November - Intercity Railway Society

Railway Globetrotters
by Ray Smith
LADS WEEK 2011 ...well actually it was 10 days – Part 6 (final):
Day 10 - April 17 th 2011:
This was the day, Sunday and the big sheds. An early start was made with the first call being the
private company HGK (Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG) at Bruhl. We were met with an empty car
park and a high metal fence with security gates. There was an intercom so I pressed it and explained
to ‘the voice’ what we wanted to do and amazingly the gates opened. We drove in and eventually
found the man. All was well and there were 27 locomotives there. All private operators, mainly HGK
with 6 others, all Cl.66s. HGK has its own numbering system but like other private operators who’s
locomotives work on DB tracks they carry a DB class computer number as well. In some cases they
may also carry their maker’s number. For example Vossloh 1001464 carries HGK number DH50 and
DB number 271003. Does this mean the spotter gets 3 cops? After thanking the man we drove off and
as we approached the gate it opened to let us out. Big brother IS watching!
Vossloh, G1700 5001535 stands outside the
HGK workshops in Bruhl.
It is painted in HGK livery but does not have an
HGK number. It also carries DB 277804,
17 th April 2011
instantly recognisable
HGK Cl.66 DE670 ( DB 266070)
outside the workshop at Bruhl,
17 th April 2011
Cl.DE1002, No. DE85, (DB 272023)
at Bruhl, 17 th April 2011
another 3 number locomotive, blue liveried
Vossloh 1001035, DH751 (DB 273106) is
stabled at Bruhl, 17 th April 2011
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