Info about the original

Celebrate 100 years of the iconic BR 01 express locomotive with us! To mark this special occasion, we are proud to present a faithful recreation of the legendary E 230 train formation, which carried passengers from Dortmund to Cologne in the latter half of the 1950s. The E 230 was the quintessential example of a post-war express train, composed of six pre-war express train coaches paired with modern “yl” city express coaches. All the passenger coaches came from the inventory of Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, showcasing the diverse fleets operated by the railway companies of that era. The train’s locomotive, by contrast, originated from the Cologne Betriebsbahnhof railway depot.

The BR 01 or BR 03 were commonly used on this route, including the renowned 01 100, which has been faithfully recreated in our model. With its powerful build and striking appearance, the BR 01 defined the look of the express train services of its time. On its northern route, the E 230 express train carried passengers through the Ruhr region: Dortmund Hauptbahnhof – Rauxel – Herne – Wanne-Eickel – Gelsenkirchen – Essen-Altenessen – Oberhausen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf.

This train reached its final destination in the late afternoon: Cologne Hauptbahnhof. Evoke the spirit of the 1950s with the BRAWA Express Train Locomotive BR 01 and its matching passenger coaches – customisable to your preferences for an authentic and nostalgic addition to your model railway layout!