Bregenzawaldbahn

One of the questions that might be asked of a Garden railway is "is it a model railway"?  To me the answer is "Yes", but a qualified "Yes".  It is probably extremely unlikely that anyone will be able to reproduce in an exterior environment the level of detail that can be possible on an indoor layout.

However, linked locomotives and rolling stock can give a realistic impression, even if the setting as with so many indoor railways is "somewhere in Austria" say.  I've mentioned previously that setting Iscatalbahn in the Lake Bodensee would offer the chance to run the mix of German (DB and DR), Swiss (Rhb Tractor and box vans) and Austrian (lots) rolling stock and locomotives that I have acquired.

This has lead me to research the real railways that ran around the Bodensee/Lake Constance and the Austrian portion of the lake shore line was served by the Bregenzawaldbahn (I'm still working on the orbital trains).  Prior to going to Germany in October 2012 I'd tracked down the website for the Bregenzawaldbahn museumbahn and looked at thier steam locomotive pages, diesel locomotive pages and coach and wagon pages.

Following comments on The Elly, James & Keith Light Railway blog then I was on the look for some Bahn Im bild books and got a German chum to get number 211 for me:

What this offered was lots of pictures of the railway in operation, not as a heritage railway but as part of the Austrain railways network.    This had pictures of various 2095 diesels.   Many times the Steam locomotive is the ZB4 (699.01) (standing for Zillertalbahn no 4) which is an 0-8-0 with a tender:

The Heritage railway however is running a couple of U class locos - U24 and U25.  

Which brings me to what I have:

The snowplow was out and ready for the recent bad weather, although Exeter saw very little snow and I'd need to give the track a good clean and check all the joints after winter movement before trying to run stuff.   The U classes are a black Zillertal no 2, and grey U43.

But I have found on German Ebay a seller who makes brass nameplates for Bezau (U24) and possibly U25.  There is the dreaded Uberweisung (bank transfer for payment) word so I am going to have to talk nicely to a German friend to get them.   I'm not sure about the blue/cream coaches:  it is certainly an Austrian narrow gauge colour scheme but the pictures in the Bahn im bild book are either green, or in the case of black and white photos clearly a single dark colour. 

The red double bogie diesel that I have is running number 2095.06 (which appears in a photo 5/8/69) albiet in the all cream/red older style livery.     

What was good about the Bahn im bild book though was the sheer variety of coaches in use, and that some of them were clearly four window stock that matches the LGB short coaches. 

The Manner box wagon is I think only the fifth brand new item of rolling stock i have purchased.  I have seen no evidence yet for such a real box car, but Manner is an Austrian confectioner and thus very appropriate.   Saving up for a Dollnitz Diesel - what was in reality an underpowered early diesel - some of which were used on the Bregenzawaldbahn.   Given their cost and chipping etc, then the target is below 16 stone and I can place the order...  

I envisage that each contingent (Swiss, German, Austrian) will also have some small steam shunting locos (in this case a a couple of Stainz)  and a small diesel, which I haven't photographed as part of the ensemble.  The Stainz is Austrian although not native to the Bregenzawaldbahn.  

Finally, the Hillhead and Dales Light Railway blog has a very strong Bregenzawaldbahn theme.