Steam Mastrou, we work hard to be ready in june 2013

Hello,

After several years stopped Steam Mastrou restart in 2013!

We work hard to be ready in june 2013:

Have a look on pictures Mastrou

You're welcome next summer



Joel

 

The Vivarais line is a real French gem and a ride on it is much recommended. The Mallet tanks are exquisite machines. The line is very much the Ffestiniog of France.

D1004

 

Thats a cracking engine shed they have built. Any heritage railway would be happy with one like that. It looks quite traditional on the outside but is modern on the inside. I wish them well they surely will succeed this time. The scenary is gorgeous in that part of the world.

Why has the railway has so many problems ? As D1004 says it has a Ffestiniog type of look to it, it must be very popular surely ?

 

Lack of investment, the long track was old and maintenance was too much, the relatively large locos were run down, as were diesel railcars, very expensive riveted boiler repair in Austria caused disputes, the Dept ( local govt) took over from the original preservationists but found finance a problem, volunteer/paid frictions, the RFF/SNCF charges for the dual gauge section were high and the CFV were planned out of that Tournon to St Jean section, Tournon was where the useful tour party income derived from, chapter after chapter of difficulties for a railway not adjacent to major population centres, traffic potential can never match ELR that can run a gala today or the SVR santas. However it appears there is a future with facilities developed at the Lamastre terminus and a new boarding terminus at Celiere near to Tournon, whether this can recapture tour parties, some coming from the river at Tournon is open to question as is the rental return the Dept apparently requires from Celiere.

 

Do you know far up the line from the old St Jean gare is Celiere?. Google earth does not seem to recognise it. I seem to remember the line soon passed an old Roman bridge with some WW2 connection after leaving the SNCF track so I assume they would want to include this section.

B

 

This would be the bridge that you mean: http://goo.gl/maps/iHvUB. Apparently Saint-Jean-de-Muzols is to become the new terminus. I remember the first time I visited - we said we'd ride on the platform of the first carriage until we got to the first tunnel, and ended up riding the whole trip. And then repeated it the second time we went. Absolutely superb!

 

I visited around 2001 and enjoyed the whole thing greatly. It really was France at its best; friendly, great weather, and amazing scenes.

https://picasaweb.google.com/100148154988351270887/Vivarais#

 

I agree about the ride. A pity the best section was not preserved from Le Cheylard to St Agreve.

Still cannot find out if the new station will be a through station and the line will still go as far as the old Saint Jean gare or if it is cut back to the new station which I now think is on the site of an old camping place and just the Tournon side of the Bridge. Quite a way out of Tournon if so and not good for access by public transport if the new station is the new terminus.




Brian

 

Hoping to get there in August to sample steam on the line.

 

The new St Jean terminus at Celliere seems to be maybe 1 km towards Lamastre, a former camp site, well before the bridge identified above, nothing significant being lost on this section this its well before the views of the river, the bridge, the little halt, and building work progress can be seen on various sites including the Dauphine Libre newspaper, looks very impressive, apparently 6% revenue has to be paid to the local commune for building it. Even if steam is delayed the velorail is very successful, out by velo back by railcar by reports. Future planning is on the basis of car and bus tour customers with a large parking facility hence the camp site rather than the old St Jean restricted site. The old trackbed between old and new may become a cycleway. Agree that the St Agreve/Dunieres short lived revival was a very sad loss, great memories of a very scenic operation.

 

Has St Agreve - Dunieres ceased operation then?

It was still shown as running last year here:
Les nouvelles des Voies Ferres du Velay

 

I was referring to the fantastic section from the old systems HQ at Le Cheylard up the steep hill loops and tunnels to St Agreve. This was dismantled and I have walked most of it - really was great pity this section was not kept instead of the two outer legs of the system. I do not know the whys and wherefores of how this came about, local councils again I think. The St Agreve to Dunieres had just a faltering start in preservation but seems to more settled now. They did not manage to get any of the systems Mallets which were all scrapped or sent to the Tournon operation.

Local politics also seemed to have played a great part latterly in the downfall of the previous Touron-Lamastre supporters operation lets hope its different this time. 7% is a fair wack of revenue cash to have to pay each year, when you still have a shed full of unrestored Mallets and Carriages not to mention a long trackbed to keep up.

Brian

 

If you didn't go before the closure, then don't miss the new opportunity. The arrangements at Tournon may not be perfect, but a trip over this beautiful line will amply repay the effort (even a taxi fare) to get there. I went in 1983 and it was fantastic; when it closed a few years ago I was kicking myself for not having gone again (got married, family commitments and all the usual excuses for not having got up off my ass!) - I'm not going to repeat that mistake!

 

Their website shows a 2013 timetable - so you can presumably do both. Does anyone know, please, whether there is any bus that links the two between Lamastre and St Agreve/ Tence/ Le Chambon?

 

Looking forward to being able to have another trip on my favourite French railway......last visit seems to have been a very long time ago !

 

Hello,

All news, videos on this page Mastrou :

Lamastre.net: Le MASTROU

railway fans you're always welcome

lalogne