CF du Bocq, Belgium

Highly recommended to those who fancy a visit to our European neighbours; easily done by Eurostar to Brussels and frequent SNCB national railway services connecting at Brussels Midi/Zuid. This line runs from the SNCB station at Ciney, on the Brussels -Namur -Luxembourg trunk line. It runs to Spontin, Dorinne and Purnode. The scenery is good - plenty of woods, viaducts and tunnels, plus nice stations at Spontin, Dorinne and Purnode (apparently the building is not in railway use). I believe that there are hopes of opening through to Yvoir to join the Namur - Dinant SNCB line.

The gala last weekend was well organised with a generous and well maintained timetable, and something for everyone ranging from a P8 64.169 to interesting industrial steam on line services, and little 0-4-0T 'Yvonne' which was running within Spontin station. Also a Cockerill main line diesel of 1965 vintage, and at the end of Friday this was supplemented by a 'Crossrail' 66xxx type loco for the last run back to Ciney, returning to Spontin. Trains were busy all day.

The station at Dorinne had beer and hot dogs on sale, with Spontin having a buffet facility as well as railway books, DVDs etc on sale. And in Belgium there is a refreshing freedom from the overbearing elfansafety Taleban that so dominates in Britain. You are allowed to walk around at almost complete will, except obviously for crossing the track while a train is actually running on it.

A grand day out.

John

 

It's a beautiful line, down a river valley, criss-crossing the Bocq river with bridges and tunnels. Easily the best in Belgium for scenery.
If you stand at Purnode, you can see the train coming through three tunnels, all in a straight line.
All the station buildings were sold off years ago, but still stand.
The lower half of the line (along which they are currently extending) hasn't been used since .... 1960! The rails are still there under the bushes, but only 80lb and on rotten sleepers 60-70 yrs old. The CFB's small team have achieved a miracle in re-opening as far as Purnode. Now they have the next station Evrehailles-Bauche in their sights. There are considerable practical problems, but the brave little team is dealing with them one by one.
Pay them a visit (check out the timetable first) - Spontin is located just off the Brussels - Luxemburg motorway, about 1hr south of Brussels.

 

This weekend is the gala at the line but I visited last weekend when things were a little quieter.
It really is a delightful line. The extension to Bauche is mostly open - stopping at a level crossing on the outskirts of the town. The station building is reported to be quite a good restaurant and eagerly awaiting the tourist traffic. The railway has a bar in an old Mitropa coach a Spontin and that's it.
They will soon loose access to Ciney station for a few years due to SNCB rebuilding the line from Namur to Arlon for 25kv.

Here are some pictures from my visit to give a flavour of the place - https://flic.kr/s/aHski9Ki83

JP

 

This is where they are going, Evrehailles-Bauche, the next station. The newly extended bit stops just short, at a level crossing.
How they deal with the back garden extension of the restaurant, in the former station building, will be interesting.
The rails are still in place too, they just go under the lawn. You can see them in the bottom LH corner.

Good luck to this plucky team !

 

And here's the level crossing - in an Ardennes downpour.

https://flic.kr/p/wZLp95

Seconded. JP.

 

They deserve to succeed - their gala last year was brilliant. Family reasons prevented my going again this year.

John