Hamburg loco-hauled - a day exploring Schleswig-Holstein

[CC 72100]

Evening all,

As some of you may remember from this thread (http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=135157) I have recently been to Germany. Several forum members recommended a 'Lander' ticket, which is basically a day rover ticket for all non-Intercity services in a geographical area. This is a trip report from Saturday 19/11.

The day started on the 10:04 Hamburg Hbf – Lübeck Hbf (RE8), hauled by 112142. This train was formed of double deck stock (load 7), with no less than 3 coaches containing first class accommodation, being composite vehicles – 2nd class below, 1st class above. Of note was that 1st class used Grammar seating – much criticised on here for its use in GWR HSTs in standard, but on DB Regio it’s good enough for 1st. Spot on time, we arrived well-loaded into Lübeck at 10:48.

After an hour or so in Lübeck it was time for the next stop on my journey through Schleswig-Holstein; Kiel. As opposed to going back to Hamburg and taking the loco-hauled out to Kiel, I decided to take the hourly RE83 unit to Kiel, a class 648 (648847). We left on time at 12:03, but shortly after Lübeck we found ourselves reduced to a walking pace due to engineering work on the adjacent line. We weren’t due to stop everywhere, but this 10-minute delay forced us to stop at all stations, as much of the Lübeck-kiel route via Plön is single line between many of the stations. The journey itself didn’t actually feel too slow as feared, although we arrived a good 20 minutes late into Kiel at 13:40.

I had planned to spend an hour in Kiel before taking the 14:21 Kiel – Hamburg service, but given the late arrival and the unappealing weather I decided against it. Therefore some currywurst was purchased when I noted that the 13:55 RB77 Kiel – Neumünster service was a loco-hauled set. This time it was 112157 doing the honours, on a load 4 single-deck push pull set. I claimed a compartment to myself in the first coach, opened the windows rather wide and relaxed for the 25 minute journey with a currywurst to keep my warm. The coaches were obviously not designed for local work, and with the ‘Schleswig-Holstein Express’ markings on the side, I suspect they used to work the Regional expresses prior to the arrival of the Doppelstockwagens.

Arriving into Neumünster at just before 14:20, I found myself awaiting the 14:24 from Neumunster towards Hamburg, this time hauled by 112179. This was the 13:09 Flenburg – Hamburg, and once again was formed of double deck vehicles. A ticket check and a fast run saw us arrive into Elsmhorn just before 14:50.

Elmshorn seemed to attract photographers- I wasn’t surprised although the class 245s that I was about to sample are hardly fresh out of the box these days. Then I remembered that Nord-Ostee-Bahn (NOB), the private operator who I was about to travel with, was in a spot of bother at present. A couple of weeks back their new (non-standard) push pull sets were taken out of service due to coupling issues, and so NOB have been covering trains with stock hired in from DB, leading to some interesting combinations. My train was formed of 3 coaches – a driving car similar to the one on my earlier RB77 service, and then two coaches with doors at 1/3 and 2/3 that reminded me of mark 1s inside with big bench seats. Much to my surprise, this train was top and tailed with two locomotives, 245211 at the front and 245215 at the rear, both powering when I alighted the 14:40 Hamburg Altona – Westerland (RE6) at Itzehoe.

After a 10 minute wait at Itzehoe, 245214 (with 245212 at the rear) turned up with 13:10 Westerland – Hamburg Altona. This time it was a load 5 set, with all ‘SH Express’ coaches as per the earlier RB77. This was another busy NOB service, and so I sat in the open part of the Bimz coach as opposed to in a compartment. We arrived into Hamburg Altona slightly late at 16:30.

As it was getting dark, the class 245s rather entertaining, and the Bimz coach rather toasty, I stayed on the set and 245212 led us away from Hamburg Altona on time at 16:40 for the journey back to Westerland. This time I enjoyed a compartment, before alighting at Elmshorn at 17:10.

This time it was a very brief wait in Elmshorn, just a couple of minutes before 112158 showed up with the 16:43 Hamburg Hbf – Flensburg. At long last I found a train with plug sockets – this time on another Doppelstockwagen but this time on a potentially slightly newer coach, in grey Schleswig-Holstein ‘Der echte Norden’ livery. Slightly newer or not, I found all of these double deck coaches very comfortable, especially considering their use.

Arriving into Neumünster at 17:33, I wanted to view the 17:36 RB77 back to Kiel – it was promised to be a different set than my trip on an RB77 earlier, in the hope of getting a class 143. No such luck, and so I boarded the 17:21 Kiel – Hamburg Hbf which was hauled by 112159 and once again had some of the newer grey coaches with plug sockets and tables. Our departure from Neumünster was delayed by 10 minutes, as we were regulated for a late running ICE, and the delay stayed with us all the way to Hamburg Hbf.

So what did I think of my DB experience? Well all of the trains (DB-hired in stock on NOB excepted) were modern, and well used in some cases, despite being 7 coaches of double deck stocks. I had my ticket checked on just under half of the trains, which again considering their length and height seemed to me a good effort. I’m not sure whether it was DOO with a non-safety critical guard, or whether the guard was safety-critical (on the DB stuff, on the NOB trains they were very much safety critical as 70s stock certainly didn’t have the tech.).

29 euros given the potential journeys – I could have gone all the way to Westerland (2hrs 30) or Rostock (3 hours) - was great value. I used the DB Bahnhof live app (requires data connection) and the Interrail app (works offline) to plan moves on the fly after the late arrival into Kiel changed all of my plans. The latter app is great – it works just like many of the TOC apps in the UK, although the data isn’t real time, it does give you the key ‘all departures from this station’ option as opposed to doing separate journey queries.

Thanks (and well done if you're still reading by now) and feel free to chip in with extra knowledge.

I’ve attached a few photos of the day below:

 

[Bletchleyite]

I *believe* modern DB regional stock is largely operated as "full" DOO - primarily using the interlock/break beam rather than visual! Never stand for that here.

Silberlinge indeed can't be operated DOO, however, those use "proper" guards who close the doors (doors are released by the driver - this was a mod done a number of years ago, before that they used to release automatically on dropping below 5km/h)

 

[CC 72100]

Silberlinge indeed can't be operated DOO, however, those use "proper" guards who close the doors (doors are released by the driver - this was a mod done a number of years ago, before that they used to release automatically on dropping below 5km/h)

I'm guessing Silberlinge refers to the 1st loco-hauled stock in use on the NOB train where it was load 3? That was certainly guard dispatched, as were the Bimz coaches, be them in use by NOB or by DB on the RB77.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm guessing Silberlinge refers to the 1st loco-hauled stock in use on the NOB train where it was load 3? That was certainly guard dispatched, as were the Bimz coaches, be them in use by NOB or by DB on the RB77.

Though they've all had the knobbly bit of the bodyside replaced and been painted red now. Yes, sounds like your local train.

 

[rg177]

Sounds like a good day out with plenty of loco haulage in the mix. I do believe i've had a 112 for haulage but honestly can't remember. Definitely had a 114 though, that's close enough?

Indeed the ticket you used is excellent value, having used the Nord-Rhein Westfalen equivalent last May and visited just about every corner of the region with them in the space of a few days.

 

[30907]

Though they've all had the knobbly bit of the bodyside replaced and been painted red now. Yes, sounds like your local train.

The red ones are usually called n-Wagen (n for 26m length) and have considerably more comfortable seats than the true Silberlinge (though I've not recently travelled in the really comfortable ones which felt like a superior Mk I TSO!) - German enthusiasts seek them out.

The (ex-) SH-Express stock is downgraded IC, also very comfortable IMO.

Glad you enjoyed - I like the Luebeck-Kiel run through the "Holstein Switzerland" (in a German context, Switzerland= lakes not mountains!), though it was even better behind a 218!.

 

[317666]

Glad you had a good trip - those SH-Express coaches you had on the Kiel - Neumünster run used to do the Hamburg - Flensburg service before more double deckers were delivered. I'm a big fan of the 112/114/143 family so for me the Hamburg area is a good place to go (for now anyway).

 

[CC 72100]

Thanks all for your comments. 317666 has offered some more information on the different grey coaches with the power sockets as I referenced in another thread:

The Kiel and Flensburg services are both going over to new Bombardier TWINDEXX EMUs, basically an EMU version of the classic DB Regio double deckers - some of the trailers are already in service as part of the double deck rakes (in the new dark grey livery), but the motor cars haven't been delivered yet.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Glad you enjoyed - I like the Luebeck-Kiel run through the "Holstein Switzerland" (in a German context, Switzerland= lakes not mountains!), though it was even better behind a 218!.

Yes - While it was a unit it was actually a pretty run, especially with the lake around Plon. Much quicker than the walking pace that I had feared.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The red ones are usually called n-Wagen (n for 26m length) and have considerably more comfortable seats than the true Silberlinge (though I've not recently travelled in the really comfortable ones which felt like a superior Mk I TSO!) - German enthusiasts seek them out.

Yeah, they have been refurbished to various degrees over the years - but they all started out silver with the traditional red bench interior! (Except the former Eastern ones which have 5 bays instead of 6 in the centre section and thus better spacing!)

The (ex-) SH-Express stock is downgraded IC, also very comfortable IMO.

Ex-IR I think, strictly speaking.

 

[Groningen]

Though they've all had the knobbly bit of the bodyside replaced and been painted red now. Yes, sounds like your local train.

That picture is Hannover Hbf.

 

[Techniquest]

That looks like an excellent day, I don't know what those 112s sound like but I can imagine they must be beast!