Escape from DDR by train

Apologies in advance as this request is not strictly about "heritage railways" but it's driving me nuts! Some time in the last year or so I read an article about an East German engine driver who, in 1961, took his class 78 and train, with his family aboard, through the Wall and into West Berlin. I could have sworn it was in Steam Railway but having gone through the last 2 1/2 years' issues can't find any sign of it. There is a lot on the Net about the incident and there was even a film "Durchbruch Lok 234" made in 1963 but I'm sure I didn't imagine that I read it in a mag. Does anyone else remember the article and can they point me in the right direction as I'd like to re-read it?
Cheers,
Ray.

 

It was Steam Railway and the loco was a cl78, no idea when but relatively recently.

 

There was another escape in the 1970's, but I can't find the details at the moment: A railway(?) worker at a border station (Gerstungen?) noted that when the westbound 'Interzonenzüge' stopped for the final check, the border troops, with dogs, only checked under the coaches, and not the loco, so when the opportunity arose, under the cover of darkness, he slipped under the 01.5 loco (of Bw Erfurt), and hung on to the frame stretchers, until the train reached Bebra(?), where he gave himself up to the BRD Grenzpolizei, to a hero's welcome.

 

Which may explain why at Berlin FriedrichStrasse in the 1970s the diesel locos of trains to Hannover were shut down, the crew detrained and the guard dogs entered the leading cab and came out via the rear cab.

 

These articles might help you confirm the 1961 escape.

http://www.chronik-der-mauer.de/index.php/en/Start/Index/id/1320426
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/berlin-wall-escape-stories_n_6090602.html

 

The article, which included an interview with the DR driver's son, was written by Tony Streeter. It appeared in 2012 as part of the publicity surrounding the Berliner British Military Train tribute in May of that year. It crashed the border at Albrechtshof, with the train brake disabled because the Guard wasn't in on the plan. It came to a stand short of Spandau, on the handbrake. The crew and their families got instant asylum in the west, but were pursued, threatened and harrased by the DDR for the rest of their lives.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for your help. That's certainly the article I remember reading. I've already gone through all the SR's back to 2011 (twice) without success but I'll look again. Any clue as to which issue?
Cheers, Ray.

 

Sorry Ray, no idea. But I also used it in the 2012 Berliner Commemorative Brochure. PM me your email address and I will send you a pdf of it.

 

Thanks for the offer but I had another rummage this morning and found it in SR 396 (Dec 2011). Best of luck with your Long Marston project.
Cheers, Ray.