Der Adler: Germany's First Modern Locomotive

[@emilbruns9238]

Fun fact: It‘s not surprising for railways enthusiasts that the development of locomotives started in the English mining industry. However few people know that rail-travel in mines (carts on tracks) was an invention from 15th century Germany. This Innovation came to Britain when Queen Elisabeth I. brought German miners to England in the 16th century

[@stephenkayser3147]

I am one of the few. Good comment.

[@ericcriteser4001]

Flawless modern rails and the original locomotive: awesome. Like the Queen Mary flying through outer space and passing into a worm hole. 😂

[@jeffdayman8183]

Very interesting episode Anthony! The replica seems to go pretty well. I was surprised to hear how small the boiler was on the original. Long station stops to let it catch up, maybe? 8^) Cheers!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

It was designed to run on a line only 6km long with two stations Nuremberg and Furth. It would've been absolutely fine on that route; no need for stop and brew up. And anyway, going by how Planet steams, Stephenson's boilers were excellent steam generators.

[@GianUbertoLauri]

The fire in the Nürnberg museum depot was catastrophic, destroying a very precious collection of engines . It is a very interesting museum, fun as all German museums. Thank you for this video, I thought it was a patentee, nice to know it was a Planet with an extra axle to reduce weight.

[@jenniferhoughton6837]

Interesting to learn De Adler was a sort of modified Planet. I had wrongly thought Der Adler was a Patentee and therefore a half sister of De Arend (Netherlands), Le Belge (Belgium) and Bayard (Italy).

[@grossi71]

Thanks for the very interesting video. I'm living in Fürth and have occasionally seen the Adler in service. She usually runs from Fürth main station to Nuremberg main station, but not on the Ludwigsbahn but on the much younger state line. To avoid changing direction in Nuremberg, she then takes the freight line around Nuremberg that leads back to Fürth. Both lines are very busy with all sorts of modern trains running around, which makes the Adler look especially tiny among them. The route of the old Ludwigsbahn is still very visible. It has been used as a tram line, and the Adler ran on this line for the 125th anniversary in 1960. They had to grind down her wheels for that, and later they had problems changing them back for the 150th anniversary when she was supposed to run on normal railway tracks again. Today the underground line between Fürth and Nuremberg is still mostly following the route of the Ludwigsbahn.

[@stephenkayser3147]

As always Anthony, it is a joy to share in your obvious joy on all the engines you review. I am also grateful for your brilliant research and accuracy. Perhaps you will do a Queensland engine e.g. No1 (At Ipswich Railway Museum).

[@Olant.]

Doctors warned people to travel with this train. "Your Soul could be separated from your Body, due to the enormous speed"! Greetings from Fürth/Germany 🇩🇪

[@Arkay315]

That is a beutiful little locomotive, I think it is amusing that it's carriages are so short.

[@johnd8892]

I was impressed when I first saw vision of the replica Adler running. I was in a large screen cinema using triple projectors for Cinerama films. The 1964 film "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm". At the Plaza cinema Collins Street Melbourne. The most memorable part of the film for me. I was very young of course.

[@abcdeshole]

I was just about to comment on this! I remember seeing this on TV in the 90s and have wondered ever since what film it was. I remembered that it was about the Grimms and had an early steam engine in it.

[@jindlespog8045]

Kinetic sculpture!

[@garryferrington811]

Thanks for correcting the careless Wikipedia article.

[@railenthusiast88]

Very enjoyable video Anthony. The replica almost visited the UK in 2005 for the L&M 175th.

[@Trainskitsetc]

Beautiful

[@JonatanGronoset]

Der Adler is an absolute darling and I'm still in search for the Märklin model of her. Such a tny little thing, driving her must be enjoyable indeed!

[@platformten5958]

Hi Jonatan. I don't think Marklin produced Der Adler in 'OO' Gauge. However, there is one available in 'O' Gauge on the well known auction site for £999.95p + p&p that is part of a set containing 3 coaches. Good luck with your search! Paul. 👍

[@JonatanGronoset]

@@platformten5958 Märklin made a set for H0, it's item no: 26351

[@ЛЬВИНИ]

Good video, like ! ! !

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thank you very much!

[@FlyingScott]

What a lovely sound the replica makes! As someone who is more familiar with broad gauge six-wheeled Stephenson locos, learning this Lilliputian engine is just a Planet+ makes so much more sense!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thankyou! The thing that gets me, is that it sounds exactly like Planet!

[@SuperYoshi411]

Really enjoyed this one 👌 😀 Keep up the good work

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Your vocals are almost being drowned by Der Adler at times.

[@ArthurAndNormandyFan1]

This was an interesting one (as always). Heard quite a bit about this one (having German heritage and all) but never bothered to read in depth about it, it's size when compared to similar locos is rather fascinating to me. In any case, this is another wonderful video packed with great facts!

[@Poliss95]

They made a model in N Scale but I can't afford to buy one. 😭

[@ivovanzon164]

The 1950's replica is in Speyer and is just the outside parts, it can roll but is otherwise non functional except for something that looks like a smoke generator with isolated tubing in the boiler space

[@AntonioCastanoPerez-ie2bs]

Very nice video ❤

[@maryginger4877]

aww... ain't she cute.... ( a deeply academic & technical comment )

[@ExpressRhubarb]

always lovely to see locos from other parts of the world!

[@roberthuron9160]

When the B&O,was working on replicas of its first locomotives,i.e.,Tom Thumb,they also had problems of authenticity! Seems every museum has headaches on early engines,due to lack of relevant engineering materials! The 1830's were a time of great change,and like a baby becoming a toddler,it was learning how to walk,before learning how to run!! Thank you 😇 😊!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

The other problem the B&O was struggling with was having "Major" (not actually a major) Pangborn who was a flim flam merchant and Clement Stretton, a British railway historian who fabricated data, fabricated historic drawings and simply made things up, advising them.

[@foowashere]

Regarding the axle loading and lightweight rails: what’s a typical axle loading of a horse drawn goods railway at the time? Thanks for making and sharing-most enjoyable as always! 👍

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Maybe a tonne. If that.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Lovely video, don't see much of these Victorian locos on the mainline

[@DiegoLiger]

Technically, it's not Victorian: it's pre-Victorian! None of them in the UK run mainline. They do as one-off occasional specials in Norway (Caroline) and in Swtizerland (Limmat). I can't see it happening in the UK other than with a full line possession.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Accuracy will always be a problem when building a replica of these early locomotives, not many detailed records exist anymore, and much is guess work from general knowledge of the engines of the time and pictorials like paintings and illustrations. Also they have to be sure an engine meets basic safety regulations if steamed which excludes the use of wrought iron boiler construction and said cast iron or gas pipe wheels, I believe wooden wheels are OK as wood gives warning signals when it starts to fail. I noticed on the Adler that the new replica has some sort of Gab valve gear, but the levers don't move continuously, was this an improvement made back in the days or is it done for safety reasons in modern operation?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Wrought iron, riveted boilers are used all the time on traction engines and steam rollers. They're perfectly safe. They're safer than welded steel boiler to be honest and can stand more abuse. There's no legislation against them. The problem is these days finding boiler inspectors and insurers who know what they're looking at! Cast iron wheels are also ok, although the replica of Planet has cast steel. The replica of Rocket has cast iron tender and carrying wheels and steel driving wheels. The valve gear on Der Adler is it's own thing. It's not an 1830s design, it's over complicated for the period. It should have drop hooks and slip eccentric like Planet, and indeed like Patentee did: there's a full set of GA drawings for Patentee and for the Harvey Combe from 1838. The replica of Planet has constantly moving levers - and they're perfectly safe. You just need to be aware of them, but some forms of the slip eccentric valve gear did have a means to unlock the levers to stop them constantly wagging - Edward Bury notably - but it was very complicated and a lot of machinery in a small space. Must've been a maintenance nightmare!

[@WickedMuis]

Pity you made no mention of any other Patentee locomotives, like the ones in the Netherlands and Belgium.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Video on Patentee: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIqTmWppd5Kietk Video on Der Arend: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHi6mGRuhL1or8k Video on Le Belge: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmXLnYiph9KGmJI Video on Bayard: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIGYmoiBg7OkgJI

[@srgmiller340]

I have a running model and coaches of the Adler very nice looking loco made by Trix

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Very nice!

[@srgmiller340]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory I also have the Clinton Dewitt the John Bull and the Prussian all in working order and just receive the Hornby Tiger and the Rocket all beautiful looking models

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

@@srgmiller340 Cool! But do be aware that the Hornby Rocket is based on the inaccurate 1930s replica and doesn't depict Rocket in Rainhill condition (in which it only laster a few months) and that the model of Tiger is a work of fiction: we know what Tiger looked like, and it's nothing like the Hornby model 🙂

[@srgmiller340]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory The Lion and Tiger were supposed to be sister locos and should therefore be similar and as for the rocker it is very similar to the one in the museum other than the gauge they are not bad, thank you for the information

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

@@srgmiller340 Thing is, tho' we know what Lion and Tiger looked like in service on the L&MR and LNWR - and, sadly, it's not as the Hornby model of Tiger looks. Hornby clearly did no research. Hope this will explain: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b32aaZVtlppmeac

[@sebastianthomsen2225]

😊👍

[@BJHolloway1]

Very interesting video. There is a big story surrounding the Adler and its original service between Nuremberg and Furth and it is bound to a name you mentioned William Wilson. His story is very interesting. I visited his resting place (in Nuremberg) recently. The issue was why was he buried there and not near Walbottle where his originated from?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

I would suspect he's buried in Nuremburg because he worked for the Bayerische Ludwigsbahn until the end of his days.

[@BJHolloway1]

That is true but it seems like he built a cult following locally. It is said that if he was not driving the train then people would not travel on it. As I said there is a story to unearth here.@@AnthonyDawsonHistory

[@gquayle]

Pity we can't run a replica of Planet or Lion on the UK mainline. Or how possible would it be?

[@railenthusiast88]

Planet did I believe have a certificate from BR permitting use on secondary branch lines.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Planet needs a new boiler. And Lion will never steam again. Planet could run and did have permission from BR in the 1990s to run on secondary routes. It would also need all the modern signalling and safety gear fitting.

[@liverpoolandmanchesterrailway]

Excellent as always Anthony. I am wondering if that arrangement with those coaches and the guide sat on the back like that would be allowed on the UK mainline?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

No it would not, unless it was all cleared by the ORR, Insurers, and was a complete line possession.

[@nostalgiccameralife]

Love the guy doing karaoke on the back seat of the train.

[@shaunbolton4662]

Very interesting! I love the old-time locomotives. I never knew about the major weight restrictions imposed on 'Adler'- or just how small a locomotive it is. Thanks for expanding my knowledge!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Marco-xz9sc]

So when DB rebuilt her they fixed all or majority of the inaccuracies??? Is she closer to the original Adler now?? I got confused

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Its closer, but I don't know about the valve gear.

[@malcolmtaylor518]

Wonderful to see this loco in operation. What is the rail guage, it looks wider than standard?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

It is built to 1435mm gauge. It only looks wide because the locomotive is so tiny.

[@malcolmtaylor518]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory Thanks.

[@sirrliv]

Another episode I've been looking forward to for quite some time. Brilliant show, Dr. Dawson. Thoroughly enjoyed. Quite surprised to hear that Der Adler is not a proper representative of the Patentee Class, yet another pop culture error; I had no idea she was so tiny! One question: Regarding accuracy, where do the replica coaches stand? The 1932-built carriages seen in this footage always seemed rather silly to me; squat and wide, like broad gauge in miniature if that makes any sense. The enclosed carriages that are sometimes paired with this stock look far more like stagecoach bodies than anything seen in Britain. On the other hand, the Nuremburg Museum has (or had, I don't know if it survived the fire) Bayerische Ludwigsbahn personenwagen No.8, which they purport to be an original 1835 carriage that was pulled by Der Adler, and which looks much more conventional to European railway carriage practice of the period, albeit still somewhat shorter than similar carriages from England or France. Bonus question: If you're ever inclined to do a follow-up, or if you or any of your contacts know, I would be interested to hear how the driving experience of the pre- and post-fire rebuilds of Der Adler compare; how much of a different beast is she now that she's at least somewhat more accurate to her predecessor?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thankyou. It can't be a Patentee for one simple reason: it's got flanged driving wheels and a key part of Robert Stephenson's patent was *flangeless* driving wheels. But that seems to have been overlooked down the year. The 1838 Personenwagen is as far as I am aware original, but again heavily restored. The 1935 replica coaches I have no idea about I'm afraid. I dont know the exact changes made to the 1935 replica to improve accuracy.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory I know that the replica coaches were also destroyed in the fire, the iron parts were salvaged, but most of these carriages having been made of wood had to be constructed from scratch, but largely to the 1935 drawings as far as I know.

[@j-moarts3651]

​​​@@AnthonyDawsonHistory hi Anthony, you are far more knowledgeable on what Adler is but I must point out that - at least on the replica - the driving wheels are flangeless as on a Patentee. I have a picture from when I saw her this summer. It's also visible in the opening shot of her in the video at around 0:20

[@DiegoLiger]

@@j-moarts3651 Thanks! I have some old B&W photos of one of the two replicas and it clearly had flanged driving wheels 🤨