A Railway Fairy Trail  
Hamburg-Bremen-Hameln (Hamlyn) by train  
- in search of the Bremer Stadtmusikanten and the Rattenfänger  - (the Bremen Town Musicians and the Pied Piper)
An early start from Hamburg Hbf on a Metronom train to Bremen. - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Departing Hamburg (left);  good views are possible from the rear of the train due to a full length glass bulkhead and door separating the passengers from the driving compartment.  A Metronom train being propelled by the locomotive and heading back towards Hamburg (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bremen communications tower seen prior to arrival at Bremen Hbf.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bremen Hbf (left).  Novel benches in the street by the Hauptbahnhof (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
The Mühle am Wall (Windmill), Bremen.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
On the way from the Hauptbahnhof to the Old Town, Bremen.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Approaching the Markplatz (left);  Markplatz (right). - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bremer Stadtmusikanten - the symbol of Bremen.  The bronze sculpture by Gerhard Marcks dates from 1951 (left);  kids' version in Markplatz (centre);  on a plate in a street trader's stall (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow

View of the sculpture which is situated on the western side of the town hall (left).  Traditional German beer tankards (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Looking across the Markplatz to the statue of Bremer Roland which stands outside the town hall.  It is the most famous of the 26 Roland statues in Germany - and the largest at over 5.5 metres in height.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Town Hall (left);  The Schnoor quarter (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Vielleicht sollte ich das Katzen Café besuchen  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Böttcherstraße - considered to be Bremen's secret high street (heimliche Hauptsraße).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
The Bringer of Light (left) - a guilt relief at the gateway to Böttcherstraße.  Sculpture in Böttcherstraße (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Narrow streets in the Schnoor quarter.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Modern tram in Ballgebrückstraße (above);  flower stalls by St Peter's Cathedral (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Back to the Hauptbahnhof for a train to Hannover (left);  changing at Hannover for Hameln (Hamlyn) (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow

Hameln (Hamlyn)

  
OHE freight train arriving Hameln (left);  Hameln Hauptbahnhof (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Like Bremen, the old town is a fair walk from the Hauptbahnhof, but once you get on the trail of the Pied Piper (der Rattenfänger) (left) it is simply a matter of following the rats stencilled on the pavement!  Bungelosenstraße (No Drums Street) leading from the Gastätte Rattenfängerhaus (Pied Piper Inn) (right) is still a street where music is banned.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Displays at the Gastätte Rattenfängerhaus.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Hamlyn old town  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Hamlyn old town  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Pied Pier statue.  -  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
River Wesser  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
King Rat  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Modern bus stance near the River Wesser (left);  The modern town hall (Rathaus) (above)  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Pied Piper fountain outside the Rathaus.  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
I wasn't able to find out the significance of this rat (left).  Awaiting departure for Hamburg (right).  - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow

Wind turbines (above) on the way back to Hamburg via Hannover.  Hamburg Hbf (right).
Germany