Hungary Soviet Steam Train

This iconic Máv 424 053 is a fine example of the Class-424 locomotive manufactured in 1941 by the firm Mávag. It features the chassis number 5345 and vehicle number 424.127 though this locomotive was renumbered several times, to 424.189 in 1961 and then to 424.053 in 1982. The train saw use during the Communist era, and features a red star proudly displayed in front of the water tank. The 424s were coal burners; in the 1960s some engines were converted to burn oil, although their performance still failed to compete with the more reliable diesel engines such as the Nohab DSB and the Soviet-built M62s.

It was a clear risk going into this abandoned warehouse where these trains were left, although the site is derelict the surrounding area was bustling with workers, myself, Ian and Danny snuck in, but after half an hour we were caught by security, he didn’t speak English but quickly showed us off the site. It was too late though my mind had been blown by the trains, Id never seen such an epic train in all my life and I knew I couldn’t leave Hungary without getting the shot I wanted of the train.

So at 3am we set our alarms in a nearby hotel and returned in the dead of night. It was a huge risk as if we got caught again we would probably get in bad trouble. We crept in, stayed huddled in the train carriages and listen for any sounds that would give us clue to security running checks. We got spooked a couple of times, just before sunrise I set up my shot on the tripod and waited for first light. We knew we couldst sty for long as 6am was probably around when the workers would start, we grabbed our shots while keeping a careful eye out, on spotting first signals of workers, we hurried away as fast as we could, happy that we had got the shot we had travelled so far to get.