A West German 2-10-0, 052-817 is silhouetted against the late afternoon sunset on a bitter cold winters day, working the 16.43 Neunmarkt Wirsberg to Hof local passenger train. Heavy snow fell later overnight which made it extremely hard going on foot the next day getting out into the country side to take photographs. This is the Schife Ebene the German equivalent to the Lickey incline only with bends and situated in glorious rolling countryside, a walkers paradise. All the heavy express trains and the few freight trains there were had bankers from Neunmarkt Wirsberg for about 3 miles up to Markshorgast. This line was from Bamburg to Hof over on the eastern side of West Germany near the East German and Czechoslovakian border. We had come here to see the remaining 01 Pacific’s at work before they were all withdrawn from service in the spring of 1973.

Thursday 15th February 1973.