2019 Part 4 (September - November)

245006 waits time at Aulendorf with RE4209 0801 Stuttgart - Lindau, which it had taken over from Ulm (12/09/2019)

218438 is pictured on arrival at Stuttgart with RE4214 0905 from Lindau, which the 'Rabbit' had unusually worked throughout due to a shortage of electric locos (12/09/2019)

Shortly afterwards 218438 makes its way to the sidings with the empty stock off RE4214. Fortunately I didn't have long to wait for its next working, which turned out to be RE4219 1240 to Ulm (12/09/2019)

218824 makes the most of some gorgeous late summer weather whilst on 'Thunderbird' duties at Stuttgart (12/09/2019)

218432 waits to depart from Ulm with RE4247 1412 to Lindau. Not too long ago this would have been a through IC service from Dortmund to Innsbruck, but these workings have currently been curtailed due to the volume of electrification work taking place on the 'Sudbahn' (12/09/2019)

218432 is pictured again at Aulendorf with RE4247 (12/09/2019)

A further photo opportunity was on offer at Friedrichshafen Stadt, where 218432 is once again pictured before propelling RE4247 forward to Lindau after the booked reversal (12/09/2019)

The station clock says it all as 218434 awaits departure from Aalen the next morning with RE22393 0553 to Ulm. The untold story however is that I'd got myself out of bed to cover the 0427 inward working - which thankfully today was the anticipated traction (13/09/2019)

Two German railway classics on borrowed time: 218434 is pictured on arrival back into Ulm with RE22393, whilst in the background 120119 prepares to shunt the empty stock for IC2097 0713 to Munchen Hbf (13/09/2019)

Another view of 218434 after arriving back into Ulm with RE22393 from Aalen. I'd previously travelled the route just once in each direction with a '218' hence the early start to cover what on paper is now the only loco hauled trip of the day (13/09/2019)

Later that morning 218434 is pictured again waiting to depart from Donaueschingen with RE22321 1122 to Ulm, having gone on to work the next leg of the diagram as I'd hoped it would (13/09/2019)

One of those awkward moments when you photograph a train that you know you really ought to be getting on, but daren't in case you shoot yourself in the foot! 218409 basks in the afternoon sunshine at Ulm before working RE4247 1412 to Lindau (13/09/2019)

I chose instead to board a DMU over to Kempten to cover the Friday afternoon commuter trains out of Munich, on the off chance that my last available '218' had come it out play. Naturally it was still sitting outside the shed - where it had been since at least Wednesday! There was though a pre-planned consolation prize on offer in the shape of 218465 + 218403, seen here arriving with EC195 1302 Zurich - Munchen Hbf (13/09/2019)

In the last of the daylight, 218463 + 218452 await departure from Kempten later that evening with EC190 1815 Munchen - Basel (13/09/2019)

Early the next morning 218403 + 218465 await departure from Munchen Hbf with EC196 0714 to Zurich (14/09/2019)

Not quite the synchronised exhaust plumes I'd anticipated, but for the record here are the same pair departing Kempten just over 90 minutes later on EC196 (14/09/2019)

Following closely behind was 223063 on ALX84104 0720 Munchen - Lindau (14/09/2019)

With the anticipated sunshine beginning to break through the morning haze, 245005 calls at Kempten with the RE57392 0742 Munchen - Lindau. I'd been hoping the weekend-only 'Radlzug' might drop a '218' (if only to cut down my potential fester later that evening) but it's been a pretty solid '245' whenever I've seen it this year (14/09/2019)

223065 sweeps round the curve into Kempten with ALX84106. The arrival of the 0919 Munchen - Lindau was though an indication that I'd now been stuck here for more than two hours after my intended train back north (EC191) had unusually met with delay over the Swiss border (14/09/2019)

Later that afternoon 218415 waits to depart from Kempten with RE57597 1736 to Munchen Hbf. Just visible at the rear is sister lok 218424 (with which it was working in multiple) and beyond are the carriages of IC2013 on which I'd arrived from Stuttgart with 218456 + 218481 (14/09/2019)

On gorgeous late summer evening, 218424 brings up the rear of RE57597 on departure from Buchloe (14/09/2019)

218463 + 218452 just about catch the last of the day's sunshine whilst arriving into Buchloe on EC190 1815 Munchen Hbf - Basel SBB (14/09/2019)

Kempten at dusk: 218463 + 218452 wait time with EC190 (14/09/2019)

Another view of 218463 + 218452 at Kempten before continuing their journey south to Lindau on EC190 1815 Munich - Basel (14/09/2019)