Steaming Through Wolsztyn

For over twenty years, The Wolsztyn Experience provided an opportunity for railway enthusiasts to drive main line steam locomotives in Poland. This is Jeff Nicholls' personal story of his experiences, featuring the routes, the locos, the humour and surprises, and the Polish crews and characters who made the railway their life's work

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'A unique phenomenon ... it has real working steam trains'

For over twenty years, The Wolsztyn Experience provided an opportunity for railway enthusiasts to support and promote the last days of main line steam in Poland.

When Jeff Nicholls signed up for a week's Experience in 2002, it was to become the first visit of many. Returning year after year, Jeff worked side by side with the Polish crews, learning the essential skills of firing and maintaining their beloved engines.

But the Experience extended far beyond simply driving steam locomotives. This is also a story of branch lines and narrow gauge, freight and passenger trains, diesel and electric power, and the Polish crews and characters who made the railway their life's work.

A personal story of the highs and lows, the humour and surprises of steaming through Wolsztyn ...

'Working on the footplate of a steam locomotive is far from glamorous; it is dirty, gritty and hard work – with an element of danger thrown in ...' - JEFF NICHOLLS

Includes a map of the routes, a selection of high quality colour images, and fully illustrated throughout with many black and white photographs of the trains, the crews and the Experience.

‘What an adventure – told with such enthusiasm and wit’ - Stuart Samuel, author of Heavenly Tidings & Railway Sidings