The World Cup Train

[Priority 7]

A few years back, I was wandering around a foreign urbex forum and my jaw dropped when I stumbled across a report on a train, I had to see it. Try as I might I couldn't track it down, fast forward to a few months back and the same train started to pop up a little more. I was determined to see it, clearly either I have got better at searching or my luck was in. After no more than a few minutes I had a solid lead and then five minutes on from that I had found my quarry, at least I hoped I did as I only had overhead shots from gmaps to proide any measure of confirmation.

Now all that was needed was someone that fancied a euro trip, I felt sure someone would be up for it. Knowing a few of my normal exploring buddies were otherwise engage in normal life experiences, one even claimed they couldn't make it as they were off to the artic circle or some equally unbelieveable location. I reached out to Bikinglynn who I had been lucky enough to do a few UK trip with, eureka we were on and now it was just the anticipation of waiting for the day to arrive.

I must at this stage thank Bikinglynn for driving the whole trip, we left on the eurotunnel, through France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany covering over 2000 miles across our 5 day adventure. A superb explorer who holds the same values as I when urbexing, proper old school like so many others I have had the pleasure of exploring with. 30+ site successfully visited, with the addition of two sites that have been demo'd and 4 we walked away from as there was no way in.

Now I digress sorry the train, is a replica of the 1954 World Cup Train that carried the victorious West Germany football team on a tour around after the tournement, the original has long since been made into frankfurter tin cans. I was made for the film that documented the teams triumph and has since been left to rot in various sidings around Germany as no-one seems to know what to do with it. Sadly it has seen some significant vandalism and besides smashed internal windows, a clear attempt to strip copper wiring the front engine has been turned in a canvas for some pretty poor graffitti.

That said the train is still full of atmosphere.



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Thanks for looking all

 

[The Young One]

From what I've seen this is the first of many great reports coming from you lot

 

[BikinGlynn]

Top job there mate, u didnt mess about getting that up iv hardly looked through pics yet lol

 

[BikinGlynn]

I must at this stage thank Bikinglynn for driving the whole trip, we left on the eurotunnel, through France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany covering over 2000 miles across our 5 day adventure. A superb explorer who holds the same values as I when urbexing, proper old school like so many others I have had the pleasure of exploring with. 30+ site successfully visited, with the addition of two sites that have been demo'd and 4 we walked away from as there was no way in.

& correct me if Im wrong but only 1 revisit for you? even with your extensive prev coverage of Europe, cant be bad.

 

[Priority 7]

Spot on lots more to come youngone and correct again Bikinglynn although more of a rescout and still not got in lol

 

[Hayman]

It reminds me of the DB and NS (Dutch Railways) I saw when stationed in West Germany in 1961 and 1962.

 

[Hayman]

I should add, rather than being a replica, it is possibly/probably a set of the same class of train that was used as the World Cup train and painted in the same livery. The photo showing it close to head-on was taken slightly to one side and with a very wide angle lens. This has distorted what it actually look like. The DB letters and 'wings' should be in the centre of the photo to show them as they really are. Still, a nice bit of nostalgia.

 

[Priority 7]

I should add, rather than being a replica, it is possibly/probably a set of the same class of train that was used as the World Cup train and painted in the same livery. The photo showing it close to head-on was taken slightly to one side and with a very wide angle lens. This has distorted what it actually look like. The DB letters and 'wings' should be in the centre of the photo to show them as they really are. Still, a nice bit of nostalgia.

Very well spotted on the Wangle and angle whilst I have a front on image it gives away far too much so it will stay in my private collection

 

[verdigris]

thanks - I like the green moquette and huge headrests, so stylish

 

[Hayman]

Very well spotted on the Wangle and angle whilst I have a front on image it gives away far too much so it will stay in my private collection

Thanks for your reply. I emailed a Dutch railway enthusiast friend who now lives in Germany. He sent me this informationn about the train and related matters:

"The DB World Cup Train you showed was a unit called "Eierkopf" (Egg Head) which were into service from the early 1950s until the late 1970s or late 1980s, depending on the type. There were both electric and diesel electric sets. A diesel electric set worked the train from Hamburg to Copenhagen. They were not really high speed units (as far as I know) as speeds over 120 km/h in Germany were first introduced in the late 1960s with the 103 class electric loco. Before the war trains with speeds up to 160 km/h were normal on some German lines, either steam-hauled or with the short diesel MUs e.g. the flying Hamburger. In the Netherlands speeds before the war were usually not faster than 90 km/h, but they were increased to 120 km/h from 1938 on. In april 1940 a diesel-electric MU has reached 180 km/h on a test run though. Only in 1970, 140km/h was allowed on some stretches. Anyhow, I always had the impression that British trains ran faster than the Dutch ones! In France speeds before the TGV era were very strictly controlled and drivers were able to sustain exactly 140 or 160 km/h for a long time. "

The photo of the driving cab reminded me of early British diesel-electric locos, and of the gas turbine loco that was a one-off. The shots in the compartments had a real feel of the time about them.