Content:

• Samsun line
• Sivas Kayseri

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Copyright: rights to all pictures on this page reserved to Robin Lush. 

Samsun line

3556+3302 at Samsun 31 March 1974. A pair of tanks sitting in the morning sun at Samsun 31 March 1974

3556 at Samsun 31 March 1974. More traditional picture of 3556 at Samsun 31 March1974.

Rear three-quarter view of 3302 and 3556 at Samsun 31 March 1974.

45003 awaits its next turn of duty on Samsun depot 31 March 1974.

45061+45003 at Samsun 31 March 1974. A pair of Nohabs with their enginemen on Samsun shed 31 March 1974.

Highly polished front end on 45061, Samsun 31 March 1974.

Magnificent brass plates of 45003, where did they all go? Samsun 31 March 1974.

45013 leaving Samsun 31 March 1974. A Sivas train departing from Samsun

45013 near Ladik 31 March 1974. One of the pictures that the wind didn't quite ruin.

45013 leaves Ladik southbound 31 March 1974. Once in the loop the passenger train could continue south on its journey to Sivas. The freight train sits in the station in the background.

45060 entering Ladik 31 March 1974. At Ladik, the passenger had to wait for this northbound freight to arrive.

45060 waiting at Ladik 31 March 1974. Continuing the 1974. Trip with a little cameo at Ladik on the Samsun line

45013 leaving Havza 31 March 1974. On the journey south we soon catch up with the southbound passenger this time leaving Havza

45013 north of Amasya 31 March 1974. Detail shot of the G8/2 as it passes north of Amasya

45013 near Kavak. 31 March 1974

56117 heads north out of Amasya 31 March 1974. At Amasya we meet a northbound freight headed by the first of the Czechoslovakian built Henschels.

56117 between Amasya and Havza. 31 March 1974. Which we will see again between Amasya and Havza, prior to head southwards towards an overnight stop in Sivas

56000 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. Early the following morning we find a northbound freight on the line from Sivas to Samsun

2-10-0 east of Yıldızeli. 9 April 1975

56000 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. A stretch of line where the road and railway were in close proximity led to many similar pictures

56000 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The problem we found with this section of line was the telegraph poles and wires following the line-side on both sides. Fortunately not too obvious on side on type pictures

56000 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. A couple more shots of the freight before we move on to some thing else

56000 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. Same location as the last picture but taken with a shorter telephoto lens

45042 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The overnight Samsun to Sivas passenger train in the last hour of its 13 hour journey

Rail detail near Yildizeli 9 April 1975. Its amazing what one takes to finish off a film.

56166 + 45214 east of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The next northbound train on the Samsun line had a second loco coupled inside the usual 2-10-0. It turned out to be an American S160 which we believe was running in from Sivas Works in an unpainted state (more pictures after the next one).

56156 east of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. Looking in the other direction a southbound freight heads for Sivas

56166 + 45214 east of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. We soon caught up the northbound double header

56166 + 45214 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The S160 was an oil burner and was clearly being used to great photographic effect

56166 + 45214 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The lead loco 56166 was the last of its class being built in 1949 by Skoda, 12 years after the first members of the class were completed

56166 + 45214 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The side on view shows the unpainted state of the Baldwin 1943 built loco

13566 56166 + 45214 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. The S160 poured out black smoke for most of the time we followed it

13568 56166 + 45214 west of Yildizeli 9 April 1975. Last picture of the train before we started the long drive east to Erzincan, which at that time was uncharted territory.

13576 Bridge near Sivas with horse and cart 9 April 1975 An alternative form of transport which was very common in those days. Not very nice to meet in the dark.

45003 at Sivas 15 March 1977. After a long evening drive west to Sivas, we start the following day at Sivas station with the 07-35 train for Samsun awaiting departure

45003 at Sivas 15 March 1977. And on time the 1927 built Nohab 2-8-0 departs

General view of Sivas shed 15 March 1977. A solitary view of a fairly empty Sivas engine shed was taken before we set off after the Samsun train

45053 near Kalin 15 March 1977. We ran into very poor road conditions near Kalin and were very surprised to catch up a freight train ahead of the passenger we saw leaving Sivas

45003 near Kalin 15 March 1977. The brief bit of sunshine on the last picture sadly didn't last and when the passenger train arrived it was very dark

45003 near Yildizeli 15 March 1977. A cross shot in very poor photographic conditions

45003 near Yildizeli 15 March 1977. We persevered despite the dreadful weather

45003 near Yildizeli 15 March 1977. It was somewhere around here that we realised that the passenger had passed the freight, so after this shot we retraced our steps to get the freight in the last position

17964 45053 near Yildizeli 15 March 1977. Alas the weather was no better for the freight

17970 45053 near Yildizeli 15 March 1977. This was a position we had used on earlier trips but not with snow on the ground

After heavy overnight snow, a Nohab 2-8-0 45053 heads a Samsun train near Kalın 15 March 1977

Another version of 45053 near Kalın 15 March 1977

45053 near Yildizeli 15 March 1977. I particularly like this picture for the line of trees across the bottom of the picture. After this shot we decided to go to Zile since we hadn't been there before

45170 at Zile 15 March 1977. I don't remember much about Zile, except that we found this British built 2-8-0 of ex LMS design.

17978 45170 at Zile 15 March 1977. If you look carefully at the number plate it appears to be mounted on top of another plate. Any suggestions, WD plate perhaps?

17980 45021 at Amasya 15 March 1977. At Amasya we found a southbound train and some dramatic lighting

45021 at Amasya 15 March 1977. A view of the shadow side of the train

45021 at Amasya 15 March 1977. After this picture the weather closed in again, so we headed west once more

Group meeting near Atkaracalar 16 March 1977. I will finish tonight with a picture of a meeting of fellow English photographers, we were getting to the end of our trip and they were just starting theirs so we had arranged to be in the same area on that day to pass on information to them. We found them stuck in the mud on the roadside being pushed out by the locals, so after that we arranged this group shot. I will not embarrass those involved by naming them but we still meet on an annual basis even after 25 years

Sivas Kayseri

56124+56125 leaving Sivas. 1 April 1974. At dawn the following morning we find a pair of Czech built Henschels heading out of Sivas bound for Kayseri

56124+56125 heading for Kayseri from Sivas. 1 April 1974. With the clarity severely impaired due to the proximity of a nearby cement works, our pair of 2-10-0s get under way again after being looped for a diesel hauled passenger train to overtake them

56124+56125 near Hanlı. 1 April 1974. Once clear of the cement works influence the clarity and colours return as shown in this view of the train near Hanlı.

56124 close up detail near Tuzla. 1 April 1974. Not long after the last picture was taken, the train broke in two and the whole job ground to a halt whilst the wagons were reconnected. This gave the opportunity for a close up picture showing the fairly unusual position of the loco works plate on the cylinder cover.

56124+56125 near Havza 1 April 1974. A close up low down wide angle viewpoint emphasizes the power of these magnificent locomotives

56124+56125 near Tuzla? South of Sivas

45186 at Kayseri 1 April 1974. By now the weather had deteriorated so a brief visit to Kayseri station found only an American S160 on station pilot duties

Shed entrance at Kayseri 1 April 1974. In view of the poor conditions, we did not attempt to visit the shed and contented ourselves with this rather poor picture of the shed entrance. I think the long drive down to Mersin that evening was at the back of everybody's mind.

Station view at Kayseri 11 March 1977. After a tricky journey eastwards, we find ourselves on a snow covered platform at Kayseri

45183 at Kayseri 11 March 1977. The shunting and pilot work at Kayseri seemed to be in the hands of three American built S160 class locos

45176 at Kayseri 11 March 1977. Standard shot of 45176 a Lima built loco of 1944

45186 at Kayseri 11 March 1977. The third one of the trio 45186 another Lima product this time built a year earlier in 1943

45176 at Kayseri 11 March 1977. The final picture at Kayseri shows two of the pilots busy at work

56362 between Kayseri and Niğde 11 March 1977. Having seen this Skyliner departing for Ulukişla ( and beyond) we decide to give chase

56362 between Kayseri and Niğde 11 March 1977. The loco is working hard on what appeared to be a fairly level section of track. During the chase we noticed a door open half way down the train but no one on board seemed too concerned!

56362 between Kayseri and Niğde 11 March 1977. We only ever saw Skyliners on this line or on the Zonguldak line, did they work regularly anywhere else?

56362 between Kayseri and Niğde 11 March 1977. A wrong side shot for a bit of variety

56362 between Kayseri and Niğde 11 March 1977. Bit of a boring line photographically since the road and railway ran parallel for many miles with telegraph poles to contend with as well

56362 between Kayseri and Niğde 11 March 1977. Last picture of the day before we turned round and headed the car eastwards to Elazıg, our destination for that night

Skyliner 56362 2-10-0 between Kayseri and Niğde. 11 March 1977