| Most enthusiasts were aware of the extensive steam operations behind the former Iron Curtain, but few were brave enough to risk the many hazards involved in attempting photography. At one stage pointing a camera at a steam locomotive could lead to instant arrest, and probably loss of both film and camera.
The official line in the German Democratic Republic was that photography was allowed wherever the public had normal access. This somewhat imprecise ruling could lead to problems, then suddenly in the mid-1970s the GDR authorities took a much more benign approach, which was fortunate because there was little steam left anywhere in western Europe by that stage. Who knows, perhaps the authorities realised that rail fans would flock in in their thousands and rail fans would spend much needed hard currency. The Reichsbahn authorities drew the line at solo depot visits, and this was only possible by unravelling the bureaucracy, which needed time and patience, and really you needed to be in an organised trip to crack this one. The Mecca of them all was Saalfeld, deep in Thueringen, with its loco depot and a major junction for the lines to Arnstadt, Jena and Gera to the north, and Probstzella and Sonneberg to the south. At the end the allocation consisted of oil fired class 44 Jumbo 2-10-0 types plus the marvellous rebuilt 01 Pacifics. Working in from the south were the survivors of the Prussian designed class 95 2-10-2T types, and this collection also includes a solitary coal fired class 41 Mikado. The bridge at the north end of the station was the grandstand from which the whole display could be viewed, with movement on and off the shed, the yards, and the station itself. In 1979 I actually made trip to Jena behind one of the class 01 Pacifics, returning on a local train pulled by, of all things, a class 44! I have not been back to Saalfeld in recent years but I expect that like much of the German rail network, the layout has been severely rationalised, and that little remains to remind us of the glories of the past. |
The pride of Saalfeld were undoubtedly the rebuilt class 01.5 Pacifics. These engines had been rebuilt by the DR with new boilers and other features creating a very modern and efficient steam locomotive. The appearance was also quite altered from the original. The first of the class, 01-0501-5 seen here by the loco depot on 20 August 1977 900x582 DR_01-0501-5_20-8-77.jpg |
Pacific 01-0508-0 is turned at Saalfeld on 20 August 1977. Movement on and off the turntable was controlled by a formidable Warterfrau whose word was law, and woe betide any driver who did not comply fully with her instructions 900x561 DR_01-0508-0_20-8-77.jpg |
Pacific 01-0521-3 awaits departure from Saalfeld with an Eilzug for Jena and Leipzig on 16 April 1979 900x567 DR_01-0521-3_16-4-79.jpg |
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One of my very first shots at Saalfeld is this one of Pacific 01-0522-1 making its way from the loco depot to the station amidst the clutter that was so much a part of the steam railway at that time 900x573 DR_01-0522-1_a_20-8-77.jpg |
01-0522-1 again, backing down onto its train on 20 August 1977 900x576 DR_01-0522-1_b_20-8-77.jpg |
01-0522-1 appeared to be ex-works when seen 0n 20 August 1977. With no money available for new construction the DR had no alternative but to resort to rebuilding the existing stock, but the result was truly magnificent class of engines that stand alongside the best in the world, both in terms of performance and appearance 900x573 DR_01-0522-1_c_20-8-77.jpg |
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In time honoured tradition the fireman on 01-0522-1 does a last minute check before departure time from Saalfeld on 20 August 1977 900x573 DR_01-0522-1_d_20-8-77.jpg |
Rebuilt Pacific 01-0529-6 comes off shed at Saalfeld and reverses towards the station prior to taking up its next working on a passenger train to Jena and Leipzig on 20 August 1977 900x604 DR_01-0529-6a_20-8-77.jpg |
Another shot of 01-0529-6 taken from the west end of the road bridge as the loco backs down towards the station prior to its next duty on 20 August 1977 900x814 DR_01-0529-6b_20-8-77.jpg |
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A few minutes later 01-0529-6 accelerates its train away from Saalfeld on 20 August 1977. These superb engines became the last Pacifics in regular service in Europe 900x613 DR_01-0529-6c_20-8-77.jpg |
Taken looking north the same train with 01-0529-6 in charge passes a DR class 118 diesel loco on 20 August 1977. In 1977 Saalfeld was still mainly steam, but the diesels had started to arrive and two years later would dominate the scene 900x613 DR_01-0529-6d_20-8-77.jpg |
The loco at the centre of this picture is coal fired class 41 2-8-2 41-1025-0 which had appeared to be out of steam during the time I was observing from the bridge. A telephoto lens allowed me to get this shot which shows the amount of steam dotted around the depot yard as well on 20 August 1977 900x573 DR_41-1025-0a_20-8-77.jpg |
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It was quite a surprise when 41-1025-0 suddenly moved onto the turntable under its own steam, but here is the evidence. These pre-war locos had been rebuilt with new welded boilers which incorporated pre-heaters in the smokebox, changing the appearance from the survivors of the same type in the west 900x567 DR_41-1025-0b_20-8-77.jpg |
There were plenty of class 44 Jumbo 2-10-0s around Saalfeld, but the DR locos had retained the sloped plating at the front end and the smoke deflectors were mounted slightly higher than engines in the west. Here is oil-fired 44-0413-3 going on shed and seen from the road bridge on 20 August 1977 900x573 DR_44-0413-3_20-8-77.jpg |
Another Jumbo seen from the road bridge was 44-0414-1 seen on the access tracks linking the main yard with the loco depot on 20 August 1977. Other than conversion to oil firing these engines were in largely original condition, a testament to the soundness of the original design which dated back to the 1920s, though the majority were built from the late 1930s onwards 900x581 DR_44-0414-1_20-8-77.jpg |
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The DR class 95 2-10-2T was a Prussian design actually built in the early 1920's immediately after the formation of the new unified state system. The survivors hung on long enough to be converted to oil firing and operated around Saalfeld on a variety of duties including passenger work to Probtszella and Sonneburg. Here we see 95-0037-2 drifting into Saalfeld from the north with a mixed freight on 20 August 1977 900x613 DR_95-0037-2_20-8-77.jpg |
