Le P`tit Train de la Haute Somme

The scene at Froissy running shed on a dull overcast Sunday morning, with locos raising steam. On left is 1916 built Decauville 030T CFCD No 5,
Borsig 1918 built 040 CFCD No 7 and the Vulcan 040 of 1925.


With fires burning well staff are busy cleaning the three locos.


About 10.30am the big Vulcan moves off shed in clouds of steam...


... and reverses towards Froissy station where it will pick up its train. I return to my car as I wanted to photograph this train at Dompierre.

I`ve visited the little train of the High Somme several times but never managed to see it running into the terminus at Dompierre Becquincourt.


The terminus is some way from the village (church steeple can be seen in distance) and the services in early and late season normally
stop at the plateau just after crossing the road after the "Z".


The railway was adapted after WW1 to serve the large sucerie (sugar factory) in Dompierre and rails can still be seen in the road surface
as the track would have crossed Rue de Cappy instead of terminating by the hoarding on the other side of the road.


The old sucerie can be seen across the fields and has now been converted to some other industrial use.

The 29th of September 2019 was "Festival en Vapêur" and the first train of the day from Froissy was to run the whole length of the line to Dompierre.
I decided to photograph lineside rather than ride the train (a difficult decision!). Here the Vulcan loco brings the train into view, about 11.40am.

The line follows the Rue du Cappy from the plateau halt to Dompierre.


A busy train with some brave passengers riding in the open carriages - it had become a very wet day, but luckily was dry as the train approached.




The loco runs around its train.


Now coupled up again the passengers rejoin the train to return to Froissy.


The ensemble make a fine sight as departure time approaches.


With the clouds gathering I`m hoping that I can get a couple more shots before I get drenched.


The train starts slowly out of Dompierre station slipping on the wet rails.


Now seen climbing away, shortly to turn sharp left for the run to the plateau halt.


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