Maldegem Steam Festival 2012 (Belgium)

The annual steam festival will be held at Maldegem, Belgium, on Saturday and Sunday 5th and 6[SUP]th[/SUP] of May , 2012.

The main attraction this year will be the return to steam of “YVONNE”. This unique locomotive, an 0-4-0t, was built by the Liege firm of “St. Leonard” in 1893 (!) as a one off utilising components of one of their range of narrow gauge locos with builders number 947. Weighing only 6500kg tare, she is a strong contender for the title of smallest (Stephenson boilered) standard gauge loco in the world. “Yvonne” was built for a colliery in Soumagne near Liege and later, in the 1920’s, was sold to Ittre Glassworks. She has been fully restored by present owner, Stijn Vandebranden, over the last four years. The boiler having been to Chatham in the UK for overhaul.

As last year, on Saturday, there will also be a special train running to Maldegem from Brussels organised by the TSP/PFT group with the ex Rumanian Prussian P8 4-6-0 restored as a Belgian class 64. The return to Brussels will be with heritage diesel loco 6077, allowing the P8 to be present at the festival on both days.

Maldegem’s three other servicable loco’s, Avonside 0-4-0st “FRED”, La Meuse 0-6-0t “BEBERT” and Polish “Ferrum” 0-6-0t “GENERAL MACEK” will also be in service. The latter locomotive previously worked on the Northhampton Steam Railway in England. Negotiations are still in hand for a second visiting standard gauge loco. An interesting program, similar to previous years, has been devised. An intensive service will run to Eeklo on the standard gauge including a couple of freight workings to Balgerhoeke.

On the narrow gauge line, trains will be operated by the familiar Kerr-Stuart 0-4-0st “PETER PAN” together with Andrew Barclay 0-4-0wt “JACK” visiting from the UK. On this line, there will also be an intensive service in operation.

The non-rail steam aspect will not be forgotten, and a steam roller and other steam items are planned to attend.

In Maldegem, there will be the usual selection of trade stands, cinema coach, model railways, and passenger carrying live steam track.

For groups from the UK travelling via P&O Ferries from Hull to Zeebrugge, Stoomcentrum is able to arrange pick up at the Ferry terminal and transfer to and from Maldegem by preserved bus.

For further details, visit the website www.stoomcentrum.be or tel. 003250716852
To book the special trains from Brussels, visit www.pfttsp.be.

 

The Maldegem Steam Festival 2012 was a succes in spite of the poor weather.
Pictures can be found on:
Nieuwe pagina 1
Stoomfestival in Maldegem 2012 « Nap0's Blog
MALDEGEM STEAMFESTIVAL 2012 by JOHN.T.DICKENS aka HEXJUMPER
A short clip can be found on this adress:
Stoomfestival MALDEGEM 2012 Festival de la Vapeur - YouTube

Regards