Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway

Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway
Electric railcar BCFe 4/4 11 of the MOB
Line length: 2,95
Track gauge: 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Voltage: 900 V DC Overhead line DC
Maximum incline: 5  %
Legend
 Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera to Vevey
Blonay 620 m above Sea
Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera to Les Pléiades
0,0 Blonay BC 620 m above Sea
Clarens-Chailly-Blonay to Clarens
0,970 Chantemerle (H) 667 m above Sea
Viaduc de la Baye de Clarens (80 m)
1,500 Vers-Chez-Robert[1] 680 m above Sea
Tunnel de Cornaux (45 m)
1,990 Cornaux (H) 705 m above Sea
Chamby-Musée (Chaulin) 736 m above Sea
Bifurcation
Montreux-Oberland Bernois to Zweisimmen
2,950 Chamby 750 m above Sea
Montreux-Oberland Bernois to Montreux

The Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway (BC) is a short, around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long, steep but adhesion worked metre gauge line operated as part of the Blonay - Chamby Railway Museum using vintage steam and electric locomotives and rolling stock. It is rail connected at both ends, at its upper terminus, at Chamby with the Chemin de Fer Montreux Oberland Bernoise and at the lower end, Blonay, with the Vevey - Les Pleiades, Chemin de fer électriques Veveysans, line.

Contents

History and Aims

The Blonay - Chamby Railway and Museum was opened in 1968 with the aims of operating the metre gauge railway line from Blonay to Chamby and in doing so preserving railway equipment of technical or historic value. For this purpose the Blonay - Chamby Railway has purpose built two motive power and carriage depots at Chaulin - Chamby, a short distance from its upper terminus which nowadays houses what is generally regarded as the largest and most representative collection of metre gauge relics in Europe.

The Museum Line

The Blonay - Chamby Museum Railway is a railway preservation group staffed entirely by volunteers who operate trains each Saturday and Sunday between May and October. Vintage steam locomotives or electric locomotives haul equally vintage carriages slowly through a spectacular environment with fine views over Lake Geneva and the Alps. Visitors can access the shed / museum complex from Chamby, travelling the short distance on a vintage tram.

A further part of the remit of the preservation group is the encouragement of local and regional tourism and tourist traffic on adjacent lines. The timetable for the Blonay - Chamby line can be found on Table 115 and 115.1 of the Swiss National Railways Timetable.

The Museum Collection

The collection includes in spring 2009 the following items. The museum is the home of over 70 items of rolling stock.

Steam Locomotives

Steam Locomotives

No. Name Class Cyls. Builders Details Works. No. Date Built Notes.
1 Le Doubs G 3/3 OC SLM 618 1890 Ex-Regional des Brenets (RdB)/Chemins de fer des Montagnes Neuchateloises (CMN)/On loan from Swiss Transport Museum Luzern.
3 HG 3/4 OC SLM 2317 1913 Ex-Brig–Furka–Disentis Railway (BFD), Furka–Oberalp-Bahn(FO)/Abt rack
4 G 2/2 Krauss 4278 1900 Ex-Ferrara-Codigoro (Ferrovie Padane) Rimini-Novafeltria.
5 Bercher G 3/3 OC SACM 4172 1890 Ex-Lausanne–Echallens–Bercher (LEB), barrage de la Dixence (EOS), Hilti & Jehle, Feldkirch.
6 G 3/3 OC SLM 1341 1901 Ex-Brünigbahn/Jura-Simplon JS 909, SBB 109, Biere-Apples-Morge (BAM) No.6, Scierie Renfer, Bienne.
23 G 3/5 OC MTM 282 1926 Ex-Olot-Gerona
104 Zell G 2x3/3 OC Hanomag 10437 1925 Ex-SEG, Mallet type, 0-6-6-0T, Compound
105 Todtnau G 2x2/2 OC MBG 2051 1918 Ex-Haspe-Voerde-Breckerfeld (Germany), Mallet type, 0-4-4-0T, Compound
99 193 G 5/5 OC MFE 4183 1927 Ex-Deutsche Reichbahn, Deutsche Bundesbahn.

Tramway Steam Locomotives

No. Name Class Cyls. Builders Details Works. No. Date Built Notes.
4 La Rimini G 2/2 OC Krauss 4278 1900 Ex-Ferrara - Rimini Railway
7 G 2/4 System Brown SLM 316 1882 Ex-Mulhouse Tramways

Electric Locomotives, Railcars and Trams

Locomotives

No. Name Class Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
2 La Grisette He 2/2 SLM / CIE 1899 Ex-Bex-Villars-Bretaye (BVB)
75 - Ge 4/4 MFO / SLM 2328 1913 Ex-Georg Fischer (+GF+)
81 - Ge 4/4 SLM / BBC 1916 Ex-Berninabahn (BB), Rhaetian Railway (RhB)

Railcars

No. Name Class/Type Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
4 - BCFe 2/2 SIG / MFO 1928 Ex-Sernftalbahn (SeTB)
6 - BCFeh 4/4 SLM / SIG / EGA 146 1909 Ex-Monthey-Champéry-Morgins (MCM), Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champery (AOMC), Abt rack
10 - BCFeh 4/4 SLM / SWS / BBC 1914 Ex-Loeche-Loèche-les-Bains (LLB), Abt rack
11 - BCFe 4/4 SIG / EGA 2191 1903 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB)
12 - Ce 2/2 Ringhoffer / EAG 1907 Ex-Langenthal-Jura-Bahn (LJB), Oberaargau-Jura-Bahn (OJB)
35 - ABe 4/4I SIG / SAAS / MFO 1908 Ex-Berninabahn (BB), Rhaetian Railway (RhB)
111 - BCe 4/4 SWS / EGA 1913 Ex-Chemins de fer électriques de la Gruyère (CEG)
2002 - DZe 6/6 SIG / BBC 2703 1932 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB), 2008

Trams

No. Name Class/Type Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
7 - Ce 2/2 Rat / CIE 1904 Ex-Tramway de Fribourg (TF)
28 - Ce 2/3 SWS / SAAS 1948 Ex-Tramways Lausannois (TL)
31 - Ze 2/2 SIG / EGA 1914 Ex-Rheintalische Strassenbahn (Rhine Valley Tramways) (RhSt)
52 - Ce 2/2 SWS / MFO 1914 Ex-Städtische Strassenbahn, Bern (SSB)
76 - Ce 2/2 SIG / MFO 1911 Ex-Tramways de Neuchâtel (TN)
151 - Fe 4/4 SIG / S&H 1911 Ex-Compagnie Genevoise des Tramways Électriques (CGTE)
182 - Ce 2/2 SIG / BBC 1926 Ex-Basler Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB)

Passenger Coach Stock

No. Name Class/Type Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
2 - As2 SIG 1903 Ex-Rhaetian Railway Bernina Line (RhB)
7 - C4 ANF 1910 Ex-Chemin de fer Vicinaux de la Haute-Saone (CFV), Morez-La Cure (MLC), Nyon-St-Cergue-Morez (NStCM)
10 - BC2 1908 Ex-Monthey-Champéry-Morgins (MCM), Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champery (AOMC)
11 - BC2 SIG 1890 Ex-Régional des Brenets (RdB)
13 - C2 MAN 1905 Ex-Sernftalbahn (SeTB)
15 - ABCFZ4 De Dietrich 1895 Ex-Cie de l'Ouest, Chemins de fer de l'Etat (ETAT), Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais (SNCF)/Réseau Breton (RB)
21 - CF2 SIG 1900 Ex-Aigle–Leysin (AL)
21 - BC2 SWS 1902 Ex-Chemins de fer électriques Veveysans (CEV)
21 - C2 SWS 1911 Ex-Lugano-Cadro-Dino (LCD)
21 - CF2 SIG 1890 Ex-Régional des Brenets (RdB)
22 - BC4 SIG 1915 Ex-Loèche - Loèche-les-Bains (LLB)
22 - BC4 SIG 1901 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB)
23 - C2 SWS 1903 Ex-Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM)
44 - C4 SIG 1926 Ex-Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB)
121 - AB2 SIG 1903 Ex-Rhaetian Railway (RhB)
171 - C4 Herbrand 1891 Ex-Mittelbadische Eisenbahn Gesellschaft (MEG)
811 - C4 SIG 1930 Ex-Swiss Federal Railways, line Brünig (SBB-CFF-FFS),

Tramway Passenger Coach

No. Name Class Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
57 - C2 SIG 1930 Ex-Bex-Villars-Bretaye (BVB)
121 C4 Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Basel 1892 Ex-Tramways de Neuchâtel (TN)
370 C4 SIG 1920 Ex-Compagnie Genevoise des Tramways Électriques (CGTE)

Post and Baggage Coach Stock

No. Name Class Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
36 - FZ2 SWS 1903 Ex-Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM)

Goods wagon

No. Name Class Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
30 - K Kirchheim 1874 Ex-Schweizerische Lokalbahnen (SLB), Appenzeller Bahn (AB)
31 - K MAN 1905 Ex-Sernftalbahn (SeTB)
31 - K SWS 1910 Ex-Tramways de Lausanne (TL)
40 - K SWS 1915 Ex-Loèche - Loèche-les-Bains (LLB)
41 - K SWS 1915 Ex-Loèche - Loèche-les-Bains (LLB)
51 - M SWS 1915 Ex-Loèche - Loèche-les-Bains (LLB)
60 - L SWS 1915 Ex-Loèche - Loèche-les-Bains (LLB)
87 - K SWS 1912 Ex-Aigle-Leysin (AL)
111 - K Baume & Merpent 1886) Ex-Yverdon - Sainte-Croix (YSteC)
153 - LO SIG 1903 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB)
610 - K SWS 1904 Ex-Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM)
706 - M Busch 1904 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB)
712 - L SWS 1905 Ex-Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM)
801 - O Busch 1904 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB)

Diesel Locomotives, Shunters and Maintenance vehicles

No. Name Class/Type Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
1 - Tm 2/2 O&K, Berlin 1930 Ex-Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB)
3 Biniou Dm 2/2 Billard
926 - Te 2/2 StStZ / MFO 1935 Shunter, Ex-Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ)
- Dm 1/2 Draisine motorized, Ex-Rhaetian Railway (RhB)
- Dd 1/2 Draisine hand drive, Ex-Rhaetian Railway (RhB)

Rotary Snowplow

No. Name Class Cyls. Builders Details Works. No. Date Built Notes.
9214 - Xrot d OC SLM 2299 1912 Rotary snowplow, ex-Berninabahn, Rhatische Bahn (RhB), Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstecke (DFB). 0-6-6-0T

Service Coach Stock

No. Name Class/Type Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
1 - Xe 2/2 SWS / MFO 1915 cistern for fire service - Ex-Tramway de Bienne (TrB)
52 - X2 joinery - Ex-Chemins de fer électriques Veveysans (CEV)
52 - X2 SWS 1915 cran truck - Ex-Loèche - Loèche-les-Bains (LLB)
1011 - X2 1914 repair shop - Ex-Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM), ex. CEG K2 123
9951 - X3 SIG 1889 refectory - Ex-Swiss Federal Railways, line Brünig (SBB-CFF-FFS), ex. JBL C3 466

Placed external line Blonay-Chamby

No. Name Class/Type Builders Details Works No. Date Built Notes.
2 La Grisette He 2/2 SLM / CIE 1899 Ex-Bex-Villars-Bretaye (BVB)
125 - Ce 2/2 SIG / SAAS 1920 Ex-Compagnie Genevoise des Tramways Électriques (CGTE)
182 - Ce 2/2 SIG / BBC 1926 Ex-Basler Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB)
230 - C2 SWS 1905 Ex-Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM)

Abbreviations (Selection)

OC : Cylinders outside frames
IC : Cylinders inside frames

Literature

External links

References

  1. ^ Eric Bettega and Patric Bouillin: Chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby: Plus vivant que jamais! in: Voies Ferrees (periodical) No 186, 2011, pagina 67-75 (graphique des circulations du dimanche 12 et du lunid 13 junin 2011, pagina 69)
  2. ^ chaulin.jimdo.com Blonay-Chamby Museum Railway, private internet page in German language, Blonay-Chamby Ebook, retrieved 24 April 2011
  3. ^ issuu.com Faire le Voie, retrieved 5 May 2011)