Last Wednesday (5 February), the Railway Rolling Stock Repair Plant in Gdansk experienced the biggest disaster in its more than 100-year history. A fire broke out in one of the historic halls, which was visible from many kilometres away. The fire spread very quickly, facilitated by the wooden structure of the roof covered with tar paper. The element covered a large area of the buildings, causing enormous damage. The firefighting operation, which involved more than 80 fire engines and almost 300 rescuers, ended at night, but the extinguishing continued into the morning. Among others, 1,500 Mevo system public bikes and 1,000 batteries were burned in the fire. The material losses run into the multi-millions, while the lost historical value is incalculable.
Zakłady Naprawcze Taboru Kolejowego in Gdańsk – beginnings
The railway works at Siennicka Street in Gdansk were established at the beginning of the 20th century, with construction taking place between 1910 and 1920. In the following decades they were modernised and adapted to increasingly new functions. They were established as the Main Railway Workshop Danzig-Troyl (EHW Danzig-Troyl) and played an important role in the region’s industry for many years. After the end of the First World War, as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1922, the works were leased for 50 years to the international company International Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, also known as Danziger Werft und Eisenwerkstatten AG. The company was co-owned by Bank Handlowy in Warsaw (20 per cent), the Free City of Danzig (20 per cent), Cravens Ltd from the UK (30 per cent) and the French Danzig Industrial Group (30 per cent).
Railway Repair Plant in Gdansk in the 1920s Source: Pomeranian Digital Library
ZNTK in Gdansk during the occupation and later years
During the Second World War, the works came under the management of the Deutsche Reichsbahn and operated as the Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk. Between 1942 and 1945, torpedo boat hulls for the German navy were produced here. One of the hulls left behind (35 metres long) was transported to the Northern Shipyard and rebuilt into a pleasure craft for the Gdansk Shipping Company under the name ‘Julia’. After 1945, following the incorporation of Gdańsk into Poland, the company changed its name to the Gdańsk-Trojan Main Workshops and then the PKP Railway Workshops. In 1952 it adopted the name Zakłady Naprawcze Taboru Kolejowego. At that time the number of employees exceeded 3,000. At one point the Gdansk plants also supervised the ZNTK in Slupsk. The Gdansk works also played a part in the modernisation of the Berlin S-Bahn carriages, which were adapted for use by the Tri-City Rapid Rail. This process was carried out first by the ZNTK in Luban (1948-1955) and then by the ZNTK in Gdansk (1957-1963).
Contemporary operations of the plants
At present, the company Zakłady Naprawcze Taboru Kolejowego i Miejskiego Sp. z o.o. operates on Port Island in Gdańsk, specialising in the service and repair of rolling stock, including electric and diesel locomotives and freight wagons. Repair activities take place only in one of the halls, while the rest of the complex is rented by various companies, including a yacht manufacturer.
A priceless reminder of Gdansk’s industrial history
In 2002, the plants were entered in the register of historical monuments. The list of protected buildings included locomotive and wagon repair halls, a forge, a water tower, a boiler house and other historical buildings. The complex of former railway works still forms a compact urban and architectural space today. The individual buildings are distinguished by brick facades enriched with reliefs, decorated gables, cornices and arched windows. This is a remarkable industrial part of the city and a priceless part of its historic heritage.
The hall before and after the fire. Photo: Google Earth and gdansk.pl
The aftermath of the fire and the future of ZNTK in Gdansk
The causes of the fire will be determined as part of the prosecution investigation, and fire experts will make a detailed expert report. For the moment, the future of the site remains unknown, but ideas for creative development of the site have already been floated. In 2021, a graduate of the Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts, Karol Drobniewski, presented his diploma project, which suggested a new, innovative use for the space. We wrote about it HERE.
The most important thing now is to complete the process of extinguishing the hall and securing the site. The city authorities announce that once the details have been established, further decisions can be taken on the reconstruction or future use of the site.
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