German TT - Kirchheim

[rekoboy]

An academic exchange to East Germany (which became ever longer - from 1978 to 1981) made me into a huge fan of the Deutsche Reichsbahn and of TT model railways. At that point I started a collection of Berliner Bahnen material which grew steadily but was mostly to be found in a display case on the wall or in boxes as the demands of work and a growing family pushed it all on to the back-burner. Eventually a few years ago I found the time and the cash to do something about the attic - and suddenly there was space for a layout which is now in its third existence! I became rapidly dissatisfied with things with layouts one and two as I employed quite a lot of old Berliner Bahnen track - which is rubbish, to be frank. Now I use only Tillig Modellgleis which is brilliant. The turnouts have either Berliner motors mounted underfloor or surface-mounted Roco/Fleischmann mechanisms - Tillig's own are not fantastic, and the Roco N motors are a perfect fit. I got fed up after a while of mounting Berliner solenoids under the benchwork as the task rapidly turned me into the York swearing champion!

Here you can see a couple of photos of my layout's progress. The BR 38 is beautiful - a new Roco product, the BR 50 is one of a Kleinserie from East Germany which cost me a fortune in 1980. My girlfriend, now my wife, thought I was totally cracked!! But she did give me a Berliner BR 86 the following Christmas!

Edited December 9, 2012 by rekoboy

[roundhouse]

Its a lovely scale to work with. We have a fair amonut of Eastern European TT, mainly Czech outline but we have some Berliner Bahm items.

 

Most of ours is diesel, so good to see some TT steam stock.

 

Ian

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Working in 3mm- I did have a brief sojourn into Berlinner TT Bahnen. I aquired a factory built layout together with several steam and diesel locos and rolling stock. Technically it was a wonderful layout and the scenics were great. Unfortunately I sold it and the new owners first job was to destroy the scenics which ultimately saw its demise as he tried to enlarge the track plan and got it wrong!

Superb running- exhibited it a couple of times- must look for the photos sometime.

The BTTB label was displayed under the baseboard- I wonder if any others are in existance?

Steve

[Allegheny1600]

Hi there,

I'd definitely agree that TT is a lovely scale! I was drooling over various products in this scale on show at the recent Köln exhibition - I have far too much H0 to change now but they are very nice!

Have you seen: http://www.kuehn-modell.de/ - beautiful models!

Cheers,

John E.

[roundhouse]

I have one of the Roco TT goggles as they released theirs first. However I do have some of the Kuehn CD coaches and yes they are very nice models. Most of our Czech stock is resin bodies on either older ready to run mechanisms or Bullant motors, ready made finished resin bodies scratch built chassis (bought in various model shops in the Czech Republic.

 

We do have some Tillig items that can be seen running into the Czech Republic

[rodshaw]

I had an eclectic mix of Tillig/Berliner Bahnen - see

 

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/newsforyou/lightwood.htm

 

They all ran beautifully. I sold it all to the 3mm Society (who, incidentally, stock a reasonable amount of this stuff second hand at very affordable prices, but you have to join).

[rekoboy]

Here are a couple more photos showing the complete layout which employs a simple spiral for the branch up to the second level - the gradient is actually so gentle that either of my Arnold-Hornby Köf (shunting tractors) can propel the double-deck artic set or three or four goods wagons (with ModMüller metal wheelsets) to the top without slipping. Under the upper level are hidden sidings with track circuits to detect train presence or movement. The track on the lower level is almost complete - the loop on the upper section is purely temporary and is an experiment with spring points - one turnout has a Roco hand -operated mechanism, the other has a defunct Tillig solenoid drive - and in both cases the little Köf can safely pass through and open/close the sprung blades without derailing.

[APOLLO]

I started with Tri-ang TT in the late 50's, was a great scale to work in but alas the tri-ang track eventually wore out after many layout changes, and I went OO. I had a Rokal pacific with 4 coaches and ran those on an oval of Gem track at a higher level (wouldn't go thru the tri-ang points) - this loco ran superbly and blew the socks off my tri-ang stuff.

 

Glad to see TT is still going strong.

 

Brit15

[vulcan607]

A man after my own heart! I much prefer the DR (of the DDR) to DB. I think it's the fact that there was never as much money as in the West and the original buildings and rolling stock lasted much longer there. If i was starting again, I'd go TT because of the DR bias in locos and stock. As it is, i'm doing the same in N. Really nice scenics and layout so far. Hopefully i'll get something built soon myself.   

[rekoboy]

Hello folks!

For those of you interested in European TT and have some German/Polish language skills this site will make your heart leap a little higher! The Polish gentleman who runs the site has collected and scanned every TT catalogue he could from now back to the 1960s. Utterly brilliant!

 

http://as.rumia.edu.pl/tt/kat/katalogi.asp?firm=Till

 

Viel Spaß!!

Edited January 16, 2013 by rekoboy

[Horsetan]

A man after my own heart! I much prefer the DR (of the DDR) to DB. I think it's the fact that there was never as much money as in the West and the original buildings and rolling stock lasted much longer there. ...

 

The DR also conducted some worthwhile upgrades (the Rekolokomotiven) of the steam fleet, plus of course the experimental test-beds that were run by VES(M) Halle; we still have 18.201 and 18.314 today.

 

When an engine's service life was over, it was still useful to the various other industries that needed a stationary boiler: it's thanks to the State-controlled breweries and chocolate makers that a fair number of 01.5s survived.

[rekoboy]

Here are a couple more photos from the layout. Due to work commitments - a research project in Germany - I have done little of late but as you can see the right-hand end of Kirchheim is taking shape. The tunnel mouths are from Auhagen and are thoroughly painted and weathered and the retaining wall (also weathered but unfinished) is by Faller and designed for 'N'. On the right you can see the part finished depot for my Köf (shunting tractors) whose shed is also a kit by Auhagen. The other photo shows another of my favourite locos, the Reichsbahn 106 (now 246) or V 60. That particular model is by Klose who used to be active as a producer of Kleinserien in Saxony until his death a couple of years ago.  It looks cool but does not run especially well.

Edited March 12, 2013 by rekoboy

[AngusDe]

I have 3 Berliner Bahnen TT coaches in my collection. They date from 88ish and one of my first wife's trips to Berlin, I had asked her to get me some HO stuff when she visited East Berlin, and whilst she got me a HO loco... anyway, but not the reason we divorced, lol!

 

It is a great scale, it is a pity the UK RTR scene has dried up completely. I often doodle TT layouts when I'm daydreaming as any likely space available doesn't do HO or OO justice, and I keep suspecting my fading eyes and chubby thumbs are no good for N!

 

Although my ex wife managed 2 trips to Berlin before the wall came down, and was there on her 3rd (weekend) trip when it actually came down, I never did. The closest I got was a drive into E Germany the first weekend we were allowed to. I can't help thinking the cold war period is rapidly being forgotten about, it is almost being airbrushed out of history.

 

Angus

[FelixM]

TT scale ever was the second most widespread scale in Eastern Germany behind H0 scale. In Western Germany the most popular scale was N scale with H0 being the second one. TT was virtually non-existant in Western Germany then. These differences continue until today albeit not so strictly.

 

I can't help thinking the cold war period is rapidly being forgotten about, it is almost being airbrushed out of history.

 

Fortunately!

 

Felix

[Horsetan]

.... Klose who used to be active as a producer of Kleinserien in Saxony until his death a couple of years ago....

 

Was he the bloke behind Modellbahnmanufaktur Crottendorf? They are still going strong, and produce a useful range of Einheits castings for HO.....when you can get your hands on them. They have only just started setting up a direct webshop.

[rekoboy]

Klose traded under the name of MiKi-Klose and was based in Altenbach, a village between Leipzig and Riesa on the main line to Dresden. His products had the reputation of being of second-rate quality and he announced models (such as BR 58 and BR 55  in TT) which never actually made it on to the market. He made copious use of Berliner TT Bahn parts in his locos. After Klose's death his moulds and tooling were taken over by the firm of Modellbau Schirmer which now markets a revised and very nice version of his BR 64 2-6-2 tank loco and his TT scale model trucks - his MAN artic tractor unit still looks fantastic although it is a good many years old. The V 60 in my photo was a source of friction between me and Herr Klose - I ordered it with a bank transfer from England and never received it even after my brother-in-law Waldemar paid him a visit and he promised to mend his ways! I got the loco eventually after 2 personal visits to Altenbach!

[rekoboy]

Rather unusually, I have managed to find some time to actually put in a couple of days solid work into the layout and now the right-hand corner of Kirchheim is almost complete - apart from a colour wash (probably very dilute Indian ink)on the Auhagen cobbled surface and the addition of a few more details. The Koef has its own shed at last! In the attached photo a BR 86 (the original BTTB model) is passing with some 6-wheel Rekos while a V 60and a Koef await their next duties.

[rekoboy]

Sorry - I forgot to include this rather better aerial photo!

 

[steveo]

Hello,

 

I have seen quite a lot of Berliner Bahnen track for sale on e bay. Does any one know if it is any good, and will British TT run well on it.

 

With thanks,

 

Steve

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Original BTTB track was pressed tin and not compatible with any thing else- prone to rust and poor conections- look for the later tillig track.

Steve

[steveo]

Thanks Steve. I thought you would have the answer. I was thinking of posting on the 3mm forum, but you have supplied the answer.

 

Regards,

 

steve o.

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Cheaper alternative is PECO Hom, metre gauge at 12mm width- more readily available in UK but it is a compromise.

Steve

[rekoboy]

Happy Easter!

By far the cheapest way to lay decent TT track is to use Tillig's sleeper strips (Schwellenband) which is available either pre-formed in the standard track lengths and radii or a flex-strip together with their metre lengths of rail. That is the material that I am using - there are even relatively cheap turnout kits - and I have saved quite a lot. The Tillig do-it-yourself material is available, obviously, in every German model store - to get it here you can order from Conrad Electronics, a German company with an English branch.

www.conrad-uk.com   and  http://www.conrad-uk.com/ce/en/overview/1606350/TT-Tillig-Track

Their model railway pages are very good but you might need Tilli's own website - www.tillig.com - to work out product numbers

[rekoboy]

A couple more progress photos for you - the platforms are slowly taking shape. They are made from Auhagen platform edges on a plasticard base and ends - this base is then filled with a runny mixture of Polyfilla, white glue and water. After a couple of days you have a very solid platform. The further of the two platform includes wood strips which will be drilled eventually as a firm foundation for the Auhagen canopy supports once the fill mix is dry and solid.

The retaining walls are by Faller and designed for N - for which they are overscale, so perfect for TT. They are made of polystyrene with a factory-added stone veneer and can be gently bent into curved formations.

In the background you can see the beginnings of a scrapyard with one of my Chinese diggers in 1:122 scale. That scene will be properly developed later.

[rekoboy]

I have finally escaped from the PC in my office, school visits and the garden to conduct a little more work on Kirchheim. The platforms are now in place (Auhagen edges) and the track ballasted and the foot-crossings added. More painting and detailing may follow soon-ish! There is also a photo of my favourite loco - the Gützold BR 24 which looks absolutely fantastic!