Steam Relics in Macedonia 2022

Thomas Kautzor was in Macedonia on March 10th/11th and 25th/26th, 2022 and updates James Waite's 2008 report.

On 9th September 2022 Thomas returned and visited Gevgelija, where JZ 61-011 is preserved near the station. He also photographed JZ 99.4-025 from the other side.

JZ 99.4-025 (Vulcan 3219/1916, ex HFB 899) is plinthed with five carriages inside the Gjorche Petrov Park in Skopje. The nearby Gjorche Petrov station was once the terminus of the 600mm gauge line to Kicevo, Ohrid and Struga, until it was converted to standard gauge. The locomotive carries a set of Henschel 15079/1917 builder’s plates from JZ 99.4-052 in Kicevo. It was previously plinthed at the MZ Lisice Depot and at the Skopje pioneer railway station.

Thomas returned in September 2022 and the light was such he could photograph it on the other side.

JZ 99.4-053 (Henschel 15079/1917, ex HFB 1066) is plinthed in front of Kicevo station together with three passenger carriages. It has the numbers 9.4-025 painted on it, which is in fact the locomotive in Skopje. Currently, MZT doesn’t operate any passenger trains to Kicevo anymore as the 661 class diesels previously used on that line are too heavy for the track.

JZ 83-064 (760mm gauge, Jung 3546/1923, 198x ex JZ Lajkovac, 1933 ex SHS RU 20) is still plinthed at the Vlado Tasevski Technical High School in Lisice (Skopje). It is missing its chimney.

JZ 33-090 (Jung 11245/1944, ex DRG 52 3234) is stored at Lisice Depot in Skopje. It is sometimes used for public events and by film crews. Also at Lisice is industrial 0-6-0T 62-384 (DD 384/1954) which used to work at a sugar factory.

JZ 01-046 (BMAG 7956/1922, 1933 ex SHS 1046) is dumped in the undergrowth at Veles station.

Along the shores of Lake Ohrid, the only visible remains of the 600mm gauge branch to Struga are the remains of a small bridge over a stream.

In September 2022, Thomas returned to visit Gevgelija, where JZ 61-011 (Henschel 19498/1922, 1933 ex SHS 2011) is plinthed at the station.

Fireless 0-6-0F LBV 05 (DD 1964) is thought to be stored at the OKTA oil rafinery in Bujkovtsi (Skopje). The refinery is closed and only the oil storage tanks are in use.