Harz Railway - February 2014

According to German practice the 99.22 class of 3 locomotives was built by Schwartzkopf in 1930 as the first of a standard design (einheitslok) for the 1000m narrow gauge that had been specified by the DRG at the end of the 1920s as part of the purchasing policy (Beschaffungsprogramm) for non-standard gauge railways and comprised 99.221 - 3. These were based on the Eisfeld - Schoenbrunn line until May / June 1944 when 221 / 223 were transferred to Norway for use in the heavy water plant before being scrapped in Norway. 99.222 remained at Eisfeld until 1966 when it was moved to the Harz system in August 1966, working the Nordhausen - Wernigerode line.

Whether this description qualifies 99.222 to be simply the surviving member of a class built to a new standard design or was a member of a prototype design built to a standard specification may be a matter of semantics but suffice to say that 17 further locomotives (Class 99.23 99.231 - 247) were built to the basic Class 99.22 design updated with in-service improvements that would suggest 99.222 could rightly be defined as a "prototype" and Class 23 as a "production" build. To this untrained observer I would consider this latter statement to be a valid one and nothing I read of German texts leads me to think otherwise.

For general interest 99.231, 235 - 237 were initially based on the Eisfeld - Schoenbrunn line (shaded at Meiningen) and moved to the Harz system in 1973; all 99.22 and 99.23 locos were allocated to Wernigerode-Westerntor depot in 1980.

 

Some tour operators such as Ffestiniog Travel will arrange one-off tours for independent travellers so you get the best of both worlds. However, some folks prefer the comfort of being part of an organized tour group, especially if they are not accustomed to travelling abroad.

As has been said already, one is not necessarily bound to follow the group slavishly. On a trip to northern Germany we decided to stay at Kühlunsborn-West on the Mollibahn, have lunch and a walk down to the sea front before catching a later train back. The rest of the party took the first return train after our arrival and one lady, when we said what we were going to do, said "Ooh! You are brave."

I said "are we?"

"Yes", she said. "All alone in a foreign land!"

 

Agreed ! I use Railtrail for my trips and am discounted for making my own way via Berlin to Wernigerode but charged extra for the additional night then the standard charge for the remainder of the package which I buy into. On Swiss tours I tend to prefer flying from Liverpool rather than travelling by train via London and the various tour companies are happy to discount for self-arranging and charge the standard rate for the "local" portion of the package. The main thing is to advise the travel company of how you wish to portion the package between self-arranging and joining the "package" and let them quote a price.

 

I prefer usually to make my own arrangements, but sometimes it would be nice to tag along with an organised group for a couple of days if they have got something special then - not having the nerve to 'gatecrash'!

The Harzquerbahn lends itself to the DIYer with its generous timetable, easy access by public transport and plentiful local accommodation.

John

 

During my latest visit visit in February / March this year I was handed a leaflet which - sadly - I have only just found time to read; it was from the HSB support Group which was explaining (in English) what it is, what it does and how it supports the day-to-day operation of the HSB. Because the HSB can only afford to operate the stock and locomotives to operate the timetabled service, any extras have to come from the supporting groups of which the IG (Interessengemeinschaft Schmalspur- ind Brocken- bahn.V) is the major one. Apart from supporting the policy of an all-steam traction policy on the main line (Wernigerode - Brocken) supported by diesel railcars on the branch lines, the IG has funded the restoration of locomotives (e.g. 99.6101 in 1993), has overseen the restoration of coaches and wagons as part of an unemployment project and has helped raise funding for the new shed building at Nordhausen. It also operates a series of charters and excursions throughout the year exclusive to members and which travel groups are increasingly being invited to join as part of its aim to support steam operation of the line.

The membership leaflet is inviting new members to join at an annual cost of 35 Euros (adult); 18 Euros (per member of Family membership - e.g. 2 Members = 36 Euros; 3 Members = 54 Euros); 18 Euros (Schoolchildren; Students; Retired / Unwaged; Servicemen and Unemployed) who will receive a quarterly magazine (Harzbahnpost) to keep them up to date with events.

Further details can be found on the IG website at www.ig-hsb.de (English translation option available)

 

As a matter of interest, 99 222 (99 7222-5) had its Oberflächenvorwärmer (barrel-shaped pre-heater in front of chimney) replaced by the standard Reichsbahn Mischvorwärmer in 1973, and was thus indistinguishable from the new-build locos. However, it was the only 99 72xx not to be converted to oil-firing ( 1976 - 1980, and renumbered 99 02xx), and was regarded as a problem-child, being used mainly to pre-heat the oil-fired locos at Wernigerode. It was recently converted to its original state, so the front-end once again differs from the "production" locos.

 

I'm not so sure that the conversion was "recent" as I photographed it in its current state in August 2000 with the original barrel-shaped pre-heater and running as 99.222; nonetheless it is still a powerful machine as has been proved this year when it was one of the working locos on the Brockenbahn services.

 

Showing my age; by "recent" I mean since the "Wende" (Fall of the Wall). It was actually rebuilt after a collision with another loco, and was outshopped in late 1994, and yes, it is now a very much improved performer.

Here are two photos from October 1991, when it was pressed into service:

P14403 at Kalbebruch 23 Oct 91

P14441 at Hp Sorge 25 Oct 91

​

 

I'm a bit sceptical about 99.7222 being a 'problem child' and being 'pressed into service' as she was almost always in service on my visits in the 1970's and 1980's when there were less diesels available, hence less spare steam locos. See various galleries here http://mickpope.zenfolio.com/f63169718

 

A nice collection ! brings back many memories of the 1960s in the Corby mines and 1970s visits to the Harzquerbahnen.

 

Having spoken frequently to the Crews of Bw Wernigerode, 99 7222-5 was very much regarded as a "Sorgenkind" - Problem child -, particularly as, through shortening of the superheater tubes, it could only run on saturated steam. The following extract from http://www.mediakueche.de/railroad/9922dats.htm verifies this. If you so wish, I shall translate the entire extract, but the context is obvious.

Ende der 70er begann die "Öler - Zeit" für die Neubaumaschinen. Die inzwischen zur 99 7222 - 5 umnummerierte Einheitslok brauchte dieses Schicksal nicht teilen. Doch auch ihr spielte es von nun an schwer mit. Man rüstete diese Maschine mit einem zusätzlichen Dampfentnahmestutzen aus und die " Degradierung " zur Heizlok folgte. Nun war es die Aufgabe die Ölloks über Nacht warm zu halten, indem sie über ein Rohrsystem Dampf an die angeschlossenen Neubauloks abzugeben. Die Maschine verkam zusehends. Jede Woche wurden die Überhitzerrohre um einige Zentimeter gekürzt, bis diese Lok nur noch mit Naßdampf fahren konnte. Der Grund war einfach. Durch den Heizbetrieb wurden die Überhitzer ständig einem relativ harten Feuer ausgesetzt. Doch die Überhitzer führten keinen Dampf zur Kühlung, denn der Regler blieb geschlossen.
Nach dem Rückbau der Neubaumaschinen auf Rostfeuerung und einem RAW - Aufenthalt der "22" ,wie sie im Lokführerdeutsch einfach genannt wird, hatte sich diese Maschine wieder recht gut "erholt". Doch bald gab es das nächste Übel für diese Lok. Der linke Zylinderblock hatte einen Riß bekommen. Alle Schweißversuche dieses großen Graugußteiles schlugen auf lange Sicht fehl. Ein Ersatz durch Neuanfertigung eines Zylinderblocks war zu DDR - Zeiten undenkbar. Und so wurde diese Maschine wieder über Winter als Heizlok eingesetzt. Diesmal zum Heizen der Werkstatt in Wernigerode Westerntor. Ihre letzter Einsatzbereich zu DDR - Zeiten war das Selketal. Dort zog sie mit gerissenem Zylinder nur leichte Züge.

 

Edit: Duplicate post deleted

 

Ok, but she was nothing like a heizlok on the occasions when I saw her, as the photos show.

 

Could someone please clarify the steam loco numbering system? It seems quite straight forward, apart from the last digit usually -X
Wikipedia makes sense of the loco class and subsequent ascending numbers, but not the last digit..

I'm visiting next week for a few days, thanks in advance

 

The final digit is a check number for computer use. I used to know the formula for working out the check digit from the loco number but that's been lost in the mists of time.

 

Try reading this for an explanation.
http://www.railfaneurope.net/misc/germanum.html

 

Many thanks, that explains why many photographers don't bother using the last digit in their photo description