Class-42 locomotives of BDZ have had a very dramatic fate. Delivered in the late 1960s, originally they had state-of-the-art laminated bodies with distinctive large windscreens. As time went on, the machines changed their elegant looks with hastily crafted bodies reminiscent of those on class-43 locomotives. Through the 1980s and the 1990s most of the 42s were gradually scrapped and the original fleet of 90 units was reduced to just 7 by 2005. Only one of them is still in its original outfit - the rest have been re-numbered to class 42 1xx. All of the units still in regular service are based at the depot of Varna and service a variety of freight trains. On this particular photo locomotive 42 179.2 is passing through the station Sindel Razpredelitelna with a freight train from Varna to Kaspichan. Apparently 42s have a very loud low-pitched horn tone - I could hear this one coming from as far away as Razdelna. Bliss! 9 December 2005

Photo and scan by Miroslav Georgiev (miroslav_sg@all.bg)