Welcome to "Phil's Loco Photos"

2001-04 It was time for a twelve day trip to Greece for the annual Greek Easter Alco action on the narrow gauge with a good roadshow of British Alco fans. I flew with Lufthansa via Frankfurt arriving at around 01.30 and then to the Nana hotel for some sleep. We took train 302 all the way to Kiparissia with a pair of Alco’s and one night in the usual Hotel Ionion. We returned with the same pair next day all the way and I bailed at the shed to check out some info I needed. Next day was Easter Sunday so lots of pairs in action, we went to Diakopto for lunch, then to Korinthos and then to Kiparissia for another night. Early start from Kiparissia next morning and doubled back onto train 303 back to Athina. Next morning I went to the OSE offices to claim a favour we’d been promised a coach on a freight on the main line, but then they withdrew the permission. After some gentle persuasion (honest) “no was not an answer” and I came away with written confirmation that A-466 would do a round trip to Chalkis next day! We did a shed visit next morning and then joined A-466 on its run to Chalkis, by the time we left Athina there were twenty of us on the train, some had never had an MLW before, they were impressed. A-466 had a French Hispana-Suiza turbo and sounded fantastic, a minor issue with overheating on the outward but it was soon fixed again. It was excellent to visit Chalkis again and my first MLW there so a real bonus getting this fix arranged. I was back on the Pelly next day and Alco power to Kiparissia and then the Mitsi to Kalamata for the night. Next day I did a DMU over the hills via Tripoli to Isthmos and then Alco power back to Athina. Back to Kiparissia next day and another night there and then back again next day. Flew back home next day with Lufthansa via München