Content:

• Izmir area / Alsancak network (ORC)
• 1976
• 1977

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

1976

Boeing 707 at Izmir 20th March 1976. The 1976 trip started with an internal flight from Istanbul to Izmir, and here we see our 707 after landing at Izmir.

57014 between Izmir and Selcuk 20 March 1976. Straight into a hire car at the airport and south down the main road to Selcuk to find the daily train from Izmir to Denizli

57014 between Izmir and Selcuk 20 March 1976. Sorry about the vagueness of the location but we didn't get quite organised on that first day

57014 between Izmir and Selcuk 20 March 1976. The 1935 built Henschel 2-10-2's crew soon get the message about providing some black smoke. This was the train hauling the two old tenders, which I posted some months ago.

57014 at Selcuk 20 March 1976. Leaving Selcuk with the mosque on the right hand side.

57014 between Selcuk and Çamlık 20 March 1976. On the very steep climb from Selcuk up to Çamlık the railway leaves the road for early part of the climb

57014 between Selcuk and Çamlık 20 March 1976. And returns to the roadside near these ancient ruins, which someone once told me have now been removed. Can anyone confirm that?

57014 between Selcuk and Çamlık 20 March 1976. Approaching the summit of the climb, somewhat surprisingly unaided.

56912 at Çamlık 20 March 1976. 1926 built Corpet Louvet 2-10-0 sits at Çamlık presumably between banking duties.

57016 at Çamlık 20 March 1976. With the Denizli train waiting at Çamlık, we go in search of the northbound train hauled by another 2-10-2.

57016 at Çamlık 20 March 1976.
And it stands in the sun at Çamlık. Notice this loco has three headlights on the buffer beam whereas 57014 only have two.

57016 at Çamlık 20 March 1976. The highly polished loco is a credit to its crew.

57016 between Selcuk and Izmir 20 March 1976. Another shot of the northbound train somewhere north of Selcuk

57016 between Selcuk and Izmir 20 March 1976. The same location with a shorter lens

46106 at Tire 20 March 1976. We then went to explore the Ödemiş branch and found this Robert Stephenson 2-8-2 at Tire.

46106 at Tire 20 March 1976. This example was the last of the class of six built in 1932. The first four were built in 1929 and the last two in 1932.

46106 at Tire 20 March 1976. The front end of this very attractive loco

46106 at Tire 20 March 1976. Detail of the personal embellishment on the smokebox hinges

46106 at Tyre 20 March 1976.

46106 leaving Tire 20 March 1976. Does anyone know the working arrangements on the Ödemiş branch in steam days. Did the train go up to Tire going both up to Ödemiş and coming back? Did the loco work tender first in one direction or did it turn at Tire and at Ödemiş. I once heard that they had to split the engine and tender to turn on the Ödemiş branch, is that true or a myth? If true was it at Ödemiş or Tire?

46106 near Çatal 20 March 1976. The same train near Çatal

Çatal station name board 20 March 1976. I took this picture of the station name board because we have a similar named station in Yorkshire, England.

46106 at Çatal 20 March 1976. A few detail shots at Çatal

46106 at Çatal 20 March 1976. The side on low lighting shows the loco at its best

46106 at Çatal 20 March 1976. Studying the timetable 28 years later I believe this to be the 15-00 from Ödemiş arriving at Izmir at 21-25, this for a distance of 112km plus the round trip up the Tire branch a further 22kms.

46106 at Çatal 20 March 1976. The departure from Çatal in lengthening shadows

46106 at Çatal (Ödemiş branch) 20 March 1976

46106 near Çatal 20 March 1976. Last two pictures of a very successful first day of the trip.

46106 near Çatal 20 March 1976. Once again the shorter lens shot 

44017 at Hilal crossing 21 March 1976. Just before dawn a suburban train from Alsancak approaches the flat crossing at Post B

Izmir Alsancak station 21 March 1976. A view of Alsancak station after the morning departures

Izmir Alsancak station 21 March 1976. And a view looking towards the buffer stop on the same platform

56914 and 44017 Izmir Alsancak 21 March 1976. A couple of locos waiting for their next duties

44017 Izmir Alsancak 21 March 1976. Notice the storage place for the red disc when not in use!

Izmir Alsancak station 21 March 1976. A view from the other platform at Alsancak station

Izmir Alsancak station 21 March 1976. The two platforms appeared to be almost mirror images of each other

Izmir Alsancak station 21 March 1976. This view shows the layout with the two platforms separated by a couple of carriage sidings.

56914 and 44017 Izmir Alsancak 21 March 1976. A final view of the two locos before we move on. Has the layout changed much with electrification?

Trolleybus outside Alsancak station 21 March 1976. Outside the station a couple of pictures of trolleybuses

Trolleybus outside Alsancak station 21 March 1976.

44017and 57000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 76. We then moved further out of the city centre to capture the daily 9-35 Alsancak to Denizli

44017and 57000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 76. The 0-8-0 and 2-10-2 were struggling with a very heavy train

44017and 57000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 76. In all the excitement I failed to record the train loco number.

44017and 57000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 76. The train was moving so slowly we were able to scramble down onto the trackside and run passed the train to get this picture coming out of a cutting

44017and 57000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 76. And 50 yards further on another picture. I must have been fit in those days (sadly not any more).

44017and 57000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 76. With the steep climb through the Izmir suburbs behind it the train accelerates southwards

44017 Izmir suburbs 21 March 1976. Notice the remains of an aqueduct in the background. Is it still there?

44017 Izmir suburbs 21 March 1976. A closer view of the same train

57013 Izmir suburbs 21 March 1976. One of the very attractive lightweight 2-10-2s, this one built by Henschel in 1935

44000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 1976. We then returned to Izmir for the evening 'rush' hour trains. Sadly they coincided with deterioration in the weather.

44000 Izmir suburbs 21 March 1976. A last picture in Izmir before the start of a long drive east to photograph the 11-00 departure from Konya the following morning

Another ex Prussian G8 0-8-0 44000 with a southbound afternoon train in the Izmir suburbs

57013 heads south through the Izmir suburbs 21 March 1976

Old tender line-up 20 March1976 An old tender in a southbound freight between Izmir and Selçuk 20 March 1976. The lead "tender" was at Çamlık in late 1998. This seems to be an amalgamation of side tanks from a loco with a tender frame; otherwise it makes no sense with offset tanks and no rear. The second tender pure British - Great Western Railway. The ORC bought 4 old steam locos after World War 1 from the British Army, 2 were "Dean Goods" and two were Armstrong "Standard Goods " Presumably after the loco was scrapped the tender was re-used.

1977

44071 leaving Izmir Alsancak 6 March 1977.
Next departure produced a Prussian designed 0-8-0

44071 leaving Izmir Alsancak 6 March 1977.
The rear three quarters shot catches a bit of glint from the low sun

44071 leaving Izmir Alsancak 6 March 1977.
44071 heads away towards the flat crossing at Hilal.

Ex Prussian 0-8-0 44000 on an evening suburban working in Izmir. 6 March 1977 

56911 leaves Izmir Alsancak station 6 March 1977

56911 leaving Izmir Alsancak 6 March 1977.
The following morning a Corpet Louvet 2-10-0 heads away from Alsancak with an early morning commuter service.

57018 in the Izmir suburbs 6 March 1977. Back to Izmir in time for the evening 'rush' hour.

57018 in the Izmir suburbs 6 March 1977. Do people still use the railway as a footpath? In the UK there has been a big clamp down on trespassing on the railway with high steel fencing appearing everywhere.

44000 in the Izmir suburbs 6 March 1977. Next train up had a Prussian G8 designed loco hauling it, which I never recorded the number of.

44000 in the Izmir suburbs 6 March 1977. No pedestrians in the picture this time.

57018 in the Izmir suburbs 6 March 1977. The last picture of the day shows the 2-10-2 returning back down the hill towards Izmir.

56913+57013 Izmir suburbs 6 March 1977.
We now move into the Izmir suburbs to photograph the southbound train to Denizli, which appears with the second loco hidden by escaping steam from the pilot loco 

57013 near Torbalı 6 March 1977.
We decided to chase the train south. In this picture the train has stopped for water and the two locos have uncoupled, allowing this picture of the train engine.

56913 near Torbalı 6 March 1977.
The pilot loco takes water

56913+57013 near Torbalı 6 March 1977. And then sets back to recouple to the train, while the locals scratch through the cinders from the ashpan

56913+57013 near Torbalı 6 March 1977. Getting into their stride after Torbalı

56913+57013 near Torbalı 6 March 1977. Another grab shot before Selçuk

56913+57013 north of Çamlık 6 March 1977. On the steep climb between Selçuk and Çamlık, passing some ancient remains

56913+57013 north of Çamlık 6 March 1977. Near the summit of the climb. Does anyone have details of gradient profiles of the railways in Turkey?

56913+57013 entering Çamlık 6 March 1977. The pair finally arrive at Çamlık and the end of our chase

Old track alignment at Çamlık 6 March 1977. This is the only picture I took at Çamlık without a train at what I took to be a disused alignmen

56507 leaving Ortaklar with a train for Izmir 6 March 1977 t.

56507 at Ortaklar 6 March 1977.
A Kreigslok with a very bent smoke deflector

56507 at Ortaklar 6 March 1977.

56507 at Ortaklar 6 March 1977.
Standard front three quarters picture of a very clean loco

56507 near Ortaklar 6 March 1977.
The next four pictures are of the Izmir bound train heading for Camlik

56507 near Ortaklar 6 March 1977.
Sadly the day was warming up and consequently exhaust was at a premium

56507 near Ortaklar 6 March 1977.
A different angle shows the rich green countryside very different to other parts of Turkey we visited in the 1970ies

56507 nears Camlik 6 March 1977.
Last picture before Camlik and our decision to abhort this train and drive back to Izmir for the evening local departures.

56547 leaving Izmir Alsancak 7 March 1977. Sorry I missed one; a Kreigslok forms the first daylight departure from Alsancak.

56911 leaving Izmir Alsancak 7 March 1977

56911 leaving Izmir Alsancak 7 March 1977. First light sees a Corpet-Louvet struggling out of Alsancak

56911 leaving Izmir Alsancak 7 March 1977. As the train approached, the fireman climbed out of the cab, walked along the footplate and started working on the air pump.

44062 in the Izmir suburbs 7 March 1977.

44071+57000 at Hilal Crossing 7 March 1977. The morning train to Denizli at Hilal.

44000 in the Izmir suburbs 7 March 1977. Spot the ancient ruins!

44000 in the Izmir suburbs 7 March 1977. Half a dozen more pictures taken later that day in the Izmir suburbs.

44000 in the Izmir suburbs 7 March 1977. An unusual problem when taking these pictures were the local school children coming out of school and surrounding us making photography quite challenging.

44000 in the Izmir suburbs 7 March 1977. One of many taken as the train passes.

Ex Prussian 0-8-0 44000 heads a southbound morning local through the suburbs of Izmir. 7 March 1977

Interested locals in Izmir 7 March 1977. Spot the photographers!