THE SMALL OCTOBER RAILWAY
(Saint-Petersburg, Russia)
The post card from Aleksey Pomiguyev's collection
Date of Opening: 27 August 1948
Length: 6400 m. (active section 1500 m.).
Stations: Yuny, Ozyornaya, Shuvalovo, Lesnaya and Beregovaya
Constructions: three level crossing and one bridge.
Rolling Stock: diesel locomotives ÒÓ2 ¹167 and ¹191, ten passenger cars ÏÂ40Ò (model 48-051),
Address of Office: Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Tambovskaya str., house 63.
Address of Railway: Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Ozerkovsky avenue, house 4
Chef: Oleg K. Patlasov
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On the 27th of August 1948 the Inauguration of the Small October Railway has taken place in Leningrad not far from the Central Park of Culture and Rest. Three stations has been opened: Kirovskaya, Zoopark and Ozyornaya. I will quote an extract (with some shortenings) from the first engine driver of the Small October Railway Andrey Filippov's book “How it was”
“To eight o'clock participants of the combined shirt gather has been designed to Inauguration of Railway, all young railwaymen, too. The center of celebrations is the station Kirovskaya. There are the mast to hoist flag on the platform. The blue cars shine by drop of rain. The way of the train is blocked by red tape.
The guests gather a little on the station. Today the Railway work by invitation card only. There are many railwaymen and noble men of the city among the guests. The main guests are summary group of pioneer team with unfolded banners. The station is encircled by members of the State Security. It gives special solemnity.
The meeting begin. They utter parting words. The State Hymn sound. They hoist flag. Only it has to lower flag as it has been lifted.
One cuts the tape.
The whistle of steam locomotive sound. The train start on its journey.”
The rails begun from Primorsky Line of the October Railway and went along the trace of the former engineer Avenarius's narrow-gauge to the station Shuvalovo of Finnish Line of October Railway. There was a bridge over Chornaya River on the Children's Railway. After the train had been crossed Kolomyazhskoye Highway it climbed to the station Zoopark and went further along Migunovskaya str. and Ozerkovsky avenue to the station Ozyornaya.
In 1965 on day of closing of season the train crash has taken place on the crossing with Kolomyazhskoye Highway. The trolley with six young railwaymen has cut into lorry which was crossing the rails. Four men has perished. As a result the crossing has been closing and the Children's Railway has lost the main station Kirovskaya. It was good. They could closed the Children's Railway. Next year the passing-track Yuny has been constructed on the stage between stations Zoopark and Ozyornaya. The stations Zoopark has been renamed into Pionerskaya.
In beginning of 90th years of XX century the mass building up of the city has begun. Following this the Small October Railway has lost the station Pionerskaya. The length of Railway diminish to 1.5 km. Two station only kept. The hard time came for the Small October Railway.
It lasts not long. In 1999 four kilometer of rails has been built on to the Railway. Also three stations has been constructed: Shuvalovo, Lesnaya and Beregovaya. There weren't limit of happiness, but in two years the Children's Railway lost possibility of exploitation of new section.
The district Shuvalovo-Ozerki, where the Railway is situated, is prestige enough. Along the Railway the Cottages of “New Russian” has been built. They don't like existence of the Small October under their windows. In 2002 before opened regular season “unknown” hooligans set fire to one locomotive. At present time the Railway is on the verge of closing. But the hope don't die.
Konstantin Filippov
(translated from Russian by Konstantin Filippov)
