.20, the plan for the evening was to cover the 18.00 to Lienz, which had been diagrammed for a Class 1822 electric – only four members of this Class are in traffic, and all are expected to be withdrawn shortly and in all probability will be disposed of to another country. The diagrams proved to be correct, and 1822004 appeared on the train, which we took to Brenner, the border station with Italy. There was plenty of activity here involving freight services and loco changes and even an Italian passenger train, but unfortunately we were let down by poor weather (it had been raining when we arrived). We decided that, if it was better the next night, we would do another evening here. After an hour or so, we caught 1216234 back to Innsbruck.

Day 3 – Thursday April 19th

The trip today was originally planned to cover the Mittersill and Maryhofen (Zillertalbahn) branches, but in the event, the second of these was scrapped in favour of a couple of hour’s photting at Brenner. Our first move took us on a run behind one of the older electrics, 1144275, to Schwarzach St Veit where we photographed a plinthed kettle before returning to Zell am See behind ‘Taurus’ 1016001.I had been hoping that our trip to Mittersill would be behind one of the Class 2095 narrow gauge diesels as the 10.49 had been given in some diagrams as being one, but this proved not to be the case, and instead a Class 5090 ‘Kart’ was the power. With this branch expected to change ownership at some time in the future, I wanted to do it while still in OBB hands, although it was not possible to travel right through to Krimml as this section of line has been closed since following a flood. I am told that the line will be taken over by SLB, who intend rebuilding the line from Krimml through to Mittersill.

Back at Zell am See, we sampled the station buffet for a meal befoe catching an EC train (hauled by 1016034) back to Innsbruck. 1144248 then took us to Brenner where we spent a couple of hours photting the wide variety of traffic there – including Italian E405.029, Dispolok 189910, and Lokomotion 139312, a former DB machine. We returned to Innsbruck just before it got dark.

Day 4 – Friday April 20th

A hotel move today, as we headed for the east of Austria, to Wiener Neustadt. Our starting point was the 07.01 Innsbruck-Lienz, which produced, as anticipated, another new Class for haulage – a 189. This journey, despite starting and ending in Austria, spent a large chunk in Italy taking us through mountainous countryside – worth doing for the scenery, but not a lot of railway activity apart from when passing through Brenner. A quick change at Lienz saw us on 1142549 as far as Spittal Millstattersee, followed by 1116032 to Klagenfurt. The final leg took us to Wiener Neustadt behind a Class 1044, where we alighted to check in to our hotel, the Hotel Zentral, located around a 10-15 minute walk from the station in the town square.

One hour after our arrival at Wiener Neustadt, and having checked in and dumped our bags, we were back at the station and catching our next train – a double header of Classes 1144 and 1044 through to Wien Sud. The station has an excellent restaurant where you can sit out and watch the trams going by below (although, having sat out, we then retreated indoors as it was a bit chilly!). A meal was not the only reason for going to Wien Sud – we also went there to scratch in a Slovakian diesel for haulage! As booked, the 19.28 Wien Sud-Bratislava was a ZSR Class 754 (No. 754004) and we took this as far as Wien Erzherzog Karl Strasse for ‘Hercules’ 2016023 back. The ‘Hercules’ Class 2016 locos are the diesel equivalent of a ‘Taurus’, and make a Class 66 sound loud - they are almost silent! After a beer in Wien, we took a pair of 1116s back to Wiener Neustadt.

Day 5 – Saturday April 21st

A circular trip to Graz was the plan for today, involving a fair amount of travel in Hungary on the outward journey. A Class 2016 ‘Hercules’ was the power for the journey as far as Fehring, travelling via Sopron, Szombathely and Szentgotthard. Whilst 2016s may not be the most exciting of locos, at least it was loco-hauled and not a plastic kart! Unlike our journey from Fehring to Graz which was a pair of 5022 Siemens DMUs. Whilst on the DMU, we observed, at Feldbach, the service on the private owner Bad Gleichenberg branch. Two weeks previously, this had been worked by a 1930 built vintage electric following the failure of the line’s two units. Sadly, at least one of these had been repaired, as it was in service. Had it been the vintage electric, we would have leapt for a trip up the branch!

Arriving at Graz, there was a fair amount of activity, aided by the fact the depot is next to the station. There were a number of enthusiasts about, waiting for a railtour to arrive with a vintage Class 1189 electric – it hadn’t turned up by the time we left, and we learnt from a chap in the buffet on our train that it had been cancelled owing to lack of bookings. I was surprised that so many people had turned out for a tour which was cancelled – don’t the Austrians have yahoo gen groups like us to find these things out?

A Class 1144, 1144238, took us to Murzzuschlag where we had a look around the railway museum there (which had a few locos on display outside - steam and electric) before joining one of the OBB Nostalgie trains, hauled by 1046019 – built as motor luggage van, but reclassified as a loco and rebuilt in the 1970s or 80s with a new body. We alighted at Wiener Neutadt, in order to catch a faster train into Wien, arriving a few minutes before the 1046 which allowed us to photograph it arriving. After some food and drink, plus making a booking for the following day’s tour, we returned to Wiener Neustadt for the night.

Day 6 – Sunday April 22nd

On foreign trips, I often put one trip behind a ‘kettle’ in the book if possible, and this one was no exception. A railtour was running today from Wien Sud to Strasshof and back, advertised as being steam loco 17c.372, but in fact hauled by 109.13 as the former had not had its main line exam this year, so is confined to the Strasshof site. The journey took us on a rake of 4-wheeled coaches round the outskirts of Wien, and following a photostop at Oberlaa (where everyone was free to roam the tracks!) we did a complete loop of Kledering yard. On arrival at Strasshof, 109.13 was removed from the train and 17c.372 coupled to the other end, this loco then reversing our train into the platform.

Strasshof is a former steam depot which is now in preservation, and the site houses a huge collection of steam and electric locos, plus a few diesels. It would probably be best described as the Austrian equivalent of Carnforth when it was known as Steamtown, or Barrow Hill (but without the roundhouse!). Today was the opening day for the 2007 season, and the events taking place included a loco parade, whereby various locos came out of the shed for the crowds to see, and its history was explained using a loudspeaker. Inside the depot was very atmospheric, as demonstrated by this picture.

The railtour had around 5 hours at Strasshof, but we elected to return earlier, so that we could do another trip that afternoon, so after around 2 hours on site, we caught a shuttle back to the Strasshof OBB station, hauled by a former OBB shunter, 2060074. As we approached the station, a Class 2016 passed on the main line heading towards the Czech Republic with a load of old boarded up EMU stock (possibly ex PKP?) – had we been a few minutes earlier, a shot would have been obtained.

An ‘S bahn’ service took us back into Wien, and we made our way, via Bruck a d Leitha, to Neusiedl am See. I had been expecting our train to Bruck a d Leitha to be Class 1014 hauled as it was through to Bratislava, but in fact it was one of the new dual voltage Class 4124 EMUs – anyone going for one of these trains, you have been warned! The reason for doing to Neusiedl was to catch the vintage diesel to Pamhagen and back. This train runs daily throughout the summer, and is particularly popular with cyclists (or are they just lycra fetishists!?), conveying a bike van as well as one coach fitted with bike racks. Motive power for the train was restored Class 2050 loco no. 2050.09, one of three members of the Class retained for OBB’s nostalgic fleet when the rest were withdrawn. The outward run to Pamhagen, which is on the border with Hungary, was relatively quiet, but the return journey filled up, with few seats.

The return train from Panhagen runs through to Wien, and it had originally been our intention to travel on this throughout. However, there was a quick change of plan when, at Parndorf Ost, where we rejoined the main line, we were let out ahead of a Class 1014 on a working from Bratislava. Our next stop was Bruck a d Leitha, and I had a pretty good idea the 1014 would stop there too – so we alighted there, and caught the 1014 (a required Class) in to Wien, arriving just a few minutes after the 2050. Time for a few phots and something to eat (goulash this evening) before heading back to Wiener Neustadt for our last night there.

Day 7 – Monday April 23rd

When we originally planned this holiday, the intention for today had been to do a day trip to Budapest from Wiener Neustadt, and on day 8 travel across to Salzburg for the flight back to Manchester. However, after booking the flights, Thomsonfly decided to change the return flight from Tuesday to Monday. As this would result in a loss of one day of the holiday, we said “no thanks, refund please”….  We found another flight, from Budapest to Manchester using Jet2.com, and so the day trip to Budapest become a one way journey, plus a night there, and some extra time to look round the city – which I wasn’t complaining at as I’d never been there before.

With the 6 day Austrian Eurodomino having been used up the previous day, we had to get single tickets from Wiener Neustadt to Budapest – on buying these at the ticket office, we were told we would also have to buy a reservation on the train after Sopron, but in the event, although our tickets were checked, we weren’t “chinged” – perhaps they decided it was too much effort to try and explain it to two Englishmen!

We caught a through train from Wiener Neustadt to Budapest, with 2016100 providing power to Sopron, where GySEV ‘Taurus’ 1047502 took over. Ths was somewhat disappointing, as I would have preferred an older GySEV electric, rather than another ‘Taurus’ loco just painted in a different colour. (Incidentally, GySEV is a company owned jointly by Austria and Hungary, and has a rather attractive Green and Yellow colour scheme.)

We arrived at Budapest Keleti on time just before lunch, and immediately made our way to our hotel, the Golden Park which was less than 2 minutes walk from the station. A 4 star place, I’d obtained an excellent room rate of £55 for a twin room via (again) Octopus Travel. We decided to do a bit of tourism that afternoon, a break from the railways for once, and arranged to go on one of the tourist buses for a trip around the city – which is a good way of seeing most of the main attractions in a short space of time. The tour was ‘hop on hop off’ so after having covered the ‘Pest’ side of the city, we alighted on the ‘Buda’ side for a trip up the funicular railway (getting both cars in of course – one up for the other back!). Back onto another bus for a trip up around the castle and then to Gellert Hill, where we discovered a London Routemaster in use as a bar! Time for a beer I think, as seen here. Stunning views from the hill too.

Back at the start point, we made our way to Budapest Deli via the Metro for a bit of photography. Among the locos present were two which are now in use as static generators, VF10/11. Having obtained our pictures, we then walked to ‘The Clock’, a bar less than five minutes away which does Hungarian meals. I opted for the duck breast in a sauce with potatoes, and would highly recommend the place for eating traditionally away from the tourists. The place is so named as it is covered in clocks on the walls and behind the bar. After finishing, we went back to our hotel via the Metro.

Day 8 – Tuesday April 24th

Last day today, and we decided to visit the Hungarian Railway Museum in Budapest. The museum operates a shuttle service from the city’s Nyugati station, around 3 or 4 times a day, so we made our way there and (eventually) obtained tickets. The shuttle was worked by a rather ancient single car unit, which rattled and farted the whole journey to the museum. The place boasts a large collection of rolling stock, including steam locos positioned around the turntable, an M61 diesel, and several electrics, one of which (a V41) which was painted in rather a similar colour scheme to the prototype Deltic! We had around three hours here, which was probably a bit long, but we did find the museum buffet doing a reasonable chicken and chips which filled the last hour or so.

We caught the unit back to Nyugati, where we had around 30 minutes for a photo or two, before heading for Keleti, where we found an Eastern European icon, a Trabant, conveniently postioned next to a loco for a photograph! It was then to the hotel to pick up our bags, from where we caught a taxi to the airport for the flight to Manchester.