Germany - 13th-17th May 2013 - Brian Garrett Photography

Germany - 13th to 17th May 2013

Between the 13th May and 17th May 2013 I flew out to Germany from Bristol Airport to spend a week in Berlin. The trip had been planned for a few months, where we had put an itinerary together for a week long trip. The plan was to cover various aspects of the German Railway Transport scene along some sightseeing, good food, beer and a half day visit to Poland. We stayed in the centre of Berlin at Alexanderplatz, which has good train and road connections, as well as easy access to the main city and eating establishments. The week provided improving weather and a good variety of freight and passenger trains.

13th May 2013

Having flown with Easyjet (A320 G-EZGN) from Bristol Airport to Berlin Schönefeld we took the short walk to Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen station where we spent a couple of hours on the former East German station. The station is situated on the Berlin Ring, and has regular International & Regional passenger services, S Bahn connections to Berlin and regular freights. From Berlin Schönefeld it was a short 15 minute train ride into Berlin Alexanderplatz where we found our hotel for the night.

DB Class 101 No.101-043 passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen hauling the 05:25 Budapest - Hamburg service.

DB Class 112 No.112-109 passes through the centre roads at Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with a domestic DB service from Berlin.

Siemens Build Class 442 No.442124 arrives into Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with the hourly shuttle service around the Berlin Ring.

DB Class 112 No.112-189 pushes a regional service train towards Berlin passing Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen

DB liveried Class 442 No.442624/124 departs from Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with a service train around the Berlin Ring.

DB Class 120 No.120-127 hauls a DB Intercity service through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen.

ICE 1 No.401071 passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with a long distance intercity service.

DB ICE 1 No.401571 brings up the rear of a north bound ICE service at Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen

ES 64 F4-209 or 189209 from CTL logistics passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with a cement train bound for Poland.

DB ICE No.411012 & 512 (branded for OBB) pass through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen heading for Austria

DB ICE No.411517 passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen

DB Class 232 No.232534 passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen.

Connex liveried Class 185 No.185519 passes Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with a Leipzig service.

DB Class 152 No.152-028 passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen light engine heading towards Berlin

DB Class 112 No.112116 passes through Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen with a domestic regional service heading for Berlin.

New Flexi Tram No.4003 is seen at Berlin Alexanderplatz

The driving car of an ODEG service to Cottbus is seen at Berlin Alexanderplatz. The service was operated with DB stock but ODEG staff due to a shortage of units.

Siemens build Class 182 'Taurus' stands at Berlin Alexanderplatz with the 21:04 Magdeburg - Frankfurt (Oder) RE1 service.

DB Class 143 No.143-821 stands at Berlin Alexanderplatz station with an RB14 service to Nauen

Berlin S-Bahn 491-062 is seen at Berlin Alexanderplatz station

14th May 2013

The 14th May started dull and quite cold with light rain during the early morning period. Tuesday was used as a chance to explore Berlin on foot, and record some of the city tram network, as well as more historic sights, such as the Brandenburg Gate and German Parliament buildings. After lunch at Berlin's stunning Hauptbahnhof we took to the rails relocating to Jannowitsbröke and Golm (On the Berlin Ring) for the afternoon period, before returning to Alexanderplatz for the evening.

A pair of new Flexi Trams are seen paused in the Alexanderplatz complex.

Trams 6020 and 6022 are pictured in the Alexanderplatz complex.

Trams 6077 & 6050 pass the world Clock at Alexanderplatz

Flexi Tram No.8018 passes under Alexanderplatz Station as a DB Regio service arrives passing a badly gratified S Bahn unit.

The Altes Museum, built between 1823 and 1830 and designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, is one of the most important works of Neoclassical architecture. With its clearly ordered exterior and an interior structure designed with exacting precision in the ancient Greek style, Schinkel pursued Humboldt's idea of opening the museum as an educational institution for the public. The monumental order of the 18 fluted Ionic columns, the wide stretch of the atrium, the rotunda - an explicit reference to the Pantheon in Rome - and finally the grand staircase are all architectural elements which, up to this point, were reserved for stately buildings. Originally built to house all of Berlin's art collections, the Altes Museum has been home to the Collection of Classical Antiquities since 1904. The building was severely damaged by fire in the last two years of the war. Reconstruction work lasted until 1966.

The Cathedral of Berlin is the largest church in the city, and it serves as a vital center for the Protestant church of Germany. Reaching out well beyond the borders of the parish and of Berlin, the cathedral attracts thousands of visitors, year after year, from Germany and abroad.

The Brandenburg Gate is one of Berlin’s most important monuments – a landmark and symbol all in one with over two hundred years of history. A former symbol of the divided city, it drew visitors who used to climb an observation platform in order to get a glimpse of the world behind the Iron Curtain, on the other side of the barren “death-strip” which separated east from west Berlin, geographically and politically. It was here that on June 12, 1987, Ronald Regan issued his stern command to his cold war adversary admonishing him with the words: “Mr. Gorbachov – tear down this wall!”. The speech delivered to West Berliners was also audible on the east side of the Gate and echoed President von Weizsacker’s words which translate as: “The German question is open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed.”

The German Bundestag is the national Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its seat is the Reichstag Building in Berlin. In the current electoral term, Parliament is composed of 620 Members. This is the 17th electoral term since the establishment of the Federal Republic in 1949. The President of the German Bundestag holds the second highest office of state in Germany, after the Federal President. Professor Norbert Lammert has held the position of President of the Bundestag since 2005. He is a member of the largest parliamentary group, the CDU/CSU.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof

A view of the multi level platforms at Berlin Hbf with trains running North - South and East West.

New ODEG Class 445 No.445110 pauses at Berlin Hbf with the 12:01 Cottbus - Wismar service.

New ODEG CLass 445 Unit passes Jannowitzbrücke with a Cottbus service.

Berlin S-Bahn unit passes Jannowitzbrücke

A view of a DB Class 442 passing through Jannowitzbrücke with the Berlin TV tower in the background

Siemens Class 182 passes Jannowitzbrücke with the 11:25 Frankfurt (Oder) - Brandenburg service.

DB CLass 155's No. 155151 & 155204 pass a Siemens Class 442 DMU at Golm

DB Class 189 No.189-064 passes Golm heading north on the Berlin Ring

DB Class 155 No.155-065 passes Golm on the Berlin Ring heading north.

Class 155 No.155070 passes through Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen heading south on a mixed freight.

DB Class 101 No.101081 passes Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen with the 05:25 Budapest - Hamburg international service.

DB ICE No.411063 & 411563 pass through Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen with it's coupling doors in the open position.

DB Class 120 No.120-127 passes Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen with a DB Intercity service.

ITL Class 285 No.285106 storms through Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen with a Poland bound freight.

DB Class 143 No.143947 departs from Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen heading fro Berlin.

DB Railion Class 152-123 arrives into the platform at Berlin Shönefeld Flughafen to be held for passenger services to pass by.

Siemens 'Taurus' Class 182 No.182-002 stands at Berlin Alexanderplatz with the 20:25 Brandenburg - Berlin Ost

Siemens 'Taurus' Class 182 No.182-003 stands at Berlin Alexanderplatz with the 20:35 Frankfurt (Oder) - Brandenburg RE1 service.

15th May 2014

The 15th May was a pre-planned trip from Berlin to Hamburg for the day, to experience the German ICE and also visit Miniature Wunterland (The Worlds Largest Model Railway) which is located in the docks area of Hamburg. The day turned out to be a complete surprise, with great weather and some very interesting images captured during the day. Our First Class return travel to and from Hamburg was as follows:

401051 08:16 Berlin Hbf - Hamburg Hbf
Berlin Spandau - Hamburg Altona
Ice 794

411082 17:06 Hamburg - Berlin 19:10
Hamburg Altona to München & Frankfurt
Ice 1517

DB Class 218's No.218-362 & 218371 are pictured at Hamburg reversing onto a scheduled passenger train.

DB Class 120 No.120-123 passes 218's No's 218-362 218-371 at Hamburg Hbf.

Hamburg U-Bahn arrives into Braumwell station at Hamburg Docks.

Minitur Wunderland

Minitur Wunderland based in the centre of Hamburg, features the worlds largest model railway. http://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/

Hamburg U-Bahn crosses the docks operating a U3 line service train.

Hamburg U-Bahn departs from Braumwell 'U' Bahn station operating a U3 line service train.

DB ICE 3 No.411010 departs from Hamburg Hbf heading south.

DB Class 112 No.112178 departs from Hamburg Hbf with a DB Regio service train.

Hamburg S-Bahn departs from Hamburg Hbf

Hamburg S-Bahn service arrives into Hamburg Hbf

DB Class 112 No.112147 departs from Hamburg Hbf

DB Class 112 No.112178 departs from Hamburg Hbf

DB ICE 1 No.401061 arrives into Hamburg Hbf

Hamburg S-Bahn arrives into Hamburg Hbf

DB Class 218 'Rabbits' No's 218386 & 218836 arrive into Hamburg Hbf

Hamburg S-Bahn arrives into Hamburg Hbf

DB Class 101024 passes through Hamburg Station with an International service from the Chez Republic

ME 146-06 Class 146 stands at Hamburg Hbf with a Metronom service.

ES64 U2 026 arrives into Hamburg Hbf with a Koln - Hamburg Altona express service

Metronom Class 146 ME 146-03 stands at Hamburg Hbf

DB Class 112 No.112176 stands at Hamburg Hbf

16th May 2013

The 16th May began with high temperatures predicted, with improving weather during the day. We hired a car for the day and took to the roads of Germany & Poland. First stop was Früstenwalde near Frankfurt (Oder) (located to the East of Berlin, on the mainline into Poland). A variety of passenger services were observed, but freight seemed very sparse with only a couple of services passing into Germany. After lunch in Früstenwalde we continued on to Poland, and the small border town of Rzepin, the sleepy town provided some amazing stock to photograph and we spent most of the afternoon at the station. On our return to Germany we called in at Frankfurt (Oder), after a fraut time trying to navigate around town roadworks we finally arrived at the station, which would be our final calling point of the day, before returning to Berlin.

PKP Intercity Class 370 No.370006 speeds through Fürstenwalde with Train 18173 08:25 Brandenburg Hbf – Frankfurt (Oder)

DB Class 112 No.112182 passes through Fürstenwalde hauling Train 18109 08:26 Magdeburg - Frankfurt (Oder)

PKP Intercity Class 370 No.37010 passes Fürstenwalde heading to Berlin

DB Taurus Class 182 No.182007 passes Fürstenwalde hauling Train 18172 10:35 Frankfurt (Oder) - Magdeburg

DB Class 152 No.152013 heads towards Berlin at Fürstenwalde with a freight from Poland

DB Class 182 No.182008 arrives into Fürstenwalde with Train 18111 09:06 Magdeburg - Frankfurt (Oder)

DB Class 182 No.182006 passes Fürstenwalde with Train 18177 10:25 Brandenburg – Frankfurt (Oder)

Class 155 No.155060 passes Fürstenwalde at speed with a Poland bound freight train.

DB Class 112 No.112182 is seen at Fürstenwalde with Train 18120 12:02 Frankfurt (Oder) - Magdeburg

East West Railways Class 232 No.232512 is pictured stabled at Rzepin in Poland.

Polish Electric EU07-172 passes East West Railways No.232512 at Rzepin, Poland

PKP Intercity Class 370 No.370003 calls at Rzepin on route to Germany.

Class 181 No.181114 arrives with a Polish Freight into Rzepin Yard

DB / Polish Electrics stabled at Rzepin (140-015 3E/1-46) & (140-002 3E/1-86)

Lotus Class 181 No.181114 arrives on a freight into Rzepin passing Electrics (140-015 3E/1-46) & (140-002 3E/1-86) and Unit EN57-119 (120-927)

PKP Intercity Class 370 No.37010 waits to deaprt from Rzepin Station.

Class EN57 Unit No.EN57-908ra (121374) is seen at Rzepin Station

Class EN57 No.EN57-1776s (122568) is seen at Rzepin Station

Polish Steam Loco 27D21 is seen at Rzepin border station in Poland

Preserved Steam Loco No.64317 is seen at Frankfurt (Oder) Station

DB Class 155 No.155060 is seen returning from Poland at Fankfurt (Oder)

17th May 2013

Friday the 17th May started in blisteringly hot conditions, Summer had really arrived in Berlin. This was to be out final day in the city, so we took the opportunity to record more of the city's trams before traveling to Potsdam and onto Saarmund (located on the Berlin Ring) to view some of the freight services which skirt around the city. Freight on the Berlin ring was also quiet with only a handful of movements passing through the remote station at Saarmund. At 13:40 we continued to Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen where we captured our final few images in Germany. From here we flew home with Easyjet to Bristol Airport, arriving back in the UK where it was a full 10 degrees cooler than Germany!