Pardubický spolek
historie
železniční dopravy

Pardubický spolek historie železniční dopravy
Na Staré poště 2865, 530 02 Pardubice
www.pshzd.cz | www.motoracek.cz

INFO -

MUSEUM

The MUSEUM in Rosice nad Labem is run by the Pardubice Railway Transportation History Association. It is located in the former water house at the Pardubice-Rosice nad Labem railway station. The house, built in 1871 as part of the construction of the Pardubice-Havlíčkův Brod line, was originally used for feeding water to steam engines. It consisted of an engine room in the central part, the engine man's apartment in the right wing, and offices in the left wing. The steam engine in the engine room was driven by a machine feeding water from the well. Around 1930 the steam engine was replaced by electric pumps driven by a stationary engine and dynamo. In 1979 the water house operation closed down, the apartments in the adjoining wings surviving until 1992. After that the neglected building was occupied by squatters.

The layout of the water house has never changed since the time of its construction and serves as an example of railway architecture in the Pardubice region. Following its reconstruction the building, enjoying the status of Czech cultural heritage, has been used as a museum.

The museum exposition covers a solid collection of small artefacts documenting the history of railway and town transportation in the Pardubice region and the adjoining railway lines. The six exposition rooms and one outdoor exposition show about 700 different things and documents. The largest item, the motor carriage M131.1116 (Tatra Kopřivnice, 1949), is used by the association members as a meeting place and club room, occasionally as an exhibition venue. A mechanical signal, a distant signal, several types of grade crossing signals are among the other outdoor exhibits. A carriage installed on a set of rails commemorates the narrow-gauge line between the museum building and the Labe embankment, once used for transporting sand from the river. One room of the indoor exposition deals with the history of Pardubice town transportation. The other rooms show small items which are not commonly displayed by other railway museums, such as a collection of lamps or uniform buttons.

The Museum opens May-October, every Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

About the Association

The Pardubice Railway Transportation History Association was set up in the late 1990 in reaction to the spontaneous wish of a couple of people keen to repair historical vehicles in their leisure time. The first task set by the Association was to find out a vehicle fit for reconstruction. The winning idea was to get and repair a motor carriage M131.1. In the following year the members managed to get a M131.1228 from the Agrochemical Company in Česká Skalice. Thanks to a major donation from the former Czechoslovak Railways (later the Czech Railways) the carriage was put in running order in the late 1992. In the same year the Association managed to get a torso of an additional carriage BDlm from the Liberec region. These acquisitions were followed by another motor carriage M131.1133 put in running order in 1995. These activities came hand in hand with the collection of different small railway artefacts. Since the 1997 acquisition of a trolleybus 9Tr, followed by other town transportation vehicles, the Association' activities have extended to town transportation history.

The idea of setting up a museum dates back to the late 90s of the last century when the Association decided to create a permanent exposition of the collected artefacts. The building chosen as the exposition venue was the former water house at the Rosice nad Labem railway station. In the late 2000 the Association managed to obtain the right to use the building and, as soon as the remnants of the squatter settlement were removed, its reconstruction could start. A static analysis was made to secure the structure, all roofs and plasters were gradually reconstructed. The wooden windows were repaired, new electrical lines installed, an outer drainage system mounted. Undesirable plants were removed. The floors underwent a solid reconstruction. The Association's permanent exposition first opened to the public in the autumn 2001 on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of opening of the Pardubice-Havlíčkův Brod line. Its first ordinary season started in 2002.

In addition to the museum activities, the Association is the operator and organiser of trips by historical motor carriages M 131.1, historical trolleybuses, organiser of celebrations on the occasion of anniversaries of the opening of lines, exhibitions, meetings of model builders. Its members repair, maintain and reconstruct historical vehicles, exhibits and the museum building. Since 2008 they have been setting up a new exposition including a steam boiler and machine in the water house at the Slatiňany railway station.

Motor carriages M131.1

The motor carriage M131.1133 was made in 1949 by the car manufacturer Tatra Kopřivnice. As soon as made, it was delivered to the motive power depot in Hradec Králové. It used to run in Letohrad and Chlumec nad Cidlinou. On 26 May 1976 it powered the last train on the presently closed line Smidary-Vysoké Veselí. Its last drive was on the Sadová-Smiřice in 1983. It was next sold to the Agrochemical Company in Sadová where it was used for transporting goods wagons on a side track. In March 1987 the carriage was no more in running order; as such it was used as a supply of spare parts. The inside of the carriage was demolished, the machine set incomplete, the body corroded, the coating peeled off. In summer 1987 two of the later Association members began the overhauling works. In the early 90s of the last century the carriage was bought back by the Czechoslovak Railways and put back in running order. The overhaul was paid in full by the Association members. The carriage is owned by the joint-stock company Czech Railways, the Association is its full-time operator. The carriage, nicknamed Natasha, enjoys the status of Czech cultural heritage.

The motor carriage M131.1228 was made by the railway carriage manufacturer Vagónka Studénka in 1951. It spent its whole lifetime in the fleet of the Trutnov depot. Its last drive was on the Opočno-Dobruška line where carriages like this used to run alone or with goods wagons. Once retired, it was sold to serve in industrial siding operations. Passing through the cooling plant in Dačice, the sugar plant in Kopidlno and Předměřice nad Labem, it ended up in the siding operation of the Agrochemical Company in Česká Skalice. In 1991 it was purchased back by the Czechoslovak Railways. The Association jointly with the Czechoslovak Railways and later the Czech Railways put it in running order in the late 1992. The carriage is owned by the joint-stock company Czech Railways, the Association is its full-time operator. The carriage, nicknamed Karel, enjoys the status of Czech cultural heritage.

The additional carriage BDlm 6-2011 was made by the railway carriage manufacturer Vagónka Studénka in 1955. It used to run in the East Bohemian region. The carriage, finished in the late 70s of the last century, was obtained in 1992 after difficult negotiations. It reached Pardubice in a devastated condition. The Association members started overhauling it in the same year. Assisted by workers of the Czech Railways depot, they managed to put its unique Friedmann hot-water heating system in order. Water heated in the boiler below the carriage is distributed via pipelines throughout the entire carriage. This is the only carriage in the Czech Republic boasting the original preserved system. The overhaul ended in 1993. The carriage is owned by the joint-stock company Czech Railways, the Association is its full-time operator. The carriage, nicknamed Mirek, enjoys the status of Czech cultural heritage.

Other vehicles

The Association operates not only historical railway vehicles but also town transportation vehicles.

The trolleybus Škoda 9 Tr HT26, number 353 was made by Škoda Ostrov nad Ohří in 1979. It was allocated to the Pardubice town transportation company where it started running in September 1979. Its last drive came in 1995, two years later it was purchased by the Association members who started the overhauling works. It was first presented to the public in autumn 1998. Since then it has been in full running order and regularly appears at the annual nostalgic drives in Pardubice. Zlín, Chrudim, Orel and Slatiňany are among other places visited by the trolleybus during its lifetime at the museum.

The trolleybus Škoda Sanos, number 329 was made by Škoda Ostrov nad Ohří in 1987. It was delivered to Zlín where it was used for regular operation until 2002. Purchased by the Association in autumn 2003, the trolleybus remained for less than a year in its depot. In the following year the Association members helped by the Pardubice town transportation company managed to put it in running order. Further repairs, mainly with the assistance from the Pardubice town hall and the Pardubice regional board, of the vehicle followed while in operation. It is the only trolleybus of its kind in the Czech Republic in full running order.

The trailer bus Karosa B40 was made by the car manufacturer Karosa Vysoké Mýto in 1953. It used to run in Pelhřimov until 1977 when it was sold to a farmers' cooperative to serve as a shelter in the fields. This kind of trailer bus used to run, alone or with attached trolleybuses, in Pardubice until 1966. It became a collection item in the first half of 2000. Since 2007 it has been in the process of demanding overhaul. Once repaired it will get the colours of the Pardubice town transportation company and registration number 3.

The closed carriage Ztrc 1-36354 was made by the railway carriage manufacturer Moravskoslezská vagónka in Studénka in 1946. The carriage was used in normal operations until 1990. Once retired, it stood for several years in Brno. It was then acquired for museum purposes. The Association bought it in 2000 from another railway association. In 2006 its wooden parts were repaired and the carriage got a new coating.  

Apart from the above vehicles the Association is the owner of other vehicles as well, such as the closed railway carriage Zm of 1899, the bus ŠM 11 of 1980, etc., which are still undergoing or facing the process of reconstruction.

We offer

- Drives by motor carriages M131.1, either alone or with the additional carriage BDlm or the closed carriage Ztrc (for transportation of bikes). Suitable for groups or family trips, wedding or other parties, business events, etc.;
- Drives by historical trolleybuses within Pardubice. Suitable as a non-traditional way of getting to wedding or other parties, meetings, etc.;
- Visits to the Museum in Rosice nad Labem outside the normal opening hours (on mutual agreement);
- Presentation of the LGB garden railway;
- And a lot of other things.

Contact:
Pardubický spolek historie železniční dopravy
(Pardubice Railway Transportation History Association),
Na Staré poště – depo,
530 02 Pardubice 2
Czech Republic
Tel.      +420 604 926 620
           +420 776 253 532

E-mail pshzd@email.cz

www.pshzd.cz
(www.motoracek.cz)