In the afternoon there was a procession of metre gauge locomotives
from St. Valery canal up the ramp to "Mont Blanc",
which is just beyond the end of the steep gradient out of St. Valery.
Unfortunately the weather was not kind as
the number of umbrellas show.
First up the hill in the torrential rain was 0-4-0 Corpet-Louvet
no 25 built in 1927
Next another Corpet-Louvet, 0-4-0 No 11, ex-Paul Frot (contractor
company), from the Société d'Animation du Blanc-Argent
Corpet-Louvet 0-6-0 no. 75 ex-TIV, from the Musée des Transports
à Vapeur et des chemins de fer secondaires Français
CFBS Pinguely 0-6-0 no 101, ex-CF du Morbihan, only just back in
service after major restoration.
0-6-2 Buffaud-Robatel no 3714, "Beton-Bazoches", built in 1910
CFBS 2-6-0 Corpet-Louvet no 1 "Aisne" built in 1906
CFBS 2-6-0 Cail No 2 1889-1891 built for the Panama canal
system.
CFBS Corpet-Louvet no 15
CFBS 4-6-0 Fives-Lille no E.332 striding up the gradient
Final loco was the Blanc-Misseron Mallet 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 no 101, from
the Voies Ferrées du Velay
After a few minutes stop at the top end for official photographs
all ten locomotives came downhill coupled together,
making a tremendous noise with whistles blaring.