KTZ TEM2U-8750 of Quarmet KAragndy working the Coal Enrichment Plant no1 Kyzhyl - Shakhtinsk 1 May 2025 14
May the 1st is a public holiday across a lot of the world, Kazakhstan included. So our day begins leisurely, though in reality we are starting out on a long drive west.
The A17 road runs within a couple of kilometres from the Qarmet Coal Preparation Plant no.1 which serves the Shakhtinsk area collieries. It is fair to say we had a few problems around this area a year prior. Today the sun shines strongly in contrast to last year. We caught its mood well then.
Pulling up we find TEM2U-8750 shunting the coal receiving side of the facility so Sven and Myself go up onto the overbridge to take some photos. Walking off back to the car parked down below, where Jane awaits, we see an Ochrona pickup approaching slowly below. Clearly here for us, they pull up. We must walk down and meet them. Unbelievable, already our activity is over here...
We walk over and speak to them. They ask us where we are from, they seem friendly. Yes, they are here to see what we are up to. Sven has a print of a photo taken here last year, and some from other places also. They get out of their truck and discuss the pictures. Sven presents them with the print taken from the bridge here, and photos of the exchange are made on both parties phones, we pose in the sun. The bank holiday mood and fine weather make this feel a much different place to what it was a year ago when Arcelor Mittal were in the process of being forced out.
So an idea is quickly formed. There is an old relic deep within the territory of this plant. We would have been in a lot of trouble a year ago if we walked in to record it. So we ask. They say that its fine although it is unclear that they know what we are talking about. We bid our farewells and then drive around to the rear of the unloading bunker from where this train is being extracted from. Should we?
TEM2U-8750 belonging to Qarmet, Karagandy, working at the Coal Enrichment Plant no.1 at Kyzhyl on the Shakhtinsk colliery system shunts the west side of the complex on May Day 2025, a day where the plant is shut down one day, for the holiday. May the 1st 2025.
KTZ TEM2U-8750 of Quarmet KAragndy working the Coal Enrichment Plant no1 Kyzhyl - Shakhtinsk 1 May 2025 14
May the 1st is a public holiday across a lot of the world, Kazakhstan included. So our day begins leisurely, though in reality we are starting out on a long drive west.
The A17 road runs within a couple of kilometres from the Qarmet Coal Preparation Plant no.1 which serves the Shakhtinsk area collieries. It is fair to say we had a few problems around this area a year prior. Today the sun shines strongly in contrast to last year. We caught its mood well then.
Pulling up we find TEM2U-8750 shunting the coal receiving side of the facility so Sven and Myself go up onto the overbridge to take some photos. Walking off back to the car parked down below, where Jane awaits, we see an Ochrona pickup approaching slowly below. Clearly here for us, they pull up. We must walk down and meet them. Unbelievable, already our activity is over here...
We walk over and speak to them. They ask us where we are from, they seem friendly. Yes, they are here to see what we are up to. Sven has a print of a photo taken here last year, and some from other places also. They get out of their truck and discuss the pictures. Sven presents them with the print taken from the bridge here, and photos of the exchange are made on both parties phones, we pose in the sun. The bank holiday mood and fine weather make this feel a much different place to what it was a year ago when Arcelor Mittal were in the process of being forced out.
So an idea is quickly formed. There is an old relic deep within the territory of this plant. We would have been in a lot of trouble a year ago if we walked in to record it. So we ask. They say that its fine although it is unclear that they know what we are talking about. We bid our farewells and then drive around to the rear of the unloading bunker from where this train is being extracted from. Should we?
TEM2U-8750 belonging to Qarmet, Karagandy, working at the Coal Enrichment Plant no.1 at Kyzhyl on the Shakhtinsk colliery system shunts the west side of the complex on May Day 2025, a day where the plant is shut down one day, for the holiday. May the 1st 2025.