Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme
Footplate Experience 25th April 2018
In April 2018 I treated myself to a
footplate experience on the superb metre gauge Chemin de Fer de la Baie
de Somme in Picardie Northern France.
Staying in a holiday home in St. Valery
sur Somme meant that the 0730hrs start at Le Crotoy was only a 15 min
drive away.
I arrived early and was greeted by
Christian, the fireman, and the driver (whose name I have unfortunately
forgotten).
First job was cleaning out the ash from
the smokebox and ashpan.
The driver, who spoke no English, told
me that he was a full time employee at the railway and was shortly due
to retire.
Here he is oiling up and greasing the
loco.
Christian was a volunteer from Germany,
who visited the railway regularly to work. He spoke excellent english.
Christians very well behaved dog
watching over the preparation of the locomotive.
Wood for lighting up being placed on the
footplate.
Coal being added to the wood fire in the
firebox.
Once the engine was in steam it was
taken out of the shed where its tanks were filled from a hydrant.
Then onto the coal stage.
The small bunker soon devoured the 20 or
so kegs of coal.
2-6-0T Corpet Louvet of 1906 No 1
"Aisne" simmers outside Le Crotoy shed prior to the departure of the
days first train.