Description

It was twenty years ago when the Berlin Wall came down and Tele Rail were the amongst the very first western documentary film crews to take a close look at the steam lines that were a legacy of the communist era. Now twenty years later it’s a fitting time to see how these steam lines have adapted and survived.

Apart from the UK there’s nowhere else in Europe that offers so much heritage railway variety as Germany. Nowadays with cheap air fares any visit to Germany – whether to authentic narrow gauge lines or for main line action is certain to be well worth while.

This useful DVD contrasts the most interesting steam operations with some more unusual modern motive power including:-

– The Rhine – this lovely scenic area is easy to reach from UK, and is well known for its magnificent scenery what’s not so well known is the Drachenfels Railway and the regular narrow gauge loco hauled mixed passenger and freight service on the Brohltalbahn.

– Plandampf, and a deservedly popular German favourite – the spectacle of putting standard gauge steam on rural secondary main line train services.

– Harz winter action, contrasting the new section of re-gauged track to Quedlinburg with the magnificent and steeply graded climb to the snowy Brocken summit.

– Sauschwaenzlebahn – the ‘Pig’s Tail’ line – with many spectacular viaducts near the Black Forest, Germany.

– Wuppertal Schwebebahn, one of the most unusual railways in the world this futuristic mono rail actually opened in 1901.

– Bad Doberan & Gohren. Baltic steam action including daily street running in the far North of Germany.

– Preanitztalbahn, a wonderful and comparatively little known narrow gauge line that operates with a real communist East German feel.

– Radebeul, Freital and Oberwiesenthal surviving Saxon steam near Dresden.

Read more about filming GERMAN EXPLORER

Also includes The Gallery – Germany

FREE second DVD disc featuring unique slide show