Restoration of SRJ No. 33 and other notes from Swe

Now I’m learning how to this blog business! Click on any image to bring up a larger version!

This is one of my favorite days out from Stockholm.  You can do it as a round trip by 106yr old steamship, narrow gauge railway, modern standard gauge  Or vice versa, or steam ship – NG train – steam ship …. or, well combination you wish! What follows is a compilation of several visits, including yesterday!  I do this trip two or three times a year.

The Östra Södermanlands Järnväg (Eastern Sölerman Railway) is a 600mm museum railway laid on a couple of old standard gauge branch lines west of Stockholm.  So far 4km open, 7 km under construction.  They have an eclectic collection of Swedish Narrow Gauge equipment including 9 steam locos (7 currently operational), 6 diesel locomotives, 1 battery electric locomotive and 1 petrol railcar as well as 18 passenger vehicles and a fascinating collection of freight vehicle, most operational.

left: One of two mallets (both operational) on the line No. 5 Hamra (Orenstein & Koppel 1902) and right: some of the operational carriages.

So, trip on the ÖSLJ.  Depart from Stockholm City Hall at 10am on Mariefred, a 106 year old steamship that has, bar renovations, been doing this route for all that time! Steak dinner in the dining room or sandwiches from the cafe on deck with 3½ hrs of steaming through the islands of Lake Malaren.

The train meets you at the pier-head and takes you into Mariefred itself.

For those that like castles and/or paintings, the Swedish National Portrait Collection is housed in Gripsholm Castle, right beside the station.  For me however it is usually the station cafe overlooking the yard and/or a tour around the workshops, you can usually find someone who is delighted to take you around!

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