Aster and LGB - # 20811

A member of the 99 7234 family - Courtesy of HSB.de

For the next cooperation with Aster it took only a year (after the LGB/Aster # 20831) to introduce the Harz Narrow Gauge RR/Germany. The HSB 99-7243-1; LGB # 20811 was presented in 1999.

The archetype HSB 99 72431- a 5-axle 2-10-2 loco- was built between 1954 and 1956 by the East German Railroad (Communism regime) as one of 17 locomotives, all for narrow gauge 1 meter (3 ft 3 3/8 in). By 1993 all 17 locomotives were taken over by the HSB RR, Brockenbahn, by now the unified Germany. All 17 engines are still existing today and the HSB 99 7243-1 is one of the few still operational.

LGB was celebrating their 30th anniversary in 1998 when  planing/ construction for the LGB 20811 started. They wanted something special. First, the model is and was truly a German narrow gauge engine. The Brocken RR is located in the heart of Germany and entertwined by history, fairy tales, folklore and classic literature. The Brocken RR is a true tourist attraction in one of the most beautiful areas in Germany and offers true narrow gauge experience of eras gone by.                                                                                                                                           

The Brocken  RR and a 99734-1 - Courtesy of oberharz.de

Germany was about to celebrate its 10 year anniversary of unification (1989 to 1999) and what better type to choose than the HSB 99 7243 as a loco to honor both celebrations, 30 years LGB and 10 years of unification.
BUT -- LGB had to advertise this new all-metal Aster/LGB loco before they even had a hand model.... They had to come up with something...even though nobody had thought about production volume or advertising....

From the 1999 New Items brochure

So they took to the archetype, photographed it and now had to come up with an edition number. LGB still had some of the previous Aster models left, some of the LGB 20821 as well as of the # 20831. But they also had the new digital system to sell and some Aster/LGB 20811 models were meant to have this new sound/digital system. Hence they printed :"Production 600 pieces."

By the time LGB/Aster was getting ready for production things had ripened a bit. Since the catalog/brochure printing LGB thought of something very special: To have each and every Aster/LGB loco given their own individual number. The edition volume of the LGB 20811 was 800. And each loco would have their own number starting from 101 through 900:

LGB 20811 here shown # 707 - Courtesy of Only Trains

LGB had also just introduced their digital system MTS (Multi Train System) and a little later offered another 300 LGB # 20811 engines with a digital decoder under the number LGB # 20811.8. As before the engines were sold in a wooden box which this time also carried the individual loco number on a brass plate in front of the box

LGB 20811 packaging - Courtesy of Only Trains

The LGB 20811 sold for US$ 3,000.00 to 3,500.00 in 1999 and currently several engines, also digital, are for sale offered between US$ 3,300.00 and 4,300.00.

LGB 20811 No 682 - Courtesy of Only Trains

Then there is another 'anomaly': 4 LGB 20811 were gold plated by LGB. YT has a hunch that they were made for just one dealer in the USA. Today one such engine is left and for sale by Gold Coast Station/CA for US $ 15.000.00

Gold plated  LGB 20811 at Gold Coast Station, currently offered for US$ 15,000.00
(as of  April  2020)

++++++++++++++++++++++ to be continued..........................