Pioneer Railways were extracurricular educational institutions, within the former USSR for youths who had an interest in rail transport whereby they could study and learn a variety of skills for railway professions.
So guess what; I am back in the Hrazdan Gorge; now following the tracks of the Yerevan Pioneer Railway. Built in the late 1930's the track is just over a mile in length
This station is about a third of the way along.
I did not take any snaps of the station building at the beginning. Are you ready for this? (not for the faint of heart)
It was building similar to the one above, but bigger, sitting high up away from the track, on the platform, there seemed to be some nice graffiti.
As I was going up the steps.
I heard some strange moaning noises coming from one of the rooms off to the side.
A) about turn and leave straight away
B) investigate, someone might be injured, would I want that on my conscious?
Being a decent sort of bloke I chose option B, slowly stepping to the door frame, cautiously peeping round said door frame.
Oh shit! 3 men, naked, one on all fours the other two...... well .... use your imagination, alas the image has been burnt into my psyche forever.
What made me run like the wind?
(AND I DON'T NORMALLY RUN, I WALK QUICKLY)
One of them waved his hand beckoning me to join them!
From now on Option A is going to be the only option ever taken.
Breathless, but back on track.
Thankfully there were no bogey men playing hide the sausage in the shadows
At last the business end . It didn't seem like a mile, it seemed longer, the sleepers just didn't match my stride, left, right, left left, right right.
Now that is one powerful V12 engine, wonder what it was used for.
The Armenian coat of arms
1937 steam loco of Soviet origin,pretty shit paint job, this could be the engine that was gifted to the railway from an engineering works in Podolsk, if it is, it is considered the oldest loco in Armenia.
The main terminus of the railway, which I have since read up is still there for the public to use; the terminus was empty and the doors locked, no one about. Not even a bunch of fellas buggering each other silly.
Because you're mine I walk the line