Fete de la Vapeur - Somme April 2016

I appreciate that bean counter would need more than a day. I've done it from Bedfordshire and I've also done the CFBS in a day - that is along trip but worth it.

 

Psychologists must really love NP. I think it is for railway enthusiasts but I could have that very wrong, as it tends to read like Top Gear with Clarkson still in control. The quote of the year so far is on the Dresden thread, the simple 'I don't drive'. Nice one.

What's wrong with 12:58 St Pancras - Calais 14:59, 15:22 Calais - Noyelles 16:31 which the CFBS tells me will connect to the 16:30 steam train to St-Valery. The coming back works best with one night in Noyelles for the easiest Eurostar connections although there is an early morning St-Valery - Noyelles bus.

Oh sorry! That means using public transport.

 

The "I don't drive" quote came from somebody who will be using public transport.

 

Such a shame to hurry! Hire a gite for a week and split the costs with friends. I am loading the car tonight in readiness and for a change, with a little luck I shall be on the overnight ferry to Le Havre after work tomorrow. If you are there and spot a beaten up grey/green FY reg Nissan Primera, that will probably be me.

Tim

 

By the way, does anyone know how to get hold of a copy of the "Guide du Spotter" now? It looks as if you can no longer order it through the website.

Kind regards

Christoph

 

They will have them for sale at Noyelles over the weekend, certainly. Ours haven't arrived in the post yet, but never mind.

 

I found it on the Facebook page of the CFBS. The "Guide du Spotter" is available from all stations on the railway until the Fete.

Regards

Christoph

 

I've just had a look at the hotel a group of us are staying at in Amiens on Saturday. I thought it might be a struggle to find somewhere for food in the evening, but it seems there's a brew pub 7 minutes walk away. That'll do nicely!

Really looking forward to this now, though leaving home at 5am on Saturday morning will be a bit of a killer, especially after a week of nights. Ugh!

 

I've seen more steam action today than in last several months and I only arrived Noyelles 16:30. As usual the test (?) runs are almost more interesting than the gala. The freight off the Cayeux line tonight in superb lighting was magic. Arriving by Eurostar to Calais and SNCF then zero connection to CFBS at Noyelles worked perfectly. So arrivied St-Valery behind steam (no.2 - no.1 is on Le Crotoy duty). All standard gauge locos in steam and on test.

Quite a lot of Grimbergen beer on offer in bars (at somewhat frightening prices). Who knows who brews the brand here but is an OK beer. Lots of new restaurants in St-Valery since my last visit.

 

The brewery that brews Grimbergen is part of the Heineken empire....

I think I have to remember the testing bit for the next edition of the Fete. As for this year, we will arrive tomorrow. I hope we can make the getaway from Germany quick enough to see the last trains tomorrow.

Regards

Christoph

 

An imposing visitor to the Fete at Saint Valery Port today.

 

Completed runs by all 13 steam locos today.

The only issue I now have is that any future UK gala is going to be, well, bland! What the CFBS is delivering is breathtaking.

As the picture from PamW shows, the days before the Festival are almost more interesting as the visiting locos were on the regular timetabled trains, with double heading. Ask someone in a few years, 'In which country did a German loco from the Harz double head with a Swiss loco from Blonay Chamby on a timetabled service?' The answer ought to be 'impossible', but you can point out that France, on CFBS, in 2016 it happened.

And another day to go!

 

Had a wonderful day yesterday (work and family commitments preventing anything other than a day visit). Left Portsmouth at 0330BST and arrived in plenty of time to enjoy 101 & 1 on the 1005 to Cayeux! For me this was my 3rd festival so knew the rough drill and it turned into a day of no outstanding highlights but one which was consistently enjoyable. The swaying of the Verney autorail as we trundled along with curtains swinging in unison with the motion was brilliant! As a ng enthusiast, I can't wait to see the restoration of the De Dion Bouton autorail which would appear to be their next restoration project. It was also nice to see K8 in steam again - hopefully a signal that its recent troubles are behind it.

Wasn't too taken by 'Chunky' tho. To my eyes, 6001 just looked too big compared to everything else around it but I salute the railway's imagination in bringing it in. If the Harz link has been made, what chance 5901 or 5906 with the BC's ex-CP mallet next time....??

Even though I didn't get home until after 2300BST it was a cracking day on a railway that seems to be getting better and better.

 

Depends how early you leave we did a photo charter there some years ago,drive to Dolver then on a coach got there about 11am. A great day, they had never done anything like it before but a refreshing change with none of the high vis and other H&S nonsense you get here.

 

And not forgetting a Paris Metro Sprague unit that has been fitted with a generator to work on non-electrified track and a Norwegian loco owned by a British railway and a British loco owned by a Dutch railway all working on the standard gauge tracks between Noyelles and St Valery

 

That was a good day out. I think we introduced le run past and le clag into the French language that day.

 

We certainly did, if you remember the loco crew couldn't speak a word of English but I think it was the wife of one of the participants who acted as interpreter and spent some time explaining what a run past was. A good day out indeed.

 

Ian Sylvester's wife acted as interpreter. There was a very attractive young lady on the train, either CFBS or local tourist office, selling souvenirs. Was a delight to try out my O-level French in conversation with her.

 

It did occur to me that the Sprague could signal a way forward for the few EMUs preserved in England? The generator set inside the driving car (power-car?) didn't look too big and may be able to fit into a converted brake-van on a CIG / VEP or EPB. Additional sound proofing would be needed of course, but the power requirements surely wouldn't be too great to trundle along at 20-25mph. Turns the EMUs into versions of Hampshire or Sussex units but at least they may be more usable than now.

 

The highlight of the day for me yesterday was the banking operation at St Valery. Three years ago the timetable was thrown into disarray by the odd loco stalling on the bank out of the station so the powers that be decided that this wouldn't happen again. As the tail of the train cleared the points of a siding a diesel tore towards them, a man on the ground changed the road and the diesel caught up with the train and then remained a few feet behind the rear coach at the train disappeared out of sight, no doubt ready to push if needed. A few minutes later the diesel reappeared and was parked in the siding until the next time. All this without signals, banking staff or a second man on the diesel!