RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 26, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26, 2017 Ok I'm planning another trip to Germany and after watching various videos and seeing lots of pics I'm wondering if any one has advice on good spots to photograph lineside on the HSB? My last trip to the RhB I did several walks to get to scenic spots, rather than just hopping off at the stations is it best to hire a car or are there good spots to walk to near some stations? I know the top end of the Harquerbahn has the most traffic so probably will start there. Any suggestions of locations etc gratefully received and even mapping. I've got some Kompass 1:25000 and Geomap 1:50000 maps of the area, is there anything better? Thanks Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2017 You could get the train up to the top of the Brocken and walk back down taking photos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 27, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2017 That's a possibility Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2017 There's probably enough photos on the net now to work out locations from. I've asked one of the lads who is over there now for his thoughts, he is an avid and accomplished photographer who has taken some stunning photos of the Harz...whether or not he gets back to me in between taking photos and drinking beer remains to be seen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 27, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2017 There's probably enough photos on the net now to work out locations from. I've asked one of the lads who is over there now for his thoughts,Thanks Phil, Some are clear but others just say nothing or near a certain place and it's difficult to work out which side of a location it is as the German maps aren't to the same detail level as OS ones When I went to Saxony it was an organised trip for linesiding and riding so we just followed the nose of the experienced guys Not done any linesiding on the Harz and as the others have never been to Germany we want a couple of days lineside in decent locations to leave four days to cover the whole system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Do you have the details of the relevant Kompass maps please? I'm also very tempted to do some linesiding in the Harz at some point, maybe even later this year as part of a grand tour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2017 When I go over I don't necessarily make the best use of my camera, don't take hundreds of photos, don't take many good ones. A few locations I do like however are on top of the Brocken just down from and on the other side of the line from the station looking up the hill. My friends have taken some stunning photos there, this is one of my efforts I like Steinerne Renne as a location too Getting round the whole system by train takes some thought and planning, sometimes you have to use the normal railway as well. one example is if you go to Quedlinburg, Harz railway to it then mainline back to Wernigerode. The bit from Gernrode to Quedlinburg is the newest part of the line (opened 2006), built on a closed standard gauge trackbed and running parallel to the mainline for the last few miles into Quedlinburg. One of the attractions of doing this bit is haulage by the line's 2-6-2tThere is a fearsome bit of bank somewhere on it, I forget where, you can stand on the open platform right next to this thing being worked really hard. I quite like photographing other stuff besides the railway as well, the photos aren't good but serve as a record. One thing I would recommend when in the area is a visit to Camp Mittelbau-Dora, nr Nordhausen which was a German labour camp manufacturing V2s during the war. Horrifying, interesting, thought provoking, fascinating all in one place. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelbau-Dora Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 27, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2017 Do you have the details of the relevant Kompass maps please? I'm also very tempted to do some linesiding in the Harz at some point, maybe even later this year as part of a grand tour. Just check the numbers against the scales you want, they aren't OS detailed but the best I've found so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Thanks for the maps pointer. Those Kompass ones are OK at 1:25000, but I wish they had Swisstopo quality maps in Germany. Edit: a quick google for Harz Wanderkarte found these at 1:30000 https://www.schmidt-buch-verlag.de/titel-uebersicht/kartografie/wanderkarten-harz/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 5944 Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2017 If you hire a car you can easily chase the trains along the Selketalbahn. Only a couple of trips a day with steam, but well worth doing. The climb PhilH mentions is the one out of Magdesprung - however, the van is now on the Quedlinburg end of the train, so you're no longer stood next to the smokebox. Boo! A few of my photos from half a dozen visits at https://flic.kr/s/aHsk7t9wqe Hopefully they've all got captions on them! If not and you want any hints or ideas about where they're taken, just PM me. The Brocken can easily be linesided on foot from the top down, though it can be hard work in the snow. Worth it though! I must get back there soon, though with a baby on the way it might not be a few months. Though my girlfriend is keen on taking the baby away on foreign trips. Germany, Switzerland and Italy have all been mentioned...! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2017 If you hire a car you can easily chase the trains along the Selketalbahn. Only a couple of trips a day with steam, but well worth doing. The climb PhilH mentions is the one out of Magdesprung - however, the van is now on the Quedlinburg end of the train, so you're no longer stood next to the smokebox. Boo! A few of my photos from half a dozen visits at https://flic.kr/s/aHsk7t9wqe Hopefully they've all got captions on them! If not and you want any hints or ideas about where they're taken, just PM me. The Brocken can easily be linesided on foot from the top down, though it can be hard work in the snow. Worth it though! I must get back there soon, though with a baby on the way it might not be a few months. Though my girlfriend is keen on taking the baby away on foreign trips. Germany, Switzerland and Italy have all been mentioned...! That is one stunning set of photographs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 5944 Posted January 28, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2017 That is one stunning set of photographs!Thanks Phil! A couple of things I forgot to mention. If you're there for a few days, look at getting a Harz Card. http://www.en.harzcard.info It's cheaper than buying an HSB ticket, and is still valid on all services, although only one way up or down the Brocken. However, you can get a single for a reduced price, so it still works out cheaper. Except for one visit, I've always stayed in the Hotel Altora in Wernigerode, the one opposite the shed. I speak enough German and they speak enough English that I've never had any problems staying there. Food is pretty good, and it's always fun watching the 2-10-2Ts getting ready for the day while you're having breakfast! If you have a car you can leave it in the hotel car park during the day if you want to travel. Also, don't forget the HSB webcams. They're invaluable if you want a rough idea what the weather is going to be like further up the line. Saying that, you can see the top of the Brocken from Wernigerode, assuming the weather is playing ball! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Hi Paul, I spent a week on the HSB last June (my 4th trip) - I've never bothered with a hire car as the combination of HSB trains and local buses can get you pretty much anywhere you want. There is a track/footpath "Bahnparallelweg" which follows the line all the way from Drei Annen Hotel (1.5km from DAH) to Wernigerode with loads of photo spots along the way including the tunnel (a.m. shot only). There are plenty of good locations around Drei Annen Hohne, approaching the station uphill (by Kukkies Kitchen - a soup & worst stand) and leaving again towards Brocken from the level crossing. This area is getting to need some 'gardening' but, due to recent tree felling some new areas have opened up between here and Shierke. A lot of photters dismiss the Selketalbahn but I prefer the less touristy feel of it. My favourite spot is from the river bridge just on the Strassburg side of Strassburg Glasebach - for a west bound train with a nice old farm in the background. The Selketal has 2 steam turns Th,Fr,Sa only (see note 86 on the timetable)..There are workshop tours at Westerntor on Friday afternoons - just turn up at the booking office. For a map I bought the 1:50,000 "Naturepark Harz" which shows footpaths etc. For tickets I buy the "Harz TOUR Card" @ 18 Euros/3 days valid on local buses, DB, and all HSB except Shierke - Brocken. Your hotel should give you a Hatix card which gives free bus travel so you could buy the more expensive HSB card which does include Brocken. For the ultimate 'thrash' the nearby standard gauge Rubelandbahn (steepest adhesion line in Europe) runs steam one weekend per month - worth checking their website for dates. We've stayed at the Altora the last 2 trips but it's getting pricier these days. Try the 'Zur Post' for real German food - better value too. We were going to go back this year but decided to go to Czech for the JHMD instead. Hope you have a great trip. Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 28, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2017 Great stuff thanks everyone, photos, tickets, places to stay the tip for using the webcams is a good idea and they're already in the phone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Jamieson Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Probably not much help, but here's a selection of what was on offer (in black and white) in Deutsche Reichsbahn days. Of course since then a lot of positions have become overgrown and the pattern of traffic is quite different. For some reason the thumbnails seem to display quite dark, but the actual pictures should be OK. Bill http://www.fotocommunity.de/user_photos/1764694?page=1&folder_id=881928 http://www.fotocommunity.de/user_photos/1764694?page=1&folder_id=809320 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Thanks for those - looking at the current Google aerial shots, it seems like there is a fair bit of "corridor through the trees" effect in places now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted February 1, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2017 Probably not much help, but here's a selection of what was on offer (in black and white) in Deutsche Reichsbahn days. Of course since then a lot of positions have become overgrown and the pattern of traffic is quite different. For some reason the thumbnails seem to display quite dark, but the actual pictures should be OK. Bill http://www.fotocommunity.de/user_photos/1764694?page=1&folder_id=881928 http://www.fotocommunity.de/user_photos/1764694?page=1&folder_id=809320 What year was that Bill? B&W film? lovely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Jamieson Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 What year was that Bill? B&W film? lovely. Hi Phil, They're from the period 1977 to 1992. All from B&W film, mostly Ilford FP4 except in 1992 when for some reason FP4 rollfilm wasn't available and I used Agfa APX100 instead Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 1, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2017 Thanks Bill, loads of useful reference too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanBasten Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I was there with my motorbike 10 years ago and discover a really, really detailed map of Harz - for bikers. Ask for it, I have to search at home for the name, I think I got it in a station...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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