Poznań 2021-10-26

The “Wielkopolanin” train in practice. 1964 – 1988

Photo description: Among other things, this EU07-001 locomotive pulled the “Wielkopolanin” train.

In Poland, the first express trains were launched in 1926. After World War II, in 1947, PKP reintroduced the express train category. In timetables, these trains were marked with the letter E, and then with the letters Ex. In 1962, express connections were developed in Poland. Not only did Warsaw gain good rail connections with major cities in Poland, but also individual cities between themselves. This was related to the commencement of serial production of EU07 electric locomotives, which were perfectly suited to servicing express and fast trains on electrified railway routes.

In the PKP railway timetable from September 1961 to September 1962, a large number of new express trains appeared. Some of these connections were serviced by two trains, and the rest by one train. The latter meant that the train serviced the route in one direction until noon, and the other in the afternoon. The exceptions were the Warsaw-Gliwice and Warsaw-Gdynia routes, where as many as four trains ran.

It is worth mentioning that due to the sections of individual routes not yet electrified, the expresses were pulled by steam locomotives on these sections. There were situations when a steam locomotive was attached in front of the electric locomotive and the non-electrified section of the route was covered in this way.

From Poznań to Katowice, a single express train, the “Wielkopolanin”, was launched, the route of which was extended to Kraków in 1964. The route was covered by one train. Departure from Poznań took place at 06:00, and the train reached Kraków at 12:00. The train set off on the return route at 16:00 and by 22:00 the train was in Poznań.

In the following years, many express trains were downgraded to express trains. This was due to the low profitability of the “Wars” restaurant car, which was replaced by the “Wars” buffet car, where the following were standardly offered: bigos, tripe and beans in Breton. In addition, coffee, tea and beer. In some trains, even the “Wars” buffet car was liquidated. This was the case with the “Wielkopolanin” train, for example. However, in return, there were travelling salesmen on the trains who offered PepsiCole (since 1973), “Kryniczanka” water, and “Podwawelskie” beer produced in the brewery on Lubicz Street near the Kraków Główny station.

The “Wielkopolanin” train had numbered seats and passengers were required to have a seat reservation for 10 złoty. Seat reservations were sold only at the starting stations, and a ticket with a seat reservation could be purchased no earlier than 30 days before the planned journey. The cashier marked the sold seats on a special form in the binder. The passenger received a cardboard ticket and a cardboard seat. Passengers boarding at intermediate stations, if they were lucky and found a free seat, showed their ticket when the conductor arrived and bought a seat.

The “Wielkopolanin” train from Poznań usually set off from Platform 1. In turn, in Kraków, the train ended its run on Platform 2A, which was the front platform. This platform was located where the back of the Galeria Krakowska shopping mall is now. Next to the platform were numerous railway tracks where passenger trains waited and where they were cleaned.

The “Wielkopolanin” train had 6-8 carriages, including 1-2 1st Class carriages. All carriages belonged to the “Y” series. All carriages had compartments. The heating was steam and electric. The lighting in the compartments and in the corridor was by means of fluorescent lamps. At that time, the cars were divided into smoking and non-smoking sections. There were additional dustbins/ashtrays in the smoking compartments. The windows in the car were divided into an upper section that opened downwards and a lower section that was stationary. There were folding tables in the compartments, two larger ones under the window and two smaller ones by the door. Bottle openers were placed under the tables. Numbers with the seat number were placed above the seats. In addition to the seat numbers, there were pictures-photos with views of Poland and a mirror. Double luggage racks were placed above the heads of the passengers. Shallower ones below, for small luggage, deeper ones above for suitcases. The shelves were made of aluminium alloys, in silver or gold. Gold-coated aluminium alloys were developed especially for the Hungarian railways in PaFaWag at the beginning of the 1960s.

Each car had two toilets near the entrance doors. The toilets were open, meaning they could only be used when the train was running. The water in the sink in the 1st Class toilet was often warm.

In 1st Class, there were 9 compartments and 6 seats in each compartment with seats that could be pulled out by 10 cm. Each passenger had an individual lamp. There was carpet on the floor, which made the compartment a bit quieter. The cars were painted dark green on the outside. There was a yellow (gold) stripe above the windows. A white class number and the information “for smokers” and “for non-smokers” were placed by the entrance doors.

In 2nd Class, there were 10 compartments in the car with the same length of the car. That is why the compartment was a bit tighter. There were 8 seats in the compartment, 4 seats on two benches each. The cars were painted dark green without a yellow stripe above the windows.

If there was a bar car “Wars” in the train, it had half the car with 2nd Class compartments. The rest was a buffet and tables for eating meals standing up.

The “Wielkopolanin” train from Poznań traveled through the following stations: (Route No. 320), Środa Wielkopolska, Jarocin, Ostrów Wielkopolski, Kępno, Kluczbork, (Route No. 320 and 180), Lubliniec, Tarnowskie Góry, Bytom (Route No. 315), Katowice, (Route No. 140), Mysłowice, Trzebinia and Kraków Główny. The length of the route is 399 km. The entire route was double-track and electrified.

A typical car of the “Wielkopolanin” train. The car belongs to the “Y” type and is marked 111A, Bwxz (51 51 20-80 107-8). The car is derived from the 104A car. It was manufactured in the HCP plant. In total, over 20 years (1969 – 1989), 2,825 wagons of this type were built. To date (2021), approximately 1,500 wagons are in use, which have undergone various modernizations. The wagon is 24.50 m long. Width 2.91 m. Height 4.06 m. Service weight 39,500 kg. Speed ​​120 km/h. The wagon has 80 seats. The wagon can accommodate 170 passengers. The presented wagon was renovated in 2015 and is one of the original ones.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman