After a hot sunny day in Berlin, I visited a number of locations and tourist sites. I had been thinking about wandering the Metro in Berlin for awhile, however I was put off by the fact it appeared too easy. Also the presence of security personnel carrying automatic rifles was detrimental to my desire to explore. I had spent the evening chilling out on Templehof airport's runway, it's now a park. And as such had to venture into the Metro to get my lodgings in Northern Berlin. So Mehringdamm Station would be en route. I'd swapped emails with an explorer from Luton who'd been before and supplied a list of highlights. Mehringdamm apparently had a bridge, where two lines crossed that could be of interest.

I stepped off the train at Mehringdamm, and looked at the options available to me. Basically peering down the tunnel. After looking at access points, and checking for visual security measures, I hopped onto the next train, to have a look at what lay ahead. All looked good, so I took the train back. It was here I realised that this station has two platforms. One for two northbound lines, and one for two southbound lines. Getting back to the Northbound platforms, I sat on the steps and waited for a train to come in and a chance of the the platform emptying.

A train came, but there were still a few people milling about. So I had to jump off the platform on the opposite side to the one i'd have liked. On the tracks I quickly tried to sort out cover. As the next train came through, I curled up into a ball in what little shadow I could find. After it passed I knew I had 9 minutes to play with. I crossed over to the tracks i'd originally tried to get too, and took the tripod and camera out. Here 3 tracks ran next to each other at 3 different levels. The one on the right lead to the next station. The one on the far left ran southbound to the other platforms at Mehringdamm. The middle one i think ran the other line Northbound to Mockenbrucke station.

Looking down the tracks to the Northbound platforms at Mehringdamm. It was weird hearing voices a handful of metres away, and if I achieved certain angles of vision, actually seeing them. While all the time wandering around forbidden areas. This somewhat thankfully, was the only point where I had to cross the live rail. I was a little apprehensive, as it's higher than other live rail's i've crossed. I had a vague feeling that the live rail is covered here, but wasn't going to chance it.

50m or so up from the platform i'd jumped off, I came into a large open area with three tracks, two of which merged.

It wasn't long before i heard a familiar rumble, and a train had pulled into Mehringdamm station, ready to head north to Halesches t0r. I set the camera up and hit the timer as the train was close to emerging. I then dived behind some white sacks that were luckily not too hard landing. The train wasn't moving too fast, so I was able to get more colour into the shot below of the train. The stair case on the left lead up to some higher tracks, and at the bottom were some steps down, that went into an underpass, that popped up next to some more tracks. As then, i still remain confused as to where each track went.

At the top of the steps in the picture above, 2 sets of tracks can be seen. One through the hole in the middle wall. My ghosted figure appears in the bottom left, as a train came through while I was exposing.

Going back down the steps above, and then down further, through the underpass. I happened on more tracks. These lie directly below the tracks in the above shot.

Back in the main open area, I grabbed another shot of a train, this time looking South to Mehringdamm station. The track nearest me went to a siding, that was currently covered with scaffolding. The area was eerily quiet with no trains and just the distant echo of voices from the platform. I wanted to feel relaxed, but not having read much about trespassing on the tracks of the U--Bahn, I remained on edge.

I then returned to the lower steps mentioned above, and through the underpass. A shot looking up the tracks to the North, trains come down these tracks to the Southbound platforms off to the left of the picture.

Wearing my shredded to hell gore-tex coat that's served me well all over the world, I was perspiring splendidly in the hot humid tunnels. Although nowhere near as bad as New Yorks mid summer, which are vile. Tired and keen for a cold German beer, I hopped up the steps behind me on the left, and had to play hide and seek down the path, checking and ducking into doorways, as people wandered about on the platforms. I popped back on the platforms and sat back on the steps away from the visual recording devices present. A couple of passengers saw me and looked a little perplexed, but took no action. I caught the next train North, and went through the area i'd just been exploring, continuing on North.

Getting to the local bar near my lodgings, I had a rewarding beer to a busy day. Somehow, the name of the bar seemed rather appropriate.

Thanks to Luton's daredevil explorer Lutex for station feature tips