Fete de la Vapeur - Somme April 2016

I have seen the same happening with trains heading from Lanchères-Pendé to St. Valery. It is not so much of a steep gradient but a long and exhausting ascent. The Swiss loco did it without a helper and seemed to have some difficulties with that and had to stop on the summit, presumably to regain steam pressure.

 

I returned on Monday the same way as outward behind 2-6-0T no. 2 from St-Valery to Noyelles. Given the interest in boxes there seems to be, I'm surprised how few photters were at Noyelles. The standard gauge stock was involved in complex moves to get it to the SNCF exchange sidings. The Romanian CFBS/Colas metre gauge diesel with match wagon and the standard gauge Y were in charge. The 230D was moved this way as well as the coaches. The Y even shunted 66170 (I think) to the train; this is the box that failed on Saturday's railtour.

The railtour's return by the way was a disaster of UK railtour proportions. The box failed at Noyelles, but rather than let the 141TB go alone, they fiddled with the box for some two hours. Eventually the 141TB was allowed to go, but after sitting doing nothing for so long with a big fire it had clinkered badly and that was failed at Amiens. Another box was found and it finally got back to Sotteville either side of eight hours late around 06:00 Sunday - yes an overnight!

 

My first video from this wonderful event featuring some scenes from the 'Festival Off' including the Train des Machines

 

That event was quite, quite remarkable. I'm still grinning. Access to the depot, mixed standard-hauling-narrow-gauge-stock, the literally in-credible nine locomotive "Train des Machines", early evening runs across the Cayeux fields as the sun went down, evening cavalcades around the Baie, bonkers (if not genius) timetabling, brilliant staff, and the chance to ride behind open steam loco cabs on open carriage verandas.

Just wonderful. A few tedious photters got a bit angsty about happy families and public "spoiling" their identikit shots, but the majority seemed to get on. It was my third Fete and I'll be back again in three years' time. Can definitely recommend getting there a day early and leaving a day after - even the Monday morning was interesting over at St Valery Canal depot. We overtook the K&ESR Norwegian on the motorway in Kent in the late afternoon, so god knows what time they got loaded up and away on Monday

 

VFIL No. 15 running across the embankment near St Valery with a mixed train, heading for Noyelles-sur-Mer, early on Sunday morning.

 

Nice. No nesting swans this year?

 

Just the one, but it was right in the reeds and couldn't get a decent photo of it.

 

There were a fair few swans about - on one run on Sunday afternoon four of them swept over the train and one followed the loco a couple of hundred feet away or so for a minute. Was very impressive to see them at speed

 

Further scenes from the gala filmed between Thursday and Monday

 

I can second the bit about arriving early. Since apparently the guest locos work on normal services on the days before the event, you can get pictures which you will not get during the fete. These were taken on the late afternoon of the Thursday. 99 6001 did not visit Le Crotoy during the fete and that double-header with 909 was also unique.

 

A question from an distant observer. At this event, and previous ones, some of the visiting locomotives have been Vacuum braked but the CFBS home fleet are clearly all air. But the visitors clear pulled trains on their own. Did the stock carry portable compressors or do they have some dual braked stock?

 

I do not know about the latter. What I can say for sure is that some trains had a goods van attached that was "making noises" and which was detached from one train and attached to another, depending on the loco. My assumption is, that this van carried a compressor.

 

Correct. If you watch the videos there is the occasional train with two vans when normally only one is needed for bicycles etc. The outer van is for the air braking equipment.

This is another example of the astonishing level of planning needed and then delivery to perfection demonstrated by the CFBS.

 

Thanks Guys

 

A practical tip for anyone planning a longer stay: car parking in St V. costs 10 euros per day. However up behind the church the Police Municipal will sell a weeks permit for 30 euros.
Sadly for some reason the French never really seem to have grasped the concept of bacon or bacon sandwiches and you should ensure your own supply.

Tim

 

My photos from the event can be found here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pamw/albums/72157667593196816