The G-Scale Delights of Augsburg

I love travel programmes and especially when it involves travelling by train. So, The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys series which has been showing on Channel 5 has been a real treat. Last month, on the 5th February, we were taken on a journey through Bavaria. It took us through the Bavarian Alps, with stopping points including a former Olympic village, Germany's highest mountain, and a quick tipple with a beer-brewing monk. You can see it on the My5 Catch up service HERE.

Augsburg

One of the key stops on the journey was Augsburg with its famous Bahnpark Railway Museum which is housed on part of the site of a major locomotive and maintenace shed, which was built in 1906 by the Royal Bavarian State Railways. Originally, it included two roundhouses with turntables south of the Augsburg Hauptbahnhof. On the area surrounding the Bahnpark are further buildings (workshops, washdown areas, wheelset repair workshops and accommodation for the locomotive crews) belonging to the former repair shop. Its attractions three locomotive halls, a huge G-Scale model railway (see it on YouTube HERE) and a 7 1/4" miniature railway. The Museum has an interesting Website (which is in German, obviously, but you can find your way around it easily - click HERE).

G-Scale

G-Scale gives adults a real opportunity to play trains and have fun. The models are realistic but you don't have to model everything down to the last rivet. Quite the opposite. You can build a layout with a few buildings and minimal scenary and off you go. You obviously need quite a bit of space, so it's a scale that's ideal for garden railways and radio control. So, great for a Summer afternoon with the family. Or an afternoon with a group of you - and perhaps a barbecue and a beer or two! However, that doesn't stop you having an indoor layout if you have an area with enough space, such as a large shed or garage.

If you're interested in G-Scale, we'll be covering it further in future Blogs on this Site. Like me, you can also join the G Scale Society, which has a great website.

Selwyn.