OVERSEAS STUDY TOUR 8/2010 – IGE/EISENBAHN ROMANTIK GERMAN TOUR

IGE have now released full details of the tour all around Germany this autumn. Here are brief details:

Friday 17/9 TRAVEL TO GERMANY
LCGB members travel from U.K. to Germany and stay overnight in Augsburg. In the evening there is a “steam party” at Bahnpark Augsburg. Hot and cold buffet dinner available.

Saturday 18/9 AUGSBURG – MÜNCHEN – NÜRNBERG 400 KM
The IGE/Eisenbahn Romantik special train will start about 09.00 behind double-headed 2-8-2s 41 018 and 41 1150 and run via München, Mühldorf, Landshut, Regensburg, Schwandorf to Nürnberg arriving about 18.00. Dinner will be taken in the DB Museum which will be open specially this evening for railtour participants. Overnight B&B in Nürnberg

Sunday 19/9 NÜRNBERG – PLAUEN – DRESDEN 420 KM
01 533 departs about 08.00 via Bayreuth to Neuenmarkt Wirsberg where the museum can be visited. 35 1097 now double heads the 01 up the Schiefe Ebene and on via Hof and Plauen to Glauchau. Now 50 3610 takes over to Chemnitz where 65 1049 will be attached as pilot for the journey on via Döbeln, Nossen, Meissen to Dresden. Tonight there is open house at Bw Altstadt Museum where a Sächsische Braai (barbeque) will be laid on for dinner. Nightime photo shoot. Overnight B&B in Dresden.

Monday 20/9 DRESDEN – BERLIN – ROSTOCK 500 KM
01 509 and 01 533 double-head Dresden – Berlin – Pasewalk – Güstrow – Rostck. From Rostock there will be a bus transfer to the Molli narrow gauge line at Bad Doberan for a run to Ostseebad Kuhlungsborn. A fish dinner will be provided. Bus transfer back to Rostock. Overnight B&B in Rostock.

Tuesday 21/9 ROSTOCK – FLENSBURG – HAMBURG 480 KM
The two 01s are still in charge from Rostock but at Bad Kleinen 01 533 comes off with 01 509 continuing on to Lübeck where 01 1066 will be attached for the run to Hamburg via Kiel, Süderbrarup, Flensburg, Rendsburg, Neumünster and arrive Hamburg early evening. A harbour cruise then follows which includes dinner. Finally, for those interested, the “Minitur Wunderland” can be visited – open specially for the tour group. Overnight B&B in Hamburg.

Wednesday 22/9 HAMBURG – BREMEN – HALLE 520 KM
Our two 01s are still with us today which starts off with a run over the main line to Bremen where we turn towards Hannover but instead go via Soltau to Uelzen and then via Gifhorn to Braunschweig where engines are changed and 41 096 and 01 533 take over going forward via Vienenburg to Wernigerode where water will be taken. It may be possible to visit the narrow gauge locomotive depot during this time. Finally Halle is reached where there will be an evening barbeque in the DB Museum. Overnight B&B in Halle.

Thursday 23/9 HALLE – KASSEL – BOCHUM 470 KM
41 096 and 01 533 take the train from Halle via Sangerhausen, Nordhausen to Eichenberg where 41 096 is detached. 01 533 then goes on its own to Kassel where it is replaced by 01 1066 and 41 360. Leaving Kassel the route is Warburg, Brilon Wald, Schwerte, Hagen to Bochum Dahlhausen. Here we have another railway party buffet dinner at the DGEG museum. Overnight B&B in the area.

Friday 24/9 BOCHUM – SAARBRÜCKEN – DARMSTADT 580 KM
Today 01 1066 is joined by local 38 2267 through the Ruhr area, Düsseldorf, Köln and then the right bank to Linz. Here the 38 comes off with 01 1066 going on alone to Koblenz where the river is crossed the train continuing on the left bank to Bingen. Another loco change sees 01 118 and 23 042 in charge via Bad
Keuznach, Idar Oberstein, Saarbrücken, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim to Darmstadt Kranichstein Museum. Another grill festival awaits us surrounded by locomotives and rolling stock. Overnight B&B in Darmstadt.

Saturday 25/9 DARMSTADT – VILLINGEN – HEILBRONN 480 KM
We now have 01 118 and 01 1066 in charge via the Bergstrasse to Heidelberg and o to Karlsruhe, Offenburg and the Black Forest line to Villingen then via Rottweil, Horb, Stuttgart (bypass) to Heilbronn “Süddeutschen Eisenbahnmuseum. Yet another evening barbeque surrounded by locos! Overnight B&B in Heilbronn.

Sunday 26/9 HEILBRONN – FRIEDRICHSHAFEN – AUGSBURG 460 KM
We now have 01 066 and 01 533 in charge back via Stuttgart (bypass), the Geislinger incline, Ulm, Friedrichshafen, Lindau (possible cruise Friedrichshafen to Lindau). After a break at Lindau the train concludes by running via Kempten and Buchloe to Augsburg and a farewell evening in the Bahnpark – dinner with railway music. Overnight B& B in Augsburg. (460 km).

Monday 27/9 RETURN HOME
Return to the UK by rail or air.

COSTS. The IGE train cost from joining Augsburg 18/9 to leaving Augsburg 26/9 is €1795 (say £1710) sharing a twin bedded room in an Ibis or similar hotel; higher graded hotels are possible with a supplement payable.

First Class supplement is €270 (£258) whilst the single room supplement is €320 (£305).
Higher grade hotel supplement €280 (£270) as available.
The pre-tour party costs €30 and the farewell party costs €35.
The tour covers some 4300 km through Germany and is unlikely to be repeated.

To these prices LCGB must add the cost of air fares to and from Germany and the extra hotel night at the beginning and end of the tour. This far ahead some cheap tickets must surely be available to München and Salzburg but note it is Oktoberfest time!

Group Länder tickets will be purchased to and from Augsburg (even if flying to Salzburg just one Länder Ticket is needed). Using a cheap airline to Germany and travel as above probably means an extra £200 thus making the overall price circa £2000 sharing and second class. An exchange rate of £1 equals £1.05 has been used and as ever members might be due a refund or a surcharge depending on circumstances!

TRANSFERS. Where hotels are not near the stations transfers will be arranged. Indeed luggage transfers hotel to hotel take place from Nürnberg so a separate bag will be needed for things you need on the train.

MEALS. Most days include dinner. The train will have the usual IGE restaurant and bar cars with reasonable priced lunches usually available a la carte from 11.30

FIRE HAZARD. Whilst September is after the main fire ban period IGE points out that if a fire warning level 4 or 5 is issued coal fired steam locos are not allowed to run. In which case IGE will have to rehash the workings.

BOOKINGS. IGE have given a closing date of July 31st – 230 bookings are needed. LCGB Closing date will be June 25th.

This is because your organiser will be in the USA for the whole of July! Any late bookings will be acceptable if space on the train is available. (A minimum of 230 people needed but no maximum number has been quoted).

Members that have not booked should do so now and all members should state whether they wish LCGB to get flights for them, whether first or second class and whether you want the pre- and post-tour events in Augsburg.

So, please send a completed Overseas Tours Booking Form, three saes (one at least Bulletin size and all stamped at the new rates please!). A deposit of £200 is required and an intermediate payment will be needed before the closing date. No money is transferred to Germany before the tour is announced as a definite runner. Please send your booking NOW to

Brian Garvin, 5/91 Albemarle Road, BECKENHAM, Kent, BR3 5JZ