Fête de Vapeur CFBS

A big event for your spring calender has to be the tri-annual Fête de Vapeur on the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de la Somme.
27-28 April 2013

This is one of the most popular events on one of the most popular narrow gauge railways.

It's obviously a long way for people down south but just 2 hours up the road from me. I'll be happy to accomodate anyone en route.

About half way between Boulogne and Dieppe.

http://www.fetevapeur.fr/

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

It is really worth going to if you can make it.

You get unlimited travel on the trains and pretty much free access everywhere.

Now....rather belatedly I have asked the organisers if they would like me (us....?) to exhibit with the portable layout.

For some events they have had a large marquée at St Valery or Noyelles with a number of layouts inside. This may or may not be the case this time and in any case they may not want my layout.

I am waiting for a reply.

Brian if you can make it to somewhere like Sees which is on the mainline north from St Pierre de Corps/Tours, I would be prepared to pick you up. Its about 80km/1hr from me but direct.

GWhizz wrote:

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

You had the same thought as me.

Carl Hibbs wrote:

Brian if you can make it to somewhere like Sees which is on the mainline north from St Pierre de Corps/Tours, I would be prepared to pick you up. Its about 80km/1hr from me but direct.

Let's "Sees" what develops, StPdC Tours is under 2 hours on the TGV and with my geriatric fares booked well in advance - quite reasonable!

I await news!

It looks like they have a very nice railcar visiting on the site but the prices are a bit interesting.Maybe it's because it's reserved ride with meals.
I'd like to come to this Carl if there's room at the inn.....

The x2800 railcar from Brittany I think is ridiculously priced.

There will be a number of steam excursions too arriving from Paris and Rouen I believe.

There is also a Sprague-Thomson metro unit coming to run for the weekend on the standard gauge section. You can't fault the organiser's imagination... I'm intrigued to see how they are going to power or tow it.

I had a brief message back from Julien at the CFBS to ask if the layout was suitable for outdoors to which I obviously replied no. So I'm still waiting for a definite answer on attendance.

If they agree and depending on how much they pay (if anything) I will organise a suitable jolly weekend for all.

The show lasts the two days Saturday and Sunday and I will set up Friday morning and pack away Sunday night.

I had a quick look at hotel prices which are pricey around the Baie de la Somme although 15 kms away Abbeville is reasonable.

Or... it is possible to hire a gite for the weekend at about half the total group price for hotels.
I had a look at a few advertised around Noyelles that sleep 6 people in 3 rooms and there are bigger ones available.

If they don't want my layout then I shall still go for a long day visit probably the Saturday.
In that case I will be happy to take a couple of others if you can get to or near me.

Apart from the fact that my annual golf holiday in Portugal is booked for the 29th I would definitely have driven the car over. It is one of my favourite railways.

It sounds like a great event.

I had this e mail back from the CFBS

Bonjour,

Merci pour les informations. Je me souviens maintenant de votre réseau que j’ai vu à RailExpo.

Néanmoins, nous n’acceptons plus de réseau de modélisme eu égard aux coûts élevés demandés et à la trop faible fréquentation lors des Fêtes de la Vapeur.

Je garde précieusement vos coordonnées au cas où, pour une autre occasion ?

Restant à votre écoute ;


So they 'don't accpet any more model layouts because of the expenses demanded and the lack of interest at the show.'

So It looks like no for the moment although I have replied back saying I will be happy to go without any reimbursement.

If we don't exhibit there then I still think we should find another venue to meet up at and put on a show during the spring....eh?

Their (CFBS) loss our gain maybe.

OK, if there's no CGT exhibit it doesn't preclude me from a visit to the Fete.

However, finances are a factor so joining a one day visit with the option to "crash on a sofa" at either end is the least costly option. I can't book fares until the 3 month window and at current rates even 'geriatric' is a 100 euro to Sees.

If I do MOMI Barcelona February, FerroviArt Paris March............Somme in April might be a "resau" too far!

However a summer "meet" here in the Charente has to be a possibility!

Getting paid for attending exhibitions is as we discussed a difficult subject in the current financial situation. I expect more and more exhibitions to reduce their outgoing costs and thus any payment or providing more shared accomodation.

If you come to the Fête de Vapeur I doubt you will be disaoppointed. It's not just a ride on a metre gauge railway, it's the rush hour!

Even if we are just visiting I would be happy to collect you at Sees or anywhere else direct from me and take you back.
Accomodation would not be on a sofa but in a double bed in a private room overlooking the the fosse septique in the garden.

I know the travel costs in France like anywhere are expensive but there wont be another occassion for this event until 2016.

As for Ferroviart....They (TDS) are now going to use a smaller 800 m2 hall in Romainville in Paris. This is about a quarter of the space they had this year and I suspect there will be very few layouts unfortunately, concentrating as they originally did with just trade stands.
From the feedback I'm getting it is unlikely I will be exhibiting there although no definitive decision has yet been made.

I keep saying I will get down to you so a visit is well overdue. At the very least we could put all the modules together that we have or will have built.

Carl Hibbs wrote:

I keep saying I will get down to you so a visit is well overdue. At the very least we could put all the modules together that we have or will have built.

That would be splendid, we could set them up in my Orange 70's Frame Tent for a real spectacle!

With regards the Fete, if FerroviArt is a No Go then it would be great to visit. What other stations are nearer to you? It may well be cheaper to travel via Paris from here. Also Limoges to Austerlitz is an option to Paris although much longer than the TGV!

Probably wouldn't book fares until End of January, so plenty of time to consider options!

The obvious and most direct way to get nearest to me is via Paris, gare St Lazare and take the direct train to Bernay (10 mins drive from home) which is on the line to Caen.

L'Aigle (better) and Dreux are not too far either and are served by trains from Montparnasse I believe, but the diesel service is slow.

There is also a direct service from Paris, gare du nord to the CFBS at Noyelles sur mer (line to Boulogne) and some with a connecting change at Amiens.

I notice on the CFBS fête vapeur trains spéciaux there is a possible steam hauled excursion from Rouen on Saturday 27th.
There are no details yet on the Pacific Vapeur Club website but this maybe interesting if the price is reasonable.

Rouen is about half way from me to the CFBS. And there is even a local train from Bernay or Brionne direct to Rouen......

Brian, I travelled from Limoges to Austerlitz last week in about 3.25hrs for the princely sum of around £12.

For general interest only my return journey using the single weeekends only TGV from Brive to Lille took 8 hours due to "bad boys" around Paris causing a 3 hour tour of the Paris suburban and freight lines and finally travelling south from C de G to Marne La Vallee before reversing and travelling north back to C de G. Total door to door Brive to Loughborough time was 16 hrs, maybe Ryanair beckons.

I had another reply back from Julien at the CFBS in very good English!

All may not yet be lost. Although he says there is no exhibition for model layouts this time he talks about a 'station festival' with steam engines and that 'we should have a look at working together on it'.
He says he will keep in touch and liked what he saw at Railexpo and on this forum.

So we will wait and see.

The CFBS is really a railway one could get passionate about if one lived quite close.
I think being a seaside railway helps!

I did have a mad thought about putting your portable layout in my frame tent, I think it would fit and least be viewable to the public on one side, thus making it an "outdoor" - "all weather" layout! Not sur about meeting fire regs though

Funny you should suggest that as my wife said "The money you'll spend on a trip to the Baie de la Somme with hotels etc. you could buy a tent and put it up in the garden or exhibit it anywhere you choose"...."you could all sleep together with all your trains".... and then she walked off.

So, I had a look at some tents....(Barnum, tente de reception) and found some for around 150€. Even a 'good' quality one, 8m x 4m could be bought for less than 400€.

Worth a thought...a travelling road show perhaps....

So after a surprise mail today.

I shall now be exhibiting at this event. There will be a place for the portable layout as per Railexpo (not the cidrerie) in a large marquee.

There will be no reimbursement unfortunately but personally I am just happy to participate.
This is one of the great railway events in France that only happens every 3 years.

Have a think and if anyone wants to come and take part and be part of the atmosphere let me know soonest so we can talk about accomodation and making a jolly weekend of it.

Stick me down for 1 place please.

Okay Troy that will be good to have you there. I was going to call you anyway. The KESR are coming too!

I'm not sure where we will be located exactly yet (Noyelles or St Valery perhaps) but as soon as I get more precise information I will let you know.

They have updated their website and the traction this year is impressive. There is even a 60cm line in operation.

I would love to join you too! If it's not too late?

You will most welcome Brian as originally outlined. Happy new year and nice to have you back.

Carl Hibbs wrote:

Happy new year and nice to have you back.

Thanks, Yes apologies for absence but been busy working over the Xmas /New Year period and we've also tragically lost one of our dogs two weeks ago, possibly to a wild boar, as her sister came back badly savaged, but she's made a full recovery now - set us both back a bit to say the least!

GWhizz wrote:

.......... we've also tragically lost one of our dogs two weeks ago, possibly to a wild boar, as her sister came back badly savaged, but she's made a full recovery now - set us both back a bit to say the least!

That's terrible I'm really sorry.

Heard from the CFBS today that we will be at St Valery sur Somme actually by the station on the angle between the short branch to port and the line off to Cayeux.

This is where they had a tent before. There will be electricity and food nearby plus trains galore going both ways and both sides.

There are some relatively cheap gites and chambre d'hôtes along the road to the port and I will contact them soonest to check availability. There are some nice restaurants too.

Brian, what are your intended plans? I will be going there Friday probably around midday to setup and obviously stay. Troy is coming Staurday.

Also has anyone got any really good high res pics of the portable layout at Railexpo without me in it please? The CFBS want some for publicity.