Borsig! – Berlin's Locomotive King by Bike

Borsig! – Berlin's Locomotive King by Bike

Time: 12:00 - Midday
Start: Hamburger Bahnhof – Main Entrance
Distance: 30 km
Suggested contribution: €5

This week we'll be following the story of August Borsig, one of the men who helped turn Berlin into an industrial powerhouse—and the company that became Europe's largest locomotive manufacturer.

We'll cycle across Berlin following Borsig's remarkable journey from a small factory outside the old city walls, through the industrial landscape of Moabit, to the enormous works in Tegel.

Along the way we'll see how the requirements of heavy industry pushed factories further and further away from the city centre, and how each move created new industrial landscapes, transport connections and workers' housing.

We'll finish at the magnificent Borsigwerke in Tegel, beneath the famous Borsigturm.

The Tour
We will follow the story of Borsig through three generations of factories.
We'll begin near the former Borsig works on Chausseestraße, where August Borsig established his factory in 1837. Just four years later, the first Borsig locomotive left the works. The company rapidly expanded, becoming one of Europe's leading locomotive manufacturers.
But there was a problem: the factory was becoming trapped inside a rapidly growing city.

We'll cycle north and west towards Moabit, where Borsig began expanding in the 1840s. Here the company established an ironworks, boiler works and machine factory beside the Spree, taking advantage of the waterway and the growing railway network. By the middle of the nineteenth century, much of Borsig's production had moved here.

This gives us the opportunity to explore one of the great stories of Berlin's industrial development: why did factories leave the city centre? We'll look at the relationship between industry, transport, land prices, workers and the waterways that allowed heavy materials to move around the city.

Finally we'll continue north to Tegel, where Borsig built a completely new factory from the 1890s onwards. Production began here in 1898, on a huge site designed specifically for modern industrial production.

The factory even had its own harbour for bringing in raw materials.
Here we'll explore the surviving Borsigtor, factory halls and Borsigturm, the extraordinary 65-metre tower built in 1922–24 and Berlin's first office high-rise.

We'll then finish by exploring Borsigwalde, the workers' settlement created alongside the new factory. Borsig needed thousands of workers, but there wasn't enough housing in Tegel, so the company helped create an entirely new neighbourhood. Its surviving streets provide a fascinating glimpse into the social side of industrialisation.

We'll finish with a well-earned beer together in Tegel.

I am an accredited tour guide in Berlin, specialising in telling stories about the city's industrial heritage. I ask for a contribution of €5 to organise the tour and share my knowledge.

Disclaimer: Please note that all participants attend as group members, not as customers, and are responsible for their own safety. Please read the group description in full for an explanation of the terms and liabilities.

The Cycling
This is a gentle-paced sightseeing ride rather than a sporting event. 🚲
We'll cover around 25–30 kilometres, with frequent stops for stories, photographs and discussion. Anyone with a decent bicycle and experience cycling around Berlin should be comfortable on this route.
The route is predominantly on normal Berlin streets and cycle paths, with plenty of opportunities to stop and explore.

What to Bring
🚲 Spare inner tube suitable for your bike
💶 Cash for drinks or snacks
🌧️ Waterproofs (just in case!)
☀️ Suncream
🥪 Water and snacks
😊 Curiosity and a sense of adventure

Highlights
🚂 Discover the story of August Borsig, Berlin's "Locomotive King"
🏭 Visit the site of Borsig's original factory on Chausseestraße and discover the industrial district once known as Feuerland
🔥 Learn how Berlin's first generation of heavy industry transformed the area outside the old city walls
🌊 Explore Borsig's move to Moabit and discover why access to the Spree was so important for heavy industry
⚙️ See where Borsig produced the machinery, boilers and components that made its locomotive production possible
🚆 Follow the story of how Borsig became one of Europe's largest locomotive manufacturers
🏗️ Discover why Borsig eventually abandoned both its central Berlin and Moabit factories and moved to the outskirts
🏭 Explore the enormous surviving Borsigwerke in Tegel
🚪 Admire the spectacular Borsigtor, designed to make the factory look like a monumental medieval gateway
🗼 See the Borsigturm, Berlin's first office high-rise and one of the great symbols of the city's industrial heritage
🏘️ Explore Borsigwalde, the workers' neighbourhood built alongside the factory
📖 Discover how factories created entire communities of workers, housing and infrastructure
📸 Fantastic photography opportunities among some of Berlin's finest industrial architecture
🍺 Finish with a relaxed drink together in Tegel
I estimate the cycle tour will take around 3 hours, including plenty of stops for stories and discussion.
Hope to see you there!
Simon