Fete de Vapeur 2009 - Baie de Somme

Just an hour from Calais (and therefore 4 hours from London) we visited la Baie De Somme Fete de Vapeur - a remarkable steam gala held every 3 years in Northern France.

There were 8 tank locos in steam, all hauling shuttle services on various combinations of the three branchlines.

The line is effectively three major metre gauge branches around the area, with Noyelles to Saint Valery being dual gauge plus standard gauge straddling it. There were 8 locos in steam plus diesels and other steam in attendance, including the KESR 0-6-0T 'P' Class plus Woolwich coach on standard gauge shuttle duties for the weekend. A nice holiday to the seaside for it! Simon's Miniature Railway was also giving free rides at the main festival site of Noyelles.

The Cayeux branch had one of its rare open days, with a shuttle there from St Valery storming up the gradients. The track was mostly good condition and we recorded close to 30mph on the top stretch - slightly terrifying on the open plains near Cayeux where the track disappears into the grass...

There was a large modelling/memoribilia sales tent at Noyelles, plus some SNCF mainline stock on display on the standard gauge siding. The 'prehistoric' 1929 Marc Seguin replica 0-4-0+4w loco was giving rides around the yard, as was a WW2 rail-mounted jeep and pump trolley.

Mustn't forget the parallel-running, the open verandas and the 'heritage stock' on the SNCF bringing in a railtour.

At St Valery, a large draisine (motor trolley) gave rides down from the junction to the short Quay branch, where there was a good sized model railway show in a marquee... and more food and wine...

Very unusual railway, great atmosphere, great fun to be able to 'go anywhere' on the tracks and on the lineside for viewing - only a couple of people spoiled it by doing silly things.

The 'Grand Cavalcade' of locos and stock on Sunday night into the sunset from Noyelles to the sheds at St Valery was very special - every single piece stock trundled the few KM back to base with much whistling and celebration on board.

Don't miss the 2012 event.

By the way, the cost for an adult for the whole day was just TEN EUROS.

Full set here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/timmydunn/ ... 312134627/

 

I wondered if you were about. If you spotted a forward cab land rover ambulance, some of our party were in it. It was a brilliant event.

Tim

 

Didn't spot you Tim! I can't believe that there were so few UK-reg cars about. Only took us about 55 minutes from the Chunnel terminal. Astonishing number of photographers about though.

 

I went over - amazing event, and kicking myself for not having gone before! The newly restored 4-6-0T from Brittany was a star turn, but all the engines were worth the effort to try and ride behind all of them. I liked the 0-4-0T which was being used on a mixed train quite a lot. It must have taken an enormous effort to lay on all the attractions, especially at Noyelles.

Diary already marked for 2012.

John

 

There were a few coach parties from the UK over the weekend. The K&ESR ran one on Saturday - £25 for the coach and as we are twinned with the BdS travel on the line was free.

 

There was an interesting collection of rusting loco and wagon carcasses at the top of the gradient / tree-lined avenue from St Valery on the Cayeux branch - shades of the Colin Garratt loco graveyards about them... I only managed a quick blurred snap as we raced past - but does anyone know what the locos are? Are they the ones that are listed as being at the St Valery 'Scrap Dump'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemin_de_ ... e_de_Somme

 

I don't know the identities, but these are the last of the engines dumped by the germans. Look carefully and you will see the dark patch in the photo where a large chunk has been cut out of the boiler. There are three hulks plus part of the frames of the fourth. The one in the picture is the best of the bunch and we were told that CFBS have first refusal. The green 0-6-2 exhibited at St Valery came from here, and has a new boiler, tanks and several other things. The engines were owned by a Monsieur Vaillant, who has sadly died. His former scrapyard is about half a mile away close to the railway and well worth a visit. They were very friendly and offered my friend 30 euros for his landrover...

Tim

 

Opportunities to travel the Cayeux line by steam are rare, to go by the regular timetable, because they all seem to be diesel. However, if you read the notes there are a few days when some steam does operate. It's the best part for steam because of a steep gradient out of St Valery. The fares for the gala were excellent value compared with the normal fares, which themselves are reasonable. It was great not to have the British obsession with elfansafety - I just hope that the few who weren't sensible haven't spoiled things for everyone else. In France they treat people as adults responsible for their own safety.

John

 

Quite agree with everyone's comments about the gala, and some fine photographs posted. Great to be in a country where you took responsibility for your own safety, this was my fifth visit to the area. The first instalments of my video record of the event can be found here;

'Mikado' 141 R 840 storming away from Noyelles; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXExMKenTsY&fmt=22

Part 1 of general views of the trains at St.Valery and Noyelles; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSekoPB1N_4&fmt=22

Looking forward to to the next gala.

 

Thanks Tim for the gen on the scrap locos.

ACW - please do post your videos - I didn't get much chance to take many as I was busy riding!

There was an altercation on Sunday afternoon when one rather irritating photographer decided to walk along the running tracks in front of the stationary and arriving locos into Noyelles, just as the parallel-running trains came in... he wasn't very popular with the 20+ photographers standing by the lineside and it almost came to a fight unfortunately. Heyho. Apart from that, it all seemed jolly good fun. Not a high-viz in sight.

The cavalcade at the end was really quite special. And because it wasn't ALL about the railway, there were a number of locals who came along just to have a look. I had a chance to turn over my rusty A-level french with a lovely couple who lived nearby and who wanted to know what the fuss was all about. As they saw the double-headers in the cavalcade, they 'got' it...

 

Second part of my video record of the Fete de la Vapeur now uploaded to YouTube;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXMQ4WOf-ZM&fmt=22

 

Austin - thanks so much for that. Brings back memories of a fantastic day. Love the bit at the end up the gradient in the avenue!

 

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the videos, I wish I had stayed out to catch that superb sunset though, you got some great photos.

 

I have just found out that a colleague of mine has bought a hotel in Saint Valery (Les Pilotes), what a stroke of luck!
This year is 40 years that the CFBS have been running the line and the festival this year is on the 10th July.
I hope to get there either just before or after as it clashes with the Guildford ME Rally. The next Steam festival is in April 2013.