Bay de Somme Railway (France)

Bay de Somme steam train runs between Le Crotoy, Noyelle-sur-Mer, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and Cayeux-sur-Mer, in the French department of la Somme.

The Bay de somme is located in the North of France, on the Picardy coast

The one meter large track has been built in 1887 by the General Society for Economic Railways to transport of local products (shingles, sugar beet, cockles, etc). It was in use until the sixties.

A lot of tourists take the little train to the Bay de Somme beaches. Some were famous writers or painters: Colette, Jules Vernes, Anatole France, Toulouse Lautrec, Manessier,…

In 1970, a trains lovers group brought the railway to life again. They created the Somme Railway Preservation Society. In 2006 5 steam locomotives and 17 wagons were OK. For further information see the Web site of the association http://www.chemin-fer-baie-somme.asso.fr/

In the summer of 2006, I made a trip on this railway between Saint-Valery and Le Crotoy.

The steam locomotive was the 130 type, with N° 15. It has been buit in 1920 in Belgium (in Haine-Saint-Pierre factory).

It was in use for the first time in 1922 on the French Departement of Oise railways, between Noyon-Guiscard-Lassigny and after between St-Just-en-Chaussée and Crevecoeur-le-Grand.

With coal and water, its weight is 32 Tonnes. The diameter of the 3 motors axles wheels is 1,025 m. and those of  the carrying axle wheel is 0,73 m. The machine is 8,60 m. length, 2,45 m. large and 3,30 m height.

130 Type locomotive of the Bay de Somme Railway, built in 1920 in Haine-St-Pierre (Belgium).  Picture taken in July 2006 in Saint-Valéry and Le Crotoy Stations.

In the Le Crotoy station, was also a steam locomotive 130T with a fabulous history.

It was build in 1889 by the French Society Cail, located in Denain (Dep. of The North).

It was part of a six steam machines group built for the works train of the Ferdinand de Lesseps’s Panama Canal Company

In 1891, the company failed and the material was buy by the Puerto Rico Island Railways.

Fuero Cariles de Puerto Rico (FCPR) plate took place on the machine.

In 1929, the machine became property of Henry Ford’s Museum in Dearborn, near Detroit (Michigan), where it will be the only non-american machine.

In 1977, the museum sold it to a little local bank for the decoration of its building located in an old railway station in Traverse City.

The Bay de Somme Railway bought it in 1994. The locomotive came back in France by boat via Le Havre.

After its restoration, it run again on April 17th, 2003.

The 130 Cail weight is 33,5 tonnes. The motors wheels diameter is 1,01 m. and those of the carrying wheels is 0,65 m. It is 2,38 m large and 8,35 m long.

	130T type locomotive built in 1889 by Anciens Ets CAIL in Denain (North of France), in July 2006 in Le Crotoy station