Wagon No. 8

Wagon No. 8, which entered service in 1835, is the only surviving original vehicle from the Ludwig Railway. Originally built for first class passengers, the coach has three compartments, each with two upholstered benches, glazed windows and oil lamps. The Ludwig Railway's first fleet of coaching stock often found itself in need of repair from the very outset, with broken wheels proving to be a frequent problem. In 1846, the carriage received a new underframe and body. It was withdrawn from service in 1877 after more than 40 years of service and having travelled around 655,000 kilometres.

The probably unfounded rumour that King Ludwig I of Bavaria had travelled in the carriage prevented it from being scrapped. Two citizens of Nuremberg, Friedrich Beckh and the banker Georg Cnopf, purchased the coach that same year. They presented it to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, which transferred it to the railway department of the Transport Museum in 1925 as a permanent loan. The paintwork, seat upholstery and window glass were later renewed. The only components of today's vehicle that date from 1835 are the wheel mountings and parts of the axles.