TEFS visit to West Germany August 1974

[Bill Jamieson]

Whether West German steam suffered from lack of cleaning in its last days (in the same way that British Railways did), it makes an interesting comparison with East Germany where most locomotives were usually kept very clean - albeit without instances of polished boiler bands.  A further comparison can be made with Czechoslovakia, which used a different shade of black(!) - more of a "blackberry black" - that seemed to give their locomotives a much smarter appearance when seen side by side with German locomotives (even in preservation), though their in-service condition did vary considerably.

 

Eddie, I didn't see much of DR standard gauge steam, but I can certainly confirm that the NG locos were usually very well kept (to the extent that a dirty loco really stood out as exceptional). Have a look at these contrasting locos at Radebeul Ost shed in the link below - 99 1787 has just been sprayed with light oil, while 99 1793 has been sitting in store for a while, presumably awaiting its next visit to Goerlitz works - http://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/mit-und-ohne-schmutz-bill-jamieson/31252864

Regarding the cleanliness of DB locos, my impression is that it varied from shed to shed - Rheine was probably one of the poorer examples, but at Ottbergen, which I visited only once in September 1975, the locos were still kept very smart e.g. 044 599 which was withdrawn only three months after this shot was taken - http://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/ein-jumbo-in-voller-fahrt-bill-jamieson/32763670

 

Cheers,

Bill

Edited February 18, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, that electric looks far more of an ancient relic than a class 012! I think it was originally numbered as class E04, first built in 1933, so a few years older than the Pacifics.

 

Here's another of 042 308 and 042 168 facing the roundhouse turntable at Rheine. This confirms that locos in the shed were normally stabled smokebox to the back wall - 012 100 to the far right, 043 636 on road 10 and behind 042 168 is probably 043 085. Around lunchtime on 7:9:74

 

Edited February 18, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Trev52A]

Another great shot, Bill. I'll have to upload some more shed views in due course, but here are a couple more action pics.

 

Having veered off course a bit by posting that Class 104 electric, here is a shot of a Class 216 diesel-hydraulic just north of Rheine station on 16th August. (These were introduced as the V160, and in his book 'Hydraulic vs. Electric' David Clough refers to them as 'the German Hymek'). I actually travelled behind one of these that weekend - No 216 037-2, but didn't photograph it. Does anyone have a picture of this particular loco?

 

I also had two journeys behind d-h locos of the original V200 Class (the ones which were the inspiration for the BR D800 'Warships'), Nos 220 031-9 and 220 071-5, this latter one now preserved as a static exhibit at the Technikmuseum in Speyer. But again, I didn't take any pictures of them - could anyone else post one, please?

 

The second pic is of 012 100-4 (again!) leaving Rheine station on the same day. This one was well-used that weekend - I took three pictures of it, all heading north, on each of the three days I was there. 

 

Please keep the photos coming, gents.

 

Cheers

Trevor

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, the best I can do of a class 220 is this one, which doesn't show either of the locos you mention - https://www.railscot.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=40472

 

Here are a couple of near-broadsides around Elbergen on the afternoon of 6:9:74:-

043 315 spins northwards at 14:55 with what I think is a shunter's riding van - my notes don't record whether there was a train behind that.

042 364 heads southwards at 17:41 with another tank train from the refinery at Holthausen.

Edited February 19, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Trev52A]

Thanks for those, Bill. Although the 220 hydraulic in your link is not one of 'my' locos, it is rather a nice shot.

That is a super broadside photo of the 042 - I have zoomed in on it and you can see the slight pan, with the loco pin sharp and the blurred wheel spokes - very nice.

 

Trevor

[Trev52A]

Here are a couple of shots from Rheine shed on 16th August 1974. This was the only 012 in a remotely photographable position, if I remember correctly, alongside an 042 fresh from the paint shop - or at least its wheels seemed to be!

 

Trevor

Edited February 20, 2017 by Trev52A

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, I wasn't adventurous enough to try this sort of close-up back then but those big drivers of an 042 were well worth homing in on. I managed to do a bit better with 012s on shed, as two arrived from the station during my visit - more to follow once I've spent another session in Photoshop. 

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS Have just been into the digital darkroom and done this shot of 012 066, seen shortly after arrival on Rheine shed having brought in train D715, the 09:20 from Norddeich Mole, which I think went through to Muenchen Hbf. The props of shovel and self-propelled coaling crane are not really apposite here!

 

Edited February 21, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Bill Jamieson]

For today, here's a shot of 012 080 in full flight with train D1731 Münster - Norddeich Mole, leaving the single-track section at Hanekenfähre. 7/9/74 was the last Saturday of the summer service and the windows of the first coach have been monopolised by gricers anxious to experience 012 haulage for the last time on this train. This is the going away shot of one which I've posted previously on Fotocommunity - see http://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/um-0928-uhr-am-7-september-1974-bill-jamieson/30184630 - and it will be seen that most of the train comprised modern 'Pop' coaches. The leading coach is a strengthening vehicle, I think a Schnellzugwagen of Type D35/36 built for the DRG in the late 1930s

 

Bill

 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Southernman46]

A much younger me (with flares and 'sideboards') is in the middle, Roger Cromblehome? next right and the tour leader sitting.

Trevor

 

The guy 2nd right looks exactly like a chap called "Roger" who worked for BR (SR) on the "Merrymaker" excursion train side (circa 74-76) when I knew him - he would often be the member of staff looking after the passengers of the Adex, Mystex or whatever we were (bit like a tour guide) - I was 12-13 at the time - liked a beer ISTR !!

[Bill Jamieson]

This is a very straightforward portrait of 042 168 standing outside the roundhouse at Rheine on 7/9/74. I must say that I found these DB-reboilered locos very handsome machines and I took quite a few shots of this particular loco in that position.

It's a pity a similar mixed traffic 2-8-2 didn't form part of the BR standard range - I can just see one making light of the climbs to Falahill and Whitrope on the Waverley Route, although perhaps eight coupled wheels wouldn't have taken too kindly to all that tight reverse curvature around Riccarton!

 

Bill

Edited February 23, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Bill Jamieson]

Saturday 7th September was the last day of my tour of West Germany and Austria in 1974 and the plan was to do a bit of lineside photography in the morning, then visit Rheine shed around lunchtime (I suspect shed visiting hours were restricted but I can't be certain now) before heading for Amsterdam and the overnight ferry to Immingham - I forget now which shipping company ran it but it was the only time I ever used that route and I think it must have been withdrawn the following year. Anyway, that meant that for the two northbound 012 departures just after 11:00, I needed to be not too far out of Rheine so I selected a location near Salzbergen and got a reasonable broadside of 012 055 on D735 08:25 Koeln Hbf - Norddeich Mole - http://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/breitseite-einer-012er-bill-jamieson/31527196  For the following D1735 to Emden, due out of Rheine at 11:13, I was struggling to find a different shot (let's be honest, a lot of the Rheine-Emden line wasn't that inspiring) so I decided to go for a front three-quarters view of just the loco - something I don't do very often with lineside shots. In fact I had always dismissed the negative as not being worth printing but when examining it on screen, I thought it wasn't really that bad - the loco is quite sharp and it's the only shot I have of 012 061 (also for the purists, the rods are down!) so here it is.

 

Bill

Edited February 24, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Trev52A]

Some more great shots, there, Bill. Plus a nice tonal range on a lot of your pics - must be slow that PanF film with hardly any grain showing which you mentioned.

Good to see '061 with the missing cabside plate again!

 

Here are a couple more of mine, with another request.

 

The southbound 012 near Meppen was too far away to identify, but I notice it has a (distinctive?) dent in its right hand smoke deflector. I'm clutching at straws here, but can anyone identify it from that? (in the same way that Deltic fans can spot a particular loco at fifty paces by the rust marks, etc!)

The 043 was snaking its way under the wires past Rheine station with northbound hopper wagons.

 

Cheers

Trevor 

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, there must be a fighting chance of identifying that 012 as there weren't that many still active by August 1974, only nine by my reckoning - 012 055/61/3/6/75/80/1/2 & 100, of which 012 063/6/75/80/1 & 100 can be ruled out from photographic evidence. That only leaves three locos, so who can pin it down?

 

Regarding Pan F, it was certainly fine grained (and it exhibits finer grain on 35mm film than the FP4/Promicrol combination, which I used once I went over to 6x6, when blown up to the same print size) but the tonality isn't always satisfactory to my mind. Besides giving a bit extra speed, Acutol tamed the contrast a lot, probably too much in fact in flat lighting, although the sharpness is very good.

 

Cheers,

 

Bill

 

PS Have a look at this - I think 012 082 is the loco in question

http://www.dampflokomotivarchiv.de/index.php?nav=1406623&lang=1&file=bmag_11338_57&action=image&position=1

 

PPS No doubt about it - http://www.abload.de/image.php?img=012082-4bwrheineam15.0jmr0.jpg

Edited February 24, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Trev52A]

Excellent piece of detective work, Bill. Yes, it must be 082. I have amended my records accordingly. I have several other photos of this loco but all from the other side. (Funnily enough, the LH deflector also looks as if it's had a bit of a bash!) Many thanks.

 

Here are a couple of ore trains near Meppen station  - the b&w is heading north, the colour is going south, both on 17th August 1974.

 

Cheers

Trevor 

 

[Bill Jamieson]

These will be about the last from me in the meantime, except possibly for a couple of 012 shed shots at Rheine.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

042 241 and 044 534 bring a 4,000 tonne ore train past Hanekenfähre at 10:21 on 7:9:74

A couple of hours later, both of the above locos were captured on film at Rheine shed. Behind 044 534 are two oil-fired 2-10-0s, 043 321 and 043 336, while behind 042 241 is 042 113 but I'm not sure which one the smokebox on the right belongs to.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Trev52A]

More great shots, there, Bill. Although I saw several ore double-headers I didn't manage to photograph any, unfortunately.

 

I am also running out of suitable shots from Germany, so instead here is the first pic I took on that trip in August 1974 - our train at Hook of Holland which was hauled as far as Utrecht by Netherlands Rly (NS) No 1108. My notes tell me another NS loco No 1136 was in charge from there to Hengelo - perhaps our train reversed at Utrecht with the new loco on the other end? From Hengelo we had DB d-h No 220 031-9 to Rheine. Would this have been a through train all the way from the coast? I don't remember heaving luggage on and off trains on the journey there.

On our return the final run from Utrecht to H of H was behind NS No 1501 (ex-BR E27003 Diana​). I believe this loco is now preserved in the Netherlands. It must have been getting dark because I didn't manage a photo of it.

 

Many thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread.

 

Cheers

Trevor

Edited February 27, 2017 by Trev52A

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, my first trip by train and boat, rather than by car, was in 1990 and at that time the train connecting with the overnight boat from Harwich was a through working from Hook to Bad Harzburg,  via Rheine and Hannover. I don't expect the working would have been much different in 1974, but I think it had disappeared by the mid 1990s once regular interval working between Amsterdam and Berlin was instigated, and a couple of changes were then necessary from Hook (but even the 1990s seem a long time ago now and my memories of it are getting a bit vague!).

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Bill Jamieson]

This won't be my last as I don't want to finish with a picture of the scrap line, but it was a feature of DB sheds towards the end, albeit not to the same extent as here. At Rheine there were only four dumped locos present on my 7:9:74 visit, the last coal fired class 011 Pacific, 011 062, and these three class 012s, which my notebook records as 071, 058 and 034, however the last one can't be correct and I presume it was 084, which had been withdrawn along with the others in 1973.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

[Trev52A]

Ouch - not a pretty sight, Bill. (I mean the subject, not the photo.)

I wonder if they were there on my visit. I have a vague recollection of seeing a withdrawn 011, which I had completely forgotten about until I saw your picture.

Here's a shot of an 044 at Rheine with a row of withdrawn locos and tenders behind it. I think it's Impossible to tell what they are from this angle.

 

Also, thanks for clearing up my query about through trains from Hook of Holland to Rheine. The first vehicle in my earlier photo with electric loco 1108 does give the impression of a long-distance through train to the middle of Europe. 

 

Cheers

Trevor

 

 

 

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, these look like the tenders off two 012s immediately behind 044 888 (never saw that one) but they seem to have gone three weeks later, at least as far as I can tell from my own photographs. If you have a look at your posting of 19th February, the row of withdrawn 012s is visible on the left in the view out of the shed.

 

Below is one of 012 082 dead in the yard ar Rheine shed (not sure if the 'K' stands for kalt - cold). I didn't take a shot from the other side hence I don't have one of the bent deflector.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS Motivated by the earlier mention of the Hans Steeneken book 'All Trains to Stop', I searched for and found a reasonably priced copy in vg condition on Amazon and it arrived the day before yesterday. I had forgotten just how well produced it is and the reproduction, outstanding for its time, still puts a lot of the current railway book output to shame. The paper has a very slight stipple to it (a bit like white fine lustre photo paper of yore) which gives it a real quality look. Regarding the content, there are certainly many outstanding pictures, but I could have done without so many scrapyard shots. I speculated earlier as to why I hadn't bought it when it came out in 1979 and the cover price of £15 on the jacket cofirms that it must have been on cost grounds - that's equivalent to about £70 now!

Edited March 1, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Bill Jamieson]

Ouch - not a pretty sight, Bill. (I mean the subject, not the photo.)

I wonder if they were there on my visit. I have a vague recollection of seeing a withdrawn 011, which I had completely forgotten about until I saw your picture.

Here's a shot of an 044 at Rheine with a row of withdrawn locos and tenders behind it. I think it's Impossible to tell what they are from this angle.

 

Also, thanks for clearing up my query about through trains from Hook of Holland to Rheine. The first vehicle in my earlier photo with electric loco 1108 does give the impression of a long-distance through train to the middle of Europe. 

 

Cheers

Trevor

 

Trevor, I think this is the same road in the shed yard as your shot of 044 888, and it looks as if the two 012 tenders have disappeared. The two 043s behind 044 534 were both in steam and the tender beyond that belongs to 012 082 (see yesterday's post). To the right of the shot are 012 066 and the tender of 044 481

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

 

 

 

Edited March 2, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Trev52A]

Thanks for the further info, Bill.

 

You are right, my earlier shot at Rheine does show the withdrawn locos on the left hand side. I didn't take much notice of them at the time as they were dead, probably minus any identification plates, and were on the shadow side of the sun. Where in the depot did you see the 011, as a matter of interest?

 

Your latest pic was indeed taken at the same spot as mine of the 044. I was probably standing on that pathway crossing the tracks in the foreground, a bit to the left of you. Nice photo, by the way, including a bit of other interest as well as the main subject.

 

Regarding the book, I expect you paid a bit more than I did (!) and I hadn't realised how expensive in real terms it must have been when new.

 

 

Cheers

Trevor

[Bill Jamieson]

Trevor, you're quite right, I did pay a bit more than you, but the book was still only £8 (plus postage of course) - equivalent to £1.70 in 1979!

 

Regarding 011 062, it was dumped at the end of a siding which, with reference to my picture of the three dumped 012s, must have been just out of shot to the right. The loco was a real wreck and I didn't take a proper shot of it, although the smokebox does appear in one frame. After making too many visits to Barry in the late '60s and early '70s, I very rarely photographed dumped locos.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS And here's one of 012 063, definitely not dumped, having just arrived on shed after working in on D1734 from Emden Aussenhafen.

 

Edited March 3, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Bill Jamieson]

Just one more lineside shot from me - in the middle of the afternoon on Friday 6th September 1974, 042 164 leaves the loop at Elbergen with a train of open wagons, possibly loaded with coal for export from Emden Docks. I'm not sure now whether I was trying to be artistic, framing the front of the loco between the bushes, or I had been caught in the wrong place and this was the best I could make of it!

 

Elbergen lay at the south end of the single track section over the River Ems south of Lingen, and was an important traffic regulation point given the amount of freight that was around in these days. This section has since been doubled but of course it is much quieter than in the 1970s - I had occasion to travel over the line in March 2013 and the only freight traffic in evidence at Emden was block loads of cars.

 

Bill

 

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by Bill Jamieson

[Bill Jamieson]

Despite what I said yesterday, here is one more from the lineside. For this trip, I had a copy of the NELPG guide to West German steam, which was a bit out of date, but still useful. It suggested that the section from Rheine out to Leschede "provides the best photographic positions", so that's where I headed on the first morning of my visit (Friday 6th September 1974). I would have to say that I found it pretty uninspiring around Leschede, especially on a dull morning, but the guide did also state that "the Rheine-Emden line is rather flat and uninteresting", so I suppose I shouldn't have expected too much. Out of a fairly mediocre crop of negatives exposed that morning, this is one of the better ones and shows 012 100 storming along with train D735, the 08:25 Köln Hbf to Norddeich Mole. Incidentally, the NELPG guide also opines that "the lightly-loaded trains do not provide a very real challenge for the Pacifics", but reading David Maidments account of his train timing exploits on the line, this sounds a bit dubious - see https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rrLWCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA305&dq=david+maidment+rheine+emden&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiI6_z3q8HSAhXoKsAKHTX8AJ8Q6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=david%20maidment%20rheine%20emden&f=false

I might add that although there were six weekday diagrams for Pacifics, on this particular day three of them were worked by class 042 2-8-2s, which could probably keep time with the E trains but didn't have the turn of speed required for the more important D trains, such as D735, and were possibly barred from them. The following day, the last Saturday of the summer timetable, there were six 012s active, covering all the diagrams. 

 

Cheers,

Bill

Edited March 6, 2017 by Bill Jamieson