7th January 2018 - To Bern for steamSunday 7th January 2018 It was an early start this morning as we had to get to Bern to join a Railway Touring Company tour which was departing at 8:30. The main tour group were staying in Bern but we had booked on a train only basis so had to do our own thing accommodation-wise, hence the week in Zürich. There was a method in our apparent madness as the other days all started there so it saved us from having to transport our luggage round with us (the “full tour” participants had a luggage transfer arranged). There were issues with one of the other days later in the tour so some extra steam miles had been on offer as the loco and train in use today were based at Konolfingen, we could have got there in time but it would have meant an even earlier start and we are definitely not morning people! We ended up arriving at Bern somewhat earlier than planned due to the fact that the hotel receptionist had assured us that breakfast would be available from 6am; it wasn’t. We think that he had forgotten that it was a Sunday, despite us querying the start time, so we went straight to Zürich HB and grabbed something there instead – a bit annoying as breakfast was actually included at the hotel on this occasion. On arrival at Bern, we did consider catching an S-Bahn to intercept the special train but without the full timings we didn’t know where or even if it was going to stop so went to get another cup of tea instead. The rest of the group had arrived by the time we returned to the platform and the train arrived on time, pulling up to the far end of the station beyond the concrete cover as we had been informed. Today’s loco was 5810, a handsome 2-6-2T and one of three surviving from a class of 33, two of which are still operating; this one, owned by Verein Dampfbahn Bern, and 5819, now in the care of SBB Historic. We had previously ridden behind both of these locomotives but this was an appealing day out with an interesting route so we settled down to enjoy the trip. 5810 at Schmitten7th January 2018. 2-6-2T built by SLM Winterthur in 1911, works no. 2211 on 30060 7:40 Konolfingen to Yverdon-les-Bains; a Railway Touring Company charter. The train set off along the main line towards Lausanne, stopping for water at Schmitten where the loco was removed from the train and went down the loop, beyond a loading platform where there was a hydrant next to the line. We then carried on along this pleasant route, though it was a shame that the dull / murky weather had returned, until Palézieux where more water was taken. This time, the loco took the whole train down a siding next to a level crossing but had to wait whilst a metre gauge train from Châtel-St-Denis arrived and departed as the hydrant was on the far side of that track. Whilst all this was going on we took the opportunity to get photos of the train and a couple of shunting tractors parked there, plus a couple of passing trains. NPZ at Palézieux7th January 2018. On to Lausanne where, rather than go straight towards Yverdon, we headed towards the large freight yard at Lausanne-Triage which is alongside the main line to Geneva and has a loop at the west end to enable trains to reverse direction without running round. The train didn’t have to do this of course but it was a railtour so rare / unusual track was very much on the agenda; we had been over this section of track previously on a tour featuring more modern traction but it certainly added interest to the day. The next stop was at Yverdon where the loco had to take more water and run round, the next section to Fribourg would be bunker first. Some quite smart running was required to make the crossings with the service trains on this single track line and 5810 set about its task with gusto, attracting the attention of plenty of people as it passed. 5810 at Yverdon-les-Bains7th January 2018. On train 30061 Yverdon-les-Bains to Konolfingen. We regained our outwards route at Fribourg where the loco ran round to face the “correct” way again, then it was a dash back to Bern, punctuated by a second stop Schmitten, arriving there at 17:20. Although we could have got off there, we stayed on for the extra 21kms of steam haulage to Konolfingen as there was a train back to Bern within 15 minutes plus the usual excellent Swiss connections back to Zürich meaning that we were back in the hotel before half past eight.
Keywords:
Railway Touring Company,
Switzerland
Comments
No comments posted.
Loading...
|
Subscribe
RSS
Recent Posts
9th & 10th January 2018 - A lucky trip
8th January 2018 - Brewery Bonus
7th January 2018 - To Bern for steam
6th January 2018 - Onwards and westwards
5th January 2018 - A Tale of two Banskás
4th January 2018 - Bobbing around Brno (again)
3rd January 2018 - Delay Dodging
2nd January 2018 - Third Time Lucky
1st January 2018 - Happy Republic Day
31st December 2017 - Farewell 2017
Archive
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|