Saxon narrow gauge steam (or comparative studies of apfelstrudel)

[burgundy]

I am not sure whether this should be under “foreign” or “narrow gauge”, since it really fits under both. Never mind. I hope that you enjoy the pictures.

For the geographically challenged, Saxony is in the bottom right hand corner (south east) of Germany and borders the Czech Republic and Poland. You can reach it by flying to Dresden, or via Berlin and a 2 hour train journey. One of the initial surprises was the extent to which the Germans seem to like people using public transport and therefore make it simple, pleasant and relatively cheap (€49 for 4 people for about the same distance as London to Bristol, including local journeys at either end).

Our objective was to photograph a Saxon class IV K loco in steam. The IV Ks are a fascinating class of locos that were first built in the 1890s and have successfully seen off their successors and their successor’s successors. They were built to a gauge of 750mm, which was adopted for narrow gauge lines by the Royal Saxon State Railway, and are 0-4-4-0s using the Meyer system of articulation. The designation “IV K” can be decoded as the fourth class (Roman 4) of narrow gauge (Kleinspur) locos; other 750mm gauge classes also carry the suffix K and are numbered off in chronological order.

We started on the lines near ZIttau, which run to Oybin and Jonsdorf. It is a tourist area, and we stayed in a very comfortable hotel, about 100 metres from the line and 200 metres from Jonsdorf Halt. While exploring Oybin, we also sampled the hotel opposite the station which offers (among other things) amazing apfelstrudel – sitting in brilliant sunshine, watching the trains arrive – tough life! On two weekends a month, there is a special service that features a IV K and a vintage diesel railcar. Sadly, on the Saturday that we had set aside for this line, the IV K was sick and a diesel was substituting – not what we had in mind at all. Still, the previous day, we had already watched the simultaneous departure from Bertsdorf, with a pair of the petite 2-10-2 tanks performing. The train on the right had come from Zittau and therefore had pulled forward for the water column, before going on to Oybin. The train on the left, for Jonsdorf, had been waiting in the platform for the connection and faced a rather stiffer climb on a sharp radius curve. As the smoke effects suggest, the driver simply let rip, so that by the time he reached the junction, the train was probably already nearly flat out - at about 25kph; the smoke, noise and drama suggested considerably more. There is a webcam at this location and the simultaneous start happens daily at 1021, 1131, 1331 and 1531.

We then moved about 120kms west, driving through the Czech Republic, to the Preßnitztalbahn, which was celebrating “Volldampf in Herbst” (full steam in Autumn) over the long weekend which includes an extra day for German reunification. The Preßnitztalbahn is a straightforward preserved line, with no direct connection to the big railway. And although the valley is very picturesque, it is not a tourist area in the same way as the Zittau area. On the other hand, the line has a much more diverse collection of locos and we got our IV K!

We also got a visit to a model railway exhibition of narrow gauge layouts which was set up in the workshops (think decent exhibition hall, not gloom, grime and oil), surrounded by some of the locos and rolling stock that were not in use. The line was running four engines in steam, so we were treated to a steady procession of trains, which we were able to observe from a number of vantage points – including one that sold apfelstrudel (is there a theme developing?). Given the brilliant sunshine and the crowds, it looked as though the line was having a very good weekend.

Our final visit was to the Fichtelbergbahn, which runs only a few miles away - but in the next valley. Like the line from Zittau, this connects to the big railway and aims to provide a rail service to the resort and ski area, in this case Oberwiesental. The locos in use were a pair of 2-10-2 tanks, which spent the day thundering up the valley with heavily loaded trains in brilliant sunshine.

We had not scheduled any more railways for the trip – my wife seems to think one can have too much of a good thing – but there are a number of other 750mm lines in the area that, I am sure, are well worth visiting. However, stopping over in Dresden, we did manage a trip on an Elb paddle steamer – built in the 1880s; worth a visit on its own.

And the last strudel? The train from Dresden back to Berlin had started in Klagenfurt and was heading for Hamburg. It arrived with a Czech loco at the head of a train of Austrian coaches, including an Austrian dining car. Clearly, for purposes of comparative research, it was important to sample an Austrian apfelstrudel. I have to report that it was not in the same league as those in Saxony – but, on the other hand, several streets ahead of railway catering in the UK. Perhaps I need to go to Austria next year to allow a more comprehensive comparison of narrow gauge railways and apfelstrudel?

Finally, I don’t think we encountered any other English speakers at any of the three lines that we visited (sorry if anyone reading this was also there last weekend) and I am surprised at how little known the area seems to be. I really would recommend it as being well worth the visit.

I hope that this may arouse some interest.

Best wishes

Eric

[The Stationmaster]

Excellent area to visit although it's eight years since I took it in as part of my 'grand tour' through Germany, Austria, part of Italy, Switzerland and return transit through Belgium and managed to see steam locos in all of those countries except Belgian although the Italian examples were in something of a poor state. Anyway here are a couple of views with a train newly arrived at Oybin and a loco taking water at Bertsdorf (and is the Railway's catering still as good I wonder - superb grub in the buffet car back then?).

[burgundy]

Mike

Nice photos.

The two locos on duty when we visited were 749 and 787. Your photo showing 731 at the water crane also shows the line to Jonsdorf curving away behind the bunker and gives some idea of the sharpness of the curve and the steepness of the gradient. The webcam, to which the link is included, is attached to the signal box in the background of the same picture.

We didn't sample the catering on the train, but we did seem to find it necessary to stop for refuelling at regular intervals to test the quality of the "Kaffee und Kuchen".

Best wishes

Eric

[Chameleon]

Oh I so want to o back there sometime. I did the grand narow gauge tour back in 2006. In a little over a week, we took in a whole load of lines, including Zittau, Radebul, Freital(all of it before it got washed away), Oschatz (Got my IVk there) Then we travelled north and went on the Molli and Rugen lines...

Probably the best holiday of my life!

[Captain Kernow]

Hugely envious - what a fantastic and fascinating area! I hope to visit some day, not sure when...

[Taigatrommel]

I'm just back from a two week course in Dresden. I didn't do a lot of railway stuff, though I did ride the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn on my first weekend. It was a pretty dreary day though. I walked between the two terminii, Kurort Oybin and Kurort Jonsdorf, very pleasant with the trees just turning to autumn colours.

 

 

Later in the course I took a tour of Loschwitz, and rode the Schwebebahn up to Oberloschwitz. A very pleasant suburb, I might try and stay there in April.

 

 

I don't know about comparing Apfelstrudel, but I do like Dresdner Eierschecke!

 

The course appears to have been a success. Last night I was apparantly sleeptalking in German!

[Hobby]

Ah, Bertsdorf... Pity i didn't spot the lamp post!

 

 

You did of course try the pub over the road where your beer and food is delivered to your seat by G scale narrow gauge engine and stock? Or the pub down the road from Zittau station, opposite the loco depot full of old memorabilia? (Took me two visits to find the second, mind!)

[burgundy]

Nice to see the number of others who have sampled the railways of this part of the country (and the cuisine). It is interesting that it is the Zittau lines that have got the photographers' attention - although I can fully understand why.

Can I put in a short plea (and another picture) in support of the Preßnitztalbahn? Unlike the others, it is a preserved line pure and simple. It is not connected to the big railway and I imagine that the only practical way to visit it is by car. I understand that the route has had to be completely resurrected, as the line was closed in the late 1980s, and it now covers roughly a third of the southern end of the original route through extremely picturesque countryside.

What makes it different is the real preservationist's collection of locomotives. While we were there, the two main trains were being handled by the IV K and by "Aquarius" which is a Feldbahn 0-10-0 tank tender loco, which has spent quite a lot of its life in Austria (this is the blue loco in the original post). The two smaller locos - both 0-6-0 tanks - were running in between the main scheduled service. Of these, one was a replica of the class I K (the original class built for the 750mm network) which has been constructed very recently.

At Schlössel, just below Jöstadt, there is a very impressive new workshop and, over the weekend that we were there, this was the venue for the narrow gauge model railway exhibition.

There are also a number of possible apfelstrudel stops, including the Forellenhof, which has its own platform!

Best wishes

Eric

Edited October 22, 2011 by burgundy

[5944]

 

 

 

 

Three from Döllnitzbahn a few weeks ago. Nothing too side on or conventional due to it being Halloween weekend, and the windows of the coaches being full of spiders webs and the balconies occupied by masked monsters! Neither the Trabant or the motorbike and side car were posed, just luck of the draw.

[jukebox]

I was lucky enough to visit this region last April - had a magnificent time, too.

 

Our family went on an "Easter Bunny" special at the Lößnitzgrundbahn, that was hauled with double headed mallets on the way up the line, and top and tailed on the way back (after a stop for an Easter egg hunt in the Saxon countryside - great fun!)

 

 

 

We also passed through Annaberg-Buchholz, and were able to see a couple of the trains in the Fichtelbergbahn, though we didn't get to ride them because of time constraints:

 

 

If you need somewhere to stay, I can thoroughly recommend the Landhotel & Gasthof Forsthaus Annaberg - it's on the south side of town, about 15 mins drive from the Northern terminus of the Fichtelbergbahn. In a part of the world where we found the hospitality and friendliness of the people ot be wonderful, this guesthouse was a standout for great meals and a warm welcome.

[PaulRhB]

We had a fantastic trip to Saxony back in 1998 on one of the Steam Railway tours, Peter the bus driver was really determined to get the group wherever they wanted to go for the best shots ahead of the train

 

A few on the Radeburg to Radebuel line, sorry for the quality they are scans off a simple APS camera.

 

 

 

Oschatz to Kemmlitz Line

 

Oschatz

 

 

Mugeln

 

 

Coal siding at Mugeln

 

 

 

Zittau to Oybin & Jonsdorf

Zittau

 

 

Bertsdorf

 

pub next to the station has this on the bar serving drinks!

 

Double departure from Bertsdorf

 

Oybin on one branch

 

and up to Jonsdorf on the other branch, I was lucky to get a cab ride from Jonsdorf all the way back to Bertsdorf

 

 

And a preserved forestry line which I can't remember the name of!

Edited November 17, 2011 by PaulRhB

[EddieB]

And a preserved forestry line which I can't remember the name of!

 

Waldeisenbahn Muskau: http://www.waldeisenbahn.de/de/eisenbahn/fahrzeuge/dampfloks

[burgundy]

Nice to see the pictures that others have posted here to show how much there is to see in Saxony.

Having finally sorted out what to do with video (I hope), the following may be of interest. It was taken on the Pressnitztalbahn and shows Aquarius, a 0-10-0 former Heeresfeldbahn loco, on a morning train when the rails were still wet.

Best wishes

Eric

[burgundy]

Just in case anyone has the good fortune to be in Saxony over Whitsun (May 26 - 28), the Preßnitztalbahn is having a special weekend to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the line. The celebration includes a model railway exhibition in the rolling stock hall at Schlössel plus family entertainment as well as a two train schedule.

Well worth it if you can find an excuse to be in the area.

Best wishes

Eric

[James Hilton]

Having been bought the Middleton Press book on Narrow Gauge railways of Saxony for Christmas by my wife I've found this regions varied collection of narrow gauge routes to be quite inspiring! Very envious of those that have been able to visit, I look forward to being able to in the future. In the meantime I must resist getting a IVk or IK in G-scale from LGB!

[Hobby]

If you do decide to go base yourself in Dresden. All the lines are within reasonable driving distance (many accessible by train as well), in addition there are several decent model shops there and in Chemnitz also a good secondhand shop in the outskirts... Lovely city as well.. Go to the Red Rooster for eats and drinks...

[burgundy]

Just happened to have a look at the webcam at Bertsdorf and found that the Zittau lines have been operating their IV K and their pre war railcar. 

Best wishes 

Eric 

[tetsudofan]

Ah, Bertsdorf... Pity i didn't spot the lamp post!

 

 

You did of course try the pub over the road where your beer and food is delivered to your seat by G scale narrow gauge engine and stock? Or the pub down the road from Zittau station, opposite the loco depot full of old memorabilia? (Took me two visits to find the second, mind!)

 

Yes, those lampposts do get in the way. Taken on a trip organised by the late Peter Fox of Todays Railways probably around 2004/2005:

 

 

 

Also locked away we saw the following:

 

 

 

Keith

[AMJ]

Also of interest in Dresden is the miniature railway in the park. It's one of the eastern European railway used to teach children to operate railway.

 

I visited the various lines by public transport very easy as with other areas of Germany DB do reasonable day tickets.

 

Enjoyable time was had drinking beer and riding narrow gauge tracks with friends.

 

Not narrow gauge but when in Leipzig there is a platform road with preserved locomotives.

 

As VW was on a shut down the car factory was not working therefore the Dresden freight tram wasn't running. Interesting place to visit as well.

 

Nice bar in the city centre I suggest you visit is Dresden 1900 this is a transport themed restaurant with a tram inside!

[Hobby]

We always go to the Red Rooster for good food and beer when in Dresden.

[AMJ]

I should have made a BBC comment there are plenty of nice bars and restaurants in all German towns.

[burgundy]

Some nice snow scenes on the webcams at the moment.  

Best wishes 

Eric 

[burgundy]

Nice to see trains running on the Zittau lines today. I have visited the webcams a couple of time recently and seen Oybin looking very pretty in the snow. Today Johnsdorf still had snow but Oybin had a train. 

Best wishes 

Eric 

[Nyeti]

Always nice to see some interest in the Zittauer Bahn and its sister lines.  My late grandfather was born and raised in Zittau and was a regular passenger on the railway there until he was forced to flee increasing Nazi persecution.

I went to visit Zittau for the first time in December 2019 when Stolpersteine were laid for him and for my great-uncle and great-grandmother.  Naturally we took the train up to the Oybin in his memory!  As it was Advent, festive decorations and hot drinks were very much in evidence.

 

DR 99.731 pulls into Oybin with the afternoon train, complete with candles on the smokebox door.

 

Oybin station decked out with a drinks stall and Moravian star.  Note the derailer, ground signals, and what I suspect are fouling point markers; there were also engineering and transporter wagons behind that carriage in the goods siding.

 

Full photo set is here.

[burgundy]

A sad story. Where are the Stolpersteine?

Quite interesting to keep up with the line on their webcams. 

This  railcar was doing the honours last weekend - seen at Jonsdorf. 

Best wishes 

Eric