Jump to content
 

Expedition East


Oldddudders
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold

So next morning we were off again, for the final leg of our holiday. Among the many remaining steam railways, mostly 750 mm, in Saxony, I had selected the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn. Zittau is about as far east as you can get in Germany - from the train I saw an EU sign saying it was 1 km to the Polish border. And if you look at a map, it is as if Zittau is in a sort of enclave, because to the south is the Czech Republic. 

 

Our journey from Marienberg went slowly at first. This was due to a theme of many of the rural journeys - many roads were simply closed, presumably due to resurfacing or upgrading. For novices and out-of-townies like us, this proved frustrating. So we were much later getting back to the autobahn than hoped. Nevertheless, we approached Zittau by mid-afternoon, and so I asked Sherry to navigate us to Bertsdorf, which is the hub of the system. After yet another wild-goose chase thanks to at least two road closures, we found it! Unlike most UK preserved railways, the Zittauer system has a junction station at Bertsdorf, with branches to Kurort Oybin and Kurort Jonsdorf. Kurort seems to mean spa, and so you may assume we are again quite high up. Clean mountain air and all that! This was our first sight of a train.

 

post-4295-0-60242300-1539676583_thumb.jpg

 

Again a 2-10-2, but, being 750 mm gauge, rather more compact and less puissant than the Harz machines. She was running round, having just arrived from Jonsdorf, and being readied for return.

 

post-4295-0-94958600-1539676723_thumb.jpg

 

Even though these are not large locos, the low platforms, or as in the shot above, standing by a foot crossing in the station, gives an impression of something bigger. We spent some time in the station area, and I walked round behind the signalbox as a train for Oybin arrived. 

 

post-4295-0-65057400-1539676953_thumb.jpg

 

In respect of the Harz, I wondered earlier about parallel departures, and for this Bertsdorf is well-known. When it is time to leave, the two loco crews give a sign and then the trains are off. To the right is the train for Oybin, to the left the service for Jonsdorf.  

 

post-4295-0-87099000-1539677055_thumb.jpg

 

Having slaked an initial railway thirst, we headed back to Zittau to find our city-centre hotel. This had privileged arrangements in a nearby multi-storey car-park. The room was good, too. But the only meal was breakfast, and again by 8 p.m. we found the town was dead! We ended up in a very affordable Asian place, where the food was good enough and wine was a word they knew!

 

Next morning we strode up the hill to the station. The DB affair is quite imposing, as are many in Germany, but the NG station is modest. The depot is a little way away, so our train came up across public roads.

 

post-4295-0-31349900-1539677478_thumb.jpg

 

You will note the red buffet car, as advertised as carried by all the weekday trains from Zittau. We had had a decent-enough breakfast, but for a journey of nearly an hour, a coffee on the move would be nice. Well, tough. The buffet car was fully reserved! This left me a bit grumpy, not helped by the reservation being for a coach-load of old farts (i.e. people just like us!) which turned up late and delayed the train. 30 years ago, my then boss told me at appraisal that I allow myself to be upset by trifles - I haven't changed! At Bertsdorf we met the connecting train to Jonsdorf. There's that signalbox I stood next to the day before. 

 

post-4295-0-23483400-1539677594_thumb.jpg

 

The uploader is having another grump, so I'll pause here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

On arrival at Oybin, the inevitable running round occurred. That's another country in the background.

 

post-4295-0-60531000-1539680935_thumb.jpg

 

There is accommodation at the station, some of it in these, I think.

 

post-4295-0-76236300-1539681051_thumb.jpg

 

I was still hoping to find a coffee, but what might have been the station buffet wasn't in business. The old farts had gone on their way into the village, so the buffet lady was now delighted to see us, and that made the short trip back to Bertsdorf more enjoyable. There we found the Jonsdorf shuttle running round, although it would be some time before departure. Again this was the parallel event, with us waving to the Oybin passengers as we left, and we soon found ourselves at Jonsdorf. Here is yet another run-round taking place there.

 

post-4295-0-15463400-1539681153_thumb.jpg

 

At Bertsdorf we changed for the return trip to Zittau, mainly downhill so not much work required of the loco, perhaps. We were in the leading coach, and standing on the balcony is quite fun.

 

post-4295-0-49602700-1539681238_thumb.jpg

 

Leaving the station we were surprised to find the pedestrian crossing lights not working, and this was an omen. It was lunchtime, there was a power cut - no hot food anywhere! We ended up with a couple of filled rolls, and sat outside the hotel, having badgered the grumpy receptionist into finding us a bottle of wine. Without an electric till she was having to write things down!

 

post-4295-0-85774700-1539681296_thumb.jpg

 

And here endeth the lesson, to all intents and purposes. Next day we were off home! But being rather more than 800 miles, we had booked a hotel at Kaiserslautern for the following evening. The 425 miles were difficult at times. The autobahn network is a victim of the times, and large stretches need renewal, so we must have found about 40 - yes - contraflows, some very long and arduous. So perhaps after 9 hours driving - with breaks - it was unsurprising that I got Gatsoed, doing 108 kph in a 100 limit. The final day, back in to France and across and via the Francilienne around Paris, was really quite easy by comparison, despite being a comparable distance. 

 

Will we do it again? Not all of it. I think the contrast between the Harz and the 750 mm lines is quite stark, frankly. And the driving was arduous - Sherry hasn't driven a LHD car, nor a manual gearbox, in quite some years, and her arthritic skeleton meant I wasn't going to suggest it was time she refreshed her skills. [As it happens, her first wedding, in 1971, was in Holly, Michigan, to an english chap training with General Motors, so then she had command of a LHD Chevrolet Impala. But her present Fiesta ecoboost automatic suits her very well.] We might travel by train on a future occasion - Wernigerode is good for that. And as I approach 70 next month, I do need to get out more, and the Harz is really rather special. You should dip your toe in too, if you can. 

  • Like 12
Link to post
Share on other sites

Very enjoyable set of reads, Ian. I’d seen “Zittau” in the sub-titles, so I was waiting for it to come.

 

We passed through the area in August. As you say, that corner is snuggled between Czechia (have we started calling it that, yet?) and Poland, and indeed to drive from Liberec meant passing through a tiny bit of Poland.

 

You were fortunate to get the parallel steam departures from Bertsdorf - the shuttle was worked by a Romanian diesel on the day of my visit. The main line station buildings at Zittau are impressive, but the station itself was undergoing reconstruction and traffic levels were way down from when I had been there before.

 

In the area, the Eisenbahnfreunde preservation group at Löbau have quite a collection of standard gauge locomotives and stock. Very friendly (living up to their name?), I was able to have a look around after having made an impromptu visit; I must go back as I hadn’t factored in the time needed and left my widest lens in the car!

 

Oh yes, more roadworks than autobahns it seems, and getting “done” for doing 106 on a 100kph stretch of road seems to reflect Teutonic efficiency at its worst!

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I think I was lucky to do the Saxon lines 20 years ago as much of the slightly run down East German flavour was still there and the roads were quiet. Seems 20 years of increasing prosperity hasn’t been supported on the roads. I’m glad to see the Zittau line looking so neat as it was my favourite. We stayed in a hotel in Oybin hidden up the valley.

I’m glad you both enjoyed the railways and I have to say doing the HSB via the mainline connections was very easy, despite one bus replacement on the day we did the Selketal.

Thoroughly enjoyed your pics :)

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Seeing your photos brought back many happy memories for my wife and I.  We travelled by train around Germany in 2016 and stayed in the same hotel.  We had a suite in the annex and had a good view of the station and trains.  By the way they "steam" all night.  The photo show the doors to the bathroom and separate toilet - the like of which I don't think you will find anywhere else in the world.  The photo of the engine was taken at the top of Brocken - a truly wonderful trip and highly recommended to any steam enthusiast.

 

post-12606-0-97218700-1539709134_thumb.jpg

 

[post-12606-0-72401000-1539709352_thumb.jpg

 

Yours Duncan

 

post-12606-0-97218700-1539709134_thumb.jpg

post-12606-0-72401000-1539709352_thumb.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about, and seeing the photos, of your trip to the east and like you prefer to travel independently (in our case by air/train) rather than on a tour  We had our 5th trip to the Harz in June this year co-incidentally (?) staying at the Altora but we tended not to eat there. For real German food we like the 'Lowenbrau am Kohlmarkt' in the Kohlmarkt next to the Rathaus square or, for good reasonably priced Italian, 'La Rustica' (which also does B&B) in the nearby Unterengengasse.

I find the 'divided' period of Germany's history fascinating and enjoy tracing the old border.  Your 4th photo in post #2 must be very close to the old Sorge station where the Sud-Harz interchanged with the Harz system. Some years after the closure of the Sud-Harz (maybe mid 70's?) the present Sorge station was built nearer to the village.  The station building is now the 'Grenze (border) Museum' which is well worth visiting. The volunteer guide there gave us a leaflet/map for a self-guiding tour of the preserved section of the 3 layers border fence and fortifications which were about 1km 'deep' here.  You can see the Sorge station building at the left hand side of the attached photo.  There is an HSB thread on Nat.Pres which is quite regularly updated https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/harz-narrow-gauge-hsb.874616/page-7

Cheers,

Ray.

post-23517-0-53493700-1539729885_thumb.jpg

Edited by Marshall5
  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Ian 

Delighted to see that you and Sherry made it to Saxony. But please don't tell me that the apfelstrudel has been taken off the menu down there?

On a more pedantic note, the Saxon IV Ks are not common or garden Mallets - they are Meyers. The difference is that a Mallet has one engine fixed to the main frames and the other articulated. A Meyer has both engines mounted on articulated bogies with a Z link holding the two together as I understand it. When we visited some years ago, the "works" on the Pressnitztalbahn was open and one of the IV Ks was positioned over an inspection pit. I did try taking a photo but it did not help much!

Best wishes

Eric    

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Ian 

Delighted to see that you and Sherry made it to Saxony. But please don't tell me that the apfelstrudel has been taken off the menu down there?

On a more pedantic note, the Saxon IV Ks are not common or garden Mallets - they are Meyers. The difference is that a Mallet has one engine fixed to the main frames and the other articulated. A Meyer has both engines mounted on articulated bogies with a Z link holding the two together as I understand it. When we visited some years ago, the "works" on the Pressnitztalbahn was open and one of the IV Ks was positioned over an inspection pit. I did try taking a photo but it did not help much!

Best wishes

Eric

 

Thanks for the technical explanation, Eric! As for the apfelstrudel, we do not see ourselves as pudding people, but I did enjoy one in, or rather outside, the café opposite Wolkenstein station, and thought of you! On the infamous package tour last year we were mortified to hear conversations about which place sold the biggest and best cream cakes etc. Then there was the coach being diverted via a chocolate factory outlet shop, with the driver being first to emerge, carrying two bags of no doubt free goodies....... We felt that with an average age of about 70, pigging out on chocolate was not what the majority needed. Killjoys, us?

 

The whole holiday this year was a success and it helps having a willing partner who is happy to be part of it.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

We felt that with an average age of about 70, pigging out on chocolate was not what the majority needed. Killjoys, us?

 

While still being rather partial to cake myself I fear I would have been quite pleased to add calories to my souvenirs. That said my appreciation is broader than just chocolate so I really enjoyed the apple crumble at Drei Annen Hohne and the Apfelstrudels on a couple of evenings in Wernigerode. I do think many preserved lines could further fill the coffers by having their cafe with better views of the trains as it does encourage you to sit and enjoy with food and drink.
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Ian,

 

Just to say how much I have enjoyed reading the account of your trip and looking at the photos.  

 

I visited the Harzquerbahn and Selketalbahn in 1991, 1992 and 1993. In 1992 I was able to visit the Brocken by train as it reopened that year, there were still some Russian soldiers around then which surprised me - apparently the various agreements meant a "phased  return" of them to Russia.

 

The whole railway looks a lot brighter and tidier than when I was last there.

 

David

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Ian,

 

Just to say how much I have enjoyed reading the account of your trip and looking at the photos.  

 

I visited the Harzquerbahn and Selketalbahn in 1991, 1992 and 1993. In 1992 I was able to visit the Brocken by train as it reopened that year, there were still some Russian soldiers around then which surprised me - apparently the various agreements meant a "phased  return" of them to Russia.

 

The whole railway looks a lot brighter and tidier than when I was last there.

 

David

 

Investment is nearly everywhere. New platform surfaces, receptors where locos stand, bright and clean carriages. Stations given a sparkly makeover - all good news.

 

Given your unstinting efforts in posting popular photos on RMweb day in, day out, I am particularly humbled by your appreciation, Dave. Thanks indeed! 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

 

attachicon.gifIHD_2375 (1).jpg

 

Zounds - a cardboard replica loco! Yes, really, albeit not actually cardboard. The real 1542 was built in 1899, but oddly it doesn't seem ever to have worked this line, so I'm not sure why they chose that number. Under DDR auspices, and probably DR before it, these locos were overhauled at central engineering workshops and re-allocated as necessary afterwards to whichever line need a loco. Once again, the data available about these locos is stunning. 

 

 

Yes, it does seem an odd choice of loco when viewed over a longer timescale, but the original was purchased by the IG Preßnitztalbahn as far back as 1991 so I suppose there is some logic to it. My apologies if this seems pedantic, but 99 1542 should really be considered as dating from 1963. The original 99 542 would have contributed little more than the wheelsets and numberplates (certainly not the frames) to what emerged from Görlitz-Schlauroth works in 1963 as a so-called rebuilt loco.

Bill

 

PS Ditto 99 1568 but constructed in 1964.

Edited by Bill Jamieson
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

I visited the Harzquerbahn and Selketalbahn in 1991, 1992 and 1993. In 1992 I was able to visit the Brocken by train as it reopened that year, there were still some Russian soldiers around then which surprised me - apparently the various agreements meant a "phased  return" of them to Russia.

 

 

 

There were 3-4 million Russians in East Germany when the wall came down. Not all associated with the military. To have sent them all home in one go would have created a crisis in Russia. It would have involved building a new city almost overnight and that clearly could not have been possible. That is where your reference to a "phased return" came in. There was a whole housing estate in Hamburg where many of them lived. Or should I say were held. This area had its own security and its own supermarket. My brother in law was working for the local police at the time and took me on a tour. Highly unofficial! 

Bernard

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Having now had time to read through this thread, I would just like to echo the comments by others and thank you for taking the trouble to provide an illustrated report of your travels.  I am fortunate enough to have visited all but the Pressnitztalbahn, your account brought back many pleasant memories and it is interesting to see how much things have changed over the years.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I think you’ll like this after your holiday :) A scan of an old book on the Saxon lines including maps with gradient profiles and some great drawings.

http://digital.slub-dresden.de/fileadmin/data/318894114/318894114_tif/jpegs/318894114.pdf

 

What a fantastic document! I have only skimmed it quickly but the drawings include the IK class locomotives and some Fairlies built by Hawthorn of Newcastle. As Ian comments, it shows only the first stages of the network. The line originating in Zittau does not appear to be the surviving one to Oybin and Jonsdorf, but a different one that ran eastwards into what is now Poland.

Great find.

Best wishes

Eric  

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 30/11/2018 at 10:27, burgundy said:

What a fantastic document! I have only skimmed it quickly but the drawings include the IK class locomotives and some Fairlies built by Hawthorn of Newcastle. As Ian comments, it shows only the first stages of the network. The line originating in Zittau does not appear to be the surviving one to Oybin and Jonsdorf, but a different one that ran eastwards into what is now Poland.

 

That was the Zittau - Reichenau line, leading to what is now Bogatynia, also a 750 mm gauge line which was later extended to Hermsdorf (now Heřmanice u Frýdlantu in the Czech Republic) where it joined the line to Friedland (Frýdlant v Čechách) which was a bit of an oddity in itself - it was also built to 750 mm gauge while most other narrow gauge lines in former Austria-Hungary had 760 mm.

 

Reichenau/Bogatynia's later railway history is rather interesting, too, and even a bit confusing. The Zittau-Reichenau line was interrupted when the new border was drawn in 1945, and Bogatynia then got a railway connection to Turoszów (the former Türchau) via a 750 mm gauge industrial line serving the open cast lignite mines there. In the late 1950s that was replaced by a standard gauge line from Trzciniec (Rohnau) on the Zittau-Görlitz line. This passes through Polish territory twice, and has also a junction with the line from Mikułowa (formerly Nikolausdorf). In 2000 the Mikułowa-Bogatynia line lost its passenger traffic, and Bogatynia's station has been closed since. Large parts of the old narrow gauge line were lost to mining activities, but the odd bit of track can reportedly still be seen in the places the line once served.

 

-jmh

Edited by jmh67
typo
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...