Fablok
Encyclopedia
Fablok is a Polish manufacturer of steam (later diesel) locomotive
s, based in Chrzanów
. Until 1947 the official name was The First Factory of Locomotives in Poland Ltd. , Fablok being a widely used syllabic abbreviation of Fabryka Lokomotyw. It is now named "BUMAR - FABLOK S.A. (corporation)
". Fablok is located in the town of Chrzanów
in Lesser Poland.
Fablok was established in 1919. A year later a contract was signed with the Polish government to supply 1200 steam locomotives within ten years to the
Polish State Railways
(PKP). The first locomotive was delivered on 7 April 1924.
In 1931, the first locomotive was exported to the Bulgarian State Railways
. During 1935 and 1936, five electric locomotives were built under license
from Metropolitan-Vickers
. In 1935-1936, Fablok produced five Luxtorpeda
s (fast railcar
s) for PKP under the guidance of engineer Klemens Stefan Sielecki
. They were based on the Austro-Daimler
's design, but substantially modified.
Two experimental fast steam locomotives
were built in 1937. One of them (Pm36-1) had aerodynamic fairing, the other had a standard look. The idea was to test both engines in parallel to compare top speed, acceleration, coal and water consumption, etc. The Pm36-1 won a gold medal at the International Exposition of Art and Technology
in 1937.
Fablok was a part of the Association of German Locomotives Companies . Fablok was incorporated into Henschel & Son
under the name Erste Lokomotivfabrik in Polen A.G. Chrzanow (1939–1941) and from 1941 as Oberschlesische Lokomotivwerke Krenau. Klemens Stefan Sielecki together with his colleagues from the technical bureau started hiding the technical documentation for steam, industrial diesel and electrical locomotives and moved them completely out of the plant in January 1945, since the Nazis wanted them destroyed. After Poland was liberated, this documentation proved vital for the re-construction efforts of the national railway industry, especially the diesel and electrical locomotives. This allowed Fablok to re-start the production of these types.
Export markets for its standard-gauge passenger, fast, freight, and industrial steam locomotives were Albania, China, Hungary, India, Korea, Romania, and Vietnam. Narrow-gauge units were exported to Albania, Bulgaria, China, Romania, Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. The last steam locomotive was produced in 1963.
Fablok never produced boilers for its steam locomotives, these were supplied by Fitzner and Gamper (from 1945 Fabryka Budowy Kotłów; Boiler Construction Works) of Sosnowiec
, later also by other producers.
Production of diesel locomotives started in 1948. From the early 1960s the product range diversified into rolling stock (rail and tram) components.
In 1977, the production profile expanded into construction equipment and its name was changed into Fabryka Maszyn Budowlanych i Lokomotyw BUMAR-FABLOK (Factory of Building Machinery and Locomotives BUMAR-FABLOK). The factory was taken over by Zjednoczenie Przemyslu Maszyn Budowlanych BUMAR (BUMAR Association of Building Machinery Industry) in Warsaw. Production included excavators with bucket capacity of 1.2 cubic metre, cranes with 25-28 ton lifting capacity, self-propelled road cranes, and hydraulic telescopic jibs.
certification.
The "Fablok" Employees’ Joint Stock Company (JSC) was formed and registered in 2001. After first purchasing of 60% of the controlling shares of Bumar-Fablok JSC by "FABLOK" - Employees’ Joint Stock Company from the 7th State Investment Fund (part of the privatization reforms) in 2003, the "Bumar-Fablok" Joint Stock Company ownership was transferred to the Fablok Employees’ Joint Stock Company.
On April 3, 2009, the name of the company was changed to Pierwsza Fabryka Lokomotyw w Polsce “Fablok” S.A (First Factory of Locomotives in Poland “Fablok” Joint Stock Company).
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, based in Chrzanów
Chrzanów
Chrzanów is a town in south Poland with 39,704 inhabitants . It is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship and is the capital of Chrzanów County.- To 1809:...
. Until 1947 the official name was The First Factory of Locomotives in Poland Ltd. , Fablok being a widely used syllabic abbreviation of Fabryka Lokomotyw. It is now named "BUMAR - FABLOK S.A. (corporation)
S.A. (corporation)
S.A. designates a particular type of corporation in various countries, mostly those employing the civil law. It originated in Spain during the 16th century. Depending on language, the abbreviation stands for various phrases meaning anonymous society, anonymous company, anonymous partnership, or...
". Fablok is located in the town of Chrzanów
Chrzanów
Chrzanów is a town in south Poland with 39,704 inhabitants . It is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship and is the capital of Chrzanów County.- To 1809:...
in Lesser Poland.
Early years 1919-1939
Polish State Railways
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
(PKP). The first locomotive was delivered on 7 April 1924.
In 1931, the first locomotive was exported to the Bulgarian State Railways
Bulgarian State Railways
The Bulgarian State Railways are Bulgaria's state railway company and the largest railway carrier in the country, established as an entity in 1885. The company's headquarters are located in the capital Sofia. Since the 1990s the BDZ has met serious competition from automotive transport...
. During 1935 and 1936, five electric locomotives were built under license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
from Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, they were particularly well known for their industrial electrical equipment such as generators, steam...
. In 1935-1936, Fablok produced five Luxtorpeda
Luxtorpeda
Luxtorpeda was a common name of a famous Polish train, which ran on some of the most important rail routes of Poland in the 1930s. A Luxtorpeda consisted of a single, first-class only railcar, with its own internal combustion engine.- Name :...
s (fast railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s) for PKP under the guidance of engineer Klemens Stefan Sielecki
Klemens Stefan Sielecki
Klemens Stefan Sielecki was a Polish engineer and technical director of the first Polish Locomotive Factory Fablok in Chrzanów in the post-war years until 1964....
. They were based on the Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler was an Austrian automaker company, from 1899 until 1934. It was subsidiary of the German Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft .-Early history:...
's design, but substantially modified.
Two experimental fast steam locomotives
PKP class Pm36
Pm36 is the name for a Polish experimental fast steam locomotive used by PKP.-Design:The design was ready in 1936 and the following year the first two prototypes were built. One of them had aerodynamic fairing designed by aerospace scientists from the Warsaw University of Technology, the other had...
were built in 1937. One of them (Pm36-1) had aerodynamic fairing, the other had a standard look. The idea was to test both engines in parallel to compare top speed, acceleration, coal and water consumption, etc. The Pm36-1 won a gold medal at the International Exposition of Art and Technology
Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937)
The Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne was held from May 25 to November 25, 1937 in Paris, France...
in 1937.
World War II 1939-1945
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Fablok was a part of the Association of German Locomotives Companies . Fablok was incorporated into Henschel & Son
Henschel & Son
Henschel & Son was a German company, situated in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons....
under the name Erste Lokomotivfabrik in Polen A.G. Chrzanow (1939–1941) and from 1941 as Oberschlesische Lokomotivwerke Krenau. Klemens Stefan Sielecki together with his colleagues from the technical bureau started hiding the technical documentation for steam, industrial diesel and electrical locomotives and moved them completely out of the plant in January 1945, since the Nazis wanted them destroyed. After Poland was liberated, this documentation proved vital for the re-construction efforts of the national railway industry, especially the diesel and electrical locomotives. This allowed Fablok to re-start the production of these types.
During communism 1945-1989
The company was nationalized in 1947, and the official name changed to Fablok. Sielecki was technical director in the post-war years until 1964. After that, he was technical advisor to the board until his retirement on March 31, 1971. Under his leadership, the production was re-established for multiple types of locomotives, 12 of that type were destined for export.Export markets for its standard-gauge passenger, fast, freight, and industrial steam locomotives were Albania, China, Hungary, India, Korea, Romania, and Vietnam. Narrow-gauge units were exported to Albania, Bulgaria, China, Romania, Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. The last steam locomotive was produced in 1963.
Fablok never produced boilers for its steam locomotives, these were supplied by Fitzner and Gamper (from 1945 Fabryka Budowy Kotłów; Boiler Construction Works) of Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a combined population of over two million people located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .It is situated in...
, later also by other producers.
Production of diesel locomotives started in 1948. From the early 1960s the product range diversified into rolling stock (rail and tram) components.
In 1977, the production profile expanded into construction equipment and its name was changed into Fabryka Maszyn Budowlanych i Lokomotyw BUMAR-FABLOK (Factory of Building Machinery and Locomotives BUMAR-FABLOK). The factory was taken over by Zjednoczenie Przemyslu Maszyn Budowlanych BUMAR (BUMAR Association of Building Machinery Industry) in Warsaw. Production included excavators with bucket capacity of 1.2 cubic metre, cranes with 25-28 ton lifting capacity, self-propelled road cranes, and hydraulic telescopic jibs.
After 1990 to presence
In 1999, the company received ISO 9001ISO 9000
The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
certification.
The "Fablok" Employees’ Joint Stock Company (JSC) was formed and registered in 2001. After first purchasing of 60% of the controlling shares of Bumar-Fablok JSC by "FABLOK" - Employees’ Joint Stock Company from the 7th State Investment Fund (part of the privatization reforms) in 2003, the "Bumar-Fablok" Joint Stock Company ownership was transferred to the Fablok Employees’ Joint Stock Company.
On April 3, 2009, the name of the company was changed to Pierwsza Fabryka Lokomotyw w Polsce “Fablok” S.A (First Factory of Locomotives in Poland “Fablok” Joint Stock Company).