11th January 2015 - Chocs Away!Sunday 11th January 2015 It was back to the long distance runs this morning for the final day of steam specials on this trip, which would include the Blonay-Chamby museum railway, somewhere we had not yet visited. We set off in the rain to Hardbrücke and Zürich HB to catch the 7:32 to Geneva Airport, a little earlier than strictly necessary but we needed a margin for error as there were engineering works between Killwangen-Spreitenbach and Mägenwil. With only five minutes to change trains at Lausanne we didn’t want to miss the connection off the later train though the info desk assured us that the connection should still make. Unsure if there would be single line working on the booked route or whether the train would be diverted via Brugg, we kept an eye on proceedings, especially when we were crossed over to the “slow lines” at Killwangen-Spreitenbach. A Paris-bound Thalys shot past us on the “fast lines” then our train crossed over to the “wrong” road and proceeded along the booked route through the Heitersberg tunnel where there was a huge amount of work going on inside on the other track with plenty of workers beavering away and even a train. It was a bit of a shock to our UK inured experiences where Bertie the rail-replacement bus would no doubt be in use in similar circumstances. A booked six minute stand at Bern meant that we departed there on time but there was an extra stop Palézieux for some reason that we could not ascertain as nobody appeared to get on or off. This hardly delayed the train at all and it arrived at Lausanne only one minute late so we made the connection to Vevey with ease. Today’s special train had to come from the museum line’s base at Chamby and we worked out that it would probably arrive after the 10:19 service train so went downstairs to get a much-needed cup of tea. Proving the old theory about assuming things, the special turned up just as we wandered back onto the platform clutching our drinks though, as luck would have it, the loco was bunker first. After the service train arrived into a bay platform, the special the propelled out of the main platform to run round in the short loop opposite the shed providing us and a couple of others who had turned up early a nice photo opportunity as it set back into the station.
The loco was no. 105, a metre gauge “Mallet” 0-4-4-0T originally from the now-closed Zell-Todtnau Bahn not far from the Swiss border in Germany. The Blonay-Chamby museum also own no. 104 (an 0-6-6-0T) from the same line and the coach in which we chose to sit also came from the same location. Once the service train had departed we set off with some pleasing views over Lake Geneva as we chuffed up the hill until we arrived in the loop at St-Légier-Gare to wait for a Vevey-bound train to cross. However, we waited and waited then people started to get off and we were told that there was a delay due to overhead line problems; no problem for a steam loco of course but we didn’t know if any electric trains were stuck on the single line or there was any damage affecting the route. Anyway, it was a nice place for a photo, especially in the field opposite the station and now the sun had started to come out.
Eventually, the same EMU that had gone in front of us at Vevey came in opposite direction and we continued to Blonay where we turned right onto museum line which is actually still owned by the MOB, electrified and still in occasional use for empty stock moves. The overhead lines also mean that the museum is able to run some of their extensive collection of electrically powered vehicles as well as steam hauled trains.
Shortly after passing over an attractive curved viaduct we stopped and were told there was a photo stop, so we all trooped off onto a narrow metal walkway, the train backed up and performed a run-past over the viaduct though, unfortunately, half of it was in shadow. Two arches were heavily braced with metal brackets and we were told that the whole structure would need to be replaced in the not-too-distant future; something which would no doubt be an expensive undertaking and which we hoped would not spell the end for this line.
It was a case of “don’t step back” as the train pulled up right behind the group of photographers then we all clambered back on board until the small halt of Cornaux where there was another run-past. The train stopped here with the loco standing on an open level crossing with a narrow lane and a rather posh-looking 4x4 appeared started revving its engine, then shot off in a cloud of dust as soon as the loco backed off the crossing. We all walked over the crossing and lined up on the verge of the road where there was a cracking view looking down a field to the line as it emerged from a tunnel and as we were positioning ourselves, the 4x4 came back down the hill at speed – a short visit or a wrong turning? Two shots were managed here, a longer range view as the train approached the station then running down the road and grabbing an extra view as it came to a halt in the platform.
As we were now running a bit behind time due to the earlier hold-up, it was “right away” to the museum at Chamby which was accessed via a reversal at a set of points a few hundred metres from Chamby station on the MOB line between Montreux and Montbovon. There were only about 40 minutes to look round and have lunch, a tasty risotto which had been prepared in the site’s restaurant, which was not really enough time to fully appreciate the museum’s extensive collection meaning that this was another place we need to add to our long list of “must pay another visit” places.
Although we had finished our steam haulage for the day, we had not finished with special trains as we boarded 1908-built former RhB Bernina Bahn Abe4/4 35 which was hauling two coaches, including a first class “salon wagon”. This ensemble was propelled out to the MOB station before setting off up the hill towards Montbovon after crossing a service train, with snow starting to appear on the ground as we ascended. By the time we emerged from the Jaman tunnel into Les Cases station for a photo stop the snow was quite thick on the ground and it had started snowing quite heavily as well.
A short while later we crossed the “Golden Pass” VIP set then had a further stop in another loop for some reason (nothing passed or crossed) before arriving at Montbovon where the EMU had to run round the two coaches and shunt to another platform so there were plenty of opportunities for more photos.
After waiting for the service from Bulle we set off along the street running section, past the Gruyere cheese factory, a further run round at Bulle then the short trip to Broc Fabrique where the special train ended. The tour participants now had a choice of a visit to the Cailler chocolate factory or heading off elsewhere; either on the special train which had to return to Chamby or on the service train. Most people, including the two of us, chose to visit the factory which was a short walk down the road.
Once we got inside and purchased the tickets, we joined a queue in front of a board which could have come out of an airport as it listed the ticket number, group name (if applicable), language and when you needed to go to “check in” then “boarding”. Once we got to “boarding” a human let us through a barrier into a waiting area then called the group to the start point before giving us some brief instructions and pressing a computer screen to start the presentation. A door behind him slid open and we were ushered through and left on our own though we had been told it would be easy follow the process which was automatic. We found ourselves in a square chamber, not too dissimilar to a lift, the entrance door closed, a recorded commentary in English started, the floor gently descended a couple of feet and the opposite wall silently opened onto another chamber contained a representation of a jungle. The commentary started up again, all about the origins of chocolate in the Aztec era, complete with sound effects and chocolate aroma wafting round, and when the presentation finished another door opened to lead us all into the next section where a similar audio / visual presentation on the next part of the chocolate story started. There were another four of five sections like this, ending with the “chocolate pioneers” and why Broc came to be chosen as the site for Mr Cailler’s factory; the whole thing had been very slick and professional as well as interesting. We emerged from the succession of relatively dark rooms into a large brightly lit room with several large sacks containing different types of cocoa seeds and nuts grouped in the centre and plenty of information regarding the ingredients and the process of making chocolate arranged round the walls. Next came a sectioned machine piping a continuous stream of chocolate out so you could follow the process of it being cooled, chopped into sections, coated, cooled again then wrapped and decanted into a box. All this activity was being monitored by just two people, one feeding the product into one end and the other tending to the boxes of finished produce in between offering trays of samples to the passing visitors though, rather strangely, the chocolates being handed out were not the same as those being made in the adjacent machine. On into a corridor with a diagram of the factory on the wall with red, green and blue buttons indicating where in the building each process was carried out. Pressing each button showed a brief film clip of the process on a screen with a corresponding coloured light illuminated on the diagram of the factory to show where in the building the process took place. Finally, it was time for what would probably count as the best bit for most people; a tasting room where trays of all the factory’s products were laid out, all clearly labelled and with two ladies on hand to answer questions and replenish the stocks. A notice invited us to try as much as we wanted but no samples were to be taken out of the room. It was tempting to sample everything but these were top quality products and very rich; eating too many would probably lessen the enjoyment somewhat so it was best to be selective. Straight after this experience it was no surprise to be decanted straight into the well-stocked shop and we have to confess that (along with most people) we were tempted, especially when we noticed a large box of one of the more expensive varieties on a 50% offer. Two were purchased as they would make excellent presents (honestly!) It was quite cold outside and the next train was not booked to arrive for a while so we lingered in the shop, wandering back to the station as the train turned up so we could get straight on and sit in the warm. A final 10 minute journey on the metre gauge back to Bulle and we changed on to an RE service through to Bern where 11 minutes was just enough time to grab “dinner” at Migros before heading back to Zürich.
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