In the beginning of April, The National Institute of Heritage has settled the first competition of the subsidy program Volunteering for Heritage. The project of our Association Technical Education as a promotion of volunteering for railway heritage in Skierniewice Engine Shed was appraised very high and will receive the required support. The last thing to be done is to complete the documentation required for signing the agreement.

The project is intended to surpass the multiple obstacles which discourage new people in volunteering in railway heritage renovation works. We will publish the details of the project soon.

We would like to inform you that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration approved and registered a collection (application No 2016/1054/OR) organized by PARE for revitalization of Skierniewice Shed and its collection. The collection will be conducted to the collection boxes in the premises of Skierniewice Shed.

We would also like to encourage you to devote your 1% of income tax to PARE or donate directly to our bank account 52 1240 6218 1111 0000 4617 3535 (PeKaO S.A.).

The best wishes of happy and blessed Easter!

Members, Volunteers and Board of
Polish Association of Railway Enthusiasts

During the planning of events for 2016 we were estimating some of the days of the common celebrations across the Poland taking into account the past agreements. Sometimes this may prove troublesome – this is why we were surprised that Night of the Museums, which traditionally took place on third weekend of May will be moved to later term. So due to the reasons independent of us, to keep pace with the common event coordinated by the City Council of Skierniewice, we will postpone the Railway Night of Museums to 14^th May.

Another change is more positive and regards adding new event on 7^th May – the Evening in the Shed. At 8PM we would like to invite you to the presentation by Dr Ariel Ciechański and the accompanying discussion regarding the approach to organizing railway museums – a choice between modern and genuine. The meeting will be a part of the Educational Workshop sponsored by BZ WBK Foundation.

In the middle of March we have signed one more subsidy agreement. City Council of Skierniewice in open submission granted us 6500 PLN for realization of task Adaptation of historic buildings for museum or cultural purposes. Together with the own capital of 1625 PLN it will be devoted for the most urgent track repairs in the Shed. Still, the amount is lower than we expected, so most of the works will have to be conducted with our own forces.

After receiving the money, but before starting any actual works, we will have to buy the required track materials and just then we will be ready for regeneration of the most damaged parts of the Shed’s track layout. The works will start probably on the turn of May and June, but we would already like to invite the volunteers to help.

In principle, the Engine Shed is not accessible to tourists outside the season, nevertheless we always try to respond to the requests of organized groups. Quite a common guests are the fans of vintage car or road vehicles. On Saturday, 19^th March, the Shed was visited by the first such group this year. During the event “Time for Mig”, about 50 enthusiasts of city transport took a trip along the roads of Skierniewice and nearby towns in two vintage buses.

The background for the excursion were the railways surrounding Skierniewice, and the main attraction – one of the oldest buses of Skierniewice mass transit operator (MZK) – Jelcz M11 (nicknamed “Mig”). According to the organizes, this vehicle (number plate ES 03213) from 1988 is one of the few of its kind still in working order. Jelcz buses arrived on the Skierniewice roads, dominated by Autosan H9-35 types, in late 1985 with the first models PR110. Soon the modernized model M11 also appeared here. The main attraction of the event is cruising the roads of Skierniewice without any relocation to other towns since it left the Jelcz factory.

From 26^th to 28^th February, as each year, we participated in touristic fairs in Łódź – Where Cultures Meet – and promoted the value of the historical Depo in Skierniewice and its collection. One could meet our colleagues at Shed’s stand, talk with them about the oncoming touristic season and receive promotional leaflets with Open Days calendar. For us it was also the opportunity to refresh old and establish new contact. We hope that new acquaintances will result in interesting joint projects.

As each year, between 26^th and 28^th February we will take part in Touristic Fairs in Łódź – Where Cultures Meet. This is one of two such events in which we participate regularly to promote the value of Skierniewice Engine Shed and its railway collection.

The fairs will take place in Expo Hall at Politechniki Alley 4 in Łódź. This time you can find us at a modest but our own stand (number 106). We would like to invite all interested to meet with us during those three days of Fairs.