GERMANY TRIP REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2006

Thursday September 7th:

An early evening flight from Leeds to Dusseldorf (via Jet 2 - £32 including tax, booked way back in April) saw us reach the Ibis Hotel at Dusseldorf station around 21.45 after catching an EMU from Dusseldorf Flughafen. A quick bite to eat from a fast food shack, followed by a visit to a local bar, and it was time for bed!

Friday September 8th:

Today’s trip used a ‘Lander’ ticket. This is a rover ticket, valid on all local services (ie not IC & EC Express services, but ok on Regional Express) after 9am on weekdays, for a whole day for up to 5 people. Our ticket, covering the Nord Rhein Westfalen area (probably the equivalent to the size of Yorkshire) cost 29 Euros, so between the two of us was just over £10 each.

The aim of today was to cover a mix of new track and get in some loco haulage, including a Fridays only diesel hauled working. Our first planned working, the 09.10 to Essen via the S-bahn lines, failed to turn up and disappeared off the board, so – as we only had a 10 or so minute connection there - we caught a late running Class 143 electric to Wuppertal (where there is a fascinating monorail – something to do on another visit!). After 15 minutes later, a Class 112 electric took us to Hagen, which was the starting point for the Class 218 Diesel Hydraulic working we wanted to cover.

218153 was already in the platform at Hagen with our train, the 11.06 to Willingen, which is part of a single loco hauled diagram which operates between these two points on Fridays and Sundays. The train was virtually empty when it departed Hagen, and we wondered why this loco hauled working took place. This was answered at Schwerte, when the train wedged out, full of jovial germans (some quite elderly - think SAGA specials!), drinking, singing and playing music. Quite why they all seem to go to Willingen for the weekend I don't know! 

The train reverses at Brilon Wald for the last bit of the journey to Willingen (DBSO in the formation so no need for run-round). We alighted here in order to continue east and do the track to Warburg, although this was sadly a unit. Having said that, some of the modern units in Germany are much more comfortable than those in the UK (think luggage space, more legroom and seats that line up with the windows) and the hour or so journey on a Class 612 through to Warburg took us through nice scenery and was not unpleasant. We had an hour or so at Warburg (which appeared to be shut....couldn't even find a bar nearby!) so had the chance of one or two phots before catching a Class 425 EMU across to Hamm. These units are more basic than the Class 612s and certainly not as good.

Back onto electric loco haulage for the rest of the day now. The local rail network appeared to be in disarray, and we caught the 16.16 departure (hauled by 146001, a relatively new loco built in 2001) as far as Essen, departing Hamm around 15 minutes late and getting to Essen 35 minutes late. We then took an S-Bahn service (via Kettwig) to Dusseldorf. S-Bahn services on this line are operated by Class 143 Electric locos - they also operate on many other local routes out of Dusseldorf, offering plenty of opportunities for 'scratching' if you wish.

We arrived back at Dusseldorf at around and caught a following Class 143 down to Koln for a meal and a couple of beers down by the river, around a 5 minute walk from the station. Although offering traditional german food, the restaurant had an english version of the menu which was useful! After wandering back to the station, we caught a Class 146 back to Dusseldorf and straight into the hotel.

Saturday September 9th:

Saturday was spent getting from Dusseldorf to our second base for the few days, at Stralsund, which is located on the north coast and an ideal base for the Island of Rugen where we planned to spend Sunday and Monday. Our journey was to take us all day, due to 2 reasons:

1. We had decided to go via Berlin (in order to gain the maximum amount of required track).

2. We were using a 'Schones Wochenende' ticket which cannot be used on IC or EC express trains, only on regional services.

For those who are unaware, the 'Schones Wochenende' is a ticket available on Saturdays/Sundays and is valid for one day on all 'regional' trains throughout the entire German rail network. The cost is 30 Euros for up to 5 people, providing excellent value.

We departed Dusseldorf just before 07.30, our first move being 146031 via Duisburg and Dortmund to Hamm. Strangely, the Platform 5 German book only lists up to 146030 in it! Here, we waited for a following service, hauled by 146017, which took us to Bielefeld. At Bielefeld, we changed onto an RE (Regional Express) service for Branuschweig, which ran via Hannover. This was hauled by a Class 111, an older electric built for DB in the 1970s.

A local stopping service took us from Braunschweig to Magedeburg. Again, this was loco-hauled, with a Class 143 on 2 or 3 coaches doing the honours. This was my second visit to Magdeburg, as I covered the branch from here to Thale back in 2003, when it operated by Class 218 Hydraulics. Sadly these have all gone, and we saw a Thale service formed of a private operator's 'plastic' DMU. Many lines in Germany are now in the hands of private companies, and there are also private operators which run freight services, providing much variety in liveries and rolling stock.

From Magdeburg to Berlin, we were hauled by a Class 112, dating from the 1990s. Berlin Hbf station is brand new, and is on two levels. We had time for a quick nosh here - though the jumbo Scampi wasn't quite what we expected! Our final journey took us on the 3 hour journey on an RE service via Sternfeld to Stralsund behind 114022, arriving at 20.51. I wasn't too impressed to discover that 114022 was one of only 2 members of its Class which I'd had for haulage already!

We were booked in at the InterCity Hotel at Stralsund, which is part of a chain of hotels all around Germany, most of which seem to be conveniently located just by the railway stations (as ours was). Booking in advance back in July through Expedia, I had obtained a reasonable rate of around £55 per night for the room. One of the useful things with InterCity Hotels is that you receive free use of local public transport with your room card. In our case, it gave use freedom on DB operated (but no the private owner) rail services on the Island of Rugen. I believe at other hotels, you get use of the local tram or underground network - useful if you're into bashing that sort of thing. 

As it was quite late and already dark, we didn't bother to check out the town (which looked quite a walk away, although we found out on the Sunday it wasn't) but went for a drink in the hotel bar, where - unlike many hotels in the UK - the drinks were actually reasonably priced.

Sunday September 10th:  

The next two days were spent covering the lines on the Isle of Rugen, and doing some photography of the 'kettles' which operate on one line there. There are four basic lines on the Island: 

1. The 'main line' which runs through from the Stralsund on the mainland to Sassnitz in the north east corner, operated by Class 143 locos.

2. A branch off the main line from Lietzow to Binz.

3. A privately operated (non electrified) branch which runs from Bergen (where it connects with the main line) to Putbus and Lauterbach Mole.

4. The steam operated Racing Roland narrow gauge line from Putbus (or Lauterbach Mole in summer, dual gauge with the branch from Rugen) to Gohren, a distance of around 24 miles.

Our first move, after visiting the station cafe for a breakfast of a baguette and coffee (we weren't paying 11 Euros at the hotel...) was the 09.05 Sassnitz service to Bergen auf Rugen, hauled by 143860. Here, we changed onto the private owner unit (VT 701) to Putbus. We hadn't realised that this unit actually continued to the end of the branch at Lauterbach Mole, otherwise we would probably have gone all the way with it then back to Putbus. No big loss though, we just did that the following day.

Putbus is the depot and headquarters for the steam railway, so we had a look round the yard before our departure an hour or so later on what they describe as their 'historic special train' - basically a rake of carriages which have not been refurbished and with a coal fired heating system! The railway operates throughout the year, with services from 06.00 in the morning. More details are on their website at http://www.rasender-roland.de/indexe.php?siteid=7

The railway does not offer rover tickets, so we purchased a through ticket to the other end of the line for 16 Euros (about £11). The historic train ( which washauled by 99 4632) runs only as far as Binz, so we caught that to there where we had a break for an hour or so to get a few phots. Next move was as far as Baabe behind 99 784, where we were able to phot our train departing before finding a small cafe/bar for a lunch of goulash soup, which was actually more line a stew. An hour later, we caught the next service (worked by 99 782) through to Gohren, the end of the line. After the loco had run round, taken coal/water and been cleaned out, it was back to Binz behind the same loco, and then the historic train to Putbus again. We had managed haulage behind 3 of the 4 locos in use, and had the fourth (99 783) the next day.

A tight connection at Putbus took us back up to Bergen auf Rugen on VT 701. From here, we went north to Sassnitz hauled by 143107. During the journey, I encountered a strange creepy-crawly which landed on me, I think it was a grasshopper . Never realised how much I disliked these things, it caused us to move seats as it made its way op the carriage wall after i'd shaken it off my hand! A normal picked it up and chucked it out of the window!

We came straight back from Sassnitz behind the same loco, arriving back at Stralsund around 18.00. Got a picture of a Class 143 by the level crossing next to the station, and after a quick stop at the hotel to deposit our bags, we wandered into the town for a look round and something to eat. Typically, after an extremely dull day on the island, it was now brilliant sunshine. Stralsund appeared to be quite a nice place, quite old in parts with some interesting buildings. Our attempts to find the brew pub, mentioned in a guide we had obtained in the hotel, failed so we ate in the outdoor tables of a cafe/bar in what appeared to be the town square. Excellent meal of roast beef stuffed with onions, potato dumplings and red cabbage with apple. A chap cycling past on a bike, wearing a flamboyant dress which would have been suitable for a hen night (yes, really) added to the entertainment!

Monday September 11th:

Our last full day, the plan being to do the remaining bits on the Isle of Rugen, plus some more photting on the Racing Roland steam line. The move started off exactly the same as Sunday (abroad, most lines use the same basic timetables on Sundays), with the 09.05 to Bergen auf Rugen, though with a different loco (143966). Onto the private owner unit VT 701 again, this time through to Lauterbach Mole where we had around 15 minutes before returning to Putbus. Lauterbach appears to be a haven for yachting/boating, which made for a nice phot or two.

The weather was much better today, brilliant sunshine all of the day. Back at Putbus, we had another wander round the depot (photographed an interesting diesel they have - not sure if it ever works any trains!), and also round what appeared to be the 'friends of the railway' area, where there was some rolling stock on display and being restored by volunteers. An arriving service gave another photting opportunity.

994632 took us on the historic train to Binz once again. Rather than stop off here, we changed for the adjacent service as far as Garftitz - the reason for bailing here being to photograph the service coming the opposite direction about 20 minutes later, with an added attraction that there was a snack bar adjacent to the station! After the shot, we went for a quick bite to eat, a bockwurst and coffee being the order of the day for me.

Our next train (hauled by 99783 - our last of the four locos in service for haulage) took us to Baabe, where a prompt leap got us across the level crossing in time for a picture of it crossing the road as it departed. We then walked all the way to Gohren (about 2-3 miles), stopping off first along the way at Philippshagen for shots of 99 783 and 99 782 and secondly just outside Gohren for a shot of a departure.

Gohren was a seaside resort, and we had an hour or so on the sea front and walked the pier. A 2 minute walk back to the station and we caught 99782 back to Binz (and photographed it departing). There are two stations at Binz - the narrow gauge/steam railway on, and a DB station at the other end of the town. After a wander round the town, we found somewhere to eat outdoors again. Next door was a hotel with a rather intriguing sign, claiming "rooms available with female attendance".....see here. Following a  walk to the DB station, we joined a Class 628 DMU for the short journey on to the 'main line' from Sassnitz for a Class 143 back to Stralsund in the dark.

Tuesday September 12th:

Last day today, and not a great deal to write about. After checking out, we had a bite to eat in the station cafe once again before boarding the 08.36 service for Berlin. We chose this service as it gave us a different route (via Pasewalk) to that we had done north from Perlin on the Saturday evening. Haulage was provided by an electric, 114007 on the usual double-deck stock.

We had an hour or so to do some photting at Berlin Hbf, which is a new station, only recently opened. Unlike in the UK, most trains were loco hauled. Probably the most interesting working was a big diesel (234465) on the 12.42 service to Warsaw. That train could be an option for next year's trip to Poland if I don't fly there direct!

143306 took us to Berlin Schonefeld Airport in time for our Easyjet flight (at £23 inc tax) back to Newcastle. Departure was around 50 minutes late, arriving at Newcastle Airport 30 minutes late. We had allowed for late running of up to an hour, so, after catching the Metro in to Newcastle itself, we were on Central station with about 30 minutes to spare before catching our Voyager back to York. No room for luggage (my rucksack, perfectly acceptable as hand luggage on Easyjet, wouldn't fit in the overhead racks), welcome back to the UK! Worse was to come though, a MerseyRail Class 142 back home from York!