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This page provide links to the Bosnia reports between 2010 and 2022.
Other reports are available as follows:
Reports 1997 - 2004
Reports 2005 - 2009
2022
Durk Houtsma reports that casual visitors can still find 'real' steam at work
here (11th October 2022). He reports "On Sunday 2nd October I passed at Oskova to see if there is a steam locomotive running on the
standard or narrow-gauge. Stopped at an old bus stop and walked up to the rails, and at the normal-gauge unloading place for the Coal washery was the Yugoslav 62-125 in service with very friendly personnel. Could walk around, take pictures and they invited me inside the loco. Driver spoke very well English, and he told me the narrow-gauge was diesel. The 62-125 was only in service because of some problems with the diesel engines, but that happens
often." Further "3rd October I drove to the Dubrave coal loader, arrived at 9 and around 12 the loco 33-248 did some moves. Only brought some new cars to the loading place, and parked again."
Also "Sikulje Mine should be another in service they told me at Dubrave, but is very difficult to come close nearby." For a few pictures see https://flickr.com/photos/the_knitter/albums/72177720302584328.
2021
With conventional steam at an end in Java (Indonesia) and steam in China
likely to go the same way before the end of 2021, Bosnia may have become the
last place in the world to operate 'Real Steam'. I asked John Raby if he knew
what was happening in the country and with his tour leader's hat on, he replied
(8th September 2021).:
"The main attractions in Bosnia have been (on the standard gauge) Dubrave and Sikulje coal loaders which are still shunted by 2-10-0 ex-German kriegsloks (where augmented shunting can be arranged), the workshops at Bukinje where they are serviced, the occasional standard gauge steam shunt at Oskova possibly with a class 62 Yugoslav-built USA tank one of 2 working locos (normally every 11 days to coincide with the diesel being serviced) and on the narrow gauge, steam shunting through the washery at Oskova (these days normally 'by arrangement’)* along with steam charters over the full line from Oskova via the workshops and coal loader at Banovici to the open cast mine at Turija (around 7.5km) with a classic class 83 0-8-2.
*I was told that steam use was more likely in summer when the diesels struggle with overheating on the slow shuffle stop/start shunt moving the coal wagons over the hoppers 2-3 at a time. The shunt can be done by one loco so the one small diesel is the normal motive power.
Note that these observations are based on an October 2018 trip! I plan to get in touch with my guides to see if they are up to organising any more trips. They may have moved on to other things..."
If anyone has more up-to-date information, do please get in touch with me (RD -
email address at the bottom of the page).
2019
Keith Chambers adds (4th June 2019):
"I was in the Tuzla area recently and visited Banovici, Oskova, Sikulje, Bukinje, Durdevik and Dubrave. I can confirm that the situation remains much the same as in recent reports on your site so won't repeat it all. Suffice it to say that at least three steam locos continue to work daily. 33-236 was working at Dubrave on both my visits (23/05/19, 24/05/19), an unidentified 33 class was shunting at Sikulje on 23/05/19 and 83-158 was shunting on the high level at the washery at Oskova on 22/05/19. Usual scenario on the standard gauge low level here except that for the first time the shed doors were wide open so I was able to get a good look at 19-12 and 62-125 inside. 19-12 clearly in working order. On 24/05/19 I went to Doboj to find the narrow gauge 0-10-0 plinthed outside the Serb Republic Railways HQ in the town which I found as expected. At the depot there is quite a collection of withdrawn and dumped diesel and electric locos. Of interest is the fact that many of them still carry their JZ plates and livery and look as if they have been dumped for a considerable time."
2017-8
Tom Short visited in April 2017
and found things much as in 2016.(18th April 2017). Steve Newman and Rob
Pritchard were here in
September 2017 and report much the same (updated
13th October 2017). Tom Short was back again in
April 2018 (2nd May 2018).
Rob Pritchard spent a week here
in autumn 2018 and, in the circumstances, was well satisfied (18th
October 2018).
2016
The first report I have
had of the effect of this comes Jakob Stilling (22nd March
2016). Rob Pritchard was back again in May 2016 and his
report indicates that 'real steam' activity was restricted to Kriegloks
shunting (26th May 2016), John Raby offers a similar
alternative report with a little bit of industrial heritage thrown in (27th
June 2016).
2015
According to the FarRail
Blog, JZ issued a steam ban on 7th May 2015, which also means the end of
transfer trips to the ZFBH stations (Sikulje - Lukavac, Dubrave -
Ljubace and Durdevik - Zivinice). That would leave only the narrow gauge steam shunting at
Oskova/Banovici in
operation (12th May 2015). Bernd Seiler indicated
that the Durdevik - Zivinice transfer will be done with road trucks for
the time
being. I now understand that
this is a Railways Inspectorate issue and that officially this is a
temporary
ban until the steam locomotives receive appropriate safety devices
(14th
May 2015). On 13th May 2015, Hugo visited Tuzla and confirmed the ban
was
in place although everyone hopes for a work around. At Bukinje 33-248
was being sandblasted, 33-504 was standing on the depot
outside and 33-236 was inside and ready to be switched with another 33
(17th
May 2015). According to the FarRail
Blog (link dead by March 2023), the ban was subsequently lifted on 22nd May 2015 (27th
May 2015), at least as far as the class 33 was concerned. The situation
with the class 62 is not known.
Now (13th July 2015) steam operation on ZFBH is again
part suspended, see
the FarRail Blog, thanks to Bill Jamieson for passing this bad news on. Since the
original report it has been clarified that the ban does not apply to the normal
day to day transfer trains but to charters beyond the normal limits in the
junction stations (15th
July 2015). Rob Pritchard's detailed report
of a September 2015 visit seems to confirm this (30th
September 2015). John Raby took a
small group in early October 2015 which had a judicious mix of real and
charter steam (12th October 2015), a have also
added a PS to Bill Jamieson's earlier detailed 2014 report of a visit to Oskova
(22nd October 2015),
The steam ban is back according to reports I have had from John Raby and
Bernd Seiler, to save me some editing, the FarRail
Blog has the details but basically the Kriegslok are 'confined to barracks',
this time it seems to have come from the mine company itself (26th
November 2015).
2014
Hugo Richter was in the Tuzla area in September 2014, he has provided a
short report (27th November 2014). Bill Jamieson spent a length spell at Oskova at the end of September 2014, so
his report which is essentially a log will be
of help to others less familiar with the operation here (9th
October 2014).
The Bosnian floods of May 2014 are likely to have caused
disruption of steam workings in the short and medium term reports
Jakob Stilling (27th May 2014), now see Jens
Ingemann's parallel report (4th June 2014). George Shields' May
revisit has been added to the earlier reports (23rd
May 2014). Trevor Maxted was in Bosnia in March 2014 and reports that
19.12 will have a brief spell in action... Otherwise it's the usual suspects in
his illustrated report (25th March 2014). I
have since appended overlapping reports from George
Shields and Paul Jobber (28th
March 2014). I now have an additional
report from Terry Andrews from the beginning of the month which includes
useful bus information (1st April 2014). Later Bill Jamieson has supplied a
detailed report from an extended visit to Oskova in early March 2014 (3rd
April 2014). Andrew Naylor has posted a nice set of pictures taken at
Bukinje depot on 10th June 2014, including several showing a Kriegslok under
heavy overhaul (27th June 2014) and Will Sherston
adds a post-flood perspective (2nd
July 2014), the same report now has some later
notes from Edward Buchanan (11th July 2014). Bosnia is definitely fashionable in
2014. John Raby has been here in September 2014, read his
illustrated blog (25th September 2014).
2013
Tim Murray was here over Easter 2013 and reported that 62.111 at Durdevic was back in occasional use and
confirms 62.663 is active at Zenica (17th
April 2013). Andrej Hoffman visited in February 2013 and found more than
enough activity to keep him happy (13th March 2013).
Unusually, Mark Palmer visited independently using public transport in early
2012. His report contains a mass of useful
information for others with a more relaxed than average attitude to gricing and
travelling - my kind of bash in other words (7th June 2012). Gareth
David was here in June 2012 and his account
also includes details of local facilities (11th June 2012), Gareth has now
been back again in September 2013, he bumped into Mark Palmer who was also
revisiting. Their two reports have now been
combined (15th October 2013).
2011-2
Richard Turkington was here in
April 2012 (14th May 2012).to which i have now
appended John Athersuch's report of an
earlier visit in March 2012 (pictures added 14th June 2012),while James Waite was back a Bosnian
Steam Weekend (2nd March 2012) - basically a
'Turkey Shoot' in the snow!
Tim Murray was back for more in early April 2011 (6th
May 2011). His blow by blow report will be
useful for other potential visitors but activity was influenced by the parallel
LoRie tour group. Dave Habraken was here a little later and you can read
his report (10th May 2011). Keith Chambers spent three
days in the Tuzla area in July 2011 (12th August 2011). Kurt Rethagen adds (27th February 2011)
that "After 2 years without steam, Breza now again has a 62 loco for shunting.
The picture shows62 363 on Saturday morning 19th February 2011! The mine is
on the main road at the south end of the town, the name is Sretno.
Olivier Foiche was here between 8th and 13th February 2011
(added 21st February 2011) and again between 26th March and 2nd April 2012 (11th
April 2012). Updates to the earlier report are indicated by (2012) as
appropriate.
Kakanj (Pogon Ceparici Catici) (dieselised 2012), Zenica (mine) (2011), Lukavac Soda
Factory (dieselised 2012), Durdevic, Bukinje, mine
closed, the engines were inside the shed.
Banovici : 83-159 was under overhaul inside the workshop. On narrow
gauge, 83-158 was shunting at Oskova. On standard gauge, shunting with
diesel engine.
Now 83-159 has returned to service and 83-158 is not stopped (2012)
Dubrave : 33-504 was running. Two or three trains to Ljublace. Freshly repaired
33-503 was running (2012)
Sikulje : 33-064 was running. Two or three train to Lukavac. 33-236 was running,
33-504 to store in Bukinje (2012)
Zenica Mine: 62-633 was running (2012)
Breza: 62-363 shunting (2012)
2010
I have a
report from Richard Neun (30th March 2010), a
report from Fabrice Lanoue (17th May 2010), a
report from May 2010 from Jens Ingemann (6th June 2010), he was
also back for
more in July 2010 (14th September 2010) and Trevor
Maxted visited
in September 2010 (2nd October 2010).
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