Steam in the Ukraine

David Huntbatch comments:

Steam in the Ukraine today is essentially not working steam, as it is pretty much controlled by the Dzherelo Company who operate tourist trains there. Nevertheless if you want to see former Soviet steam classes at work this is an option worth considering. The Dzherelo Company owns and operates up to 14 locomotives from a variety of classes, basing them at depots around the country mostly in the west at Gaivoron (narrow gauge) Kolomiya, and Grechany. There are plans to restore a P36 4-8-4 to add to the list and even a plan to restore the last remaining JS 2-8-4 currently plinthed at Kiev Station.

Locomotives used over the New Year holiday period were Gr 750mm gauge 0-8-0 No 280 built by LKM, FD 2-10-2 No. 2714, SO17 2-10-0 No 4371 an oil burner, SU 2-6-2 No 251-86, Alco built Yea 2-10-0 No 2026, L 2-10-0's Nos 3535 and 5141 and E's 735-72 (Em) and 797-86 (Er) All are in reasonable mechanical condition but are only really worked on runpasts, diesel support being used the rest of the time. So the show goes on. Certainly over New Year there is plenty of snow in Ukraine, particularly in the Carpathian Mountains and locomotives present a spectacular sight.

If you want working steam locomotives then Ukraine is not for you but if you want spectacular noisy big steam action, albeit staged, then there is a lot to see here.

Below are some thumbnails David's trip at New Year 2003/4: