I’ve slowly been acquiring a set of harz coaches, and just wondered is there any sort of rules regarding formations or uses I need to know?
so far I’ve only got the 3 items in the photo,
It’s the single ended van that’s the most intriguing, what’s its intended use?
Dan
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The 4 wheel van is a replacement or updated version of the Van used for the Guard. It gives hime somewhere to use an on Train Office but also used for conveying small less than carload manhandled loads. This traffic has long ceased now. But the practice of having that van is still used.
My main interest is the Selktalbahn, like Paul I can post endless pictures but here is where a few words cover a thousand pictures. On the Selktalbahn there were no hard and fast rules of where that van would be, could be either end leaving Gernrode or as in my chosen period circa 1980’s in the middle or 2 to 4 coaches. Perversely there would often be 1 coach (sometimes with a 2-10-2) trains without a van at all.
I much believe that day to day operations would define where the van could be. So day one the van could be on the rear, during that day a coach or two may be added to the rear at Gernrode for strengthening purposes (lots travelling) then perhaps one or two of them detached for the next days service. Typically Railway men being Railway men they would detach the most convenient (or possibly crippled (needing repair) thus meaning that the van could be transposed around the consist of the Train. Though I also believe for the Guards convenience there would have been a chosen location. With this van having doors either end the centre of a train would work nicely.
These 2 grabs from slides taken in 1981 show the same consist as leaving Gernrode and later in the day returning. Note that the van has not been remarshalled on the Train and neither is it in the middle. The van is one of the earlier ones prior to the type that you have that were built or possibly converted in 1989.
