One of our steam engines – class Tp3-36 – was serving as a stationary monument in Zbąszynek, far away from Skierniewice. A matter of distance seriously restricted our control over the engine. Due to the lack of fund for the purpose, we were not able to relocate it to the Shed. Fortunately, a couple of months ago, a branch of Polish Army Museum – the Museum of Armoured Arms – become interested in the engine. The museum is preparing a new exhibition and is looking for a locomotive typical for the Greater Poland area during the early years of inter-war period.

Soon we were contacted and started talking about the future fate of the locomotive. On 22^nd February the engine was moved on the tracks of Zbąszynek station and carefully shunted to the shed of Koleje Wielkopolskie, where it will undergo an external renovation. The feat was possible thanks to the invaluable help of Koleje Wielkopolskie and PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.. It was also a great opportunity for the crews of Emergency Trains from Poznań and Zielona Góra to exercise a re-railing of a vehicle. Once the renovation will be completed, the engine will be transported to the museum in Poznań. It will become a deposit-exhibit of our Shed.

Photo: D. Kiper, J. Czerwiński

We would like to express our gratitude to all involved in the relocation and our colleagues from Średzka Kolej Dojazdowa, who helped in preparation of the engine for relocation.

Despite the winter wind howling in most parts of the Shed, the signalling division of the association is at work. As you may recall from the previous post, we are currently renovating a small lever frame from a block signal box (built 1949). Every other weekend there are new parts added to it. This time it took us one Saturday to repair the electrical switches. You can see the switches before and after the process on the below pictures. Also, check out how the renovation was progressing ona short movie on our YouTube channel.

Once again 25 years of activity of our Association has been distinguished (the first time was the last year’s Steam Engine of Culture prize to our colleague Judyta Kurowska-Ciechańska). Thanks to the nomination by the people of Skierniewice we were appointed the Honorary Ambassador of Skierniewice. On 19^th February, during the gala on the occasion of 561^st anniversary of granting the town rights to Skierniewice, we received the honourable mention from the President of City of Skierniewice, Mr Krzysztof Jażdżyk. Apart from one company from Skierniewice we were the only legal entity to receive such prize. Thank you!

The end of the January is the time for the flat-tax payers to report to the tax office and soon the other tax payers will do the same after receiving their PIT-11 forms. This is also the time when we would like to ask you to support us with your 1% of income tasks.

Why is it worth to support us? We use the money received from the 1% as the own capital required to receive other funding actually multiplying its worth. Thanks to that we managed to accomplish the following in 2017:

• 26 194,90 PLN received from 1%,
• 22 000 PLN received from the Łódź Voivodeship’s Conservationist Office for the roundhouse roof repairs above stands 12 and 13,
• 26 250 PLN received from the Council of Łódź Voivodeship for the renovation of the pump house.
• 14 500 PLN received from the City Council of Skierniewice for track repairs.

Additionally, thanks to the support of the National Board of Heritage we organized a series of Volunteers Camps during which:

• we continued the renovation of the steam engine class Ol49-4,
• started rust-proofing of the engine class Ty51-1,
• continued upkeep of the Shed’s surroundings,
• repainted the turntable and the fence surrounding the Shed,
• prepare new exhibits for the exhibition of railway signalling.

How we will spend the 1% in 2018? Similarly to previous years, it will become the basis of the own capital required to receive further subsidies – mostly devoted for repairs of buildings. We would like to remind, that renovation of buildings is the first stage to our target which is the complete historical train in a working order. We will also continue the work by the rolling stock (class Ol49-4, TKp 6042) and the signal box equipment on the signalling exhibition.

To support us, remember to provide our KRS number 0000216091 on your PIT tax form and the pledged amount. Thank you!

On 18^th January results of the financing competition for non-profit organizations were revealed. We are happy to report that we were granted 20 000 PLN for the most urgent tasks regarding the maintenance of the tracks in the Shed. This amount will be increased by at least 5 000 PLN of own capital. We will start the works with the beginning of March and target the tracks leading to the turntable and the main track out of the shed.

We would like to express our gratitude to the city council. Soon we will provide more details to all those willing to help us in track repairs.

As promised, we would like to summarize the crowd-funding which helped us finance the own capital for the repair of the roundhouse’s roof above stands 12 and 13. Just as reminder, the funding received from the Łódź Voivodeship Conservationist Office amounted in 22 000 PLN.

Total spendings were:

• 11 042,77 PLN – invoiced for the roof repairs,
• 861 PLN – construction inspection,
• 220,37 PLN – crowd-funding operational costs.

Total: 12 124,14 PLN.

Received donations were:

• 7450 PLN – direct donations by PARE members or their relatives,
• 1013,07 PLN – direct donations by individuals not related with PARE,
• 6666 PLN – received from zrzutka.pl crowd-funding (6445,63 PLN without the above mentioned provision).

Total: 14 908,70 PLN nett (15 129,07 PLN gross).

The exceeding 3004,93 PLN will be devoted to other ongoing renovation works and to purchase the give-aways to the participants of the crowd-funding.

We would like to thank to all the supporters, especially the barrister’s office Duda Wasilewska Adwokaci sp.p., authors of railway law-related blog www.kolejnaprawo.pl. Soon we will contact you in regards of the give-aways.

May the magic of Christmass Eve bring you peace and hapiness.

May each moment of Christmass fill all hearts with love and kindness

and a New Year bring new perspectives and dreams.

All the best wish you the Board, Members and Volunteers of Polish Association of Railway Enthusiasts

Every day it’s getting colder outside. The low temperature remains also in an unheated space of the railway signalling and traffic control exhibition. Nevertheless, this fact did not discouraged us from continuing the work on renovation of yet another exhibit. This time we took care after the small lever frame from an intermediate signal box, yet another product of the former Railway Signal Works in Kraków (Państwowa Wytwórnia Sygnałów i Urządzeń Kolejowych). It’s one of the simplest standarized frames consisting of only two levers to control the block signals, very simple interlocking and a four-division block instrument. After completing the renovation, the frame will be prepared to cooperate with other devices from the exhibition, which are already in a working order.