Category: Railways…

…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects

A new toy at Statfold

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In March last year, a most unusual steam locomotive was parked on blocks beside the turntable at the Statfold Barn Railway. It had clearly been out of use for some time. Bearing a “Minas de Aller” plate on the (pannier?) tank, and a Corpet, Paris, worksplate (439 of 1884), its horizontal cylinders were mounted much higher than is usual, connecting to the wheels by a substantial rocking lever. A little research reveals that this is an example of “Brown’s indirect motion”. Quite!

It was still there in June last year (in the company of newly-arrived Avonside “Marchlyn”) – but when I visited in March this year, it was in one of the sheds beside the turntable – and had obviously undergone much tlc. Painted a plain black, and lacking its tanks, it was obviously not yet ready for use – perhaps in June?

– Yes – as we walked out towards the fields, there it was, Graham Lee at the controls, looking (as ever with Statfold rebuilds) like a brand new engine, Brown’s indirect motion a delight to see in action. Wonderful stuff!

A “Rail Diaries” entry will follow – eventually. When I’ve finished the Baie de Somme page, and the Froissy – Cappy – Dompierre page, and one or two other little jobs, that is. In the meantime, here are the before and after shots of that strange machine.

Lunch in Le Crotoy

On By geoffspagesIn France, Railways...Leave a comment

Thursday 24th May: A ride on the steam railway, from St Valery to Le Crotoy and back. The weekday service on the CFBS consists of two return trips from Le Crotoy to St Valery – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Travelling to Le Crotoy on the morning train would give us 2½ hours before returning on the afternoon train – ideal for a leisurely lunch (and a good one it was too)…

High on a wall beside the quay at St Valery – more or less at the railway terminus – a plaque marks a significant event in history – William the Conqueror sailed from St Valery to Hastings in 1066 (with 400 vessels, apparently)

The train was filling rapidly when we returned to Le Crotoy station – we found seats at the very front of the train, in the leading coach of a pair of four-wheelers – with a view directly into the open cab of No.1 “Aisne” – great! We were able to watch the activities of the driver and fireman all the way back to Noyelles. On running round at the latter, we found ourselves at the rear of the train – and returned to St Valery watching the rails and sleepers – and the open vistas of the Somme salt marshes.

The day was deemed a huge success – the highlight of our holiday! (More details on the rail-related aspects of this little outing will – eventually – appear in “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”)

Cayeux-sur-Mer and the P’tit Train

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Sunday 20th May – two train rides… The CF Baie de Somme line from St Valery to Cayeux-sur-Mer only runs at weekends at this time of year, likewise the 600mm gauge CF Froissy – Cappy – Dompierre – “Le P’tit train de la Haute Somme”. It’s going to be a busy day.

We’d seen a steam departure for Cayeux on the previous evening, but on Sundays, a diesel locomotive hauls the service. Nothing modern though – a quaint 0-6-0 with side-rods, dating from 1951, resembling a child’s toy, and lovely old wooden coaches (that includes the seats…). The ride to Cayeux is very pleasant, through fields and quiet countryside, and marshy-looking low-lying ground nearer the sea, with numerous drainage ditches and water birds.

The CFCD is quite different. A last remnant of the trench railways of WW1, it runs beside the Somme from Froissy (whose museum is excellent) to Cappy. Here we exchange our steam locomotive for a diesel, for a run through a steep curving tunnel, then a zig-zag to gain height, to the roadside tramway to Dompierre. Great fun – well worth the longish drive.

The CFBS and the CFCD will be covered by “Rail Diaries” entries – once I’ve worked my way through all the photos. In the meantime, the blog pictures will provide a taster of things to come

A week in France

On By geoffspagesIn France, Railways...2 Comments

Saturday 19th May – we’re up at 5.00am, for the drive to Dover, and the 12.05 ferry to Calais. It’s raining. By 5.30pm, French time, we’ve booked in to our gite, and driven the five miles or so to Saint Valery to buy provisions. And il fait beau. We’re feeling a bit jaded from the long journey and the early start, but there’s a railway to check out – the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme. Tomorrow we’ll take a ride. Or two.

There will be “Rail Diaries” entries – but not for a few days

Industrial at Butterley

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It was the Industrial Railways Society’s AGM yesterday – this time at the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley. Whether it was in our honour, I’m not certain, but the passenger service for the day was being operated by two diminutive industrial 0-4-0STs – 104-year old Peckett “Whitehead” and No 1, an RSH from Castle Donington power station, little more than half the age of the Peckett. They seemed to cope OK. Yes, that is a 3-car DMU they’re hauling; no, its engines weren’t running… (The AGM was in the reconstructed tin chapel – whose seating was ideal for keeping things reasonably brief…)

A “Rail Diaries” page with (a few) more photos will follow in due course.