Uskotracne (76-centimetarske) pruge bivse Jugoslavije

The locomotive shed at Dubrovnik was in an idyllic position on the shore of the Adriatic and this is a view from a train nearing the terminus.  Quite large cargo ships visited Dubrovnik at this time but most of these have now been diverted to the new port of Ploce.  The coastal passenger ships which run all the way north to Rijeka and Venice still use the port on a regular basis as do increasing numbers of cruise ships.

Another view showing the two road engine shed with six Class 83 in attendance, three of which are stored.  A further two of the class were inside the shed building.  Photography was difficult as along with most other railway installations in Yugoslavia the shed had its own contingent of guards.  It was in fact illegal to photograph trains.  The area alongside the shed was a popular bathing beach for locals - note the figures on the flat roof in the middle left of the photo.  The then new coastal highway to Split can be seen across the inlet.

Two Class 83's are seen at the entrance to the shed in Dubrovnik.  The cranes which were used to export one of the staple freight traffics - bauxite mined near Hum - can be seen in the background.  On the hillside above can be seen the scar of the coastal road which had recently opened - this section being the Dubrovnik bypass.  The road runs all the way down the Adriatic coast and has done wonders for the tourist trade.  The passenger terminus was beyond the footbridge.

The Class 83 0-8-2 locos were the staple motive power for the Yugoslav narrow gauge lines and this is 83-166 on shed at Dubrovnik.  The first, of a final total of 185, was built by Krauss of Linz in 1904 and further batches were built over the years. The final locos being Nos. 83-169 to 83-185 built in 1949 by Duro Djakovic.  As late as 1965 a total of 169 were still in service allocated to Sarajevo (118), Belgrade (41) and Titograd (10).  The odd 0-8-2 wheel arrangement enabled a wide firebox to be provided to burn the poor quality coal on offer but lack of a front pony wheel restricted maximum speed to only 35 Km/h.

Most of the class were fitted with this distinctive spark arrestor chimney because of the danger of fires in the dry summer season.  Quite a number of this highly successful class have been preserved although many of these are in poor condition.  One of the best known of the surviving locos is 83-076 which now works on the popular Zillertalbahn in Austria. Also currently under restoration to working order are 83-017, 83-062 and 83-173 for use on the Sargan Mountain railway. When completed this will run for 15.5 Km from Mokra Gora to Sargan Vitasi. With 3 examples of Class 83 and also 2-8-2 85-005 the line will be a fitting tribute to the great days of the narrow gauge.

No. 83-166 has finished marshalling its train and is ready to leave Dubrovnik on an afternoon freight.  The bogie goods vans were quite large vehicles for the 76cm gauge.

Two Class 83 0-8-2's leave Dubrovnik double heading a mixed train. 

The terminus, in the suburb of Gruz, was about 2 Km from the old city and connection was made using an extremely rickety street tramway which closed a few years after the railway.

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