Click on coloured words to get to the corresponding site !
The Sights of Wilhelmstal
Wrapped Factory
Immediately after having wrapped the Berlin Reichstag, the world famous artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude came to Wilhelmstal, following an invitation of the management of the Wilhelmstal Bicycle Factory, to wrap this building, too.
The takings from sightseeing soon exceeded the turnover from producing bicycles, so it was decided, with the artist's approval, to leave the cloth with the characteristic silver gleam until further notice.
Engines of this type are also characteristic for the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales, where some of them are still in regular service.
The model is entirely scratchbuilt from brass and nickel silver. All eight wheels are driven by a coreless motor plus flywheel.
"Lew", Manning Wardle, Leeds, 1925
This engine was built in 1925 for the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in Southwest-England, which was closed in 1935 already. She helped with dismantling the line until 1936 and was then sold to Brazil. Their traces were long lost after this ...
1978 she could be aquired - with the help of the British manufacturer Rodney Stenning - by the LIF, and then 1981 by the WEK. Here she hauls all kind of trains.
White metal kit, Rodney Stenning, Minitrix 2-6-2 chassis; Faulhaber motor 1016 with flywheel
at the diesel depot in Wilhelmstal. The original engine has been built by the German loco builder Jung in 1952. After giving service on various metre gauge railways in Germany it is now restored to working order and in service at the Museumsbahn Bruchhausen-Vilsen-Asendorf in northern Germany.
(Model from a whitemetal and brass kit by Panier )
P.W. Trolley(s)
For official use the WEK has several small and versatile vehicles, for instance this motor car. It was fabricated by the WEK works using two van bodies that were found in the spare parts store of the old DKW dealer after his death (DKW - old brand of a German car manufacturer, was absorbed by Auto Union, now Audi). The bodies were wrapped in oiled paper and withstood the temptation to corrode for several decades!
(Model scratch build, chassis solid brass with coreless motor, flywheel - resulting in excellent running capabilities!)
On this picture you also see the rail bicycle that is towed by the motor car, because its driving chain broke.
(Model from a Spieth kit, etched brass, lostwax castings - patterns for these have been produced by WEK)
Click on coloured words to get to the corresponding site !
Motive Power - 3
New acquisition: Diesel tractor Ns2h
From a light industrial railway near Dresden the WEK could buy this engine (Type Ns2h, LKM - Locomotive Works Karl Marx, Babelsberg). It was reconstructed by Technomodell, Engineer G. Walter, and has an excellent performance.
Click for larger picture !
Diesel Engine "Moelwyn 2"
Sister engine to the famous Ffestiniog Railway "Moelwyn". Reconstruction of a Baldwin Gas Mechanical Engine for WW1.
Model from a Meridian Models kit. According to the alterations the FR gave to "Moelwyn", this loco also received a front pony truck, a lowered cab roof and some other typical features.
Disaster !
During the hurricane "Emma" weekend (March 1st, 2008) "Moelwyn 2" suffered severely from a landslide and a subsequently fallen tree. WEK authorities consider the damage of the engine beyond repair.
Luckily the driver had a narrow escape, so there were no injuries.
(During transport to an exhibition the model escaped from a temporary transport case and fell near the locker of the boot lid of the car. This remained unnoticed until the lid refused to close. Strong advise: don't hurry with packing your models!)
Click on coloured words to get to the corresponding site !
Modern Goods Traffic - 1
Diesel fuel from Russia
Recently the importing of diesel fuel for the engines of the WEK has commenced directly from Russia. This has been made possible thanks to good connections of the wife of the WEK's General Manager to Russia.
Which route the Yukos waggons take on their way to Wilhelmstal still remains top secret!
Insiders assume that Egorovs of St Petersburg plays an important part in this business ...
Click for larger picture !
Tidiness is essential !
No wonder that the tank waggons (still) don't have the otherwise typical greasy look. They are maintained with care !
The oil company is well aware of the fact, that a proper public appearance encourages customers to enhance business.
(Model: PERESVET TT-Models, St. Peterburg/Russia, "regauged" to 9 mm, Bemo couplings)
Click here for Peresvet catalogue in Russian language.
This is how the WEK's layout is presented in the living room.
Glass windows give good protection against dust (and small fingers, too!).
Click for larger picture !
Turntable Fiddleyard
This turntable fiddleyard takes five trains of 2' 4" and in addition 14 single vehicles..
The tracks are electrically connected to the exit rail by self acting contact studs. The turntable runs on brass wheels that provide exact adjustment at the rail joins.
A separate control panel allows individual control of the fiddleyard area plus the track section into the factory (see track plan
!).
Fiddleyard - Turntable
