The Fichtelbergbahn in southern Saxony has survived intact into the present day though it is now in private ownership. In DDR days, standard 2-10-2T 99-1771-7 enters the loop at Hammerunterwiesenthal close by the Czech frontier, with a northbound train for Cranzahl on 18 August 1978. This was the point at which northbund and southbound trains crossed, and a few minutes later a sister engine would arrive from the opposite direction

Another view of 2-10-2T 99.1771-7 at Hammerunterwiesenthal on 18 August 1978. These locos were built for the narrower guage 750 mm. lines in Saxony, and are rather smaller than the giants which operate the metre gauge Harzquerbahn further north.

The southbound train was haued by another of the class, 99-1790-7 and is seen here leaving Hammerunterwiesenthal on the final leg of its journey on 18 August 1978. It is crossing the track which led down a few yards to the right to a small bridge which formed the border between the DDR and Czechoslovakia, marked by a simple sign indicating the state border

This is 99-1790-7 with the southbound train about to cross the main Annaberg-Buchholz to Oberwiesenthal road on 18 August 1978. The hills in the background are actually in Czechoslovakia, and the actual border can just be discerned by a line of white signs along the tree line in the middle distance

The Pressnitztalbahn which linked Wolkenstein with Jöhstadt, which lies close by the Czech border, survived until the late 1970s, and has enjoyed a revival over part of the line since re-unification. A lightly loaded passenger train hauled by rebuilt Saxon Meyer IVk class 99-1561-2 in open country just south of Niederschmiederberg on 18 August 1978

99-1561-2 crosses the river on one of several open bridges on 18 August 1978

There was a long pause at Niederschmiederberg to wait for the late running train from Wolkenstein, and 99-1561-2 waits alongside one of the factories which provided some traffic for the line on 18 June 1978

The pace of life seemed rather unhurried in this remote corner of the DDR, life seemingly going on much as it had for many decades before. The short journey on the narrow gauge could take upwards of an hour, but people had no real alternative with low levels of car ownership. 99-1561-2 simmers patiently at Niederschmiederberg on 18 August 1978

Niederschmiedeberg again on the Pressnitztalbahn with 99-1561-2 simmering gently awaiting departure time. This was August 1978 but in reality this scene could have been witnessed for most of the previous 80 years

The layout at Jöhstadt was a modellers dream with a substantial station building, goods facilities and a two road engine shed. The engine shed still survives and is used by the museum operation, but the freight depot has gone and the station building is now cut off from the rest of the railway following construction of a housing complex when the line was closed by DR. Another of the Saxon IVk Meyer locomotives was in steam, 99-1582-8, on 18 August 1978

Another view of 99-1582-8 looking towards the station at Jöhstadt on 18 August 1978. The new housing block occupies the site of the freight shed seen in the background, obscuring the view to the station building which is a typical Saxon structure. Freight traffic had dwindled to virtually nothing by 1978, and the passenger traffic could not justify the retention of the line. A preservation group now operate over part of the line from Jöhstadt to Steinach and details of operating days can be found on the link in this website

One of the best known lines in Saxony is the 17 kilometer link from Radebuel Ost to Radeburg. Post war DR built 2-10-2T 99-1781 enters Moritzburg heading for Radeburg on 18 April 1979

The line carried a great deal of regular traffic in the 1970s with 13 train pairs starting in the early morning and running until late evening. A healthy load of curtomers has left the train at the Moritzburg stop on 18 April 1979

The train headed by 99-1781 crosses the sett paved road at Berbisdorf en route to Radeburg on 18 April 1979. Sett paved roads were common even in rural areas in the DDR and are one of the features which often date pictures of locations such as this before and after reunification

Postwar DR built 2-10-2T 99-1781 enters Radeburg at the end of its journey on 18 April 1979. The station building is a typical Saxon structure and indeed the GDR model railway industry produced an excellent plastic kit of the building in the 1970s which I had on my layout at the time. This was the only location where we encountered any hostility from DR staff, the official in the doorway insisting that we remain on the platform side, but not before I managed to grab this image of the incoming train. Needless to say in typical European fashion the passengers leaving the train immediately took the shortest route to their homes which in most cases involved crossing the tracks

Spring comes later in Saxony if the evidence of the trees in this view of post war 2-10-2T 99-1781-6 is anything to go by. The loco was maoevring at the Radeburg terminus and was about to take water at the shed

This view of 99-1781 at Radeburg emphasises the spacious nature of rail installations, both standard and narrow gauge, in this part of Europe. The area around Dresden is very flat and was severely affected by the serious flooding of the Elbe in the summer of 2002

There is a very neat engine shed at the Radeburg terminus in typical Saxon style, and 99-1781 takes water prior to making the return trip to the mian line junction on 18 April 1979

The modern 2-10-2T inches forward ready to recouple to its train for the journey back to Radebeul for connections to the main line. On the left can be seen a standard gauge wagon on a Rollbock transporter, a common feature on all these lines in the 1970s when considerable amounts of freight were moved by rail in a very traditional way in the GDR

The big 2-10-2T back on its train and ready for its next trip bunker first back to the main line junction at Radebeul. This line also has a flat crossing wuth a Dresden tram route 4 so it is possible to ride back to the city by tram as an alternative to the main line train

The Fichtelbergbahn from Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal is now privately operated, and the new owners are investing in a new loco depot at the outer terminus. Standard 2-10-2T 99-773 was out of steam and receiving attention in this view on 14 June 2003

The loco in steam is 2-10-2T 99-786 which has just arrived with a train on 14 June 2003. 99-773 is in the background

Another view of 99-773 at Oberwiesenthal on 14 June 2003, with the new depot taking shape in the background

Having taken on water 99-786 has rejoined its train in Oberwiesenthal on 14 June 2003, and is ready for departure. Oberwiesenthal is a ski resort in the Iron Mountains south of Annaberg-Bucholz and another terminus close by the Czech frontier. The Fichtelberg at 1214 metres was the highest mountain in the GDR