Railway Herald
In Communist times on the Rhodope Valley Railway in Bulgaria when industry was introduced at Bansko, Razlog and Velingrad the line was busy with freight. Coal, timber, heating oils and general goods helped make the line profitable. The end of Communism saw a general decline and goods traffic came to an end soon after. on 17th June 2016 at Velingrad two rakes of mixed wagons and vans stand as a reminder of those times when the line was profitable and did not require subsidies to remain viable. All things considered, they are in remarkably good condition given the fact that they have not turned a wheel since 2000/2001.
Stephen Ginn
