The BeerTrain

Another (non-Easter) trip for the narrow gauge Alco's on the Peloponnese, south of Athens. A Roadshow of 31 Bashers including Flossie & Shovel accompanying me for most of the trip.  The really good news was that the main daytime hauled turn, although still terminating at Pirghos, then formed a service to Kiparissia. No more taxi's required to the hotels in Olympia, the Ionian hotel outside Kippy station very much back in use! Thursday 4th March 2004 91107       Doncaster – Kings Cross   0746 Newcastle – Kings Cross   156m 319429     Kings X TL – Luton Airport Parkway   1004 Brighton – Bedford   30m G-EZJB   Luton Airport – Athens   1340 Luton – Athens With a full evening here in Athens I expect we had a night in the Posh Brewpub in the City Centre, hellfire range of German style beers, including a great Schwarz (Black) beer & food like Schweinhaxe's to eat. A home-from-home! Friday 5th March 2004 A9106 is attac...

This was definitely NOT a single manned trip! Forewarned that the Swiss Railway society were running their special around Greece at the same time as Greek Easter meant a large contingent of 31 bashers / Crompton bashers & a few Peak bashers were all keen to attend. You could pay by the day on the Swiss trip so ideal. Me & Howey had booked our flights while staying in Sibenik on 27th December, the night the flights first came available, thanks to Howey's mate in the UK who did a sterling job for us other the phone. (# = new loco)    Thursday 02/05/02 A positioning move to get us in place for the following days Swiss tour with A206 & A302 . A day of unbelievable hay-fever, especially when we reached Stylis. Not sure who was worse me or Shovel! A483# Athens - Lianokladi 1320 Athens - Stylis 212km A206 at Llianokladi waits to work the Swiss tour of 03/05/02. A302 is in the background. A223 Lianokladi - Stylis 1320 Athens - Stylis 22km A223 at Stylis on the 17...

As Colin would say "Short trip - Long Report!" A "normal" holiday was required by her indoors "Let's go to Greece" she said. No problem but rather than go to an island with no railways I booked two weeks in Glyfada, a tourist resort south of Athens on the mainland. It's mainly used by the Greeks themselves with a nice beach, it has good access to both Athens & Piraeus so good for day trips to the islands. What to do for a fortnight? - you really only want to walk up that bloody hill to the Parthenon once I can tell you! I had a sneaky plan to abandon her for a couple of days to cover the lines from Diakopto to Kalavrita & Olympia to Katakolo. We made friends with another (Scottish) couple the first week who liked island hopping so I palmed her off on them & set off! Saturday 01/10/94 In order to cover both lines I needed to depart Piraeus before the hauled turn this morning, a shame but needs must. IC Unit  Athens - Diakopto  0...