The Ringgleis (hi-)story: Jumping from a train bridge because of lovesickness
Also the Ringgleis has its history. This Saturday it is told in a different way. Hans-W. Fechtel, an engineer, reports with the help of Wolfgang Henschel, the former head of the Brunswieck Westbahnhof, about the changeful history of the Brunswieck railway. The guided tour is offered as a part of the programme „Braunschweiger Spaziergänge 2023“ under the patronage of the „Arbeitskreis für andere Geschichte e.V.“
Guided tour with sidekick
Despite today’s heat a couple of interested people gathers at the Borsigstraße, corner of Schwarzkopfstraße. Isolede Saalmann as a representative of the Arbeitskreis introduces today’s topic: state railway-workshop, Lokpark and switch yard. I admit that I did not know what to expect. But I take potluck. Saalmann tells us that this is already the forth stroll over the Ringgleis. Today’s expert is Hans-W. Fechtel.
Actually Fechtel organized some additional staff for support. He calls it a „sidekick“. Wolfang Henschel is an incarnated railway encyclopedia. We are standing on the forecourt of the former state railway workshop. Fechtel folds open a huge map showing the Ringgleis. All four corners of this route have a label. The south part of it is called the „Bahngleis“ (track). Next thing he holds a plan in his hands showing the railway network of 1904. However we are much further going back in history. The year 1838. Around this time the German state railway takes up its business employing an English train driver. The engine itself also comes from England. The so called Ottmerbau is the home of the former terminal.
From Brunswieck to Neustadt
The first trains drove to Neustadt. I think to myself: „What kind of Neustadt. Neustadt at the Rübenberge? No. Actually Bad Harzburg was called Neustadt at that time. As Brunswieck is strategically favourably located at the magistrale between Cologne and Berlin quickly new connections were established. Transportation links to Helmstedt were established in 1870 and to Fallersleben in the year 1902.
Already in the year 1915 plans for a new switch yard were made. It is supposed to be elevated by six metres, higher than the old Ostbahnhof. After World War I the construction work began. The new building is supposed to be a station with a rectified gradient to make it less labor-intensive. This is only possible with an earth dam of sand. The sand comes from the Lindberg and goes to the Kennelarea. In order to accommodate the workers the Lämmerteich-railroader-settlement is build.
Due to the economic depression at that time the civils works are delayed. The new government in 1937 is bound to become economically more independent. For this reason a top-class steel factory is built at Salzgitter. Twenty furnaces are standing there.
Getting into trouble with the Lokpark
We take a closer look at the area. On the right hand side there is the former canteen of the railway workshop. According to nowadays standards it is a magnificent building. Lastly the place was the Panoramic Tanzcafé, today it is an event house. Just straight we walk towards the former gatehouse. I guess it is a private property nowadays. We move on the compound and come across the key piece: the engine repair unit. It was build in the year 1924 and is a protected monument by now. Until the year 1976 the factory was in use. After that the steam train era ended. The buiding next to it used to be the boiler stop. Today the Westermann school book publisher has its storage here.
We move on and reach the Lokpark. We take a look at the former thrower’s engine. Suddenly an angry-looking pair of eyes is staring at me. Isolde Saalmann disappears shortly. Upon her return she let’s us know that the craftsmen here are not enthusiastic about our sojourn. They claim it is too dangerous for us. Fechtel however remains calm and completes his explanation.
At the end of this stroll we walk over to the former switch yard. The place was officially brought into service on October 1943.
Out of lovesickness into the depth
Sidekick Wolfgang Henschel used to be the head of the Brunswieck freight depot „Westbahnhof“ and boss of 400 employees. He remembers his long working days very well. Especially those when he had his walks around talking to his people. „On those days“, he tells us, „I told my wife that I will be late. He was known as being someone who takes his time to listen to the trials and tribulations of his staff.
Finally he tells us anecdote: during his function a young women once jumped from a train bridge. Miraculously she survived unharmed. She has jumped after a quarrel with her boyfriend who threatened to leave her. After the incident the reconvene again. All’s wellt hat ends well.
