Interrail 6-15 August 2019
The second part of my 10 day Interrail was cunningly planned to have 7 days left so that it would match up with Mrs EG's as yet unpurchased 7 day one. I still wasn't carrying my usual camera so had to make do with the mobile phone again, plus the agenda was somewhat more touristy than usual in deference to Mrs EG, who for over 20 years has patiently trackbashed quite a bit of my (nearly) completed countries with virtually no complaint! The photos are consequently even worse than usual, not as numerous, and have little railway content. The first part of my Interrail, at the end of July had gone reasonably well, and after attending our younger grandson's 4th birthday party, we set out in reasonably buoyant mood...
Tuesday 6.8.19
The second instalment of last year's postponed celebration is planned to take us to Germany, Switzerland and Belgium - Poland was on the agenda but having done Mezimēsti - Boguszow - Walbrzych last time out, it probably won't figure this time. The outward journey was once again via London City airport, using taxi, Transport for Wales air-con-less 158, and the bewilderingly slow but very punctual 09:06 LNW Wolverhampton-Euston. Fairly punctual I suppose, it was a whole minute late.
Onwards via the same route as last time to LCY where we arrived in good time. Departure on a BA Embraer 170 was about 6 down and at the time of writing we're approaching Düsseldorf, seemingly a few minutes early. No doubt Bertie the Bus will convert that to what I would regard as a late arrival!
He did, but not as late as our rucksack which didn't arrive at all. A good deal of scurrying about produced nothing other than a registered complaint to BA and a promise from the handling agent to get it to us if found. We retired hurt to the Schumacher tap on Oststraße for some excellent Altbier, tagliatelle and schweinhaxe. In the course of the evening word came from BA that our baggage was found and would be delivered to Rostock though whether it will get there before we leave I know not.
Back to the Hbf for the conveniently situated Ibis, and a shopping visit for toothbrushes, Mrs EG's Interrail, etc.
The second part of my 10 day Interrail was cunningly planned to have 7 days left so that it would match up with Mrs EG's as yet unpurchased 7 day one. I still wasn't carrying my usual camera so had to make do with the mobile phone again, plus the agenda was somewhat more touristy than usual in deference to Mrs EG, who for over 20 years has patiently trackbashed quite a bit of my (nearly) completed countries with virtually no complaint! The photos are consequently even worse than usual, not as numerous, and have little railway content. The first part of my Interrail, at the end of July had gone reasonably well, and after attending our younger grandson's 4th birthday party, we set out in reasonably buoyant mood...
Tuesday 6.8.19
The second instalment of last year's postponed celebration is planned to take us to Germany, Switzerland and Belgium - Poland was on the agenda but having done Mezimēsti - Boguszow - Walbrzych last time out, it probably won't figure this time. The outward journey was once again via London City airport, using taxi, Transport for Wales air-con-less 158, and the bewilderingly slow but very punctual 09:06 LNW Wolverhampton-Euston. Fairly punctual I suppose, it was a whole minute late.
Onwards via the same route as last time to LCY where we arrived in good time. Departure on a BA Embraer 170 was about 6 down and at the time of writing we're approaching Düsseldorf, seemingly a few minutes early. No doubt Bertie the Bus will convert that to what I would regard as a late arrival!
He did, but not as late as our rucksack which didn't arrive at all. A good deal of scurrying about produced nothing other than a registered complaint to BA and a promise from the handling agent to get it to us if found. We retired hurt to the Schumacher tap on Oststraße for some excellent Altbier, tagliatelle and schweinhaxe. In the course of the evening word came from BA that our baggage was found and would be delivered to Rostock though whether it will get there before we leave I know not.
Back to the Hbf for the conveniently situated Ibis, and a shopping visit for toothbrushes, Mrs EG's Interrail, etc.
Wednesday 7.8.19
Usual Ibis breakfast, including fresh fruit, and none the worse for that. 111 113 (from memory) propelling on the 07:40 RE to Dortmund, taken as far as Wuppertal Hbf. W-Hbf's rebuild is impressive and the large concourse features a PIY piano, which was indeed being played. IC 2302 to Fehmarn-Burg rolled up on time and less one coach, fortunately for us one of the steerage ones. 101 057 propelling. Early at Hagen, at platform level looking as dreary as ever but perhaps better outside. This keenness seemed to fade and we left Hamm 5½ minutes late, with a +10 at Lübeck, the next stop albeit well over 3 hours away.
The prime target for today was the Bremen 'avoider' from Dreye to Sagehorn, which was done as booked (southbound flyover at the southern end). This although expected, was still a relief!
Fairly short lived relief as it turned out, as instead of the booked route round the east side of Hamburg, the IC went in to Hamburg Hbf P12. We baled out, not wishing to go to Lübeck if we didn't have to. The IC sat for quite a while and left at 12:15 instead of the 12:01 on the platform display. We settled for heading for Rostock via RE21689, booked via the vaguely obscure DE19/055. After a fester at Büchen enlivened only by an ice cream and a conversation with the couriers who now said the missing rucksack would be delivered tomorrow morning, we continued on done track to Rostock.
After booking in at An der Stadthalle it occurred to me that we could go out to Waren and, with a modicum of luck (less than 15 late) get IC2356 back via Lalendorf-Plaaz, originally targeted for the next morning's IC2355. This worked successfully, with both trains on time, after Mrs EG had persuaded the train conductor to turn off the heating in the outbound RE.
Too late and too tired to do much when we got back to Rostock, we settled for a picnic supper featuring the ever reliable Hasseröde.
Usual Ibis breakfast, including fresh fruit, and none the worse for that. 111 113 (from memory) propelling on the 07:40 RE to Dortmund, taken as far as Wuppertal Hbf. W-Hbf's rebuild is impressive and the large concourse features a PIY piano, which was indeed being played. IC 2302 to Fehmarn-Burg rolled up on time and less one coach, fortunately for us one of the steerage ones. 101 057 propelling. Early at Hagen, at platform level looking as dreary as ever but perhaps better outside. This keenness seemed to fade and we left Hamm 5½ minutes late, with a +10 at Lübeck, the next stop albeit well over 3 hours away.
The prime target for today was the Bremen 'avoider' from Dreye to Sagehorn, which was done as booked (southbound flyover at the southern end). This although expected, was still a relief!
Fairly short lived relief as it turned out, as instead of the booked route round the east side of Hamburg, the IC went in to Hamburg Hbf P12. We baled out, not wishing to go to Lübeck if we didn't have to. The IC sat for quite a while and left at 12:15 instead of the 12:01 on the platform display. We settled for heading for Rostock via RE21689, booked via the vaguely obscure DE19/055. After a fester at Büchen enlivened only by an ice cream and a conversation with the couriers who now said the missing rucksack would be delivered tomorrow morning, we continued on done track to Rostock.
After booking in at An der Stadthalle it occurred to me that we could go out to Waren and, with a modicum of luck (less than 15 late) get IC2356 back via Lalendorf-Plaaz, originally targeted for the next morning's IC2355. This worked successfully, with both trains on time, after Mrs EG had persuaded the train conductor to turn off the heating in the outbound RE.
Too late and too tired to do much when we got back to Rostock, we settled for a picnic supper featuring the ever reliable Hasseröde.
The piano at the much rebuilt Wuppertal Hbf was in action as we passed by
Thursday 8.8.19
After a 4 hour fester at the hotel waiting for our rucksack not to arrive and another conversation with the couriers, who in fairness did their very best to right the wrongs which BA's people at LCY had caused and they had exacerbated, it was agreed that the rucksack would be delivered to Bamberg the following morning before 9. Dream on… meanwhile a quick dash to the station got us on to the 12:34 RE to Berlin Hbf and then IC709 to Bamberg thus red-penning the Erfurt-Bamberg NBS, which goes through a very scenic area and mostly ignores the lie of the land, resulting in frequent tunnel/viaduct/tunnel sequences. It must have cost a fortune. The plan had been to do ICE93 southbound via Coburg, but thanks to BA and the couriers that was not to be.
After devising a dodgy plan to hurtle up to Erfurt via Coburg at 06:22 on Friday morning and back for breakfast via the direct route, we settled to some delayed brewpub visiting.
First up was Mahr's in Wunderburg, where a pleasant beer garden was enhanced by a really enjoyable helles and a sausage/sauerkraut/bread combo, with grilled Camembert for life's companion. Then across the road to Keesmann where a similarly excellent beer was not really enhanced by the beer garden being in the middle of the brewery, surrounded by loading bays and drays! It still has the traditional chestnut trees though.
Last call was Klosterbräu up on the Altstadt where we sat in solitary state inside the very pleasant pub (there is a beer garden at the back but we'd ordered by the time we discovered that!) and once again enjoyed the beer, this time a slightly darker light.
Further plans were abandoned in view of the late hour and tomorrow's early start but at least some of the day's plan had been retrieved.
After a 4 hour fester at the hotel waiting for our rucksack not to arrive and another conversation with the couriers, who in fairness did their very best to right the wrongs which BA's people at LCY had caused and they had exacerbated, it was agreed that the rucksack would be delivered to Bamberg the following morning before 9. Dream on… meanwhile a quick dash to the station got us on to the 12:34 RE to Berlin Hbf and then IC709 to Bamberg thus red-penning the Erfurt-Bamberg NBS, which goes through a very scenic area and mostly ignores the lie of the land, resulting in frequent tunnel/viaduct/tunnel sequences. It must have cost a fortune. The plan had been to do ICE93 southbound via Coburg, but thanks to BA and the couriers that was not to be.
After devising a dodgy plan to hurtle up to Erfurt via Coburg at 06:22 on Friday morning and back for breakfast via the direct route, we settled to some delayed brewpub visiting.
First up was Mahr's in Wunderburg, where a pleasant beer garden was enhanced by a really enjoyable helles and a sausage/sauerkraut/bread combo, with grilled Camembert for life's companion. Then across the road to Keesmann where a similarly excellent beer was not really enhanced by the beer garden being in the middle of the brewery, surrounded by loading bays and drays! It still has the traditional chestnut trees though.
Last call was Klosterbräu up on the Altstadt where we sat in solitary state inside the very pleasant pub (there is a beer garden at the back but we'd ordered by the time we discovered that!) and once again enjoyed the beer, this time a slightly darker light.
Further plans were abandoned in view of the late hour and tomorrow's early start but at least some of the day's plan had been retrieved.
Friday 9.8.19
Up at entirely stupid o'clock for a mad dash to Erfurt with a +8 thereat. At least it's a nice morning though promising much heat. The ICE rolled up about a minute late and surprisingly full in the first class. A very pedestrian amble round through Coburg had the train 4 late there and me thinking I was going to miss breakfast back in Bamberg. Even more pedestrian over the link back to the main NBS but thereafter the train crew pedalled really hard and despite an agonising 'waiting for platform' stop we arrived on time. Sigh of relief, quick scamper over to P1 and there was ICE1701 ready and waiting. So much so that one of the platform staff appeared to be about to blow her whistle despite there being 5 minutes to go, not to mention that the connecting ICE on the adjacent platform hadn't arrived yet.
No problems though, plenty of room on 1701 and a simultaneous departure of the two ICEs, mine on time and 07:30 Stuttgart 2 minutes late. Uneventful repeat of last night's Erfurt-Bamberg (direct) run, and a walk back to the hotel. I was greeted by a very happy Mrs EG with the news that our tour of Germany and our rucksack's tour of Germany had managed to coincide and we now had a supply of clean clothes and an adaptor for my shaver! A shave, a shower and change of clothes ensued, followed by a sound breakfast including cake, fresh fruit salad and Laughing Cow. Idiosyncratic certainly but Hotel Andres is friendly, efficient, clean and tidy and close to the station, so what's not to like. Would stay again.
Off to the station where the shop had a good array of beers including Mahr's Helles and Fässla, so that was the journey to Erfurt sorted. The journey on ICE 800 was a repeat of the earlier one (though not via Coburg) in that it was held outside Erfurt having arrived there early. There followed a period of confusion on my part, sense of direction in particular and sense in general, resulting in us missing our planned RE to Gera at 12:50 and ending up on the 13:15 Erfurter Bahn 4x1 kart. No bones broken however (just an hour lost) and we were able to get up to Wünschendorf to do the rather notional 500 metre 'connection' between the Saalfeld and Plauen lines south of Gera.
Back to Gera for the 16:01 EB to Leipzig, multiple single car units again, if you see what I mean. This was just late enough to miss 17:18 S2 to Delitzsch unterer Bf so we had to settle for 17:48 and the short walk to Hotel Grüne Linde where we were made welcome and despatched up three flights of fake marble stairs, very old school.
We'd anticipated a certain difficulty in getting fed in Delitzsch, and how right we were. Nearly everywhere was shut, and none of those we could find seemed to sell German food. Oh well, we were after all in … um ... Germany… The very last was a 'Mediterranean' establishment which had both German (to suit my extremely restricted/fussy options) and vegetarian for life's companion. I thought I'd have to settle for Warsteiner but no, an idea suddenly struck me and Erdinger duly appeared. So in the end we had a very pleasant evening dining al fresco in comparatively cool conditions. And the chocolate ice cream was to die for.
Up at entirely stupid o'clock for a mad dash to Erfurt with a +8 thereat. At least it's a nice morning though promising much heat. The ICE rolled up about a minute late and surprisingly full in the first class. A very pedestrian amble round through Coburg had the train 4 late there and me thinking I was going to miss breakfast back in Bamberg. Even more pedestrian over the link back to the main NBS but thereafter the train crew pedalled really hard and despite an agonising 'waiting for platform' stop we arrived on time. Sigh of relief, quick scamper over to P1 and there was ICE1701 ready and waiting. So much so that one of the platform staff appeared to be about to blow her whistle despite there being 5 minutes to go, not to mention that the connecting ICE on the adjacent platform hadn't arrived yet.
No problems though, plenty of room on 1701 and a simultaneous departure of the two ICEs, mine on time and 07:30 Stuttgart 2 minutes late. Uneventful repeat of last night's Erfurt-Bamberg (direct) run, and a walk back to the hotel. I was greeted by a very happy Mrs EG with the news that our tour of Germany and our rucksack's tour of Germany had managed to coincide and we now had a supply of clean clothes and an adaptor for my shaver! A shave, a shower and change of clothes ensued, followed by a sound breakfast including cake, fresh fruit salad and Laughing Cow. Idiosyncratic certainly but Hotel Andres is friendly, efficient, clean and tidy and close to the station, so what's not to like. Would stay again.
Off to the station where the shop had a good array of beers including Mahr's Helles and Fässla, so that was the journey to Erfurt sorted. The journey on ICE 800 was a repeat of the earlier one (though not via Coburg) in that it was held outside Erfurt having arrived there early. There followed a period of confusion on my part, sense of direction in particular and sense in general, resulting in us missing our planned RE to Gera at 12:50 and ending up on the 13:15 Erfurter Bahn 4x1 kart. No bones broken however (just an hour lost) and we were able to get up to Wünschendorf to do the rather notional 500 metre 'connection' between the Saalfeld and Plauen lines south of Gera.
Back to Gera for the 16:01 EB to Leipzig, multiple single car units again, if you see what I mean. This was just late enough to miss 17:18 S2 to Delitzsch unterer Bf so we had to settle for 17:48 and the short walk to Hotel Grüne Linde where we were made welcome and despatched up three flights of fake marble stairs, very old school.
We'd anticipated a certain difficulty in getting fed in Delitzsch, and how right we were. Nearly everywhere was shut, and none of those we could find seemed to sell German food. Oh well, we were after all in … um ... Germany… The very last was a 'Mediterranean' establishment which had both German (to suit my extremely restricted/fussy options) and vegetarian for life's companion. I thought I'd have to settle for Warsteiner but no, an idea suddenly struck me and Erdinger duly appeared. So in the end we had a very pleasant evening dining al fresco in comparatively cool conditions. And the chocolate ice cream was to die for.
Saturday 10.8.19
Stunt time again, this time to do the curve from the Bitterfeld-Leipzig line at Delitzsch unterer Bf up to the Halle-Eilenburg line just west of Delitzsch oberer Bf (05:55 SSuO, and that's it. Distinctly Parliamentary). Anyway, no problems with that, and I baled at Peissen just in case my impression that I'd be coming back from Halle on the same kart was wrong. It wasn't, but it saved me fretting and I was duly dropped off at oberer Bf for a 10 minute stroll back to the hotel, aided as usual by OpenStreetMap.
Excellent breakfast at the Grüne Linde for a mere €5, which is to be recommended. Off to Leipzig on the S2 kart, alighting at Hbf for a tram out to Völkerschlachtdenkmal and the monument to the Battle of Nations (Battle of Leipzig to us) in which Russia and Prussia [with assistance from Austria and Sweden] saw off Napoleon, at least for the time being (1813). The monument is a huge granite structure, 91m/300 ft tall. Completed for the centenary of the battle in 1913 it speaks absolute volumes for the German imperial mindset of the time. It's certainly a 'don't miss' which I would have missed but for passing it on the tram en route to a brew pub a few years ago.
Continuing a busy day we got a tram back to Hbf for the rammed 13:00 to Dresden; luckily the low cunning honed on years of West Midland commuting got us seats. Outside D-Hbf we lucked straight on to a no 7 tram to Synagog for a short walk to see what, when we last saw it, was a pile of scorched and broken rubble behind a wire fence. I defy anybody who sees today's Frauenkirche, and is aware of its history, not to have a tear in their eye. Another 'don't miss'.
By now our evening meal was appearing on the distant horizon so we returned to D-Hbf on the no. 7 for the 16:14 RE to Leipzig which was a Dosto set with plenty of room and no call for commuter tactics. Tram to the Mercure Art for a wash and brush up (nearly forgot the rucksack which had been dumped in a locker - how could we, after all that fuss earlier in the week) before two trams to Ohne Bedenken for solid nosh. Puddings, sadly, were overrated and dreadfully overpriced. Odd, as the main dishes and the excellent Gose were reasonably priced.
Ohne Bedenken is in Menckestraße but right at the opposite end from the eponymous tram stop, so we returned from the Fritz-Seger-Straße stop which was just round the corner and a shorter tram journey to boot.
Stunt time again, this time to do the curve from the Bitterfeld-Leipzig line at Delitzsch unterer Bf up to the Halle-Eilenburg line just west of Delitzsch oberer Bf (05:55 SSuO, and that's it. Distinctly Parliamentary). Anyway, no problems with that, and I baled at Peissen just in case my impression that I'd be coming back from Halle on the same kart was wrong. It wasn't, but it saved me fretting and I was duly dropped off at oberer Bf for a 10 minute stroll back to the hotel, aided as usual by OpenStreetMap.
Excellent breakfast at the Grüne Linde for a mere €5, which is to be recommended. Off to Leipzig on the S2 kart, alighting at Hbf for a tram out to Völkerschlachtdenkmal and the monument to the Battle of Nations (Battle of Leipzig to us) in which Russia and Prussia [with assistance from Austria and Sweden] saw off Napoleon, at least for the time being (1813). The monument is a huge granite structure, 91m/300 ft tall. Completed for the centenary of the battle in 1913 it speaks absolute volumes for the German imperial mindset of the time. It's certainly a 'don't miss' which I would have missed but for passing it on the tram en route to a brew pub a few years ago.
Continuing a busy day we got a tram back to Hbf for the rammed 13:00 to Dresden; luckily the low cunning honed on years of West Midland commuting got us seats. Outside D-Hbf we lucked straight on to a no 7 tram to Synagog for a short walk to see what, when we last saw it, was a pile of scorched and broken rubble behind a wire fence. I defy anybody who sees today's Frauenkirche, and is aware of its history, not to have a tear in their eye. Another 'don't miss'.
By now our evening meal was appearing on the distant horizon so we returned to D-Hbf on the no. 7 for the 16:14 RE to Leipzig which was a Dosto set with plenty of room and no call for commuter tactics. Tram to the Mercure Art for a wash and brush up (nearly forgot the rucksack which had been dumped in a locker - how could we, after all that fuss earlier in the week) before two trams to Ohne Bedenken for solid nosh. Puddings, sadly, were overrated and dreadfully overpriced. Odd, as the main dishes and the excellent Gose were reasonably priced.
Ohne Bedenken is in Menckestraße but right at the opposite end from the eponymous tram stop, so we returned from the Fritz-Seger-Straße stop which was just round the corner and a shorter tram journey to boot.
The Völkerschlachtdenkmal (or the easier to spell 'Monument to the Battle of the Nations') was built to mark the centenary of the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. A visit had been on my 'to do' list since passing it quite by accident on the way to a brew pub several years earlier! |
The interior is equally monumental, as this statuary shows |
At 91m/299 ft, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal offers spectacular views over Leipzig, even from the lowest stages |
This viewing platform (the parapet is in the right foreground) is still well short of the top of the monument. The large building in the centre of the picture is not a stately home, nor even the city hall - it's the Leipzig crematorium.
The exterior of the restored Frauenkirche in Dresden.It is only too easy to see how much of the building remained standing after WW2, and indeed until restoration began in the 1990s |
Just a glimpse of the magnificent interior of the Frauenkirche. |
Below are three photographs (scanned from rather tired negatives) showing the Frauenkirche area when Mrs EG and I first saw it in 1996. The remnant of the west end shown below left is easily identified in the exterior photo above left. The centre and right photographs below show the steel racks containing what seems to have been in effect a 'Frauenkirche construction kit'. On the left hand edge of the centre picture below can be seen the steel framework supporting the clock which is in the centre of the right hand picture. The effort, resources and dedication which must have gone into the rebuilding is astounding.
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Sunday 11.8.19
Our booking at the Mercure was a deal but didn't include their exorbitantly priced breakfast so we settled for McDs at the station (in my case the bacon & egg McMuffin, about their only product I actually like!). We'd decided on another trip to Dresden with a possible visit to the Rembrandt exhibition in the Royal Palace (another blackened ruin on my first visit to Dresden in 1992). A pleasant enough ride in a not-too-full RE, but further enquiries at the tourist office revealed that as we suspected, there were no paintings in the exhibition.
We retired to the Watzke pub across the river to consider our position as we'd managed to miss the 10:00 RE from Leipzig so it was well past midday. After a couple of Pils (much better than I remembered from my last visit) we decided just to have a wander through the Altstadt. This we did, hugely impressed by the superb restoration job that's been done on everything even vaguely restorable. Full marks to everyone involved.
By the time we'd had an ice cream break and completed our wander, the 16:14 Leipzig was calling so, back to the station for another not-too-full RE with not-too-working air-conditioning. This showed up a disadvantage of the wide gangway sets with no doors, as the air con was working in the front coach but spending most of its time trying to cool the others. Nevertheless it was cooler right at the front, which no-one else seemed to have realised, so nice comfortable seats for us!
We remembered the rucksack this time, before walking to the conveniently close Ibis. We had a table booked at the Bayerische Bahnhof and S-Bahn from Hbf proved much the simplest way to get there and back. Gose was surprisingly, a bit more sour than at Ohne Bedenken, but still very pleasant The half acre schnitzel was nice too, if a bit OTT.
Our booking at the Mercure was a deal but didn't include their exorbitantly priced breakfast so we settled for McDs at the station (in my case the bacon & egg McMuffin, about their only product I actually like!). We'd decided on another trip to Dresden with a possible visit to the Rembrandt exhibition in the Royal Palace (another blackened ruin on my first visit to Dresden in 1992). A pleasant enough ride in a not-too-full RE, but further enquiries at the tourist office revealed that as we suspected, there were no paintings in the exhibition.
We retired to the Watzke pub across the river to consider our position as we'd managed to miss the 10:00 RE from Leipzig so it was well past midday. After a couple of Pils (much better than I remembered from my last visit) we decided just to have a wander through the Altstadt. This we did, hugely impressed by the superb restoration job that's been done on everything even vaguely restorable. Full marks to everyone involved.
By the time we'd had an ice cream break and completed our wander, the 16:14 Leipzig was calling so, back to the station for another not-too-full RE with not-too-working air-conditioning. This showed up a disadvantage of the wide gangway sets with no doors, as the air con was working in the front coach but spending most of its time trying to cool the others. Nevertheless it was cooler right at the front, which no-one else seemed to have realised, so nice comfortable seats for us!
We remembered the rucksack this time, before walking to the conveniently close Ibis. We had a table booked at the Bayerische Bahnhof and S-Bahn from Hbf proved much the simplest way to get there and back. Gose was surprisingly, a bit more sour than at Ohne Bedenken, but still very pleasant The half acre schnitzel was nice too, if a bit OTT.
The 'Man on the 'Oss' in my home town of Wolverhampton doesn't quite match up to the Goldener Reiter (Golden Rider) in Dresden's Neustädter Markt. The statue portrays Frederick Augustus, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, and has been there since 1736. |
The Semperoper is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Destroyed in 1945, it was fully restored in the GDR era, reopening in 1985. |
Monday 12.8.19
Standard Ibis breakfast, courtesy of the Accor summer deal, before ICE 595 at 08:48 to Erfurt. This left late but recovered most of the time, and ICE 701 was waiting cross platform at Erfurt. Nothing much seemed to be working; no air con, no reservation signs (resulting in us being kicked out of our seats at Nürnberg), no 220v power and no WiFi. But I did get travel surveyed as usual, and no doubt I'll hear 'Country Roads' before we get to Belgium [in fact I didn't, a rare event!]. The next coach in fact had everything except the WiFi so was more comfortable.
Out briefly at Donauwörth (mercifully not for a beer, as it would have been Fürstenberg) before joining a wedged Agilis kart to Ulm. Monday midday seems a strange time to be wedged, but what do I know. The temperature's dropped since yesterday, which is something of a relief, to say the least - but the solid grey overhead doesn't look great for the Swiss venture.
The Ulm bus situation took a while to sort out, mainly due to misunderstanding the complex moleworks outside the station but we eventually got a bus to the Rathaus stop, having worked out, inter alia, that a 2-person Tageskarte was some £2 cheaper than four 2-stop single journeys. Incredible, but there it is. Lunch was taken, in two parts due to Mrs EG's order being forgotten, at Barfüßer. Another tick and quite a decent Weizen as well.
An RE took us to Aulendorf for a brief pause before the second class only (I say, chaps) BOB kart to Friedrichshafen Hafen for the Romanshorn ferry. Tickets for this were no problem as it was late in the day (17:27) and sparsely loaded, and a pleasant if chilly crossing was had for my second water-borne arrival in Switzerland. It had rained hard on the way over but more or less stopped at Romanshorn.
A very lightly loaded 18:48 IR took us to Winterthur, which for some reason (OK it was ignorance) I had in mind as a rather bleak one-horse town. Nothing could be further from the facts, it seemingly being a large and very lively town. A very helpful bus driver showed Foreign Idiot the ticketing ropes and we were at the Ibis within half an hour. For reasons of economy the McDs nearby provided supper (and even without drinks it came to nearly £15).
Standard Ibis breakfast, courtesy of the Accor summer deal, before ICE 595 at 08:48 to Erfurt. This left late but recovered most of the time, and ICE 701 was waiting cross platform at Erfurt. Nothing much seemed to be working; no air con, no reservation signs (resulting in us being kicked out of our seats at Nürnberg), no 220v power and no WiFi. But I did get travel surveyed as usual, and no doubt I'll hear 'Country Roads' before we get to Belgium [in fact I didn't, a rare event!]. The next coach in fact had everything except the WiFi so was more comfortable.
Out briefly at Donauwörth (mercifully not for a beer, as it would have been Fürstenberg) before joining a wedged Agilis kart to Ulm. Monday midday seems a strange time to be wedged, but what do I know. The temperature's dropped since yesterday, which is something of a relief, to say the least - but the solid grey overhead doesn't look great for the Swiss venture.
The Ulm bus situation took a while to sort out, mainly due to misunderstanding the complex moleworks outside the station but we eventually got a bus to the Rathaus stop, having worked out, inter alia, that a 2-person Tageskarte was some £2 cheaper than four 2-stop single journeys. Incredible, but there it is. Lunch was taken, in two parts due to Mrs EG's order being forgotten, at Barfüßer. Another tick and quite a decent Weizen as well.
An RE took us to Aulendorf for a brief pause before the second class only (I say, chaps) BOB kart to Friedrichshafen Hafen for the Romanshorn ferry. Tickets for this were no problem as it was late in the day (17:27) and sparsely loaded, and a pleasant if chilly crossing was had for my second water-borne arrival in Switzerland. It had rained hard on the way over but more or less stopped at Romanshorn.
A very lightly loaded 18:48 IR took us to Winterthur, which for some reason (OK it was ignorance) I had in mind as a rather bleak one-horse town. Nothing could be further from the facts, it seemingly being a large and very lively town. A very helpful bus driver showed Foreign Idiot the ticketing ropes and we were at the Ibis within half an hour. For reasons of economy the McDs nearby provided supper (and even without drinks it came to nearly £15).
The ferry seemed to be a more interesting way of arriving in Switzerland - the photo was taken from the deck of the ferry we're on as it prepared to leave Friedrichshafen for the crossing to Romanshorn on 12.8.19
Tuesday 13.8.19
A poor night due to leaving the noisy and ineffective air con on. An old-school open window would have been better. Mea culpa. However we made breakfast by 06:45, to find stocks being rapidly depleted by the usual crowd of early morning contractors (and if it hadn't been them it would have been a coach party). The staff were (or more accurately was) doing their (her) best to keep the counters replenished, mainly successfully. Duly refreshed, we set off by bus to the station with our 24 hour tickets courtesy of the Ibis, arriving in good time for 08:01 IR to Luzern, a half hour fester thereat, and then an RE to Interlaken Ost, a fine ride indeed with (at least) two rack sections. The weather was pretty dull with very low cloud and more than a hint of rain, but did show signs of improvement as we approached Brienzersee and Interlaken Ost.
A further hour at Interlaken provided time to get a picnic lunch from the Co-op opposite the station. We enjoyed our picnic on the not very inspiring run to Zweisimmen, to the amusement of the train conductor. Stock on this was a piece of antiquated fresh air stuff with toilets similar to those fitted to Noah's Ark. The second class seemed to be better provided for, but at least FC was quiet.
By this time the weather had cleared quite a lot, the cloud was lifting, sunshine was prevailing and all in all we had a most enjoyable run from Zweisimmen to Montreux in modern stock with efficient air con and huge windows to view the mountain and lake scenery. It was always going to be a gamble on the weather, but luckily we won in the end. The final descent into Montreux, with its multiple 180 degree curves, was a treat.
Arriving in Montreux right time, we were able to make the +7 on to a Lausanne train, which did us no good at all as we missed a connection on to Bern by seconds and were rewarded with a half hour fester at Lausanne for the 17:20 to Bern. No WiFi on that which was a pity as we'd finally got registered after 24 hours trying.
No more luck at Bern, where a quick dash through the subway from P8 (shock, horror - should have been 7, what is SBB coming to, etc.) to P4 ended on the 18:26 IC to Basel SBB via Olten. Once again, no WiFi. Arrival in Basel was on time, and the Ibis is only a few minutes walk from the 'out of town' station entrance (unless you fail to check the street names and go the scenic route, as we did).
Scratch supper for economy's sake, followed by the appalling Feldschlösschen Hopfen Houblon Hoppy Blonde. Far more hops in a dead rabbit. We had to have an Erdinger before retiring, to take the lack of taste away.
A poor night due to leaving the noisy and ineffective air con on. An old-school open window would have been better. Mea culpa. However we made breakfast by 06:45, to find stocks being rapidly depleted by the usual crowd of early morning contractors (and if it hadn't been them it would have been a coach party). The staff were (or more accurately was) doing their (her) best to keep the counters replenished, mainly successfully. Duly refreshed, we set off by bus to the station with our 24 hour tickets courtesy of the Ibis, arriving in good time for 08:01 IR to Luzern, a half hour fester thereat, and then an RE to Interlaken Ost, a fine ride indeed with (at least) two rack sections. The weather was pretty dull with very low cloud and more than a hint of rain, but did show signs of improvement as we approached Brienzersee and Interlaken Ost.
A further hour at Interlaken provided time to get a picnic lunch from the Co-op opposite the station. We enjoyed our picnic on the not very inspiring run to Zweisimmen, to the amusement of the train conductor. Stock on this was a piece of antiquated fresh air stuff with toilets similar to those fitted to Noah's Ark. The second class seemed to be better provided for, but at least FC was quiet.
By this time the weather had cleared quite a lot, the cloud was lifting, sunshine was prevailing and all in all we had a most enjoyable run from Zweisimmen to Montreux in modern stock with efficient air con and huge windows to view the mountain and lake scenery. It was always going to be a gamble on the weather, but luckily we won in the end. The final descent into Montreux, with its multiple 180 degree curves, was a treat.
Arriving in Montreux right time, we were able to make the +7 on to a Lausanne train, which did us no good at all as we missed a connection on to Bern by seconds and were rewarded with a half hour fester at Lausanne for the 17:20 to Bern. No WiFi on that which was a pity as we'd finally got registered after 24 hours trying.
No more luck at Bern, where a quick dash through the subway from P8 (shock, horror - should have been 7, what is SBB coming to, etc.) to P4 ended on the 18:26 IC to Basel SBB via Olten. Once again, no WiFi. Arrival in Basel was on time, and the Ibis is only a few minutes walk from the 'out of town' station entrance (unless you fail to check the street names and go the scenic route, as we did).
Scratch supper for economy's sake, followed by the appalling Feldschlösschen Hopfen Houblon Hoppy Blonde. Far more hops in a dead rabbit. We had to have an Erdinger before retiring, to take the lack of taste away.
Wednesday 14.8.19
Another Ibis, another breakfast, another system. At this one you get given a ticket when you book in, which you have to hand in when you go in for breakfast. We were, and we did. Good on fresh fruit, no ham, no Laughing Cow but there were bacon and baked beans for those as wanted, plus the usual staples.
The station brought us the glad tidings that ICE 76 was 5 late, but it then rolled in virtually on time. Mad scramble for seats, even in FC, and we ended up in a pair of seats reserved from Karlsruhe on. The guard then announced a problem with the train and we left 20 late. Border check consisted of Grenzpolizei wandering through the coach leaving everybody alone. They may well have found someone to shake down, but not in our coach.
Feverish speculation as we approached Mannheim 25 late, as DB Nav said ICE200 was waiting for incoming pax. No doubt it was, but when we pulled on P2 opposite it and people started legging it across, the platform staff sent 200 on its way. Cue lots of unhappy bunnies, me included.
Fortified by Arcobräu Moos Liesl we awaited the next ICE to Kõln which was almost on time and had spare seats. It remained thus, despite an influx at FFM Flug. We tottered off to the Pfaffen pub in the Altstadt to have lunch which included Päffgen Kölsch. [The pub is named Pfaffen; the beer is variously named Pfaffen, like the pub, or Päffgen after the owner, Max Päffgen. Simple.] Prices in that area are just insane so after failing to get an ice cream at the station we repaired to Aachen on the RE at 16:04, to wait it out for the next ICE to Brussels, the earlier available train being a Thalys with accompanying ching. We did manage the ice cream though, courtesy of the ever reliable Yorma's at Aachen Hbf.
Another scrum for seats on ICE 16 where yet again the res signs weren't working. As he was British, the person turfing us out had to be obnoxious when asked a polite question. Such is life.
A few minutes late into Brussel Midi but it's only 10 minutes walk to the nearby Mercure so we obtained 'picnic' supplies from Carrefour on the station and made our way to the Mercure for an early night. It's in a pretty seedy area and reviews on its website suggest that discretion might be the better part of valour. We had no problems at all (other than discovering at check-in that tomorrow's a public holiday) so as far as our visit's concerned it's only hearsay. The hotel itself is standard Accor/Mercure which is fine.
Another Ibis, another breakfast, another system. At this one you get given a ticket when you book in, which you have to hand in when you go in for breakfast. We were, and we did. Good on fresh fruit, no ham, no Laughing Cow but there were bacon and baked beans for those as wanted, plus the usual staples.
The station brought us the glad tidings that ICE 76 was 5 late, but it then rolled in virtually on time. Mad scramble for seats, even in FC, and we ended up in a pair of seats reserved from Karlsruhe on. The guard then announced a problem with the train and we left 20 late. Border check consisted of Grenzpolizei wandering through the coach leaving everybody alone. They may well have found someone to shake down, but not in our coach.
Feverish speculation as we approached Mannheim 25 late, as DB Nav said ICE200 was waiting for incoming pax. No doubt it was, but when we pulled on P2 opposite it and people started legging it across, the platform staff sent 200 on its way. Cue lots of unhappy bunnies, me included.
Fortified by Arcobräu Moos Liesl we awaited the next ICE to Kõln which was almost on time and had spare seats. It remained thus, despite an influx at FFM Flug. We tottered off to the Pfaffen pub in the Altstadt to have lunch which included Päffgen Kölsch. [The pub is named Pfaffen; the beer is variously named Pfaffen, like the pub, or Päffgen after the owner, Max Päffgen. Simple.] Prices in that area are just insane so after failing to get an ice cream at the station we repaired to Aachen on the RE at 16:04, to wait it out for the next ICE to Brussels, the earlier available train being a Thalys with accompanying ching. We did manage the ice cream though, courtesy of the ever reliable Yorma's at Aachen Hbf.
Another scrum for seats on ICE 16 where yet again the res signs weren't working. As he was British, the person turfing us out had to be obnoxious when asked a polite question. Such is life.
A few minutes late into Brussel Midi but it's only 10 minutes walk to the nearby Mercure so we obtained 'picnic' supplies from Carrefour on the station and made our way to the Mercure for an early night. It's in a pretty seedy area and reviews on its website suggest that discretion might be the better part of valour. We had no problems at all (other than discovering at check-in that tomorrow's a public holiday) so as far as our visit's concerned it's only hearsay. The hotel itself is standard Accor/Mercure which is fine.
I did take just the odd railway picture and was unable to resist the memorably numbered 111 111, just arrived at Köln Hbf from Düsseldorf on 14.8.19
Thursday 15.8.19
What? No ham? What kind of an Accor hotel is this? Redeemed, however, by the orange juice machine which produced the only proper orange juice of the trip. Smoked salmon too, and a full English if you wanted it.
By the time we’d had a proper night’s sleep, showers and a leisurely breakfast there wasn’t all that much time left, so we contented ourselves with a walk out to the Porte d’Hal which of course was firmly closed, not that we had time to visit anyway! Back therefore to the Eurostar terminal where a state of shambles prevailed. Presumably it’s always like this now; gone are the days when you could turn up with five minutes to go. It took half an hour to get through security and Belgian passport checks and about 30 seconds to get through the UK side’s electronic gate. On the plus side, I’ve always thought Eurostar’s security to be extremely slack and it’s good to see that it appears to be a lot more serious now. Unfortunately it makes travelling by Eurostar a lot less pleasant than it used to be.
Having first class IRs we were in Standard Premier for the first (and possibly only) time and were treated to lunch and a, how shall we say, robust red wine. The Eurokart was one of the newer variety, once again a first and possibly only experience. The old e300s have been showing their age for a while now and the 320s do seem to look the part and be more comfortable. Hard to be objective on the basis of one ride in SP though.
Arrival at St Pancras was a few minutes early and we were able to have a leisurely walk along to Euston for 14:43 Edinburgh, taken as far as Wolverhampton. There was plenty of room in the first class (keeping those Interrails working to the end!) and having never travelled first class on a Bendyleano before it did seem comparatively spacious – although very cramped compared to the metre gauge Golden Pass stock. And the luggage racks on Bendyleanos are ludicrous.
Finally, down to earth. The 16:43 Wolverhampton-Pwllheli/Aber arrived rammed as usual and as it’s second class only we had the dubious pleasure of standing in the packed vestibule for the mercifully short ride out to Telford. On reflection we’d probably have been more comfortable if we’d waited for the 17:11 or 17:18 WM Trains service, but the wish to get home overcame comfort issues.
Brexit looms now and it’s heads down and stay at home as the chaos unfolds. At present it seems unlikely that these ramblings will continue in their present form; but I won’t stop being interested in railways and might either confine myself to UK matters or to occasional short ventures across the water to odd events that I might find interesting. The ‘new track’ yield from this year’s expeditions was so tiny in relation to the cost and effort of getting it, that it simply isn’t worth doing any more in the format I’m used to. So for the moment I have no further plans – but never say never!
What? No ham? What kind of an Accor hotel is this? Redeemed, however, by the orange juice machine which produced the only proper orange juice of the trip. Smoked salmon too, and a full English if you wanted it.
By the time we’d had a proper night’s sleep, showers and a leisurely breakfast there wasn’t all that much time left, so we contented ourselves with a walk out to the Porte d’Hal which of course was firmly closed, not that we had time to visit anyway! Back therefore to the Eurostar terminal where a state of shambles prevailed. Presumably it’s always like this now; gone are the days when you could turn up with five minutes to go. It took half an hour to get through security and Belgian passport checks and about 30 seconds to get through the UK side’s electronic gate. On the plus side, I’ve always thought Eurostar’s security to be extremely slack and it’s good to see that it appears to be a lot more serious now. Unfortunately it makes travelling by Eurostar a lot less pleasant than it used to be.
Having first class IRs we were in Standard Premier for the first (and possibly only) time and were treated to lunch and a, how shall we say, robust red wine. The Eurokart was one of the newer variety, once again a first and possibly only experience. The old e300s have been showing their age for a while now and the 320s do seem to look the part and be more comfortable. Hard to be objective on the basis of one ride in SP though.
Arrival at St Pancras was a few minutes early and we were able to have a leisurely walk along to Euston for 14:43 Edinburgh, taken as far as Wolverhampton. There was plenty of room in the first class (keeping those Interrails working to the end!) and having never travelled first class on a Bendyleano before it did seem comparatively spacious – although very cramped compared to the metre gauge Golden Pass stock. And the luggage racks on Bendyleanos are ludicrous.
Finally, down to earth. The 16:43 Wolverhampton-Pwllheli/Aber arrived rammed as usual and as it’s second class only we had the dubious pleasure of standing in the packed vestibule for the mercifully short ride out to Telford. On reflection we’d probably have been more comfortable if we’d waited for the 17:11 or 17:18 WM Trains service, but the wish to get home overcame comfort issues.
Brexit looms now and it’s heads down and stay at home as the chaos unfolds. At present it seems unlikely that these ramblings will continue in their present form; but I won’t stop being interested in railways and might either confine myself to UK matters or to occasional short ventures across the water to odd events that I might find interesting. The ‘new track’ yield from this year’s expeditions was so tiny in relation to the cost and effort of getting it, that it simply isn’t worth doing any more in the format I’m used to. So for the moment I have no further plans – but never say never!
As noted the previous day, 15 August was a public holiday, so naturally places that you might want to visit on a public hoilday, like the Porte de Hal/Hallepoort, were closed. So no sightseeing in the vicinity of the station, then.
Once the lost rucksack fiasco was resolved, this was quite an interesting trip though it did underscore the conclusion already reached and noted above, that sticking to a limited repertoire of countries meant long days of thrashing up and down main lines just to reach comparatively short sections of required track, It also reinforced my dislike of flying, though two lost rucksacks, both retrieved without loss of property, probably is par for the course over a period of nearly thirty years. Nevertheless, plans for 2020 currently only cover a projected railtour - of which, hopefully, more anon - with outward and return travel from/to the UK by Eurostar.
2022 addendum : none of this allowed for the arrival at the beginning of 2020 of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, better known as Covid-19. This became a global pandemic and all the assorted restrictions, official and otherwise, put paid to that projected railtour and to mainland ventures for me and millions of others in 2020 and 2021. It was to be February 2022 before the restrictions eased enough for a 2-day visit to Belgium for non-railway purposes, and in June I finally set off again by Eurostar for a 10-day Interrail. This reinforced those conclusions already reached, but you can read the whole story here.
2022 addendum : none of this allowed for the arrival at the beginning of 2020 of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, better known as Covid-19. This became a global pandemic and all the assorted restrictions, official and otherwise, put paid to that projected railtour and to mainland ventures for me and millions of others in 2020 and 2021. It was to be February 2022 before the restrictions eased enough for a 2-day visit to Belgium for non-railway purposes, and in June I finally set off again by Eurostar for a 10-day Interrail. This reinforced those conclusions already reached, but you can read the whole story here.
