Parowozownia Skierniewice

About the museum

The engine shed in Skierniewice was built in 1845 together with the station on the Warsaw-Vienna Railway. The town lay at a junction of routes towards Łowicz and Rogów, so locomotives were changed here and trains were formed. In the 1860s and 1870s the building was extended with a fan-shaped roundhouse with further stalls and a turntable. In 1914 the buildings were blown up and burned; after the First World War the roundhouse was rebuilt to its original plan.

During the Second World War the engine shed was adapted to service heavy freight locomotives. A new turntable and modernist buildings of red brick were added at that time. In the 1960s more than fifty steam locomotives were stationed here, including the heaviest Polish locomotives of the Ty51 series. When the end of steam traction became certain, the Polish Railway Enthusiasts Association decided to save the building from demolition or conversion.

The association, which works solely through the volunteer labour of its members and volunteers, preserved the engine shed as an open-air museum of railway technology and a museum of historic rolling stock. Thanks to its efforts, the building was entered in the register of monuments in 1994. The collection includes steam locomotives, passenger and freight wagons, narrow-gauge rolling stock, and railway signalling and communication equipment.

Highlights

• Fan-shaped engine shed with a turntable from the 19th and 20th centuries
• Steam locomotives, including the Ty23-273 freight locomotive and the Pd5-17 express locomotive
• Passenger and freight wagons and narrow-gauge rolling stock
• Railway signalling and communication equipment
• Guided tours during Open Days

Permanent exhibition

• Kolekcja zabytkowego taboru kolejowego PSMK – Steam locomotives, passenger and freight wagons, narrow-gauge rolling stock, and railway signalling and communication equipment gathered in the historic engine shed.

Founded

1845

Operated by

Polskie Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Kolei

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Visits are free of charge. The association encourages visitors to allocate 1.5% of their income tax to the organisation.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Due to the post-industrial character of the site, access to some parts of the route may be difficult or impossible for people with disabilities. Dogs and other animals are not allowed on the site; dogs wearing a muzzle may be tied up at the entrance.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

Children under 13 are only admitted to the engine shed when accompanied by an adult responsible for their safety. The site is an industrial area with uneven ground and protruding rolling stock; the association organises museum lessons for schools.

Getting there & parking

From the platform, cross the footbridge to the north side of the station and walk along Bielańska Street to the gate of the engine shed (about 500 m to the west). By car, take the A2 motorway, exit Skierniewice, then continue on national road no. 70. Bicycles may be taken onto the site.

Amenities & dining

Commercial and catering activities are not permitted on the site without the organiser’s consent.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit