Welcome to "Phil's Loco Photos"

Another EU wander as I had an InterRail in my pocket to finish off and also a free DB ticket. I flew from Manchester - Eindhoven (bargain fare) and then a NS web ticket to Antwerpen. As I was hopeful winner 186.003 was not far away I waited and indeed had it into Belgium. After one night there I started the InterRail again and made my way to Lille and Paris and over to Austerlitz looking for three new freight Sybics. I got a new passenger one straight away and the used my usual hotel on bus route 24 near Bercy. Next day a long overdue trip on the narrow gauge from Salbris - Valençay, easy to get into it loco hauled, but a pain to get out of, even more annoying when I find spot hire 26104 in Paris just ahead of my return train from Tours. I then went over to Bercy and down to Vichy to pick up 26204 which I took to Nevers for an expensive night in the Ibis. Back to Paris next morning and down to Limoges to pick up 26205 which I had back to Paris, getting me two out of three of the latest hire batch. Monday saw me heading to Caen for one of my few remaining passenger Sybics, secured ok with 26006. I then did a 300 km/h dash to Strasbourg to have 22259 and get into position to head into Germany next day. Surprisingly all my DB connections worked ok and I had 193.803 at Nürnberg to get the set of the first six and then ICE4 plastic tat to Leipzig and an early finish. Did the ČD Vectron turn that’s finishing in December and armed with a ČD day ticket over to Hodonín and the very short border crossing to Holíč nad Moravou which had temporarily reopened for a few months. Early start to Wien next morning and plenty of standard red Taurus on Railjet turns and one of my last 1216s out also. I stayed at Wiener Neustadt and got up crack of dawn for the 2016 turn to Gutenstein and then to Wien to get two of my last three 1144s which were both out all day. After a few more red 1116 I went to Bratislava for a two night stay. ZSSK Cargo 240.082 had been out all week on Kúty - Trnava so that was my first target, then back to Zohor and the last weekend of a DMU on the freight only line to Plavecké Podhradie. After this I picked up IC45 which was diverted via Marchegg with a public stop at Devínska Nová Ves. I went to Malacky to pick up 240.092 as my last ZSSK passenger electric but it had turned into a 263, so another time then. Up to Ružomberok next morning as 193.743 was on RJ1012 so easy to get hold of it, after that down to Banská Bystrica for a new 757. Then to Poprad-Tatry to check in to the hotel and straight back out with a 350 Liptovský Mikuláš for 162.001 back t Poprad-Tatry. The last full day mainly around Žilina and the branch to Rajec which was new track. Next day was end of the trip with a REX to Kosice for the bouncy bus to the airport and flight home