Germany September 2013

This trip had been one of those last minute, yet not so last minute plans. It was shoehorned in as a weekend away in Germany; literally days after I’d just booked a normal trip to Austria. This turned out to be a bit of a bonus in the end as it meant I could save money on train tickets and just buy a 15 Day Global InterRail to cover both trips; especially as we decided to enter Germany via Switzerland as well.

All the DB diagrams available were downloaded from ERG or DB Loco Info and a plan hatched to cover the 4 corners of 218 workings; Munich, Lindau, Hannover & Hamburg. We also wanted to include the two 103 turns at Munich & Stuttgart but were unfortunately too late for any booked 110 workings, the last turn having finished on the Stuttgart – Plochingen line a couple of weeks prior to our trip!

Little did we realise, until after our flights were booked, just how much engineering work was taking place while we were actually in Germany; and we were only there for 4 days. Our original plan having to be scrapped.

With both the 110 turns having finished in both Stuttgart & Münster and engineering work in various locations we basically had to start from scratch. The following had to be worked round:

Munich – Mühldorf trains terminating at Dorfen

Ulm – Lindau trains not running between Aulendorf & Ravensburg

IC118/119 not running into Stuttgart and terminating at Ulm; which thankfully still had the 103 working the turn to Ulm. This also a result of the Ulm – Lindau line works.

Despite all our reworks we were happy with the plan we’d come up with; all it had to do was work once we got there……..

Flights

British Airways £138.21 return

BA 8763 0700 London City – Zurich

BA8768 1910 Zurich – London City

Hotels

Stuttgart –Hotel Rieker Novum (2 minutes from station entrance) £73.25 for a twin room

Munich – Hotel Dolomit (2 minutes from station entrance) £75 for a twin room

Train Tickets

InterRail Global Pass (15 Days) – £382

DB City Night Line tickets booked directly through DB over the phone (prior to departing the UK) – €37.50 (each journey)

Thursday 5^th September 2013 (The only way was Lenzburg)

Having spent the day in Switzerland doing Re420’s in Zurich, mostly between there and Lenzburg all day, our way into Germany had been planned via IC180 1905 Zurich – Stuttgart. Which departed promptly with SBB Cargo Re421, 421394 at its helm.

Waiting for us as we arrived into Singen was DB 181210, which was a bonus really, and something we’d been expecting all day thanks to the gen posted on the very helpful Drehscheibe Forum (translated as Turntable) in one of the Lokvorschau postings, which lists the days notable workings.

Arrival into the building site that is Stuttgart HB, was a little late. Thankfully our hotel, the Hotel Rieker Novum, was only a short walk from the front of the station and we were there within 5 minutes of arriving. It was a decent enough place and included free WiFi & breakfast; the latter we wouldn’t need.

The Moves

Friday 6^th September 2013 (The Stuttgart Ultimatum)

Up at the crack of dawn we were at Stuttgart HB for the 0616 Tübingen stopper to Plochingen to cover the 0641 Plochingen – Tübingen, the turn that used to be a 110 until very recently, just in case it did drop a 110. We made the 0608 Ulm and ended up dinging that in to Bad Cannstatt with 146218, before doing 143827 to Plochingen to find 111076 on the 0641 to Tübingen; which we did anyway. This resulted in the first bowl out of the morning, not the fact it wasn’t a 110, no. The fact that as we alighted at Nütringen and our train departed, the announcement came that our return train, 22014 0637 Tübingen – Stuttgart, was indeed cancelled. Not only did it leave us with a 40 minute fester for the next train back to Plochingen but it also meant we couldn’t get into Stuttgart for 63373 0802 Stuttgart – Aulendorf with its booked pair of 218’s. This then resulted in a lengthy enough fester at Plochingen as well for an even bigger bowl out when 63373 rolled in with 146215 vice 218s; I would have accepted a single 218 vice the pair with the engineering work preventing the train running to Lindau but the 146 just wasn’t something either of us had been expecting.

Having got over our morning’s escapades or lack of them really, we went into spin mode, mainly concentrating of getting some 111’s in on the Nürnberg & Aalen turns and in the end we made a decent morning of it. Making sure we positioned ourselves at Plochingen to do IC2519 0727 Münster – Ulm (running vice IC119 0727 Münster – Innsbruck) towards Ulm with 103113, which the Drescheibe Forum had confirmed that 103113 was out.

Unfortunately IC2519 was late, and lost further time while it waited at Plochingen for 120144 to depart in front of it with IC2261 1206 Karlsruhe – Munich HB. This ultimately led to us having to rethink our plans as IC2519 to IC2518 only had a 23 minute run round at Ulm and it was 30 late before it even left Plochingen. We only had a plus 13 back at Plochingen for IC2013 0601 Magdeburg – Oberstdorf to Ulm with its pair of 218s; which if we missed, recovering our plan would involve a lot of electrics and missing out on a load of 218s in the Memmingen area.

Pre-occupied with walking to the front of the train once we’d boarded IC2519, we completely missed spotting Gruntle as we highballed past. He soon caught us up and reminded us of our ignorance though! He’d wanted to be on board IC2261 from Ulm towards Munich to do the other 103 turn to Nürnberg; which had conveniently departed Plochingen, with 120144, the moment 103113 had come to a stand.

During our short journey to Göppingen we had chance to have one of those power catch-ups, neither of us having seen Gruntle for a while, then we bode him farewell; fully expecting to see him the following morning on board IC2301 0615 Nürnberg – Munich HB with hopefully another 103 at its helm.

Once back at Stuttgart HB our afternoon took a completely different tone with our bash giving way to electrics in favour of 218s. 218494/434 headed IC2013 0601 Magdeburg – Oberstdorf out of Stuttgart HB, about 9 late. We’d seen them going into Stuttgart, at Plochingen, earlier in the day. Thankfully the 218s didn’t lose anymore time as we were only on a plus 10 at Ulm for 63361 1612 Ulm – Aulendorf, which we made, having run under the subway and down the length of the platform. At 1614, with the road not off and no sign of the train attempting to depart, we got back off again and legged it back down the platform and under the subway, back to the platform across from where we’d alighted, to board 57651 1615 Ulm – Oberstdorf!

There was method in the madness of both attempting to do what we’d done and then settling for what we’d eventually done. 63361 eventually departed 6 late and we’d only been on a plus 5 at the first shack, Laupheim West, which had it missed we’d have ended up making a right mess of the evening bash. The reason for attempting the move in the first place was as both the locos on 57651 and the next train we’d ultimately do from Memmingen would repeat themselves in our moves the following day; so the Ulm – Laupheim West move seemed a sensible option to get two different locos in, until time got the better of the move…….

Whilst 218435 didn’t depart Ulm on time with 57651 either, it didn’t matter as we had 45 minutes to spare at Memmingen. The run to which was very pleasant, the front coach being empty, the weather being nice and the open air coaches just adding to the pleasantry; it reminded me of what Summer Saturdays used to be like in the UK.

At Memmingen we treat ourselves to a well deserved beer in a bar over the road while waiting for 57417 1802 Memmingen – Munich HB to arrive, which it did with 218460, right behind EC192 1633 Munich HB – Zurich HB with 218421/444 which we’d hopefully have back into Munich on their return working from Lindau.

The run to Buchloe is through fields, and fast. It’s like the Ulm, Memmingen, Buchloe area is in some sort of land that time forgot and the Germans forgot to upgrade it to double track and electrify it while they were at it! At Buchloe we witnessed 218490 depart, almost immediately after we arrived, with 57514 1752 Munich – Füssen, leaving 218488 and set behind in the platform as it did so; the train being booked to run with two sets paired up to Buchloe. The following train from Munich, 1820 Munich HB – Lindau, was also booked two sets to Memmingen, and promptly turned up with 218467 leading and 218454 mid train.

We were only allowed in the front portion of the train from Buchloe, the guard having locked the rear set out, but the short run back to Memmingen was good enough all the same, even if I had wanted to sit behind the middle engine. We were looped, as booked, at Mindelheim for 218416 to hammer through, single handed working EC190 1833 Munich HB – Zurich HB vice the booked 2×218.

Having been treated to an excellent sun set as we approached Memmingen our night time bash led us back to Buchloe and then down the Füssen branch to the first station, Ebenhofen. Even the locals that lived in the station building had to stare and try to figure out both why we’d got off and why we waited for the next train back towards civilisation!

Rain was in the air and with only a small shelter to prevent it soaking us we were grateful of 218490 arriving to collect us on time. Unfortunately the train terminates at Kaufbueren then runs empty to Kempten, rather than running through to Buchloe. The result being everyone having to join an Alex train forward to Munich HB, unless you were us, in which case the Alex train would only need to be done to Buchloe for EC197 forward to Munich HB. The bad news was that our Alex train was 15 late and we were only on a plus 12 at Buchloe. This meant two things, one that Aidy had to consider buying a piece to Munich as his FIP passes weren’t valid on Alex, and two that we couldn’t really risk getting off at Buchloe to find out if the EC from Zurich had gone as there wasn’t anything behind it into Munich if it had gone.

While Aidy was on the hunt for the cost of his ticket to Munich he found out that the ticket machines actually display real-time train information for the trains you intend doing, or between two points. The bonus of this was that he discovered that EC197 was also 15 late; order was restored and at Buchloe two train crew on the platform confirmed that EC197 was actually 30 late, before the Alex had departed.

218444/421 certainly got a shift on with their train, the lateness wasn’t really needed as it wasn’t due into Munich HB until 2245 as it was, but dinner certainly was needed and what better way to do it that on board EC197 in the restaurant car. It was the only place with seats left on the train anyway, probably due to it being a Friday, and the pasta with bolognaise only took 10 minutes to prepare. The €13 price tag was more than fair for the portion size, surroundings and time of night. Unlike our good old buffet cars in the UK this one remained open until the train rolled into the platform at Munich HB!

Thankfully our Hotel Dolomit was only a short 2 minute walk from the station front and just like the previous night, we were checking within moments and in the room. This time though there was no free internet. The room was massive and had three beds, however it was missing part of its curtain arrangement, which thankfully wouldn’t bother us as we’d be up before it got light! I got the feeling the Dolomit was more of a budget place, even if the price tag didn’t show it.

Gen for Friday 6^th September 2013

General

103113 IC2519 0727 Münster – Ulm

120144 IC2261 1206 Karlsruhe – Munich HB

223066 84157 1954 Lindau – Munich

Stuttgart Electric Diagrams

111029 TE-3, 111076 D-1 (143 turn), 111078 TA-5, 111168 TE-1, 111203 TB-1

143140 TI-1 (146 turn), 143176 B-3, 143195 K-4, 143201 19330, 143265 A-1, 143315 B-1, 143655 E-3, 143827 B-2, 143880 K-5, 143882 K-3, 143899 J-2, 143900 F-2, 143963 C-1

146202 TG-5, 146204 TD-3, 146213 TD-4, 146215 4240, 63377 (vice 2×218), 146216 TH-1, 146218 TG-2,

146219 TG-6, 146221 TE-1, 146222 TF-1, 146225 TA-1

218 Diagrams

Mühldorf

218416 A2/A8 (vice 2×218), 218421/444 A4/A10

Kempten

218435 Day 2, 218492 Day 3, 218467 Day 7, 218460 Day 8, 218457 Day 10, 218454 Day 13,

218490 Day 14

Ulm

218434/494 TA4/TA6

The Moves

Saturday 7^th September 2013 (What no 115…….!)

Up early doors, we were away from the hotel with plenty of time to make some use of the Burger King free WiFi at Munich HB, while waiting for coffee. The Drehscheibe Forum confirmed what Gruntle had sms’d the previous night; that 103245 was allocated to work IC2301 0615 Nürnberg – Munich HB, Gruntle having made it en-route to Nünberg the previous evening after all!

101044 conveyed us to Augsburg on IC2266 to allow plenty of time to get ignored in the McCafe there and get onto IC2301 minus a coffee for Gruntle, and ourselves of course. Now in the “olden days” that would have been a fate worse than death in not delivering Gruntle food or drink but of course we were all too old to wrestle it out on the compo floor for what little food we had between us……..

Having been delivered back to Munich HB punctually, by 103245, it posed for photos on the blocks, even after its set had been taken away to the carriage sidings; we then commenced our day of spinning about. With dud 218457 sitting in the platform on the stock for the 0820 to Memmingen we were pleased to discover 111025 in an adjacent platform  with the 0833 to Mittenwald; a service we hadn’t even realised was hauled in the first place. This more than sufficed as a substitute to Munich Pasing for 218486 back in on 57425 the 0737 from Memmingen. Our attention then turned to the 218s on the Mühldorf line; which were only running to Dorfen due to engineering work. This making a right mess of both the diagrams and restricting the number of locos in use; which turned out to be only 3.

In amongst our 218 moves to Munich Ost, on the Dorfen trains, we managed to fit a few 111’s in on the Munich – Salzburg stoppers; something else we didn’t realise were solid 111s. A bit bizarre really, especially as we found an article in a railway magazine back in the UK that said that both the Mittenwald & Salzburg trains would be going over to new EMU’s by the end of the year! The one thing of note on the shed at Munich was 111006, sporting a nice burn mark; looking like it wouldn’t be working any time soon, or indeed ever again!

By 1230 we were sitting on board EC194 1233 Munich HB – Zurich HB with 218445/416 waiting to depart; ‘416 obviously having found a friend to play with having been out on its tod the previous day. Lunch was served in the restaurant car, pasta again; I was getting quite used to the dinner on the go thing. This followed by two round trips Buchloe – Kaufbueren, again in nice empty trains with opening windows and cracking weather to boot. The 218 diagrams stuck well and the afternoons bash offered up no surprises whatsoever, other than two turns having swapped over, but they’d worked into Munich as a double set that morning so it wasn’t anything major; both the dud ones from the previous evenings bash turned up on the expected trains.

Having come up with a brainwave earlier in the afternoon we decided to flag doing IC2013 down the Oberstdorf branch that evening in favour of getting ourselves to Immenstadt to view Alex train 84170 1714 Immenstadt – Oberstdorf before it departed as if it wasn’t a 2143, the whole reason for the move in the first place, then we could get back into Munich earlier and via 218’s instead of Alex 223s. So potentially bidding farewell to 218s for the day we watched 218493 shunt its set onto the shed at Kempten before being ferried the short distance to Immenstadt by 223071 on Alex 84150 1519 Munich – Lindau.

Upon arrival at Immenstadt it was immediately evident that we weren’t going to make the opposing working back to Kempten, as it was just departing as we arrived, but it was even more evident moments later that it didn’t matter as moving down the platform behind it was SVG’s 2143018 in readiness to shunt onto the rear of the set we’d just arrived on and take the rear three coaches to Oberstdorf. That sent Aidy in search of a ticket machine as his FIP passes weren’t valid on Alex trains, while I photted the 2143 shunting out of the station and in between times relieved Alex of one of their destination booklets as a souvenir.

Move sorted we settled down to enjoy our 2143 to Oberstdorf and it wasn’t long before I was enjoying the scenery more than the loco; it made no noise and was a bit crap really. The 218s aren’t up to much but 2143018 was up to nothing at all, still I was glad I’d done the move as it was “different”, yet from the reports I’ve seen it seems that the Oberstdorf branch is permanently a 2143?

The scenery was quite nice down the branch and the evening sun shining through the mounting cloud made it all the more atmospheric, especially as it lit up the little world 218494 sat in at Oberstdorf, being dwarfed by the mountains that overlooked it.

A quick scan outside the station revealed not a lot but the bakery on the station had plenty to offer for an evening snack while 2143018 shunted its stock out, ran round and backed it back in to wait patiently for 218434 to arrive with IC2013 Magdeburg – Oberstdorf; a risky plus 1 if I’ve ever seen it but it made and is cross platform for anyone wishing to risk bowling themselves out quite royally.

Our evening move to Oberstdorf meant we had to go all the way back to Munich on said Alex train; once we’d joined with the Lindau portion at Immenstadt. It wasn’t a bad journey but the train was quite full all the way. I have to say I’m quite surprised at the amount of compo coaches in use on Alex trains; it appears that the Lindau trains have more compos than opens. Unfortunately our escapade to Oberstdorf also meant we had to do a DMU to Munich Ost for our overnight to Hannover, there being no other loco-hauled trains available at all once we got to Munich.

The set for CNL1286 2150 Munich Ost – Hamburg Altona was in the platform already with motor-rail carriers already marshalled at one end and 101027 attached; that was the Hamburg portion end. The Berlin portion end, at the Munich HB end of the train, was just having its motor-rail carriers attached and then the T&T loco, to work the train into Munich HB, backed down. This move was one we’d been looking forward to all day to get a 115 in the book, albeit only for a short distance; however it seemed DB had other ideas as when the loco backed down, even in the dark and despite the front of the train being two car carriers off the end of the platform, even we could tell it wasn’t a 115. In an attempt to confirm what it actually was I tried to ask the guard, who spoke no English at all, and all she could tell me was that it was a 120; she couldn’t tell me which one even though she’d just walked back from it after checking the brakes on the car carriers! Of course that meant only one thing for us……….

Having collected the number off 120126 at Munich HB we had a very long walk down a very long platform 11 to get into our sleeping compartment which was only one coach from the now, front of the train! We were in a four berth compartment with two other folk, one of whom was also travelling to Hannover. Thankfully we had lower berths and we had them made up in no time at all, while our compartment companions made their upper ones up. The grip was efficient enough and once the guard had gone the doors were closed & locked, the curtains drawn and the lights well and truly out.

Gen for Saturday 7^th September 2013

General

101027 CNL1286 2150 Munich Ost – Hamburg Altona (from Munich HB)

101044 IC2266 0648 Munich HB – Karlsruhe

103245 IC2301 0615 Nürnberg – Munich HB

111019 79015 1142 Munich – Salzburg

111025 59497 0833 Munich – Mittenwald

111166 79020 1009 Salzburg – Munich

111174 79016 0809 Salzburg – Munich

120126 CNL1286 2150 Munich Ost – Hamburg Altona (to Munich HB – vice 115)

Alex

223063 84155 1758 Lindau – Munich

223071 84150 1519 Munich – Lindau

2143018 84170 1714 Immenstadt – Oberstdorf, 84175 1813 Oberstdorf – Immenstadt (portions)

218 Diagrams

Mühldorf

218416/445 A3/A9

218419, 423 & 463 covered the 3 x turns on the Munich HB – Dorfen trains (vice the Munich – Mühldorf booked turns due to engineering work on the line)

Kempten

218435 Day 2, 218493 Day 3, 218486 Day 5, 218460 Day 9, 218457 Day 11, 218471 Day 12

Ulm

218494 TA5, 218434 TA7

The Moves

Sunday 8^th September 2013 (The day we were spotted by a crank; who wasn’t even cranking!)

With a booked 0525 arrival into Hannover HB we were quite pleased to arrive 20 minutes late, especially as we had no plan whatsoever having not been able to find any loco hauled trains to do during the planning stage of our trip. Thankfully though we were soon presented with one when we found 111136 waiting to depart with the 0555 to Braunschweig. Assuming that all the Braunschweig stoppers were 111s we did it to Peine where we were treated to a spectacular morning sunrise that rendered the whole horizon a deep red, before it turned orange as daylight broke.

Sure enough 111134 arrived with the 0620 from Braunschweig but we bit off more than we could chew having alighted at Lehrte to do the 0614 Wolfsburg – Hannover in behind it; as a nice shiny new EMU arrived!

We were soon over our EMU though as we departed on the 0748 Hannover – Bad Harzburg with 218452. We were also soon over our spectacular sunrise as it gave way to a cloudy morning, plunging the temperatures a good 15 degrees below the previous days and ultimately leading to rain by late morning; and me having to put my jeans on!

As there were only three turns at a weekend on the Bad Harzburg circuit, two trips to Salzgitter-Ringelheim saw to it that we got all three of them in; which included a step back to Hildesheim, where no sooner had we departed did the cryptic text messages start. It turned out that we’d been spotted getting on a train at Hildesheim by none other than “Chesterfield Trainspotter”. Now while it’s not unusual for cranks to be spotted by other cranks abroad what is unusual is to be spotted by another crank who is abroad but not doing any cranking at all! The crazy fool was actually at a darts championship in Hildesheim and had just been out for a morning walk, which happened to take him by the station, where he spotted two idiots from Yorkshire boarding a train. Of course to relay this fact the message had to go via York to get to me, even though I was only a train length away from the guy when he sent it………

On our final move back into Hannover we leapt off at Sarstedt to get a Metronom 146 in the book on one of the Göttingen – Uelzen services, before making use of one of the many places for food that Hannover has to offer. One thing to note in the food court at Hannover HB is the fact that there is randomly a WiFi connection to BT WiFi. I hadn’t even realised but my phone started vibrating in my pocket as we walked round and I was very surprised when I found the BT WiFi icon alive in the top corner of my phone.

Our morning was over in Hannover and we were headed for Hamburg on IC2170 Frankfurt – Westerland, which we’d do to Hamburg Damtor to get the pair of 218s in that would work it forward; for a second pair, of the four turns, back to Hamburg HB. Once we’d done this though we were at a bit of a loss as to what to do in Hamburg, until nipping back out to Damtor to do a third pair of 218s back into Hamburg HB that evening. Again we’d not been able to find anything amongst the diagrams posted on the net to confirm anything other than IC’s were hauled yet still we managed to come up trumps; again. Many thanks have to go to Dave Craik for this one who really did sort us out; whose simple reply to my text message, which was only sent after we left Hannover by the way, of “other than the 112s on the Ahrensburg/Bad Oldesloe services there is of course the pair of 218s on the SuO Puttgarden/Kiel turn”, sent me into frantic move planning mode and it wasn’t long before a plan was hatched. This superseding any dismal attempts we’d previous made to try and do some form of bash between the 218s on the Westerland trains.

A decent bash it turned out to be too with a an out and back to Hamburg Tonndorf before a move on some Kiel trains which then dumped us back at Damtor for our third pair of 218s on the Westerland circuit, followed by a 112 to Ahrensburg for the T&T 218 set back into Hamburg HB on the Puttgarden/Kiel SuO turn; and to celebrate our days bash one more run to Tonndorf which revealed a T&T pair of 112s on a set with no driver trailer. Our job in Hamburg was done at that point. Surprisingly the thing that stood out most from the day was the rather large bit of graffiti on a building between the two sets of platforms which read “Graffiti is Gay” in big blue letters…….

Hamburg had one last bonus to offer us, as we departed on CNL1287 back to Munich, this being 120148 that headed the train vice 101. Again we had lower berths and this time we were sharing with a youngish couple who spent most of the evening out at the café bar; we were dossed before they returned.

Gen for Sunday 8^th September 2013

General

101123 IC2170 0958 Frankfurt – Westerland (to Hamburg HB)

111134 4842 0620 Braunschweig – Hannover HB

111136 4871 0555 Hannover HB – Braunschweig

112151, 152, 154, 175, 178 Hamburg – Ahrensburg/Dab Oldesloe circuit (Note 112151/152 were T&T)

112142/180 Hamburg – Kiel circuit

120148 CNL1287 2112 Hamburg Altona – Munich Ost (to Munich HB)

146514 82826 1107 Göttingen – Uelzen

218 Diagrams

Braunschweig (Hannover – Bad Harzburg turns)

218450 Day 2, 218452 Day 4, 218451 Day 5

Niebull

218366/385 IC2170 0958 Frankfurt – Westerland (from Hamburg HB)

218314/342 IC2191 1156 Westerland – Frankfurt (to Hamburg HB)

218344/322 IC2073 1456 Westerland – Dresden (to Hamburg HB)

Kiel

218407/330 21451/21491 1704 Kiel/1713 Puttgarden – Hamburg HB

The Moves

Monday 9^th September 2013 (The parting gesture)  

Arrival in to Munich HB was prompt and so was the attaching of the loco on the other end of the train, to take us to Munich Ost. It had been sat outside waiting patiently for us to arrive; black liveried 115509, at last one in the book. There was nothing like leaving it to the last minute! The train was almost empty to Munich Ost and we just sat in an empty berth at the opposite end of the train. The train crew passing through never batted an eyelid so I wouldn’t worry about doing these moves without a reservation, or even a valid ticket for that matter!

While the Mühldorf trains were still terminating at Dorfen the first one in from Mühldorf was being diverted and was already sat in waiting to depart for Munich HB as we stepped off 115509; it was 218440/400, this train being booked a pair and was probably diverted to at least ferry some locos to/from shed for maintenance at Mühldorf?

Back at Munich HB our plan for the morning was to head to Ulm, now the engineering work between Aulendorf & Ravensburg had finished. There was time to deal with a few more 111s before we did so mind and we boarded IC1268 0639 Salzburg – Karlsruhe at Munich Pasing, having done 111130 out on the 0833 Munich HB – Mittenwald.

Our 3 hours worth of bash on the Ulm – Lindau line worked perfectly, offering up 6 different 218s, including the pair on IC118 0653 Salzburg – Münster, which would ultimately be worked forward from Stuttgart by 103113. Our bash coming to an end at Lindau upon the arrival of 4209 1212 Ulm – Lindau. It had been an excellent three and a bit days in Germany but we had to head back to Zurich for our late evening flight home; our parting gesture from Lindau not being the SBB Cargo 421 on EC194 1233 Munich HB – Zurich HB but our first Taurus ever in the shape of OBB 1016008 on the 1427 Lindau – Bludenz stopper. This we did over the border to Bregenz and enjoyed the sunshine there while waiting for SBB Cargo 421371 to take us forward to Zurich Airport; enjoying a well earned beer in the on board restaurant car as we sailed through the Swiss countryside.

Gen for Monday 9^th September 2013

Germany

101082 IC1268 0639 Salzburg – Karlsruhe

111040 79009 0742 Munich  – Salzburg

111065 79006 0602 Freilassing – Munich

111130 57180 0833 Munich – Mittenwald

115509 CNL1287 2112 (08/09) Hamburg Altona – Munich Ost (from Munich HB)

218 Diagrams

Mühldorf

218440/400 27000 0546 Mühldorf – Munich HB (diverted to avoid engineering work at Dorfen)

Ulm

218456/481 TA2/TA7, 218438 TB1, 218431 TB4, 218409 TB5, 218406 TC1

Alex

223061 84146 1119 Munich – Lindau

223071 84151 1358 Lindau – Munich

Austria

1016008 5589 1427 Lindau – Bludenz

1016016 5665 1444 Bregenz – Bludenz

The Moves

Summary

With no real expectations of what was coming in Germany when we set off this turned out to be an excellent trip. It was just like cranking about way back when. The weather was great, the open air stock helped and the sheer number of trains that are still loco-hauled added to the bash; the latter part I fear won’t last too long?

Unfortunately the older locos are dying out now, 110s, 115s, and while they do still work occasionally on the Stuttgart – Singen line and the Munich HB – Ost sleeper shunts, they probably won’t be around too much longer so it seems we went just at the right time to sample a bit of everything, including the 218s and a 2143 of course. While the 218s aren’t really my cup of tea, the trains they work and the stock they work with, especially on the Memmingen & Kempten area trains, are excellent; fast, punctual, empty and open air, I can certainly see the appeal; if only from a general sociable cranking perspective.

I will return at some point……………….