The local scales – the scales at the former railroad crossing in Bahnhofstraße
In addition to the Harxheim local scales in Untergasse, there was another scale in Bahnhofstraße directly at the former railroad crossing in the direction of Lörzweiler. The scale existed from about 1910 until the early 1970s.
Weigh house at the former railroad crossing in Bahnhofstraße in front of the premises of the Bücking company
Image source: Willi Buchert
In addition to the weighbridge in the center of the village, there was another weighbridge for carts directly after crossing the former railroad crossing in the direction of Lörzweiler on the left side next to the Bücking company‘s property access road.
The scale was probably built in the period before the First World War in the immediate vicinity of the railroad station.
The weigh house was made of galvanized corrugated sheet metal, a standard model at that time.
Corrugated metal cradle house, standard
Image source: Archive German Historical Museum, Munich
View of the former railroad crossing in Bahnhofstraße; on the right, behind the bush at the entrance gate to the Bücking company, the Wiegehäuschen, on the left, the Mann inn
Image source: Willi Buchert
The weighing platform had dimensions of about 8 m long and 3 m wide and consisted of a strong steel frame and substructure and oak planks supported on it. Due to its direct proximity to the railroad station, this scale was used by private individuals, farmers as well as by the Bücking company located there. Important customers came from Lörzweiler, as they also used the nearby train station. The owner of the scales and weighing master was Katharina Mann, called Manne-Kathrin for short. She and her husband Jakob ran a pub across the street, where passengers arriving by train from work liked to enjoy a Mainzer Aktienbier at the bar before heading home.
When the locksmith’s building of the Bücking company was built in 1924, the entrance gate was set back so far that carts could still drive from both directions over the platform of the scales, but also over the private property of Johann Bücking. Master Bücking was often at loggerheads with Manne-Kathrin, usually over trifles. In annoyance at this, he temporarily positioned obstacles on his private property in the area of the scale. This forced the weighing customers to drive their carts backwards onto the platform, as one of the access directions to the scale was blocked. Woe betide anyone who dared to remove an obstacle from Bücking’s path. The master himself immediately shooed away the troublemaker, using his ever-ready sledgehammer. Normality at the Wiegehäuschen only returned when Bücking had calmed down and taken a cool blonde at the Manne-Kathrin’s for peace purposes.
Weighing house in front of the company building of the Bücking company, probably 1950s
Image source: Willi Buchert
In the mid-1960s, a serious accident occurred at the scale. Early one morning, in the dark, a truck loaded with metal parts drove up for delivery at the Bücking company. Since it was still too early for unloading and the driver had to wait, he drove onto the middle of the cradle platform to park there. Under the load of the heavily laden truck, the platform collapsed in the middle a short time later, and the truck was stuck in the scales up to the axle. As a consequence, the entire heavy load had to be unloaded by hand by the employees of the Bücking company and towed to the locksmith’s shop. Late in the afternoon, thanks to the efforts of many helpers, the truck was unloaded, lifted out of the pit and could be driven home. The scale was repaired a short time later.
The facility was decommissioned in the early 1970s. The weigh house was dismantled and scrapped, and the pit under the weigh platform was backfilled and leveled.
References:
Contemporary witness report by Gerhard Buchert
Own research
