VIVARAIS RAILWAY

Does anyone have any up to date news on what's happening - if anything- to the refurbishment of this wonderful railway? We took a trip on it as part of a John Woodhams Vintage Tours trip in 2006 over the whole route to La Mastre and was horrified to learn it was completely shut down in 2008.I believe some local enthusiasts have started refurbishing some of the rolling stock and infrastructure but I believe they have a monumental task ahead of them if they are seriously planning a full reopening.Apart from massive financial investment needed, the biggest problem I believe is with the SNCF where the dual gauge section shares their main line through a tunnel and over a bridge from the Vivarais HQ and works.
If anyone has any definitive news I'm sure it would be of interest.

 

sauvonslemastrou.over-blog.com
regards
noel

 

As I understand it, this wonderful railway was ruined by the reluctance of paid workers to accept volunteers. Work continues on much of the line and in places, the track is beginning to look good. They have one restored railcar and a diesel. Steam is sadly going to be a thing of the past and the Mallets have moved elsewhere as I understand it.

For the best NG line is France to come to this should be a wake up call to lines in the UK that are more concerned with argueing amonst themselves rather than running the railway.

 

I thought there was going to be steam again within a couple of years supposedly? Surely steam is the principal attraction for a railway like this...

 

Really? - where have the Mallets gone then? - a recent photo showed then on site at Tournon though the 0-8-0t has moved elsewhere.


Possibly but the French heritage railways operate rather differently to the UK ones.

 

I keep track of what's happeing by looking at http://trainduvivarais.org/ . Seems that 12km of the branch down the Gorges du Doux from Boucieu-le-Roi will be Velorail this year, see http://velorailardeche.com/ . I hope steam will be restored soon. I went to travel on the line in 2007 just before it closed, and (a) found scheduled steam train had been substituted by a railcar. and (b) for that to just fail before departure so we were given our money back. Looks like I might never get the chance to travrel the dual guage section out of Tournton as this seems to be being abandoned. Similarly there is talk of no steam to Lamastre again. What a shame for one of Europe's most spectacular narrow guage railways to comes to this. I hope steam does return to at least part of this fantasic line. They need to take a leaf out of the nearby Train á Vapeur des Cévenne (http://www.trainavapeur.com/ ), which shows that the French can successfully run a preserved steam line. Incidently the latter have just got their 1917 North British built 2-8-0 C27 140 back in steam for the first time in 20 years. There is another section of the former Vivarais, the Voies Ferrées du Velay, that is being restored that is doing rather well, see http://www.asso-vfv.net/ however is not as scenic or dramatic as La Mastrou from Tournon.

Steve

 

Thanks to everyone for these interesting updates.I think it's a tragedy for the folks of LaMastre whose livelyhoods have been placed in such jepoardy probably by shortsighted "Eurocrats" when the obvious answer to imoroving their lot would be to inject a few million euros into the refurbishment of arguably the most spectacular tourist attraction the region.I believe the SNCF have regarded the Vivarais as being a thorn in their side for years over the dual gauge section but I can't really see how much disruption it caused with just 2 trains a day over their short section.As far as I'm aware there were never any accidents and so what? It might hold up a couple of trains for a short while but thata small price to pay for the well being of the local community.
It needs an enterprising billionaire or three to dip into their bottomless pockets and gain some street cred in restablishing this wonderful line.

Anyone know where the steam locos have gone?Rant over and I feel better for it.

 

It's all too easy to blame "them" in these circumstances. One senses, rightly or wrongly, that the former management of the Vivarais were a trifle difficult.

 

Yes you're probably right - there's probably a lot of reasons why it's failed.Lets hope theres a mega rich fairy godmother waiting in the wings.Meanwhile it looks as though something positive is happening through the efforts of local enthusiasts.I suppose ots a "watch this space" situation.

 

Is there anything firm regarding the Mallets and what's happening with them?

I seem to recall that they had at least five or six... presumably even if steam is restored over a short section in the future they won't be needing more than one or two.

 

The very latest news is that '' Le mastrou " is presently changing rail from 20kg/m to 46kg/m if that should be of interest to anyone, this is a positive sign for the future. I would of liked the 20kg/m points for my own association but they are not being changed, so i imagine the new rail is for the ''main line'' only.

 

Hi My understanding of the SNCF postion is that the standard gauge is the main freight line for the region and anyone who has been there will know just how busy that line can be. Unlike the steam railway the main line has to be clear by at least two or more sections in both directions before they can allow the Ng line to operate throught the tunnel also the mainline trains do not hang about either and if a tourist was killed that would certainly shut the Vivarais for good.

Also in the cold light of day SNCF is a business which has been given the sort of money we in the UK can only dreram for our main line network, I would love to see long distance roll on roll off freight trains running from Dover to Manchester and beyond as it would remove a lot of the road traffic from the motorway network, but that won't happen in this country as we are too short sighted when it comes to major transport networking.

I do apologise for going off topic but I hope the above answer will help everyone understand the SNCF position about the Tournon end of the line

 

Their website appears to be down... is there any news on the project to get steam running again by next year? Is it likely?

 

There is a huge amount of work going on to upgrade the line and prepare for reopening to steam (hopefully) next year. New boilers have been ordered for the mallets 403 and 414 with the latter apparently nearly finished and a huge new workshops is almost complete in Lamastre which will be used to rebuild the locos incorporating the new boilers. This building is being constructed in the style of the original CFD structures (e.g the original works at Le Cheylard) and looks very good.
Much other work is in hand relaying track and maintaining/upgrading the infrastructure as well as rebuilding coaches and the diesel railcars etc.
It appears that construction of the new station at La Cellière, to be called Tournon Saint-Jean, will be started soon. This will of course mean the abandonment of the 3-rail section as well as all track up to this point including the original Saint-Jean station.

Regularly updated photos can be seen on this french discussion forum: Forum-Train.fr • Afficher le sujet - Mastrou, le renouveau

There was also a very good article summarising the current situation in the latest issue of the french narrow gauge magazine 'Voie Etroite' (in french).

It seems that velorails (as already operating) will continue to be a feature of operation in the future.

 

This seems very positive; glad to see this line getting another chance. Even if it is railcar operated at present, I shall try to get out to travel again on this scenic line.

 

I called briefly at the Vivarais last Thursday on the way home from holiday. There was much activity at Tournon and Lamastre and still a lot to do before services can resume. Tournon station was overgrown and forlorn. At the works a brake van had been loaded onto a custom modified trailer which is hauled by a manitou tractor up to an unloading point just north of St Jean de Muzols, a few miles away. Workers were loading stores into a wagon, presumably for shipment in due course. Many coaches and items of stock were present on site, and two or three steam engines, though none looked workable exept for the Bicabine tram. Also on site was the3 carcass of what appeared to be a CFD bo-bo diesel, without bogies or engine.

At St Jean De Muzols the track is still in Situ, but fenced across at both ends of the platform. A Velo rail was parked in the platform. Further up the track has been lifted for a distance, whether for renewal or construction of a deviation to the new station. Just beyond this is the unloading point, with a Bo-Bo diesel with side rods awaiting the next delivery. This also appeaers to be an original CFD item.

Up at lamastre...crumbs. A track gang was busy fettling track on the main line. The new shed is huge, three tracks and around 20 metres long. Inside, a swiss bogie van was being modified to take seats and passengers, one of 8 purchased. A set of wheels for a mallet sat there, it looked as if they had new tyres. The track into the shed looks very newly laid and rough, not ballasted or levelled as yet. Track in the station area is partially lifted and will need a lot of attention before any trains can run. This is still projected for 2013. I forgot, inside the shed was yet another CFD bo-bo which appeared to have come from Corsica.

Regards,

Tim

 

This superb French Forum thread documents the rebirth of the line over about two years. Page 79 shows how much improved the infrastructure is now. Forum-Train.fr • Afficher le sujet - Mastrou, le renouveau

Steve A