ROLL
BB. Nuremburg-Prague, 19th September 1978. Prague, 20th
September 1978. Banská Bystrica,
21st September 1978.
All photos ©
Help with identifying the locations shown would be appreciated.
BB-01.
Schirnding,
West Gemany-Czechoslovakian Border Crossing.
The fifth wagon from the engine was a British Railways Van. I wasn’t expecting
BR to travel into the “Iron Curtain”.
BB-02.
T679.1294. Schirnding, West Germany-Czechoslovakian
Border Crossing. The locomotive was built by the Soviet Union and
classified M62. Members of the class, first produced in 1964, were exported to
Cuba, Mongolia and North Korea as well as the Eastern Bloc countries. The class
designation was later changed to 781 and worked in the Czech Republic and
Slovakia until 2002.
BB-03.
Wenceslas Square, Prague. Note the big black soviet-era luxury car. They were
for the use of senior Communist Party apparatchiks.
BB-04.
Mira. Mustek Station, Wenceslas Square, Prague. All my memories of
Prague in those days were dismal – the weather, the economy, the people. We
went back 36 years later and we couldn’t believe our eyes. It’s a “Cinderella
City”. It’s a fairy tale city and visually stunning.
BB-05.
Wenceslas Square, Prague. No trams run down this street now.
BB-06.
E458 Class loco. Main Station, Prague.
BB-07.
E499.1038. Main Station, Prague.
BB-10.
Old City. Prague.
BB-11.
Prague Castle.
BB-12.
Prague Castle.
BB-13.
Prague Castle.
BB-14.
Jewish Quarter. Prague. The 18th Century Chevrah Kadisha or Burial
Society’s building. The deceased was brought in here for preparation for
burial. Access to the cemetery, which was free in 1978 but
not in 2014, is just to the left of the building. The place is full of
tourists in summer.
BB-15.
Jewish Quarter. Prague. Nothing has changed in the
last 36 (or 136) years, except the buildings are better maintained.
BB-16.
Old City. Prague.
BB-17.
Old City. Prague.
BB-18.
Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. “Roco”,
a European Model Railway manufacturer has a major manufacturing plant here that
made models of Victorian Railways F-Class locos, which is a copy of a British
Rail 08-Class. Mira’s father was born here and his family lived here for many years
but most left during the War.
BB-19.
Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
BB-19.
Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.