The BDŽ 300 014 seen between Belovo and Septemvri on the bridge of the river Maritsa (Марица) Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:01 08:05:30 Tags: BDZ Desiro Bulgária motorkocsi Desiro

Most people don't know much about Bulgaria or the Bulgarian Railways. The first line opened in 1864, when the area was very much a part of the Ottoman Empire, and ran between the Romanian border of Ruse and the seaside city of Varna. Currently over 70% of the railways are electrified, main lines are often double track and conditions are relatively favourable.

The BDŽ 75 006-7 seen between Septemvri and Pamporovo Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:01 09:22:34 Tags: Pamporovo Пампорово Septemvri Септември 592 Henschel Bulgária dízelmozdony kisvasút Balkán

In most countries narrow-gauge railways have changed a lot in the past fifty years. In many cases they have completely dissappeared (like in Bosnia or partly in Austria and Romania ), or have become entirely tourist railways (like in Hungary ), or have become more tram-like, rapid-transit systems with electrification and modern multiple units (like in most of Switzerland ). However the Septemvri-Dobrinishte railway remained as it was many years ago, mostly locally used, being the connection of an enclosed area to the world, and only attracting a few tourists of the daring type. Organizing a trip here was rather complicated though. I don't know many people who are at least interested in it, and some of them are repelled by the fact that only five trains run a day, presumably extremely limiting the photo opportunities. Finally I managed to get the people on this trip and I can tell you in advance that going to Septemvri and going that part of the year was our best decision!

The BDŽ 75 005-9 seen between Tsepina and Pamporovo Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:01 09:53:38 Tags: Tsepina Цепина Marko Nikolov Марко Николов 592 Henschel Bulgária dízelmozdony kisvasút Balkán

As opposed to Romania, where speed limits even on electrified mainlines may be as low as 20 to 40 km/h Bulgarian railways have quite good speeds with trains mostly travelling as fast as the terrain allows for. The narrow-gauge trains also reach a speed of about 60 km/h, and they maintain it along most of the route, but they can't do that in the gorges and loops, making the 125 km journey last about five hours. Trains were mostly punctual, this photo was the only one we took because trains were delayed (actually it allowed us one or two additional photos than we planned).

The BDŽ 75 006-7 seen between Marko Nikolov and Tsepina Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:01 10:22:05 Tags: Tsepina Цепина Marko Nikolov Марко Николов 592 Henschel Bulgária dízelmozdony kisvasút Balkán

It is hard to tell which is the most spectacular part of the railway, especially since during this trip we didn't have the chance to travel on the railway, but the gorge of the Chepinska river between Varvara and Dolene is certainly in the top. This first section of the railway between Sarambey and Ladzhene (now Septemvri and a part of Velingrad) immediately had to face this challenging terrain after the few kilometre long stretch on the grassland of the Upper Thrakian Plain, meaning that when the military decided that a railway was needed in this part of Bulgarian during the First World War they had to wait until 1920 until the construction could actually start and until 1926 for the first section to start operating. A short extension to Chepino (the current Velingrad Yug) was opened in 1927 and the now-dismantled branch to Pazardzhik in 1928. The further opening dates were 1937 for Chepino-Yakoruda, 1939 for Yakoruda-Belitsa, 1943 for Belitsa-Bansko and 1945 for Bansko-Dobrinishte. The rest of the planned railway to Golch Deltsev was never constructed.

The BDŽ 75 005-9 seen between Smolevo and Cherna Mesta Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:01 15:35:25 Tags: 35. alagút Cherna Mesta Черна Места Smolevo Смолево 592 Henschel Bulgária dízelmozdony kisvasút Balkán

The Pomaks make up the majority of Cherna Mesta, a muslim ethnic group with strong turc ancestry. The train is already on its Southern ramp, past Avramovo from where it rejoins the road and follows a mild descent in the ever widening valley of the Mesta river, but first has to pass two spirals to lengthen the path of descent.

The BDŽ 75 006-7 seen between Tsepina and Dolene Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:03 09:17:01 Tags: Chepinska Dolene Долене Tsepina Цепина 592 Henschel Bulgária dízelmozdony kisvasút Balkán

If you enjoy the pictures and would like to be part of a community interested in Mountain Railways, join us at our new Facebook group! I hope to develop it into a colourful international group for learning about viaducts, tunnels and astonishing landscapes from all around the world.

The BDŽ 71 002-0 seen at Septemvri Photographed by: Takács Bence Captured at: 2018:11:03 10:28:15 Tags: Septemvri Септември 591 592 TU7 Bulgária

The best known product of the Kambarka Engineering Works of the Soviet Union is an interesting piece of equipment at the Septemvri to Dobrinishte Rodope Narrow-gauge Railway as it shunts with the passenger cars. Similar locomotives operate at many other Eastern railway, I have photos from Berehovo where, I believe, they never entered service after delivery:

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