On a sunny Tuesday morning in March, the time had come: we said goodbye to “Nelli”, our presumably oldest still-existing “tank container” and loyal eye-catcher in front of the VTG Center. Since November 2021, she had been standing on Nagelsweg — well known to many of you as that quirky little landmark on the way to the office.
But just as we will soon be moving into our new building, Nelli has now found a “new home” of her own as well.
A look at Nelli’s history
Nelli is not only a historic piece of VTG DNA, but also a true community project:
✓ She was discovered on eBay Kleinanzeigen – by colleagues who spontaneously initiated her repurchase by VTG.
✓ From Baden-Württemberg, she was brought to Hamburg – with her place of origin, Nellingen, serving as her namesake.
✓ At the VTG RailTrain workshop, apprentices completely refurbished Nelli from the ground up: cleaning, restoring, and returning her to her original condition.
✓ On 4 November 2021, she was finally placed in front of the VTG Center.
Nelli sets off her journey
After some minor technical hiccups, work began early on 3 March to dismantle Nelli. Two VTG RailTrain apprentices were also on site to accompany her safely to her new location: the RailTrain premises at the Port of Hamburg. From now on, that’s where she will stand – in a way, returning to her roots.
Why Nelli is getting a “New Home”
In our New Home, the Fleetyard, there is unfortunately no permanent place for Nelli due to space constraints. All the nicer, then, that she now stands once again at VTG RailTrain – exactly where she was lovingly restored years ago. A real “coming home.”
Nelli will therefore continue to be a part of us – just in a new location. And perhaps, during your next visit to RailTrain, you’ll remember how she accompanied us for many years in front of the VTG Center.
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