Brittany: A new Narrow Gauge 60cm line !!

So, is it all over ? It must be about a year ago now that i was made "project manager" for this, a position i only kept for about two hours, i wished someone had asked me first !! Since then i haven't been back, i was totally motivated to getting the project going but there was no money, plus the fact that even the simplest decisions were so hard to come by, somehow i knew then that it was dead on it's feet, the change of gauge which came later on only convinced me i was right, i would still like to be wrong though. What a shame.

 

Hi Baldwin,

The project is still just about ticking over.....:mmph: and there was another French person on site Saturday!!!

Work is concentrated on cleaning up the site and trackbed, pulling out and cutting up roots of trees felled last year ready for a contractor to shred them (for Biomass Fuel or Garden Mulch).
Christian Labetoulle (Project Driver/owner):hail: is back in France and plans to visit site this week, followed by a work month in August.

The search for sleepers continues....

 

Its been quiet for a while, however, here is the Latest News! August will be month with many changes at Bon Repos station as we will start to lay tracks :clap2:.

A Narrow gauge section will be laid on a length of 200m in direction of Caurel using Pechot portable tracks (we get some from Saint Trojan railway), as a demonstration line for the NG rolling stock we already have but not stored.

Some Metre gauge will be also laid in order to be able to store rolling stock (a van "couvert" and a bogie coach from Swiss) that we will receive during week 34 (probable delivery date will be Thursday 23 August).

Track laying days will be August 9,10,11,12,13,14,16,17,18,19,20,21,22. For those who could be with us during this days, please write me and I will forward names....:welcome:

The formal meeting of (AGM) of the non profit company will be held on Saturday, August 25th in Bon Repos station at 9 AM.

 

...so 60cm is making it's come back, good job we didn't change the title of the thread then !! I hope their not going to reinstate the mixed gauge idea ?

 

Can't make it in August, sorry.

What the story with the Loco's behind the Trieux just outside Laniscat? It looked as though there were about three there but I couldn't get close enough to see properly.

 

...last time i looked there were four locomotives, three Diemas and a Simplex. Looks like their going to be used at long last !

 

The ACBR has started to lay track at the Halte de Bon Repos.... Sleepers finally arrived on August 8th for the Metre Gauge section (ex Chemin de fer du Vivarais (CFV) in the Ardeche, lifted from the abandoned, bit after the mixed gauge section with SNCF) - This track is being laid in the shallow cutting in front of the shed toward Gouarec in preparation for the arrival of the Swiss Coach later this month.
So far 8 lengths of track have been laid - the team this Saturday comprised 3 French, 4 Brits and a Russian! :spy:

The big pile of Pechot track (as used in WW1 trench systems) has been moved to the east of the station.... A 200M section of is to be laid from Bon Repos toward Caurel to accommodate the 60cm gauge stock.

Next week there should be a machine on site to clear and level the trackbed toward Gouarec, for approx 400M and a tree shredder to clear up the cut-down trees and undergrowth.... after they have been down the trackbed, more metre gauge track will be laid......
Things are happening, but slowly! :clap2:

 

Ken, Here is a photo of them at Laniscat they will be moved to Bon Repos when the 60cm Pechot track is laid.

 

Here are a couple of photos of the work carried out at Bon Repos over the last few months......



Hope to have some with the track laid in the cutting soon.

 

As promised, pictures of the recent track-laying at Bon Repos. Some track arrived from Vivarais as complete panels which made the track-laying easier. However some of the sleepers were in poor condition and needed to be replaced. Just over 100M laid so far, all of which now needs ballasting and aligning.



Piles more sleepers and rail to assemble......and piles of Pechot track to sort, repair and lay!

 

The Swiss Coach has finally arrived at Bon Repos after a two day journey.:dance: In keeping with all arrivals at the ACBR, it was in the pouring rain... Ah, the joys of Brittany.....:rain::rain:Coach is Ex Bière–Apples–Morges Railway (BAM) B72 SIG Built 1916 Ex-SZB Rebuilt 1955, Originally ESB BC4 42.

It is reported that the Customs Duty into the EU was far more than the actual purchase price - something to do with the scrap metal value???

The coach was craned onto an accommodation siding to the north of the track leading out of the cutting (in front of the shed).
The covered wagon that was due to arrive at the same time was not loaded due to lorry problems, so will have to arrive later.:sorry:

Today, 4 French, 1 UK, 1 Russian, a Swiss Lorry Driver, and a French Crane Driver - it gets truly international!

Finally that day, Mr Arhantech - the crane driver went to Gouarec to help start the Diesel Shunter (Billard type T75D carries the number T101 MTVS) - started OK

Hope to have latest pictures shortly.

 

And the one I would fear most...

No. That's unfair. Whatever we say about the French and their approach to H&S, I can well remember getting a right 'rollocking' for wanting to 'wander about' the Point P yard at Rostrenen.

Good news about the coach arriving. As regards the 'shredded' material, are you able to sell it?

And in a similar manner. I am in the market for some Oak sleeper 'off-cuts'. I'll have to look up the measurements and post again at a later date.

 

Pictures of the coach arriving at Bon Repos from the BAM Railway near Lausanne. The crane placed it on temporary track alongside the line to the shed - First Class end toward Caurel... all this in torrential rain!

:clap2:

The road seen outside the station (where lorry sits) is in fact the old road from Caurel to Gouarec that was bypassed by the N164 - now D2164. Quite a steep, narrow climb from the main road to the station.

The following morning the ACBR AGM was held... not well attended - 4 persons hwell:, but interesting discussions and news. The exciting news is unfortunately embargoed for the time being :tape: - only comment is that it is very positive.

Ken, I go to PointP at Rostrenen frequently - nobody messes with me - I go where I want (safely) - you must be doing something wrong??? :biggrin1:
The trees and brushwood have to be shredded and removed at a cost, not sold - this is France after all!

The coach has been sheeted down to protect it - inside is in very good clean condition....


Prior to the arrival of the coach, the final length of track was laid into the shed and set to gauge - will be concreted in to form a workshop.

 

Today 5 UK, 2 French working on securing the shed rail to sleepers and starting to ballast the line in the shed. Ballasting has 200M of track to do......hwell: The ladies were tasked with chipping rust from the steelwork of the grounded Reseau Breton Van Body....

Monday 3 Sept, the delayed covered wagon is due to arrive at 8.00am, no doubt it will be pouring with rain as usual, although the Meteo says wall-to-wall sunshine! :cool1:

Forward planning..... In November, a set of 60cm Gauge heavy rail points is going to be converted to Metre Gauge... needs longer make-up rails and new sleepers....

The ACBR Website has been updated with all the latest news: Accueil - Site de bonrepos !

BAM Coach B72 Info updated.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemin_de_fer_Bière-Apples-Morges

 

The metre gauge SNCF van K249 arrived this morning on schedule - and it did not rain (Meteo got it right for once)!!! although there was a Donkey as a spectator.....:laugh:



The van should have been 6.5 Tonnes, but it was much heavier - it is full of something???? :jaw:

 

and that is??????????

 

Don't know - locked, no key, no time to get lock off..... Wait and see like the rest of us!

 

Back to the mundane work after the excitement of the arrivals. 15 September saw the placing of the granite surfaces on the steps to the shed access door.....
3 French and 3 Brits on site.:clap2:

The steps have been constructed to match to station building - rendered, and with corner brickwork detail.



The next job will be to put a slate top on the space outside the door. Progress, yes. Slow, yes, but getting there! :happy:

 

Those following this thread might be interested in some pictures of the Réseau Breton taken in 1964 and some similar 'then and now' pictures taken in 2002. They are on Flickr and here's the first one; clicking on the picture will enlarge it and take you to the others :


R2059. Carhaix. October,1964. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

More to follow shortly...

 

Morning All - Bonjour, even.

Another batch of 1964 Réseau Breton pictures is now on Flickr. This is the first one and, as usual, clicking on it will enlarge it and take you to the others :


R2044. 41at La Brohinière. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

Hope that they are of interest. There will be some more in due course, but they are still in the queue awaiting scanning.