The Bremsberg (Mining Trail 24)

With the commissioning of the Willibald ore processing plant in 1889, transporting the lead and zinc concentrates was initially a major challenge. Initially, it was carried out by horse-drawn carts, later from 1896/97 onwards much more cheaply via a mine railroad to the Ruhrtalbahn in Bestwig.

From the processing plant, the concentrates were transported to the Bremsberg via a tugger train. There, a rail-guided platform lowered two full trolleys at a time around 100 meters into the valley. A counterweight ensured that the empty trolleys were pulled back up again. At the loading station, the goods were reloaded onto railroad wagons. From 1952, powerful trucks took over the transportation.

This facility impressively demonstrates the technical solutions of historic ore mining.