Trains on Postal Stationery

TRAINS on POSTAL STATIONERY

BULGARIA

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Bulgaria

The postal stationery of Bulgaria looks very similar to that of Romania, but lacks identification numbers (such as the Cod numbers used by Romania), so while I am fairly sure most of the items shown were officially issued, there is no way to be sure.

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

HG-62 1934 - 1L - Postal card - dark green on green cardstock; printed stamp indicium depicts profile of Tsar Boris III, same design as #227; cachet with steam shovel, train, tracks & ore cars in open pit mine

3 lev green Postal Stationery used 16.12.48 Sofia; Railway wagons at big road excavation
Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #254

3 lev green Postal Stationery used 7.3.49; Railway wagons at big road excavation
Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #255

ATA HB entry:
HG-81 1951 - 3L - Postal card - brown; printed stamp indicium depicts road building, tractor, workers with jackhammer, same design as #696
CP: there are two different photos, and both were printed in two color combinations, brown ink on green paper, and green ink on green paper (shown), making four different cards.
EDITOR: From the images at the left it appears both the brown and the green imprints were used on white paper as well, and that the cards were also overprinted with new value of 12 lev, making potentially 16 different cards.
Photo cachet 1 - side-dump mine cars (tipper trucks) at road excavation
Photo cachet 2 - Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding
1. 3 lev green Postal Stationery, unused - Peace Conference, 1950: Tipper Trucks; TG

2. 3 lev brown Postal Stationery used 1.8.51; Railway wagons at big road excavation, Michel P 87 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #261

3. 3 lev brown Postal Stationery used 23.7.53 with imprint 12 lev; Railway wagons at big road excavation, Michel P 87 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #266

4. 3 lev green Postal Stationery used 19.4.51; Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding, Michel P 86 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #270

5. 3 lev green Postal Stationery used 25.9.52 with imprint 12 lev; Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding, Michel P 86 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #271

6. 3 lev brown Postal Stationery used 10.5.51; Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding, Michel P 87 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #262

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

HG-85 1952 12s on - 3L - #81(B) brown - side dump mine cars at road excavation (Schg "12 CT")

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

HG-95 1957 12s olive-green picture postal card (40th anniversary of the Communist Revolution); printed stamp indicium depicts Lenin giving speech, same design as #982; picture side with Lenin addressing revolutionaries from top of armored train

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

HG-96 1957 12s Picture postal card; printed stamp indicium depicts chemical[?] factory; picture side - dark olive-gray - tank steam locomotive with train of four-wheel hopper cars at the chemical[?] factory

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

HG-B33 1962 2s Envelope - blue; printed stamp indicium depicts lion on herald in circular frame; cachet with railway tracks, bridge over the Jantra River & tunnel, on approach to Tirnovo (same view as on 1987 - 5L - envelope)

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1965 2s Brown imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in circular frame; cachet depicts streetcar & large building in aerial view of Sofia
probably H&G B36 or B37

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1966 2s Light brown imprinted stamp indicium & cachet (same as 1965 issue above)
probably H&G B 38

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1966 2s Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in circular frame; cachet depicts steam train leaving tunnel & crossing bridge over the Jantra River, Tirnovo (similar view as on 1987 envelope)
probably H&G B38 (multiple views on same issue)

Env - 1967 - 2s green - train emerging from Tirnovo tunnel
probably H&G B40

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1967 2s Brown imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in circular frame; cachet depicts a streetcar & apartments in aerial view; inscribed "Izgled ot St. Zagora")
probably H&G B39?

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1968 2s Lilac-brown imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in free-form frame with single numeral of value at bottom center; cachet depicts steam train leaving tunnel & crossing bridge over the Jantra River, Tirnovo (same view as on 1967 envelope but with new indicium design)
probably H&G B44

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1970 2s Brown-red imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in free-form frame; cachet depicts Vladimir Ilich Lenin &others in railway car; inscribed "Vladimir Ilic Lenin"
probably H&G B69

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1970 2s 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth: Brown-red imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in free-form frame; cachet depicts Lenin addressing revolutionaries from top of armored train (same design as HG #95)
probably H&G B69 (same issue, multiple views)

BUL.5: Varna Ferry Complex, 1985
TG

Env - 1986 - 120th anniv. of Russe- Varna rail line - added cachet??

ATA HB entry:

1986 Anniversary Issues
- 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Slate-green imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; black cachet depicts 0-6-0T steam locomotive & "100 / GODINI / BDZ"

ATA HB entry:

1986 Anniversary Issues
1988 - 5L - Sofia Railway Works centenary (1888-1988): Slate-green imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; dark blue-green cachet depicts 2-6-0 steam locomotive & factory

ATA HB entry:

1986 Anniversary Issues
1988 - 5L - Sofia Railway Works centenary (1888-1988): Slate-green imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; orange-brown cachet depicts 2-6-0 steam locomotive & factory (same design as above)

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1986 Anniversary Issues
- 5L - 50th anniversary of the Georgi Traykov - Staro Oryaxovo (Georgi Trajkov - Staro Oråxovo) railway line, 1939-1989; dark blue-green cachet depicts map of line & connections, with line drawing of a 2-8-0 steam locomotive

1987 - 5L - Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; cachet depicts modern diesel train on bridge of the Iskur Gorge
ATA HB entry:

1986/7 - 5L - Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald[?]; cachet depicts Tskara Mountain track of the Sofia-Mesche railway line
From my old Columbia Encyclopedia:
(is´ker) , river, c.250 mi (400 km) long, rising in the Rhodope Mts., W Bulgaria, and flowing generally NE past Sofia and through the Balkan Mts. to the Danube River. The gorge of the Iskur, North of Sofia, is one of the chief passes through the Balkans, providing the natural route for the main highway and railway.
I presume it is this area North of Sofia that is depicted in the cachet.

ATA HB entry:

1987 - 5L - Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; cachet depicts railway tracks, bridge over the Jantra River & tunnel, on approach to Tirnovo (same view as on 1962 HG #B33)

ATA HB entry:

1987 - 5L - Overprint for centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (1888-1988) on Tirnovo envelope above

ATA HB entry:

1987 - 5L - Overprint for centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (1888-1988) on Tskara Mountain track envelope above

BUL.2: Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways, 1988: Varna Station.
TG

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1988 - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; cachet captioned "100 / GODINI / BDZ"
This could be either of the envelopes directly following??

ATA HB entry:

1988 - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; full-color cachet depicts electric (or diesel?) locomotive No. 14-06 (??)with passenger train in station area, with freight car at left

ATA HB entry:

1988 - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; full-color cachet depicts Class 41 Bo- Bo electric loco No. 41-19 in front of engine shed

Env - 1989 - standard definitive indicium; image of cigarette box and train, message "Smoking Prohibited on Public Transport"
(description from Classic Philatelics price list)

Env - 1989 - loading mail cars - 110th anniv. of Bulgaria Communications (from set of 6)

ATA HB entry:

1989 - 5L - 90th anniversary of the Shumen-Pleven Railway line: Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; deep claret cachet depicts Shumen & Pleven railway stations

BUL.3: Centenary of Yambol-Burgas Railway, 1990: Yambol Station
TG

BUL.4: Centenary of Yambol-Burgas Railway, 1990: Burgas Station
TG

BUL.7 Train on viaduct in the Isker Valley
TG

Env - 1991 - 50 years of philatelic something

Env - 1991 - 2 indicia, 5 st and 25 st; cachet with train car, 110th anniv. Railway Post Office
(description from Classic Philatelics price list)

(no image available) Env - 1994 - indicium with statue; cachet with picture of trams in Sofia
(description from Classic Philatelics price list)

(no image available) ATA HB entry:

1994 - 3L - Cachet depicts Sofia streetcars, R. Alexiev & "Merry Christmas"; imprinted stamp indicium with statue of no railway interest)

Env - 2000 - 110th anniv. Iambol- Burgas railway, cachet with train at station

Env - 2000 - 100th anniv of Russe- Tirnovo railway, cachet with image of train emerging from Tirnovo tunnel

Env - 2001 - 0.25 Lv stamp with no rail interest, cachet with sketch of steam engine silhouette, 135th anniv. Bulgarian railroads

PC - 2001 - metro, Sofia

Env - 2001 - 22L ind. with no rail interest, cachet with image of early streetcar/tram in Sofia
DL

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All maps courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

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Revised -- 01/10/2005

Bulgaria
The postal stationery of Bulgaria looks very similar to that of Romania, but lacks identification numbers (such as the Cod numbers used by Romania), so while I am fairly sure most of the items shown were officially issued, there is no way to be sure.
(no image available)	ATA HB entry: HG-62 1934 - 1L - Postal card - dark green on green cardstock; printed stamp indicium depicts profile of Tsar Boris III, same design as #227; cachet with steam shovel, train, tracks & ore cars in open pit mine

	3 lev green Postal Stationery used 16.12.48 Sofia; Railway wagons at big road excavation Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #254

	3 lev green Postal Stationery used 7.3.49; Railway wagons at big road excavation Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #255

	ATA HB entry: HG-81 1951 - 3L - Postal card - brown; printed stamp indicium depicts road building, tractor, workers with jackhammer, same design as #696 CP: there are two different photos, and both were printed in two color combinations, brown ink on green paper, and green ink on green paper (shown), making four different cards. EDITOR: From the images at the left it appears both the brown and the green imprints were used on white paper as well, and that the cards were also overprinted with new value of 12 lev, making potentially 16 different cards. Photo cachet 1 - side-dump mine cars (tipper trucks) at road excavation Photo cachet 2 - Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding 1. 3 lev green Postal Stationery, unused - Peace Conference, 1950: Tipper Trucks; TG 2. 3 lev brown Postal Stationery used 1.8.51; Railway wagons at big road excavation, Michel P 87 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #261 3. 3 lev brown Postal Stationery used 23.7.53 with imprint 12 lev; Railway wagons at big road excavation, Michel P 87 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #266 4. 3 lev green Postal Stationery used 19.4.51; Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding, Michel P 86 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #270 5. 3 lev green Postal Stationery used 25.9.52 with imprint 12 lev; Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding, Michel P 86 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #271 6. 3 lev brown Postal Stationery used 10.5.51; Women and children loading wagons on tracks at roadbuilding, Michel P 87 - Themabelga, Yannick Delaey, image #262

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: HG-85 1952 12s on - 3L - #81(B) brown - side dump mine cars at road excavation (Schg "12 CT")

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: HG-95 1957 12s olive-green picture postal card (40th anniversary of the Communist Revolution); printed stamp indicium depicts Lenin giving speech, same design as #982; picture side with Lenin addressing revolutionaries from top of armored train

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: HG-96 1957 12s Picture postal card; printed stamp indicium depicts chemical[?] factory; picture side - dark olive-gray - tank steam locomotive with train of four-wheel hopper cars at the chemical[?] factory

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: HG-B33 1962 2s Envelope - blue; printed stamp indicium depicts lion on herald in circular frame; cachet with railway tracks, bridge over the Jantra River & tunnel, on approach to Tirnovo (same view as on 1987 - 5L - envelope)

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1965 2s Brown imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in circular frame; cachet depicts streetcar & large building in aerial view of Sofia probably H&G B36 or B37

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1966 2s Light brown imprinted stamp indicium & cachet (same as 1965 issue above) probably H&G B 38

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1966 2s Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in circular frame; cachet depicts steam train leaving tunnel & crossing bridge over the Jantra River, Tirnovo (similar view as on 1987 envelope) probably H&G B38 (multiple views on same issue)

	Env - 1967 - 2s green - train emerging from Tirnovo tunnel probably H&G B40

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1967 2s Brown imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in circular frame; cachet depicts a streetcar & apartments in aerial view; inscribed "Izgled ot St. Zagora") probably H&G B39?

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1968 2s Lilac-brown imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in free-form frame with single numeral of value at bottom center; cachet depicts steam train leaving tunnel & crossing bridge over the Jantra River, Tirnovo (same view as on 1967 envelope but with new indicium design) probably H&G B44

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1970 2s Brown-red imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in free-form frame; cachet depicts Vladimir Ilich Lenin &others in railway car; inscribed "Vladimir Ilic Lenin" probably H&G B69

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1970 2s 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth: Brown-red imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald in free-form frame; cachet depicts Lenin addressing revolutionaries from top of armored train (same design as HG #95) probably H&G B69 (same issue, multiple views)

	BUL.5: Varna Ferry Complex, 1985 TG

	Env - 1986 - 120th anniv. of Russe- Varna rail line - added cachet??

	ATA HB entry: 1986 Anniversary Issues - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Slate-green imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; black cachet depicts 0-6-0T steam locomotive & "100 / GODINI / BDZ"

	ATA HB entry: 1986 Anniversary Issues 1988 - 5L - Sofia Railway Works centenary (1888-1988): Slate-green imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; dark blue-green cachet depicts 2-6-0 steam locomotive & factory

	ATA HB entry: 1986 Anniversary Issues 1988 - 5L - Sofia Railway Works centenary (1888-1988): Slate-green imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; orange-brown cachet depicts 2-6-0 steam locomotive & factory (same design as above)

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1986 Anniversary Issues - 5L - 50th anniversary of the Georgi Traykov - Staro Oryaxovo (Georgi Trajkov - Staro Oråxovo) railway line, 1939-1989; dark blue-green cachet depicts map of line & connections, with line drawing of a 2-8-0 steam locomotive

	1987 - 5L - Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; cachet depicts modern diesel train on bridge of the Iskur Gorge ATA HB entry: 1986/7 - 5L - Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald[?]; cachet depicts Tskara Mountain track of the Sofia-Mesche railway line From my old Columbia Encyclopedia: (is´ker) , river, c.250 mi (400 km) long, rising in the Rhodope Mts., W Bulgaria, and flowing generally NE past Sofia and through the Balkan Mts. to the Danube River. The gorge of the Iskur, North of Sofia, is one of the chief passes through the Balkans, providing the natural route for the main highway and railway. I presume it is this area North of Sofia that is depicted in the cachet.

	ATA HB entry: 1987 - 5L - Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; cachet depicts railway tracks, bridge over the Jantra River & tunnel, on approach to Tirnovo (same view as on 1962 HG #B33)

	ATA HB entry: 1987 - 5L - Overprint for centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (1888-1988) on Tirnovo envelope above

	ATA HB entry: 1987 - 5L - Overprint for centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (1888-1988) on Tskara Mountain track envelope above

	BUL.2: Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways, 1988: Varna Station. TG

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1988 - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; cachet captioned "100 / GODINI / BDZ" This could be either of the envelopes directly following??

	ATA HB entry: 1988 - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; full-color cachet depicts electric (or diesel?) locomotive No. 14-06 (??)with passenger train in station area, with freight car at left

	ATA HB entry: 1988 - 5L - Centenary of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ): Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; full-color cachet depicts Class 41 Bo- Bo electric loco No. 41-19 in front of engine shed

	Env - 1989 - standard definitive indicium; image of cigarette box and train, message "Smoking Prohibited on Public Transport" (description from Classic Philatelics price list)

	Env - 1989 - loading mail cars - 110th anniv. of Bulgaria Communications (from set of 6)

	ATA HB entry: 1989 - 5L - 90th anniversary of the Shumen-Pleven Railway line: Blue imprinted stamp indicium with lion on herald; deep claret cachet depicts Shumen & Pleven railway stations

	BUL.3: Centenary of Yambol-Burgas Railway, 1990: Yambol Station TG

	BUL.4: Centenary of Yambol-Burgas Railway, 1990: Burgas Station TG

	BUL.7 Train on viaduct in the Isker Valley TG

	Env - 1991 - 50 years of philatelic something

	Env - 1991 - 2 indicia, 5 st and 25 st; cachet with train car, 110th anniv. Railway Post Office (description from Classic Philatelics price list)

(no image available)	Env - 1994 - indicium with statue; cachet with picture of trams in Sofia (description from Classic Philatelics price list)

(no image available)	ATA HB entry: 1994 - 3L - Cachet depicts Sofia streetcars, R. Alexiev & "Merry Christmas"; imprinted stamp indicium with statue of no railway interest)

	Env - 2000 - 110th anniv. Iambol- Burgas railway, cachet with train at station

	Env - 2000 - 100th anniv of Russe- Tirnovo railway, cachet with image of train emerging from Tirnovo tunnel

	Env - 2001 - 0.25 Lv stamp with no rail interest, cachet with sketch of steam engine silhouette, 135th anniv. Bulgarian railroads

	PC - 2001 - metro, Sofia

	Env - 2001 - 22L ind. with no rail interest, cachet with image of early streetcar/tram in Sofia DL