Sometime in the early 50s my father tried his hand at another business venture by leasing the "Bahnhof-Gaststätte" in Croya, a no-horse-town deep in Lower Saxony's deepest hinterland.
My memories of that time are vague but I know that it was before 1952 because I hadn't started school yet, and that I was popular with the local kids as I had unfettered access to all the sweets and soft drinks.
There was still a train running, although not as vintage as the one shown in the photo, when we left which wasn't long after. This was immediate post-war Germany and the 'Wirtschaftswunder' hadn't happened yet. The locals weren't spending enough to keep the lights on and perhaps my giving away sweets and soft drinks didn't help either.
Today the old railway station and guesthouse is a private home, perhaps owned by a railway buff who outgrew his model railway - click here.
Perhaps he dreams of being in charge of the level crossing like 'Schrankenwärter Laumann' - if the trains were still running.
