MAIN LINE GERMAN STEAM LOCO NEWS Reports from May to July 2005
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Date	Event	Locos
27th July	Meiningen	012 100-4
16th July	Meiningen Loco Works	01 509
16th July	Dresden to Bad Doberan	18 201
14th July	Meiningen Loco Works	012 100-4
9th July	Hamburg to Flensburg	03 1010
7th July	012 100-4 in Meiningen	012 100-4
26th June	Hessentag 2005 in Weilburg	P8 2455
25th June	Hamburg to Warnemünde	03 1010
18th June	Hamburg to Puttgarden	03 1010
18th June	Haltingen to Laupheim-West	01 519
8th June	012 100-4 repair update	012 100-4
28th May	Sonderzugs to Rheine	011 1075, 023 23 and 41 360
5th May	Hamburg - Bruchhausen-Vilsen	03 1010
2005	Feb to April 2005 News Reports	Various locos
2003-6	News Index	Various locos
	Main Index

27th July: 012 100-4 at Meiningen Loco Works

On 27th July the firebox and boiler for 012 100-4 were about to be united for the first time. The next major step will be on August 17th, when the boiler is pressure tested with water to simulate steam, up to a pressure of 25 bar. News from Jürgen Rech who passed on the photo taken by Uwe Leifheit from DLW Meiningen. 16th July Report

16th July: 01 509 at Meiningen Loco Works

Work on 012 100-4 progresses at Meiningen, but the story on 01 509 is not so good. Photographed here by Steffen Schmidt on 16th July. Significant and costly boiler repair work is needed on this two cylinder pacific before it can return to service. 16th July 18 201 report

15th to 16th July: 18 201, now back in green livery, at Nossen and working from Dresden to Bad Doberan

18 201 back in it's normal green livery, seen here at Nossen on 15th July by Mike Baxter, and (next page), working the empty train for the July 16th 900 km Sonderzug, through Deutschenbora Bf, also on July 15th. Mike Baxter reports, "Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future ownership of ex DR pacific 18 201, 'Die Legend' put in a sparkling performance on what could be its last rail tour for current owners Dampf Plus on the 16th July Elbe - Ostee Express from Dresden to Bad Doberan and return. Improvements to the permanent way, particularly between Elsterwerda and Berlin-Schonefeld ensured a high speed run on the outward leg with consistent fast running.. 16th July report continued

15th to 16th July: 18 201continued.

Once away from the 'Berlin Ring' fast speeds were recorded both sides of Neustrelitz prior to the water stop at Waren. An 'ontime' arrival at Bad Doberan provided passengers with a 5 hour opportunity to sample the delights of the Mollibahn and the seaside resort of Kuhlungsborn! 18 201 rejoined the train for a punctual departure from Rostock. Some checks restricted fast running on the first section of the return journey, however, some excellent acceleration away from these delays saw arrival at Berlin Schonefeld only 9 minutes late.... 16th July report continued

15th to 16th July: 18 201 continued.

Gerd Böhmer photographed the sparkling pacific at Berlin-Schönefeld when working the 16th July D 85748 from Dresden Further time was lost after Berlin following a late running RB to Drahnsdorf. Once clear of the local, speed increased for the highlight of the day with the section from Drahnsdorf to Priestwitz being covered in 43 minutes, against a schedule of 54 minutes. An on time arrival at Dresden HBF, after 900 kms of haulage, concluded a most successful railtour. Despite the difficulties of organising a high speed run, Dampf Plus should be complimented for their organisation and determination. Thanks for the report and photos Mike. 14th July report

14th July: Repair update on 012 100-4

Jürgen Rech continues his excellent work in keeping a detailed photographic record of the heavy repair of 012 100-4 at Meiningen Loco Works. His latest visit was on July 14th. 14th July report continued

14th July: Repair update on 012 100-4 continued

More photos from Jürgen Rech covering his 14th July visit to Meiningen Loco Works. 9th July report

9th July: 03 1010 works from Hamburg to Flensburg

Earlier today 03 1010 ran from Hamburg to Flensburg with an 8 coach DB Museum/Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde Sonderzug. Udo Tribess took this photo of the coal fired three cylinder pacific roaring along at around 100 km/h through Prisdorf soon after the train left Pinneberg. 9th July report continued

9th July: 03 1010 works from Hamburg to Flensburg continued

Lothar Liebig photographed the roaring departure of 03 1010 from Elmshorn, a home town shared by Lothar and Volker Siewke who was driving the pacific! 9th July report continued

9th July: 03 1010 works from Hamburg to Flensburg continued

A closer shot by Lothar Liebig of 03 1010 roaring away from Elmshorn. 9th July report continued

9th July: 03 1010 works from Hamburg to Flensburg continued
Up to Neumünster saw Volker Siewke and Bodo Gifhorn in charge of the pacific: leaving Elmshorn Volker showed his hometown why 03 1010 is called the Roaring Monster! From Neumünster Harry Heydenbluth took over the throttle with Volker as route guide. At the Flensburg Festival there was plenty to see on a superb sunny day. Photos and information: Helmut Boekhoff. 9th July report continued

9th July: 03 1010 works from Hamburg to Flensburg continued
Helmut Boekhoff was busy with his camera, taking shots of the crew of this great loco as well as some of the many people who got a close up look at the three cylinder pacific on the quayside at Flensburg harbour. 7th July report

Update on 012 100-4 in Meiningen Loco Works

Jürgen Rech has continued his regular visits to Meiningen Loco Works and reports that the work on the heavy repair of 012 100-4 is on time! Jürgen's photo shows work at 14.00 on 7th July. Herr Leifheit from the Loco Works told Jürgen that he thinks the "Marriage" between the boiler and the firebox should start in week 29, but not before July 20th. From July 18th the Works starts it's 4 week annual holiday, but thankfully during that time the boilersmiths remain on duty. 26th June report

26th June: Hessentag 2005 in Weilburg. P8 2455

A lovely photo taken by Jürgen Rech on Sunday 26th June. It shows a P8 4-6-0 2455 on the way to Weilburg, near to Villmar during the Hessentag 2005 weekend. 25th June report

25th June: 03 1010 works from Hamburg Hbf to Warnemünde

03 1010 after leaving Hamburg-Bergedorf towards Warnemünde and passing the "Krähenwald" near Reinbek. The train seems to be a real Transit-Train (green DB cars and a Mitropa Restaurant) - and - in addition - on the former Transit line Hamburg - West Berlin, but nowadays with 2 extra S-Bahn tracks. It was a very hot summer morning (21°C at 8.00), but it freshed up over Hamburg later during a thunder storm. Thanks to Udo Tribess for the photo and the information. 18th June report

18th June: 03 1010 works from Hamburg Hbf to Puttgarden

Udo Tribess took this photo of 03 1010 just a few hours ago today, 18th June. The three cylinder pacific was heading along near to Bad Oldesloe on the DB Museum/REF Sonderzug from Hamburg Hbf to Puttgarden. 01 519 on 18th June

18th June: 01 519 works from Haltingen to Laupheim-West

01 519 headed a special train from Haltingen to Laupheim-West. Original destination for the train was Ulm, but due to an almost 2-hours delay, the scheduled route was shortened to Laupheim-West. Photo was taken in the Klettgau-area between Neunkirch and Beringen. Thanks to Rheingard Reiss for the information and photo. Update on 012 100-4 in Meiningen

8th June: Update on 012 100-4 heavy repair at Meiningen

Jürgen Rech is making a photographic record of the heavy repair on 012 100-4 at Meiningen, and this latest picture was taken on a visit he made on June 6th. Update on 012 100-4 in Meiningen continued

8th June: Update on 012 100-4 heavy repair at Meiningen continued
Jürgen Rech had earlier visited Meiningen Works to photograph the progress of the heavy repair of 012 100-4 on May 27th. 28th May report

28th May: Sonderzugs to Rheine

28th May should have seen a great celebration of steam at Rheine. This was to mark the end of Schnellzug passenger steam West Germany at the end of May in 1975. The 30th anniversary of that sad event when the last 012 pacific roared up the main line on a normal pasenger train between Rheine and Norddeich Mole. The plans were for a DB Museum/Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde Sonderzug to run from Bremen via Leer to Rheine behind 03 1010, (substituting for 012 100-4). A 41 360 was due to arrive from Dortmund, and 023 23 and 011 1075 were due to haul a sonderzug in from Holland. But the weather had other ides! A week of very dry and very hot weather saw the weather forecasting service raise the fire risk level to 4 from midday on Friday 27th May. At that very high level it was impossible to operate any coal fired steam locos in North Germany, so 03 1010 was replaced by an electric loco, (diesel on the return), and the train from Holland was hauled in Germany by a V200 diesel. So the only steam hauled train that arrived at Rheine was behind the oil fired 41 from Dortmund. This news greeted me on my arrival at Bremen, but with temperatures soaring past the 30 degree mark it was no surprise. I personally believe it was a sensible decision to stop the coal fired steam locos operating: a major fire caused by one of them in Northern Germany could have had far reaching consequences for the future operations of main line coal fired steam locos in that area. So I went to Bremen Hbf in the morning to say hello to my Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde colleagues who were working on board the sonderzug. In the evening I returned to the Hbf to meet the train, (along with another regular "front coacher"), and enjoyed a bier with Fritz Wolff our Club President who had been working on the train during the day. In between I upheld the British tradition of "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun", by enjoying a three and a half hour walk in the scorching heat around the lovely Zwischenahner Meer, (a very large lake), not very far West of Bremen!

May 28th Continued

28th May: Sonderzugs to Rheine continued

011 1075 doubleheading 023 23 near to Amersfoort with the special train that was steam hauled as far as the German border at Bentheim. Photo by Bernhard van Laar.

5th May report

5th May: 03 1010 runs Hamburg to Eystrup, (Bruchhausen-Vilsen)

Robin Garn took this great photo of 03 1010 leaving Hamburg Hbf on her way to Eystrup, (Bruchhausen-Vilsen tour), and keeping pace with ICE 773 to Frankfurt Airport. 5th May report continued

5th May: 03 1010 runs Hamburg to Eystrup, (Bruchhausen-Vilsen) continued

Just a few hours ago today, (5th May), Udo tribess photographed 03 1010 roaring up to near 100 km/h as the "Roaring Monster" accelerated her light DB Museum/Rendsburger Eisenbahnfreunde train away from Buchholz. 5th May report continued

5th May: 03 1010 runs Hamburg to Eystrup, (Bruchhausen-Vilsen)
There is no doubt it was a lovely Spring day at Eystrup, where 03 1010 basks in the sun after arrival from Hamburg. Photos from Thomas Boldt. Next

Reports from earlier in 2005	News Index	Main Index