11 December 2014

The Weisseritztalbahn, Rittergrun museum and the Fichtelbergbahn.
DSC6168 First time here since 1998. : Germany DSC6170 750mm gauge 2-10-2t 99 1734 waits time at Freital Hainsberg. : Germany DSC6171 Despite their fairly modern appearance the VIIK's are surprisingly old machines. : Germany
DSC6172 99 1734 at Freital Hainsberg waiting time with a train to Dippoldiswalde. When I visited in 1996 & 1998 the line ran through to Kurort Kippsdorf. The whole line was severely damaged by flooding in 2002 and, in 2014, had not been reopened beyond Dippoldiswalde. : Germany DSC6173 Freital Hainsberg depot, not hugely different to how I remember it. : Germany DSC6178 The VIIKs are "standard locos" (Einheitslok in German) which means they have features also to be found on mainline locos from the era including a feedwater pump and heat exchanger.
DSC6180 99 1734 of the Weisseritztalbahn. : Germany DSC6184 Out of service VIIK 99 1790 at Freital Hainsberg. : Germany DSC6186 The north end of the yard at Freital Hainsberg. In previous times the 750mm continued to Freital Potschappel where the Wilsdruffer Netz system set off out of the suburbs. : Germany
DSC6189 Freital Hainsberg with the standard gauge line's station on the embankmet to the left. : Germany DSC6197 First stop on the line is Freital Cossmansdorf. Here 99 1734 aproaches the station with the 09:42 from Freital Hainsberg. : Germany DSC6206 And away into the distance. The road ends just up towards the trees leaving the railway and parallel walking track to enter the Rabeanu Gorge. : Germany
DSC6211 99 780 stored at Freital Hainsberg depot. : Germany DSC6213 99 780 at Freital Hainsberg depot. : Germany DSC6217 Don't drink the water. : Germany
DSC6223 The yard at Oberrittersgrun station museum. : Germany DSC6226 Oberrittersgrun. : Germany DSC6227 The station at Oberrittersgrun, formally terminus of the 750mm gauge line from Grunstadtel. : Germany
DSC6229 The station houses an interesting museum. : Germany DSC6231 The station museum at Oberrittersgrun. : Germany DSC6241 Looks fun! : Germany
DSC6250 Looking north towards Grundstadtel at Oberittersgrun. : Germany DSC6252 Oberrittersgrun station. : Germany DSC6254 A 4 wheel van restored to post WWII condition. : Germany
DSC6258 Coaches, wagons and transporter wagons on display at Oberrittersgrun. : Germany DSC6261 Transporter wagon bogie etc. : Germany DSC6264 Oberrittersgrun's fomer loco depot. : Germany
DSC6266 Inside the loco depot at Oberrittersgrun are 3 750mm gauge locos. : Germany DSC6270 VIIK 99 1759 is in the museum depot at Oberrittersgrun. This type of loco did not run on the route to Grundstadtel but are very typical of locos which ran on the Saxon 750mm routes. : Germany DSC6271 Saxon Meyer IVK 99 1579. Most of these IVK 0-4-4-0t locos were substantially rebuilt (completely renewed) in the 1960s but this loco is one which was not so remains in close to original form. : Germany
DSC6272 Once again, don't drink the water. It appears are if 99 1579 was last overhauled in 1965. : Germany DSC6273 An explanation of the Saxon Meyer locos' basic arrangements. : Germany DSC6279 Air pump overhauled at RAW Leipzig. : Germany
DSC6281 Anyone for a bit of side play on the crank pin? : Germany DSC6286 A view into the cab of Meyer 99 1579. : Germany DSC6292 99 1579, a Saxon IVK 0-4-4-0t, typical of the locos which worked the Grunstadtel to Oberrittergrun line. : Germany
DSC6295 Guess the destination? : Germany DSC6297 Sparten facilities for the passengers. : Germany DSC6302 The backhead on VIIK 99 1759. : Germany
DSC6304 Gauges in the cab of 99 1759. : Germany DSC6306 99 1759's vacuum brake controls. Perhaps oddly the VIIK's are air braked locomotives but the train brakes are vacuum. Top centre is the loco's straight/independent air brake control. When running on a train applying the vacuum brake also makes a proportional application of the loco's air brake. : Germany DSC6310 Air pump control. : Germany
DSC6312 The third loco at Oberrittergrun is this O&K 0-4-0WT, works number 1162 of 1903. It was used in industrial service at various locations in Germany. : Germany DSC6318 750mm gauge postal coach. : Germany DSC6319 750mm gauge snowplough. The "antler" like fixtures are for the Saxon Heberlein braking system which was operated by cables. : Germany
DSC6331 99 1785 rolls into Hammerunterwiesenthal station with the 13:36 from Kurort Oberwiesenthal. : Germany DSC6332 99 1785 side on at Hammerunterwiesenthal as the snow fell. : Germany DSC6337 99 1785 sets off from Hammerunterwiesenthal with its train for Cranzahl. : Germany
DSC6342 99 1772 climbs into Hammerunterwiesenthal with the 13:23 from Cranzahl. : Germany DSC6345 Hammerunterwiesenthal and train in the snow. The trees in the background are located in the Czech Republic, the border running very close to the railway. : Germany DSC6349 At Cranzahl two VIIKs are stored - these being 99 786 and, behind, 99 794. Both are VIIK Neu, which lack features such as feedwater heating and date from the 1950s. : Germany
DSC6352 Cranzahl station, junction with the line from Floha (and Chemnitz) and, behind the camera, Barenstein and over the border into the Czech Republic Vejprty. : Germany DSC6358 750mm gauge transporter wagon and a standard gaueg wagon on display at Cranzahl. : Germany DSC6360 A clear view of how the transporter wagon works. : Germany
DSC6363 The north end of Cranzahl station which includes a ramp to load 750mm gauge vehicles onto standard gauge vehicles. : Germany DSC6364 99 1785 arrives at Cranzahl with the 13:36 from Kurort Oberwiesenthal. : Germany DSC6374 99 1785 takes water at Cranzahl. : Germany
DSC6386 Cranzhal station with the Chemnitz on the right and the Kurort Oberwiesenthal service on the left. : Germany DSC6387 Cranzahl station. : Germany DSC6397 99 1785 takes water at Kurort Oberwiesenthal depot between duties. : Germany
DSC6402 99 1785 takes water in wintery conditions. Kurort Oberwiesenthal is at 893m (2930') above sea level. : Germany DSC6405 Wintery weather at Kurort Oberwiesenthal, the town is unsurprisingly a popular ski centre. : Germany DSC6406 Kurort Oberwiesenthal works. : Germany
DSC6430 99 1785 at Hammerunterwiesenthal with the last train of the day, the 18:13 from Cranzahl. : Germany