Former teacher launches book of steam train adventures

Twenty years after former primary school teacher and railway enthusiast Jeff Nicholls first travelled to Poland to drive steam locomotives, he has written a book about his experiences.

Steam locomotives haul regular timetabled passenger trains the whole year round on a state-owned railway system. Such sights have disappeared in every other corner of the world, but not yet from Poland.

Incredibly, railway enthusiasts from Britain and around the world could join the legendary Wolsztyn Experience – a week-long driving holiday working side by side with the Polish crews, learning the essential skills of firing and maintaining their beloved engines.

The town of Wolsztyn and its steam trains have featured in several television programmes, notably being visited by Michael Palin and Michael Portillo in their entertaining travelogues. The Wolsztyn Experience itself was founded in 1997 by Howard Jones as a means of collaborating with Polish Railways.

In the UK, it is rare to see a steam train working the mainline, and it’s even rarer to be able to experience driving it with real paying passengers on board. In 2002, I signed up for a week’s experience, it was to become the first visit of many.”

Jeff, who grew up in Wolverhampton, celebrated the launch of Steaming Through Wolsztyn with a special event at Forget-me-not in Culcheth.

“I’ve never written a book before, so this was my first ever book signing, and what a pleasant occasion it turned out to be. So many people came, including former pupils I had taught as much as 50 years ago!

“I took along a few items which starred in the book: a Polish Railways plaque and a Polish Railways cap which I had worn every time I drove or fired a steam locomotive. Nobody seemed to mind that it was greasy and oil-stained!”

Jeff travelled regularly to Poland for more than 20 years, learning the key skills of driving and firing a range of working steam locomotives. His new book Steaming Through Wolsztyn has been published by Crumps Barn Studio and is illustrated with many photographs.

“The depot at Wolsztyn was a place of wonder which brought back so many childhood memories of the local Wolverhampton steam sheds in the 1960s: Oxley, Stafford Road and Bushbury. As a boy, I spent many happy hours just soaking in the atmosphere of these working steam depots, complete with all the grime and grit that went with the territory ‘back in the day’.

“Getting to experience real working steam trains all these years later was a dream come true, but my adventures extended far beyond simply driving steam locomotives. This is also a story of branch lines and narrow gauge, freight and passenger trains, diesel and electric power, and the Polish crews and characters who make the railway their life’s work.

“Working on the footplate of a steam locomotive is far from glamorous; it is dirty, gritty and hard work – with an element of danger thrown in. It is very rewarding and satisfying!”

By Lorna Brookes - Contributor