Hello from a British Expat in Berlin

[curtis]

After being registered for a few weeks and browsing the fantastic content on the forum - I thought it was about time I posted.

I'm a British expat living in Berlin. I moved over a few years ago and recently got back into model railways - something I loved as a kid having both 00 and G-scale layouts.

I've started work on a small H0-scale layout as a side hobby, however, as it was coming up to Christmas I managed to convince my girlfriend to get a small G-scale set for the tree too. Since - I've managed to find a few great deals locally and that starter set has grown out to a little more than my girlfriend was expecting but she's being great about it.

Here is a short video tour of the temporary lounge layout:

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and a quick shot of it running around the tree:

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View this content on Instagram

C.

 

[Zerogee]

Welcome Curtis, great to see the two vids! Couldn't quite make out the loco, is it a Piko 0-6-0?

Jon.

 

[tac foley]

We lived in Berlin for three years in the early 80's, and it was there that I bought most of my LGB stuff, including the SEG Mallet. At about 6:30 one cold December morning, about forty of us stood in the snow outside the model train store in Kaiserdamm, waiting for the big red and green truck from Nurnberg to arrive with our Mallets. Everybody there had a receipt for their pre-paid loco, and we lined up to collect them off the back of the truck, supervised by the store manager. There were, if you can believe it, over three hundred identical models on that one truck - all bought and paid-for by eager LGB fans. I still have mine, thirty-five years later and still running beautifully.

 

[royale]

Welcome aboard.

 

[idlemarvel]

Welcome.

Don't run locos over carpet for too long, locos get carpet fibres stuff in their works, carpets get oil and carbon dust deposits. Put some brown paper or similar between the carpet and the track. Keep the woman in your life onside.

 

[Gizzy]

Welcome to the forum Curtis....

 

[Paul M]

Welcome Curtis. You've got the idea really videos and piccys

 

[JimmyB]

Curtis welcome from (not so) sunny Somerset.

 

[65 1057]

Welcome to GSC, Curtis!
I'm also living in Berlin, so let me know if you need help.

Andreas

 

[Sean.]

Welcome aboard ! Curtis

 

[PhilP]

Keep the woman in your life onside.

Is that inside the curve,or outside?


Welcome Curtis.. If you have been lurking for a while, you will know the calibre of the posts here.

 

[Zerogee]

Is that inside the curve,or outside?


Welcome Curtis.. If you have been lurking for a while, you will know the calibre of the posts here.

Calibre, Phil? Isn't that something to do with a big bore....?

Jon.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Calibre, Phil? Isn't that something to do with a big bore....?

Jon.

You could hardly describe G Scale Central as boring

 

[JimmyB]

You could hardly describe G Scale Central as boring

Well not the G Scale forum any how

 

[dunnyrail]

Welcome to the forum Curtis, how long before you get an Allotment in Berlin? Ideal place to build that German Garden Railway. Bet you would make some like minded friends as well that use the site.

 

[Madman]

Welcome aboard, Curtis.

 

[curtis]

Welcome Curtis, great to see the two vids! Couldn't quite make out the loco, is it a Piko 0-6-0?

Indeed it is, Jon. Back in box in my parents attic I have a couple of Stainz loco's from starter sets when I was a kid - I decided I wanted something a little different to add to the collection. I was reasonably impressed with loco in the starterset but I found the wagons from Piko a bit basic - particularly the box car.

We lived in Berlin for three years in the early 80's, and it was there that I bought most of my LGB stuff, including the SEG Mallet. At about 6:30 one cold December morning, about forty of us stood in the snow outside the model train store in Kaiserdamm, waiting for the big red and green truck from Nurnberg to arrive with our Mallets. Everybody there had a receipt for their pre-paid loco, and we lined up to collect them off the back of the truck, supervised by the store manager. There were, if you can believe it, over three hundred identical models on that one truck - all bought and paid-for by eager LGB fans. I still have mine, thirty-five years later and still running beautifully.

That is a wonderful story. I'm actually a bit history fan and as I'm sure you're aware - Berlin is full of it. My personal interest is in social history (the history of ordinary people) so when I read things like this it brings so much colour to the events I've read about or seen in history. Thank you for sharing!

Welcome.

Don't run locos over carpet for too long, locos get carpet fibres stuff in their works, carpets get oil and carbon dust deposits. Put some brown paper or similar between the carpet and the track. Keep the woman in your life onside.

Ahh, good to know - although I've been honest and will say that my locos I had as a kid probably spent a decade or so rolling over them. Probably worth me doing some maintenance on them next time I'm home...
And the women is lovely - actively enabling the habit. I have it on good authority that Santa is bringing a voucher to the local model railway store...

Welcome to GSC, Curtis!
I'm also living in Berlin, so let me know if you need help.

Andreas

Ah, great to find a someone else. Where do you usually find your models? I've become a big fan of Modellbahnen am Mierendorffplatz but always keen to hear of any other locations to checkout.

Is that inside the curve,or outside?


Welcome Curtis.. If you have been lurking for a while, you will know the calibre of the posts here.

All fun - glad to be a part of it!

Welcome to the forum Curtis, how long before you get an Allotment in Berlin? Ideal place to build that German Garden Railway. Bet you would make some like minded friends as well that use the site.

Honestly, we have a rather large indoor plant collection. Not sure I could also find time an allotment!

 

[tac foley]

Ah, great to find a someone else. Where do you usually find your models? I've become a big fan of Modellbahnen am Mierendorffplatz but always keen to hear of any other locations to checkout.

Aaaaah, Modellbahnen, opposite Axel Springer Verlag. After shooting every Sunday morning at Rose Ranges in Zehlendorf, we used to drive across to Mierendorferdamm to dribble over the window displays. It was there that I first saw the Aster Gauge 1 Br01 live steamer, and vowed that one day I'd have one with a nice long train of ozeanblau cars clickety-clacking behind it. It took a while, but in the end I managed to do it...

 

[65 1057]

A good source for Garden Railway specific items is FGB-Berlin (located in Berlin-Zehlendorf, note also his Photo Gallery)
and for Decals Tröger 2m (located in Ludwigsfelde)

Andreas

 

[mike]

Hello and welcome to the madness