Railway Herald
Plinthed and on public display outside the BDZ (Bulgarian State run Railway) Technical University in Sofia we find one of the original Laminatas, SKODA Class 42 Electric No. 42-072. This example was delivered to Bulgaria in 1970. Following extensive damage as a result of a series electrical fires a number of the fleet were rebuilt with the more robust metal bodies similar to those commonly seen today on Classes 43, 44 and 45. Only one member of the class remains in service in 2025, locomotive No. 42-184. Based at Dupnitsa Depot it is the oldest electric locomotive still at work on the main line, often observed in the Sofia area.
Stephen Ginn
