east germany

Picture of the week: East Germany 99-1777

Alan Ledger January 5, 2017

The East Germans had some really nice locations for a number of Narrow Gauge railways of which some are still in operation in various parts of the country today. Here we are well south of Karl-Marks-Stadt right by the Czechoslovakian border which runs along side the line for most of the way. It was one hell of a place to get to as we were only allowed to stay overnight in Dresden although there were plenty of hotels at the

Picture of the week East Germany 44-0115 At Saalfeld

Alan Ledger June 16, 2016

Here is a panoramic view of Saalfeld in East Germany showing the depot yard and turntable on the left and the station in the background. 44-0115, a 3 cylinder 2-10-0 oil burner storms out of the freight yard with a long train for Gera putting up an almighty exhaust in anticipation of the long five mile climb ahead up to Unterwellenborn. The cylinder taps are open to clear any water from them after having stood in the yard. Saalfeld’s 01-0534

Picture of the week: Eisfelelde Talmuhle East Germany 99-7231

Alan Ledger January 21, 2016

Yet another trip to East Germany to see the last of steam on the standard gauge around Halberstadt where I had to lay low and dodge the police by the marshalling yards, not a good place to be on your own in East Germany. They had the luxury of a car to find me but made the mistake of having their siren on. Still got some pictures though. Then on to see the narrow gauge at Wernigeroda. Here is a

Picture of the Week: (EAST) GERMANY

Alan Ledger December 3, 2015

An East German light Pacific 003-2001 Runs along side the river Saal at Dornburg. This was running with a large number of other preserved engines during a German enthusiasts 4 day plan Damph (steam festival) that a group of us went over to see. They were allowed to work normal timetabled trains in place of German State Railway Diesels, could you imagine that happening in Britain? So here is the 11.49 Camberg to Saalfeld. Up above on the escarpment some

Picture of the Week: 01 1010

Alan Ledger November 19, 2015

3 cylinder East German Pacific 03-1010 with a full brake application taking place, the smoke off the brake blocks was tremendous on this hot summers evening (which drivers amongst you remembers them from old? happy days, can’t be done now though! TPWS won’t let you) as she storms into Naumberg for the booked stop working the 18.01 Halle to Saalfeld D express. Thick smoke trails behind the engine giving the neds hanging out the windows something to remember. No cinders

Picture of the Week: 01-2137 Bautzen

Alan Ledger May 21, 2015

East German 2 cylinder 4-6-2 pacific 01 2137 gets underway from Bautzen east of Dresden on this glorious sunny morning with train D451, the overnight express from Frankfurt Main to Warsaw. You really had to be there to appreciate the noise it made departing with this heavy train made up of 12 coaches plus a dead class 132 diesel on the back climbing up the rising gradient towards Gorlitz and the Polish border, it was unbelievable and completely unexpected as

Picture of the Week: 99-1789 East Germany

Alan Ledger April 20, 2015

Way down in the southern part East Germany narrow gauge 2-10-2T 99-1789 has just left Neudorf station working to 14.52 to Cranzal. Neudorf is a small hamlet on the line to the ski resort of Kurort Oberwiesental on what was then the Czechoslovakian border at the time. Fortunately the sun has just come out. I stood there anxiously watching the sunlight pass over the landscape towards the railway hoping for it to reach and light up the subject in time,

Picture of the Week: 052-399

Alan Ledger March 19, 2015

Thought you might like another winter shot as this years season is drawing to a close although we could still yet have snow! Here is West German 2-10-0 052-399 working the 11.34 local train from Hof to Lichtenfels, west of Munchberg, high up in the eastern hills near to East Germany. This was taken on our cold weeks expedition to West Germany in 1973 mentioned before. Here we are plodding around in the deep snow getting more and more colder.

Picture of the Week: Saalfeld

Alan Ledger October 29, 2014

Another visit to East Germany and an early start from our hotel before returning for breakfast. This time oil burning Pacific 01-0517 is setting out from Saalfeld on a real grim and gloomy morning working the 06.58 to Leipzig via Gera. There was also a steam hauled service via Jena to Leipzig worked from Saalfeld. The steam shed is on the left with engines standing in the yard ready for work. The class of engines working these two services kept

Picture of the week: East German 2-10-0 Class 44

Alan Ledger July 31, 2014

A night time picture of an East German 3 cylinder oil fired 2-10-0 class 44. Here is 44-0233 standing at Saalfeld late at night with its burners roaring away getting steam up ready for the long climb out to the steel works at Unterwellanbourn on the line to Gera with a heavy freight of casting sand. There will be a banker at the rear for the long haul ahead. Tuesday 21st April 1981.

Picture of the week: German 2-10-2 tank 99-7244

Alan Ledger February 6, 2014

A winter theme. Ex East German metre gauge 2-10-2 tank 99-7244 gets away from Sorge with the 11.02 from Wernigerode to Benneckenstein in the Harz mountains of Germany. This was definitely not a station to get off at when under East German rule as the border with the west was very close by and you were told in no uncertain terms not to do so. The trains ran along side the fence and no mans land for some distance, it

Picture of the Week: East Germany 1994

Alan Ledger January 9, 2014

I have always wanted a cherry tree in blossom in a picture with a steam engine. We had been walking the line out in the country side near Kubshutz and there it was, so I had to get it at all costs! The bonus was when the train came two people from the house came out and the lady can be seen waving to the driver. Here we are 38 kilometres 600 meters from Dresden on the line to Gorlitz

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