23.071 at Beekbergen, 30/05/14 (JW)
Two anniversaries are being celebrated at the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum in western Germany on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th April 2017.
The museum itself is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (German Railway History Society) its 50th. To celebrate, a large display of rolling stock will be amassed at the museum on the theme of “Ost trifft West”; “East meets West”.
In the second half of the 20th century, the railways of the two Germanies (the Deutsche Bundesbahn in West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn in the East) developed along their own lines, and this exhibition takes the opportunity to place equivalent types from either side of the “Iron Curtain” next to each other for comparison.
As well as their large collection of resident machines, a considerable number of notable locos will visit from elsewhere to help tell this story, and can be seen at the link here. It will certainly be rewarding to take a good number of hours to have an explore!
Shuttles to and from Essen Hbf
In order to help provide easy access from the main line railway network for visitors, a shuttle will run from Essen Hbf station directly into the museum, at the following times both days:-
09:59 / 10:59 / 11:59 / 13:59 / 14:59 / 15:59 / 16:59 / 17:59 ex-Essen Hbf
09:25 / 10:30 / 11:30 / 13:30 / 14:30 / 15:30 / 16:30 / 17:30 ex-Museum
On one end of each train, which will be formed of DB “Umbauwagen”, will be DB Class 212, 212007, dating from 1962 (external link to photo here). On the other will be a rotating cast of up to seven of the steam exhibits.
The journey time for the 9.5-mile journey will be in the region of 20 minutes each way. Fares are €5.50 each way and entry to the museum is €16.
Shuttles from Bochum-Dahlhausen
A separate shuttle train service will operate from the local S-Bahn station, at Bochum-Dahlhausen, a distance of less than a mile. Times as follows:-
10:00 / 10:35 / 11:00 / 11:44 / 12:00 / 12:35 / 12:55 / 13:12 / 13:35 / 14:00 / 14:35 / 15:01 / 15:35 / 16:01 / 16:35 / 17:00 / 17:35 ex-Bochum-Dahlhausen
10:20 / 10:45 / 11:29 / 11:51 / 12:20 / 12:45 / 13:05 / 13:20 / 13:45 / 14:20 / 14:55 / 15:20 / 15:51 / 16:20 / 16:50 / 17:20 / 17:55 ex-Museum
The journey time is only 5 minutes and tickets cost €2.50 each way. This train is to be formed of a rake of older “Donnerbüchsen” carriages and will equally be hauled by a rolling cast of locomotives; however, due to the short distance involved, this can also include their Köf III shunting loco (possibly 332306), and also 2-6-2 tender engine 23.071, visiting from the VSM in the Netherlands and not fitted with PZB (German in-cab signalling) so cannot venture onto the mainline itself, neither of which will work on the Essen trains.
More info here.
Additionally, an extra day of the exhibition specifically for photographers has been arranged for Monday 1st May.
Many thanks to the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum for their help in preparing this brief article.
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