German Steam News

MAIN LINE GERMAN STEAM LOCO NEWS Reports from February to April 2005
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Date	Event	Locos
30th April	Rotterdam	01 1075
30th April	Koblenz - Limburg - Siegen	01 118
16th April	München - Innsbruck	01 066, 03 2295
3rd April	Hamburg - Rendsburg	03 1010, 01 1080
8th April	Harz	03 1010
26th March	Hamburg - Westerland	03 1010, 01 1080
19th March	Braunschweig - Paderborn	03 1010, 01 1063
12th March	Meiningen Pacifics	01 509, 01 118, 03 1010
12th March	Ulm - Martinszell	01 519
1st March	Meiningen	012 100-4
19th Feb	01 509 + 01 519 snow sonderzug	01 509 + 01 519
5th Feb	03 2204 working Cottbus to Zittau	03 2204
	News Index	Various locos
	Main Index

30th April: 01 1075 is back in steam!

01 1075 is scheduled to be back into service, after a major overhaul, in time to head an SSN special to Rheine on May 28th. On 30th April the 01.10 was back in steam at Rotterdam: photo from Bernhard van Laar.
30th April continued

30th April: 01 118 runs Koblenz - Limburg - Wetzlar

30th April saw 01 118 head a DB Museum/Eifelbahn sonderzug from Koblenz via Limburg to Wetzlar. The 12 car train was taken over at Wetzlar by HEF's 52 4867 and the Prussian P 8 (Schwalm-Knülle) for the run onto Siegen, where DB Museum 215 049 took over to Koln. Here we see the HEF pacific running through Dietz. Photo and information from Jürgen Rech.
30th April report continued

30th April: 01 118 runs Koblenz - Limburg - Wetzlar continued

01 118 continues on towards Runkel. Photo from Jürgen Rech.

30th April report continued

30th April: 01 118 runs Koblenz - Limburg - Wetzlar continued

01 118 heads through Runkel. Photo by Jürgen Rech.

16th April report

16th April: 01 066 runs München to Innsbruck

Thomas Stenzel from the Bayerisches EisenbahnMuseum has kindly sent the following report, including the photo, about their pacifics.........Last Saturday our Lady 01 066 was running a train with 350 passengers from München to Innsbruck through Inn river valley. Everything was running fine after a long break for the machine since last December. The next special will be on Thursday, 5th of May (Holy day in Bavaria), when we will run a special from München to Lindau on the classic S3/6 route. The overhaul of the other pacific, the 03 2295 is planned to be finished in the summer, during that time the machine is still in Nördlingen.

3rd April report

3rd April: 03 1010 heads over the famous Rendsburg Hochbrücke
The weekend of 2/3 April saw coal fired three cylinder pacific 03 1010 working very hard. First a trip on Saturday 2nd April in the Harz area on a DB Museum Sonderzug. Followed by a very long overnight run, (light engine), from Halle to Hamburg. Just a couple of hours break and the "Roaring Monster" was at work again, heading another DB Museum train, this time with the Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde, to Rendsburg. Even then the loco didn't rest, having been chartered to run a trip from Rendsburg to Padborg in Denmark and back, before finally heading the DB Museum train back to Hamburg. A long weekend that not only does great credit to the loco, but also to DB Museum's planning and the great efforts of the loco crews from Halle and the Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde. Not only was this a great weekend for fans of three cylinder pacifics, (although I only travelled on the Sunday run to Rendsburg), it was also a weekend of outstandingly good Spring weather in Schleswig Holstein. Clear blue skies and comfortable temperatures that maybe signalled the end of a long winter! And it was right on time Volker Siewke and Bodo Gifhorn, (who I think shared the day's hard work with the shovel!), along with Jörg Lode, a member of the loco's normal Halle crew got our train on the move away from Hamburg Hbf and over the Alster bridge. Right: Approaching Hamburg Dammtor, soon after leaving the Hbf
3rd April report continued

3rd April: 03 1010 heads over the famous Rendsburg Hochbrücke continued

A stop at Wrist in the lovely sunshine gave a chance for a close up look at 03 1010. 3rd April report continued

3rd April: 03 1010 heads over the famous Rendsburg Hochbrücke continued

The highlight as going over the massive structure of the Rendsburger Hochbrücke. Just 8 days earlier we had gone over the Hochbrücke Hochdonn, also over the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, but in dense fog on the way to Westerland, and at night on the return!. Today was different, making a superb finale on the Northbound trip to Rendsburg. 3rd April report continued

3rd April: 03 1010 heads over the famous Rendsburg Hochbrücke continued

My day was spent with good friends and REF members Udo tribess and partner Birgit. We caught the 03 1010 train to Padborg up to Schleswig, where we enjoyed the lovely, quiet town on the edge of the Schlei, a long expanse of water extending from the Ostsee. The town has the largest Cathederal spire in North Germany as well as a superb fish restaurant! We left in time to rejoin 03 1010 back at Rendsburg, waiting in view of the high bridge. 3rd April report continued

3rd April: 03 1010 heads over the famous Rendsburg Hochbrücke continued

Soon we were leaving Rendsburg and heading towards the Hochbrücke and an at times roaring trip to Hamburg Hbf, where the 03.10 would be hauled back to Neumünster by a Museum 215 lok after a hard weekend. Most of the regulars had destinations to head to, but a couple of us did enjoy a pleasant evening sitting outside of Nagel's bar with a bier or two!
2nd April report

2rd April: 03 1010 heads a DB Museum Sonderzug in the Harz area.

03 1010 was busy in North Germany on 3rd April. But just a day before that, the pacific worked a Sonderzug from Halle into the Harz area. Photgraphed here between Vienenburg and Oker by Hans-Herbert Krull.
2nd April report continued

2rd April: 03 1010 heads a DB Museum Sonderzug in the Harz area.

03 1010 continues it's hard weekend on April 2nd, heading along near to Seesen. Photo by Hans-Herbert Krull.
26th March report

26th March: 03 1010 roars her way from Hamburg Altona to Westerland and return.
Easter Saturday should have seen 012 100-4 on a Nostalgie Express/Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde train from Hamburg Altona to Westerland. But with that lok under "heavy repair" at Meiningen three cylinder coal fired pacific 03 1010 was provided by DB Museum. But an 012, (01.10), was available in some form at Hamburg Altona. Displayed is the side motion and cylinders of 01 1080, (top), in memory of the work that this class of loco once did from here. But Easter Saturday was to see a loco from the other side of Germany, due to leave Altona station in the hands of Thomas Boldt and Bodo Gifhorn, (below), with Volker Siewke and Jörg Hinrichsen taking over from the water stop at Heide, (Holst). The skills of Thomas and Bodo were not confined to the controls of the pacific nicknamed "The Roaring Monster". They also became weather forecasters for TV company NDR who were filming during the day. Thankfully their driving skills were way above their level of expertise so far as the day's weather was concerned as it was a dreadfully dull, foggy and damp day, but one livened up by a superb roaring performance from the Halle based pacific!
26th March report continued

26th March: 03 1010 roars her way from Hamburg Altona to Westerland and return continued.

We left Hamburg Altona right on time at 07.00 with an eight coach train and were soon roaring through the Hamburg Suburbs. The front coach for the 19th March trip to Paderborn from Braunschweig had seen many of the regulars in the front coach, which probably explained why there were less of us together today. But there was still the usual convivial and friendly cameraderie that makes these trips so special as the headed through the very wet countryside. At our Elsmhorn stop Volker Siewke and Jörg Hinrichsen joined the train, as did the Halle based normal crew for 03 1010 of Harry Heydenbluth and Helmut König. The weather was dull and very foggy, but the three cylinder pacific continued to roar Northwards, slowing to 40 km/h over the Hochbrücke Hochdonn which was not a highlight of the trip to Westerland as we ran over it in very dense fog, before stopping at Heide to take water.
26th March report continued

26th March: 03 1010 roars her way from Hamburg Altona to Westerland and return continued.


Very busy scenes at Heide, (Holst), as our loco crew swapped over whilst the local fire brigade filed up the loco tender with water 26th March report continued

26th March: 03 1010 roars her way from Hamburg Altona to Westerland and return continued.

We left Heide as we headed on up towards Westerland, with a lovely roaring acceleration away from Husum, (left), and a superbly noisy climb up Bredstedt bank. We pulled into Niebull 2 minutes early, but from there we were delayed a little on the partly single track and busy line on to Westerland. But that didn't stop a superb roar over the Hindenburgdamm before arrival at Westerland, (right). 26th March report continued

26th March: 03 1010 roars her way from Hamburg Altona to Westerland and return continued.
A group of the front coachers spent a very pleasant seven hours at Westerland despite the poor weather. A great fish lunch, (for most), and then a couple of hours walking by the beach and the very cold North Sea: the water was just 5 degrees today, enough to deter even the most proficient swimmer amongst us! A quick visit to the old loco shed, (water tower top right) and then coffee and apple cake finished the delights of this North Sea Coast resort before re-joining our train back at the station. We left on time and for once had no delay before Niebull. A superb roaring climb up Bredstedt bank made sure we did not run late and Volker took us to the water stop on time, (lower), despite a couple of signal checks before hand. Indeed the recovery from the signal stop near Friedrichstadt and up to full speed at Lunden was magnificent. And witnessed from the lineside by Udo tribess who reported hearing a full five minutes of acceleration from the Roaring Monster as he watched the 3 headlights on the front of the loco approach and then race past him in the inky darkness!
Bodo Gifhorn and Thomas Boldt took the loco over from Heide and again kept to time, with some noisy restarts from our station stops. Itzehoe and Elmshorn were both magnficent starts, but perhaps the best of the day was from our last station stop, at Pinneberg. The Roaring Monster truly lived up to her name again as we raced up to 100 km/h, before the trip came to an end one minute early at Hamburg Altona. Time to bid farewell to the loco crew, a then a couple of biers with friends from the front coach to end another great day behind a three cylinder pacific in Germany.
19th March report

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn.
With 012 100-4 in Meiningen Loco Works about to have a major repair started it was indeed fortunate that DB Museum had another 3 cylinder pacific available to take over the North German part of their 2005 Nostalgie Programme. This was coal fired "light pacific" 03 1010, nicknamed "The Roaring Monster", which had been in Meiningen Loco Works during the 2004/5 winter for overhaul. The clean loco had returned to service on 12th March by hauling a DB Museum Sonderzug back from Meiningen to Braunschweig, from where it was booked to work on Saturday 19th March. On a dull and cold March 19th the pacific entered Braunschweig Hbf in the hands of Volker Siewke and Thomas Boldt, (photo top), at the head of a light five coach train. The regular Halle crew of Harry Heydenbluth and Helmut König, (Photo lower, at Leipzig in 2003), were also on the train and up on the loco from time to time. Promptly on time we left the Hbf and before long were building up speed on the single track line across to Hildesheim. This was the first full day steam tour of DB Museum and the Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde in North Germany for 2005, and not surprisingly a very good number of the regular front coachers were on board from Braunschweig. More joined at Hildesheim, and some who hadn't quite left Hamburg early enough met us later in the day just in time for lunch!
Our route continued West through Elze, Hameln and then down the main line up to Altenbeken where a wonderful roaring climb saw us climb the steep grade in really great style.
19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.

Hans-Herbert Krull was at Himmighausen to photo 03 1010 as she roared through on the steep climb up to Altenbeken 19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.
03 1010 shortly after arrival at Paderborn.
19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.


A superb lunch with the REF regulars in the famous Altenbeken Station Gastätte, with 03 1010 watering outside! A three cylinder loco again outside a 1970s style Gastätte on a station famous for it's 1970s three cylinder steam loco action. 19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.

The "Roaring Monster" lived up to her name crossing the famous viaduct at Altenbeken! Photo by Hans-Herbert Krull 19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.
2004 had seen two superb roaring climbs with 012 100-4 up the grade from Paderborn to Altenbeken. One starting from Paderborn, and one from passing the station at full speed. Those were superb climbs of the grade, but both saw the train slow to 20 km/h over the famous viaduct at the top of the climb due to a temporary speed restriction. My trip back from Paderborn up to Altenbeken to join the lunch party had shown that the temporary speed restriction was no longer in place, so the climb behind 03 1010 was looked forward to with even more anticipation. Not just by me, but by all the others in the front coach as we gently pulled out of Paderborn right on time for the return journey to Braunschweig. A gentle start over the crossings soon saw the three cylinder pacific opened up for a quite wonderful roaring climb past the 80 km/h mark, before a slowing was needed for a strict observance of the 70 km/h speed restriction part way up the grade. From there the monster roared again, accelerating back past the 80 km/h mark, and crossing the famous viaduct in full view of a good crowd of photographers at over 85 km/h, before brakes were applied for the junction at Altenbeken.
Above: Passing through Altenbeken, photo via Thomas Boldt 19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.

The "Roaring Monster" continued her great day, opened up through Holzminden to take the steep climb East. Photo by Hans-Herbert Krull 19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.
Even better followed as we returned via Bad Driburg. The climb from Holzminden is steeper than that up to Altenbeken, and the pacific roared up the steep grade, sustaining 84 km/h, passing more of the REF regulars on the lineside! A water stop at Kreiensen, then some fast running before a delay near Banteln. The timetable allowed us to recover some of the lost time and arrival back at Braunschweig, though still late was not so bad after such a great day.	03 1010 roars into the night near Erzhausen on the line from Kreiensen. Photo: Hans-Herbert Krull
I stayed an extra day at Braunschweig to enjoy the last chance of a 2004/5 winter hike in the Harz Mountains. I was rewarded with superb weather to photograph denkmal 01.10 class pacific 01.1063 at Braunschweig, where a now closed Loco Works used to overhaul this class of loco in the days of steam. A loco I had travelled behind in March 1975 just a few weeks before pacific operations ended between Rheine and Emden. And a reminder to me that no matter how great the day behind 03 1010 had been, (and it had been superb), it is behind 01.10 class 012 100-4 that we all hope to be travelling again before too long.
19th March report continued

19th March: 03 1010 works from Braunschweig to Paderborn continued.

12th March report

12th March: Pacific and Meiningen Dampflokwerke

Andreas Leipoldt was at Meiningen on March 12th for the "Pacific Meet". Andreas photographed 01 118 and 03 1010, (foreground). Also there were 01 1102, (out of service), 012 100-4, (boiler repair), and 01 509, (repair).

March 12th Meiningen report continued