Probably the best known replicas of Märklin 0 gauge trains are models sold under the name Hehr. The models are very faithful replicas of the original Märklin trains and the name Hehr has become almost synonymous with Märklin. Many collectors and operators of Märklin trains would readily settle for a Hehr replica in order to have a desired Märklin locomotive or piece of rolling stock in their collection or on their layout. Auction prices of Hehr trains approach those of the Märklin originals.
Hehr replicas are made near Stuttgart, Germany by the company Blumhardt & Cie. Founded by the Blumhardt family who opened a toy store in 1850 and then in 1864 Blumhardt became a supplier of toys to the royal court. Herr Bernhard Hehr has run the firm since 1968. The Hehr family acquired the firm in 1971 and originally produced 1:45 0 scale train models. (Ref 1)
Blumhardt/Hehr has been producing beautiful replicas of Märklin 0 gauge trains since 1976. The models are built in very limited quantities and are sold directly to established collectors/customers. Hehr does little advertising and has no website. But the models can be found at auctions such as those conducted by Christies, C. Selzer, eBay, Lankes, and Ralston.
Hehr’s first locomotive in 1976 was a replica of the Märklin S 64 Bo’ Bo’ "Gotthard” electric locomotive first produced by Märklin in 1925. It sold for DM 1250,00 (Ref 2).
Hehr’s first replica of the famousMärklin CCS 12920 Crocodile (in green) was produced from 1979 to 1985. (Ref 2)
Since 1976 Hehr has concentrated on producing replicas of the higher end, more prototypical and scale looking Märklin trains. Hehr has produced replica locomotives, steam and electric, railcars, the 40 cm passenger coaches, and Märklin’s prototypical 2-axle/16.5 cm/18.5 cm and 4-axle/24.5 cm freight wagons.
Little has been written about Hehr and I am not aware of an up-to-date catalog or listing of all the trains Hehr has produced since 1976. In the 1980s the German language Märklin 0 gauge price guide Marktpreis Märklin Spur 0, 1919-1954 published annually by Hans-Willi Walter, listed the Hehr trains and their prices in Deutsche Marks, but the Spur 0 price guides are no longer published. It is beyond the scope of this article to provide a complete inventory of Hehr trains. Rather I have listed below Hehr replica locomotives that I am aware of and the year they were produced. (Note that the two digits following the item numberis the year the model was first produced.) I have illustrated only a couple of these wonderful Hehr trains.
Hehr Locomotives 1976 – 2009
| Steam Locomotives | Electric Locomotives | Railcars/Trams |
| TK 1020/77 4-6-4 Tank Engine “Stephenson” | S 64/76 Bo’Bo’ | NL 13020/78 |
| TMN 13020/82 2-4-0 Tank Engine | CL 64/77 Bo’Bo’ | RHL 13020/83 Three car tram |
| TM 13020/82 0-6-0 LNER Tank Engine | CCS 12920/79 Crocodile | 13070/89 Two car tram |
| H 13020/83 4-6-2 PLM | HS 12920/81 2’C1’ | MOB 13020/04 Montreux-BernerOberland-Bahn;Golden Mountain 35.5 cm wagons + a Treibwagen |
| HR 12920/84 BR1 4-6-2 in black & gray | CS 13020/00 | |
| SLH 12920/85 Borsig Streamlined 4-6-2 | RS 13030/02 | |
| ME 12920/86 4-8-2 French Mountain in black & gray |
RCS 12920/02 | |
| TK 12920/88 4-6-4 Tank Engine | RS 13050/02 | |
| L 12920/90 2-8-2 “Cock o’the North” in
green & black |
RS 12950/02 | |
| TCE 12920/92 4-4-2 Tank Engine | MS 12920/09 prototype E 18 | |
| T 12920/96 0-4-0 Tank Engine |
Hehr “Cock o’ the North” in Black
The Hehr RS 13030 Electric Locomotive
Hehr 1941R Rheingold Passenger Coach
Hehr continues to produce these high quality Märklin replica trains today. It is interesting to note that with their latest locomotive model of the Class E 18 electric locomotive, introduced in 1935 for passenger service, Hehr has for the first time produced a train that was never actually produced by Märklin. The advertisement identifies the model as a “replica of a toy locomotive from 1939”. As discussed further in the next section on Hobby Haas trains, Märklin did build a prototype model of the E18 in the late 30s. The model is certainly in the style of Märklin .
Hehr can be contacted at the following addresses:
Firma Blumhardt&Cie
Max-Eyth-Strasse 2
71409 Schwaikheim
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 7195 52444
E-Mail: hehrreplica@yahoo.de
Next: Hobby Haas
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