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220 001 at Leer on 22nd September 1979, V200 001 was built by Krauss Maffei in 1953. It was renumbered 220 001 in 1968 and was officially withdrawn from DB service on 21st October 1980. As one of the prototype batch of V200's (V200 001 - V200 005 were completed three years before the first production examples) this locomotive was subject to intensive trials and service testing, the results of which were used to make design improvements to the production locomotives. The prototypes entered regular service in 1954. The prototype V200's are visually quite clean, without the air vents on the nose ends above the lights, as well as having a steam locomotive style whistle fitted on the dome of the nose just below the centre pillar of the windscreen. On the production locomotives air horns were fitted behind the right hand nose air intake cover.
220 001 was the last of the prototype locomotives to remain in service. According to the Fränkische Museums-Eisenbahn website it was withdrawn on 10th July 1980 (having run over 4,000,000 KM), while the Eisenbahn Journal "V200 Special" magazine states 21st October 1980. The FME website also states that the locomotive was stored at AW Nürnburg until 1985 when it was bought by a private individual and placed in the keeping of the FME. However according to the 2005 book "Die Baureihe V200" by Matthias Maier, the locomotive was stopped on 10th July and withdrawn on 21st October. The locomotive was purchased from DB by a private individual on 17th December 1981 and remained in Nürnburg ever since, first in the works, then at the FME. In 2002 it was purchased by the FME. When it was withdrawn it was still fitted with two Maybach engines, however in the V200 book, there is a picture of the locomotive at Nürnburg-Nordost in 2001 with a caption that states it was engineless at the time of the photo.
Currently V200 001 seems to be undergoing a major overhaul, judging by the picture on the FME website. This page gives some brief details of the locomotive, which include the fact that it is fitted with Mercedes engines. It says the overhaul is sponsored by an "investor" that wishes to use the locomotive for hauling commercial trains.
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220 001 at Leer on 22nd September 1979,
just after being taken off the 1253 Rheine - Oldenbürg train.
220 001 at Rastede on 16th April 1980. > [both Keith Bullock]
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001 undergoing restoration to the bodywork at AW Nürnburg on 17th February 1982.
Compare this with the picture on the FME website!
A sign of interest inside the cab of 220 001, taken on 5th July 1979. In translation, it says:
"DL 220 001 - 005 At outside temperatures of +28C and more switch on speed step 6 for a short period, then back to speed step 5 and also if the travelling time is exceeded." In plain English it means "Don't run at full power (notch 6) for longer than necessary if the outside temperature is above 28C."
[both Tom Sawyer, translation by Doug Tompkins]