"Festival Off"- 1st day of Fête de la Vapeur Friday 26th April 2013
St.Valery Ville station was quiet at 0900 on the 26th April 2013.
This was the "Festival Off" when trains would run for
members of the CFBS and their guests but not the public. A timetable
of special trains was issued in a "Guide du Spotter"
thus making lineside photography relatively easy.
It was around 0935 as an unusual train crossed the bridge at St.
Valery. The Rame Sprague is a three car Paris Métro
train from the Association D'Exploitation du MAtériel Sprague
(ADEMAS).
Powered by an an board diesel generator it is seen running down
the quayside to St. Valery Port.
A temporary platform had been erected on the canal side of the standard
gauge track at St. Valery Port, for the metro
and the steam top and tailed K&ESR coach which were both running
shuttle services from Port to Noyelles sur Mer.
A quick car dash to Pinchefalise caught the std gauge Renault autocar
running from the depot to Noyelles.
Around 10.40 the P 2-10-0 no 13 from Cité du Train was propelled
from St Valery Canal depot to Noyelles,
by Bebert and Marcia, where it stayed until its return to Mulhouse
on the Sunday by the SNCF connection there.
Another quick dash to Noyelles found the 2-10-0 just entering the
station yard, being propelled...
...by Bebert & Marcia. As can be seen the large loco is at the
end of the dual gauge siding.
The Paris metro set seen departing Noyelles sur Mer where it had
been stood next to a beautifully restored Paris bus.
An afternoon shot at Noyelles sur Mer with De Dion JM4 autorail
ex CdN n°11, from the Musée des Transports à Vapeur
et des chemins de fer Secondaires Français, sharing the station
with the 2-10-0 from Mulhouse.
The autorail just fitted on the small turntable at Noyelles and
is seen here being turned prior to departure for Le Crotoy.
A very sprightly performance was put up by the De Dion and it is
seen here about to cross the D940 on the outskirts
of Le Crotoy.