Roco 7180017 DR BR18 201 Steam Locomotive IV

1:120 scale model produced by Roco. This model is ready-to-run straight out of the box and would make a excellent addition to any model railway collection.

• Analogue DC Model
• Best suited to Epoch IV Model Railways
• This model mainly operates in Germany
• One-off edition “65 years of 18 201”
• First seen in operational condition at the end of the 1980s with lettering as 18 201
• Ideal addition to the ROCO rolling stock
• Flawless printing and decorative line
• Home of Rbd Halle, Bw Halle P
• NEM Couplings
• 3-Pole Motor
• 6-Pin DCC Interface
• Directional Lighting
• Flywheel Fitted
• 211mm In Length

Details

The Deutsche Reichsbahn express train locomotive 18 201 is one of the most remarkable steam locomotives ever constructed. Built between 1960 and 1961 at the Reichsbahn repair works in Meiningen, it was assembled from components of several earlier locomotives, including parts of the Henschel-Wegmann train locomotive 61 002, the tender of 44 468, elements of the experimental H 45 024, and a locomotive from the DR Class 41. A newly designed boiler from the Class 22, modified with an extended smoke chamber and Giesl ejector, provided the steam power.

Equipped with a counter-pressure brake to ensure accurate speed regulation, the 18 201 was initially approved for a maximum speed of 175 km/h, later increased to 180 km/h, making it the fastest operational steam locomotive in the world. In 1967, the locomotive was converted to oil firing, enhancing both performance and efficiency. With the introduction of the Deutsche Reichsbahn’s computerised numbering system in 1970, it was reclassified as 02 0201-0.

During the GDR era, 18 201 quickly gained heritage status and became a symbol of steam preservation. By the 1980s, it was frequently used for special charter trains, commissioned either by the German Railway Enthusiasts’ Association (DMV) or for Western tour operators, generating valuable foreign currency. In 1985, marking the 150th anniversary of German Railways, it was permitted to travel to West Germany for the first time and was one of the star exhibits at the Nuremberg celebrations.

To this day, locomotive 18 201 remains a legend in railway history, celebrated for its unique construction, record-breaking speed, and enduring role as an ambassador of German steam engineering.