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Serp and Molot Factory Steam Locomotive P24-7 |
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Harvey Smith was based in and around Moscow off and on from 1997 to 2014 and has now moved to St. Petersburg. Apart from this report he has also posted information on other attractions in Moscow and the rest of Russia, there are links at the bottom of the page. Do not bother to visit this location as P24-7 is gone (to a safe place) and the factory demolished. Harvey tells me (22nd January 2017) that P24-7 is reported to be at Ekaterinburg. Serp i Molot means Sickle and Hammer. The factory is a steel plant that lies to the east of the Centre of Moscow. Take a telephoto lens and some binoculars if you have them. It would be better to go in the autumn or winter when there are no leaves on the trees - see such a picture at the bottom of this page. This is a 'closed site' and as things stand, access is not possible on a casual basis. The reason to go is the significance of 750mm gauge steam locomotive P24-7 (see also http://www.c2project.org/index.php?page=history).. James Waite sent me the following explanation:
To get there go to Aviamotornaya metro station on the yellow line. As you come out the station take a bear left through the tunnel under the street. When you come up you should have the station and 2 red and white chimneys behind you and road bridge in front of you. The tram lines should be on the right of the street.. Walk down the side of the bridge. You will find a petrol station on the corner walk along the white concrete fence bordering the Serp I Molot factory along Proed Zavoda Serp i Molot (Проезд Завода Серп и Молот). A red and white regional administration building with an attached multi-storey car park will soon appear on the left. It is next to a Lada dealership. The underground car park is on the left. Take the left hand entrance into the car park. Once in the car park proceed to the top floor. When you get to the top floor get up against the fence on the back of the building. From that vantage point you will see P24-7 up against one of the factory buildings.
There is a clearer photo on these websites (same on each):
9P-140 is understood to be here but totally inaccessible and unviewable. I went back to the Serp and Molot factory on 16 December 2012 at -17C, i.e. when the foliage was heavily reduced. I climbed up on to the top floor of the car park once again. I had a much better view. I was greatly rewarded. Not only did I get shots of P-24-7 but I also rewarded with shots of a diesel railway crane and the 9P locomotive. I had decided that the 9P was no longer at the factory, but I was please to find that I was mistaken. The railway crane is numbered 648. The 9P is variously described as either 9P.140, 9Pm.140, or 9P.187 There are close ups of the 9 P locomotive on the paravoz site: http://parovoz.com/newgallery/pg_view.php?ID=9407&LNG=RU#picture 140 can still be seen on the front buffer beam.
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