172 photos

The final part of my two month InterRail started off with an Iberia Express flight from Birmingham to Madrid for the PTG Alco tour. The first night was in Madrid and then two nights in Zafra and then back to Madrid we had some great scenery and good Alco music. I resumed my own travelling with an Alvia to Albacete and then 334 power to Murcia and then same loco on to Alacant and a 252 to Valencia. I filled in time with a trip to Sagunt and then back to the Ibis Budget near the airport. Early Talgo next day to Barcelona via the new Vandellós deviation, I then returned south to Vilanova i la Geltrú and went round the museum outside the station. Once back in Barcelona I took a TGV to Narbonne and a couple of 7200 on the IC trains and one night in Béziers. I then made my way to Marseille, Thello to Milano and then a 1285 km with 401.021 all the way to Villa San Giovanni and after the boat 464 power all the way to Palermo Centrale. My main reason for coming to Palermo was to try and get a 464 to Agrigento, after a fair bit of hanging around (very poor service on a Sunday) but I did manage it so well truly pleased at doing it. I made my way back to the mainland next day and went as far north as Napoli for one night. Further north next day after a few trips to Aversa and then to Roma and took a train to Viterbo via Orte. Had one night in very comfy B&B and then back to Roma via Bracciano and a few bonus winners on the rush hour turns. I then took one of the Frecciarossa 1000 sets to Bologna but the interior was plastic seats which is a pet hate of mine, but it got me there quickly. I covered a few FER 464 turns but no luck so went to Ferrara and got photos of ex DB 220.074 which as usual was covered in graffiti. I did the diesel lines out of Padova and stayed at a nice hotel in Bassano del Grappa. Next morning to Verona and EC to Innsbruck and Railjet to Wien but lost about two hours with damage to the overhead wires in the Jenbach area. So a short night in Wien and then straight up into CD and on to Warszawa for one night and to cover three of the Łódź Fabryczna commuter turns, getting two new Cargo EU07 in the process, I had a quick look around the amazing three year old station and then back to Warszawa. I was hoping for a PKP Cargo Vectron next morning but no luck but thankfully it was still a winner with MRCE 193.622 which I took all the way to Berlin. I was going to have an hour there but luckily saw the train I was planning to get was going to be a half an ICE2! So a long flog all the way to Duisburg and then a night in Düsseldorf. Into Belgium next day and managed my last 19 and then to Maubeuge via Namur and I just got there in time with a storm causing chaos! Took a while to get to Paris but I did have time to get to Châteauroux for Fret biggie 26199 on short term hire back to Paris. Three long term Fret hire Sybics were on paper as available, first 26134 ex Austerlitz and then over to St Lazare for 26061, but 26234 had turned into 15019 which I didn’t mind at all really! Once back I Paris I returned to St Quentin and went back to the Ibis Budget again. I had some new hauled track ext morning with 22241 to Lille via Somain and then to Amiens via Arras. No impressed with a cart vice 22200 to Paris, I’m hoped to then get 26234 out of St Lazare. It worked but on a Cherbourg which I couldn’t touch! So a 15000 to Mantes-la-Jolie and then over to Nord and Eurostar plastic back home