French Steam Giant on the Mainline in Czech Republic

This weekend the ex SNCF 4-8-2 "Mountain" tender locomotive 241 A 65 has been busy and active on the main line in the Czech Republic (of all places), conducting a visit at the last annual Benesov Festival that has been at least two years in the making (paperwork, planning, etc).

Normally 241 A 65 is based at Full in Switzerland, right on the River Rhine and close to the German border between Basel and Zürich. The transfer to Czecho via Germany took 3 days, including a rest day for the crew in Weimar.

Here is footage from this big-wheeled powerhouse blasting down the Czech southern corridor on Friday, with a run from Benesov via Tabor, Veseli to Ceske Velenice (on the border with Gmünd, Austria), before carrying on to Ceske Budejovice and then returning again via Veseli and Tabor to Benesov.

The engine had to overcome at one point a 1.5% gradient (1 in 67) and this uphill charge is also caught on camera in the following short film.

Tomorrow Sunday 241 A 65 is still on exhibit at the Benesov roundhouse, before returning back to Switzerland dragged from Monday to Wednesday. A real epic journey.

My film here:

SNCF 241 A 65 in Czech Republic - Benešov Festival 2026 - 155 Jahre Franz-Josefs-Bahn in Böhmen