Final and farewell trip

Thirty years ago, our family began an almost annual pilgrimage to Southern Germany, we enjoyed a three week exchange of homes with a family in Bamberg and this year we repeated the experience but for the final time. Next year, we will be retired and 'La Belle France' beckons will all its coquettish charm.

 

One of two stand out memories remain but the biggest change in those thirty years is the almost complete eradication of the traditional local model railway store, Bamberg once offered five excellent examples and now there are none. The same pattern is repeated almost everywhere, Lichtenfels had a seriously good store but this fell to the wayside many years ago and even once familiar red and white Marklin sign is almost gone from most cities, let alone towns.

 What we did buy was very odd, a thirty year old coach and a nice MZ ES250 motor cycle once sold as a  promotional gift for a brewery.

This is my rake of lokalbahn coaches including the new coach, all need a degree of repair as they were old 'rejects' now being sold as collectibles. They compliment the thirty year old Gebauer BR98.8 and equally old Pola Maxi G10.

And the MZ ES250, do not be put off by the shiny appearance, that will be fixed in due course but this one of the very few German 1:43 motorcycles and yes, they are that ugly.

The new 98.8 contd. and VT70

Today was a really good day because, the Gebauer 98.8 is working properly* and looks perfect. The etched numberplates were replaced and the DCC installation updated. The loco now runs with a Loksound 4.0 and Power Pack from ESU, the chuff rate is correct at four beats per revolution and the lights are perfect.

In a couple of weeks, I hope to buy another lokalbahn wagon to complete its train.

The VT70 also received attention and it is working perfectly*.

The VB140 quietly resting at Ebermannstadt, my excuse for owning the model.

* thanks to Richard

Recycle Sunday

 It's Sunday morning and that means mancave time.

I like coffee stir sticks, they are free and recycled from the office coffee shop, they are also just right for the layout, they take Artist's Ink and the resulting stain is rather special.

I just completed laying both side of the servicing area for the diesel, it was inspired by the old shed at Ebermannstadt, now replaced by a modern industrial building and no longer accessible from the station.

The surrounding area needs some patchy grass and weeds. It looks like an opportunity for some workshop details such as oil drums and a fuel pump.