A Grand Day Out

My wife has this funny idea that we should go out in the fresh air occasionally, so yesterday I was dragged away from building wood wagons and we went off to the Killisberg Park, which is a bit like an arboretum in the UK, or a city park. The difference being that German cities are much more serious about keeping their parks in good condition.

In the 1930's the city government found it had a derelict quarry on a hill with superb views over the valley and inside the city limits, and sensibly made a garden out of it in time for the national garden show for 1939. Better still they included a railway, built to 15 inch gauge, or 381mm which seems unusually illogical for Germany but it would make modelling it easy enough in 09. Mind you, it’s a bit clean for some narrow gauge enthusiasts, not a speck of rust to be seen, and the track is really smooth, but if you can live with that, it’s a good 2.4km run.

“Schwoabapfeil” (Diema, 1992) All 6.5 tonnes of her, emerges from the woods

“Schwoabapfeil” and train seen from the Killisberg tower. (Shadow of tower bottom left) Much of Stuttgart in the distance.

The 48hp “Schwoabapfeil” hauling a full train around the former quarry rim, now known as the "Rosental" (Rose Valley)

Workshops and sheds , home to “Tazzelwurm” und “Springerle”, the two 4-6-2 Liliput locomotives built by Kraus Maffei in 1950

Friendly driver with Tobi and Mummy after journey's end. Hold the cursor over an image for more pictures.

If you like engines with clanky bits then they run a steam service on Saturdays in summer, weather permitting. It’s easy to get there so I’ll try and nip over on a weekend and take some pictures. May be a while though as it’s pelting it down at the moment…

Postscript: The gloomy wet weather also means I can't post the repainted coach, the wagons under construction, or some nice 09 kits I got from Black Dog mining yesterday, but rest assured as soon as there is enough light all will be revealed...