Ancestor of the WEK

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1972 - 1981

General view of the old layout, erected in the basement of my parents' house.

All pictures on this page please click to enlarge !

This page shows the ancestor of the WEK-layout with a few ancient photographs.
The layout was started in 1972 with Märklin track and rolling stock. The line was partly equipped with a functional and mainly scratchbuilt catenary.

After a few years part of the layout was overbuilt with scenery - to conceal the "merry-go-round" character of the Märklin railway - and a narrow gauge railway added.
Whilst on the Märklin track trains ran with the help of a home-made automatic train control, an interesting operation was possible in the yard, with a functional crane (Märklin with Wiad-grabber) and - of course - with the narrow gauge railway.

This narrow gauge railway, the "LIF" (Lokalbahn Ilfelder Forst), is to be seen as the direct forerunner of the WEK.
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	The station "Erstfeld". The narrow gauge line terminated directly on the platform, where the track was embedded in cobbled stones. In the background the picturesque Old Town (N-gauge buildings) with the narrow gauge line beneath.
	Click for larger picture !
The station court of "Erstfeld". An articulated bus just enters the bus station (conversion of a Wiking-model with paper bellows). The loco monument was built from a derelict Märklin engine.

	The engine shed of the standard gauge (Märklin-) railway. In the centre is a small diesel shunter ("Köf") with a scratchbuilt brass body on a largely modified Märklin chassis. It even featured remote controlled couplers (Märklin-"Telex").

The shipment yard with the Märklin crane. Gravel from poppy seeds was used. It worked very well with the Wiad grabber. Embedded In the yard are the narrow gauge tracks.
	Click for larger picture !
	The left part of the layout with the narrow gauge engine shed in the centre. It was built on the former site of the standard gauge shed.

The shed, the turntable (both still unfinished on this picture) and the water tower are now well known features of WEK's "Wilhelmstal".

	The telecommunication tower (built entirely from Bristol carton). In the foreground terminates one of the narrow guage lines. The diesel railcar is scratchbuilt (brass body on Fleischmann-N-bogies) and still in service on the WEK, named "T3".
	Click for larger picture !
The narrow gauge line in the rear part of the layout. Loco "Lew", ex Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, with a goods train.

	This was my first steam engine to be scratchbuilt. (Arnold-chassis, brass body) The engine is still in service on the WEK, named Nr. 1 "WILLI".

The End! 1981 the layout was dismantled, after my move from my parents' house two years before. Since there was only occasional operation, this caused the decline of the whole layout. The storys continues with the WEK!
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