West German 2 cylinder 4-6-2 Pacific 001-202 sweeps down from the Schife Ebene incline into Neaunmarkt Wirsberg station with the 15.52 from Hof to Stuttgart and Tubingen. Up ahead is the east junction and signal box, left to Hof and right to Beyreuth. Up above the signal box on the bridge is a VW Beatle, I wonder how many of these are left now? they were everywhere at the time. The tender of the engine is piled high, there will be a quick turn round at Bamberg for the journey back to Hof and no time for a top up. These engines allocated to Hof were kept very busy along this line in the last years of use and all the remaining ones of this 234 strong class finished up working along here and of course those that were still at working in East Germany lasted for much longer. To the left out of sight was the steam shed little used by now but always worth a visit when at Neaunmarkt Wirsberg where here a few preserved engines stood undercover awaiting a new home. One was an old Bavarian 18 class 4 cylinder pacific 18-505, a really grand old machine, and a huge 3 cylinder class 45 2-10-2. 45-010.

Regards
Ledg.