Beer, roads and cars.

1. Draught beer was difficult to find in Romania in 1982. It was always sold in half litre mugs and was unfiltered and unpasturised. It was always dispensed with the aid of a cylinder of CO2 but usually cool and refreshing.
2. Constanta railway station.
3. A village scene. Most of the roads we drove on were quite good and there was very little traffic. The main problem was overtaking ox carts with a right hand drive car. Village streets often had loose chippings and the side roads were not surfaced at all.
4. RTV 604X - the Ford Cortina that made the journey and a wayside inspection ramp.

Arad

We then continued northwards to Arad. I was feeling ill with a stomach bug and could only sit on a bench and took three pictures in the centre of the city.

Rasinari

There was only one tram route in Sibiu - a suburban service to the small town of Rasinari. I think this is still the case.

To Sibiu

Leaving Bucharest we drove northwards to Sibiu. I was fined 40 Benson & Hedges cigarettes for changing lanes without signalling on an empty road.
1. Dracula's castle.
2. Socialist constuction methods.
3. Sibiu has a number of old buildings like this one. (We think the queue was for a delivery of soap which had just arrived). We are looking forward to visiting Sibiu in its new role as European Capital of Culture 2007.
4. Typical rural transport.

Farewell Bucharest

We leave Bucharest in 1982 with a few pictures of the articulated cars. Some of these may well still be in service. Kath and I returned to Bucharest in 1994 not long after 'regime change'. We are now looking forward to our flight with WizzAir to Bucharest on April 30th this year.
1. Car 173. For more recent view see http://ratb.stfp.net/Data/T/3/173-32:4.jpg
2. Car 227. For more recent view see http://ratb.stfp.net/Data/T/3/227-46:1.jpg
3. Car 284 and its driver. For more recent view see http://ratb.stfp.net/Data/T/3/284-Dp:1.jpg

Points

Most of the tram points in Bucharest were manually operated. At busy city centre junctions there were small metal huts with a seat and a point lever usually occupied by an elderly lady. Otherwise the drivers simply got off their trams and used a point iron.