BLS 100 Jahre L?tschbergbahn

[jonhall]

Just noticed this, the BLS are celebrating their centenary in 2013, with a series of events.

 

http://bls.ch/100/unternehmen/100-jahre-loetschbergbahn.html

 

There seems to be at least two sets of open weekends, the North ramp at Frutigen 29+30/6/13 and South ramp at Brig 7+8/9/12

 

Jon

[Welly]

I visited Switzerland back in May 2011 and I was VERY impressed with the BLS line between Brig and Bern. The line rising rapidly and turning 180 degrees out of Brig then clinging to the hillside is unforgettable! I did imagine steam locomotives working very hard on those gradients but was slightly disappointed to discover that the line was worked by electric locomotives from opening.

 

By 2011 the Lotschberg base tunnel had been open and all the intercity passenger trains diverted along the new line leaving only the hourly local passenger working betwen Brig and Bern so the lineside atmosphere is now rather like the WCML without the express passenger trains! But all the heavy freight trains and intermodal workings all use 2 Re 6/6 locomotives!

[Frutigen]

Thanks for this Jon. Did you see the link to the BLS youtube channel on there? They've got a 1913 cab ride over the line that's been nicely restored.

 

Keith

[Class 74]

I remember the 75th jubliee back in '88, this was awesome. Austrian, french and german locos were hauling regular trains between Bern and Thun. I can remember OeBB's 1044 hauling the EC Loetschberg, and the BLS Ae 6/8 was used for specials. Those were the days...

[Oldddudders]

I visited Switzerland back in May 2011 and I was VERY impressed with the BLS line between Brig and Bern. The line rising rapidly and turning 180 degrees out of Brig then clinging to the hillside is unforgettable! I did imagine steam locomotives working very hard on those gradients but was slightly disappointed to discover that the line was worked by electric locomotives from opening.

 

By 2011 the Lotschberg base tunnel had been open and all the intercity passenger trains diverted along the new line leaving only the hourly local passenger working betwen Brig and Bern so the lineside atmosphere is now rather like the WCML without the express passenger trains! But all the heavy freight trains and intermodal workings all use 2 Re 6/6 locomotives!

I "did" this route a few times in the late '60s/early 70s. The southern ramp is gorgeous indeed, and the local trains as they then were seemed to be suspended in both time and space as they paused at Reichenbach, Ausserberg, Lalden (am I remembering correctly?). Much more recently, an Internet exploration suggested that the local trains had been supplanted, but perhaps that was before the new tunnel opened. One year, I then took the Furka Oberalp train from Brig right across to Disentis(?), stopping overnight half -way. Then across Austria, dipping down into Styria before going up the Semmering to Vienna. All highly recommended - but that was then!

[eastwestdivide]

...All highly recommended - but that was then!

Still recommended now!

[The Stationmaster]

I love the BLS route - fortunately I had 4 (separate) weeks of conferences in Switzerland on the late 1990s and was able to do the BLS at least once during each of those weeks including walking part of the marvellous lineside path which I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in the line.  And my screen saver includes the tunnel 'car ferries' at Goppenstein so I often get a reminder of the route.  The pic below is from my 'grand tour' of 2003

 

 

 

[jonhall]

I managed to get to the Gottard 100 celebrations by accident a few years ago - I booked a last minute trip to Switzerland (the STC's Swiss Classic tour) and then looked at what might be going on in Switzerland whilst I was out there.

 

I managed to do the Gottard event whilst staying In Luzern (on the day I should have been on the included Rigi trip) then did Rigi en-route to StMoritz. Linesided the RhB in the hills above Bergun (sadly the Trottinet hire is no longer available)

 

 

then did the Glacier express to Zermatt (1st class - although I think I would rather travel on the 'normal' trains with opening windows).

 

Watched the locals unload wagons on the trip up to the Matterhorn

 

 

and then ended up in Geneva.

 

Jon

[steve1]

Glacier express to Zermatt (1st class - although I think I would rather travel on the 'normal' trains with opening windows).

 

Jean and I had our first wedding anniversary doing the same trip, also 1st Class. We were on a Great Rail Journeys tour.

 

steve

[jonhall]

A PDF of the festival site at Frutigen is now on the BLS website,

http://bls.ch/100/unternehmen/100-jahre-loetschbergbahn/anlaesse/nordrampen-fest.html

 

I can't decide if I should go for the Frutigen event or the Brig one (alas two trips are probably out of the question.. ) my instinct is that the Brig event might be slightly bigger from a railway exhibits point of view.

 

The Swiss Travel Centre sent their brochure through this week, so I'm pondering which tour to add a day to.

 

Has anyone booked through STC and gone by Eurostar/TGV rather than fly? does this work our more expensive? Whilst I'm not a great fan of flying, it does get me to Switzerland more quickly, and the fly-bagage in advance makes things quite easy, wheras I haven't done the southern end of the overland route, but would have to take a day doing it and drag my bag across Paris.

 

Jon

[The Stationmaster]

My son books most of his continental travel through DB and secures some excellent bargains as a result (e.g. better prices on Eurostar than he can get from Eurostar direct) so that might be worth a try.

 

I haven't done Switzerland by train for a few years but depending on where you are in the UK it need not be too bad a journey I found in the past - last time I did Bern - Reading via Frankfurt, Koln, and Brussel thence Eurostar and while it took all day it was tolerable.  Previously I had done Luzern - Reading via Geneva thence TGV to Paris and onto Eurostar but that was a long old haul.  But in both cases the Eurostar part preceded the opening of CTRL which does make a big difference to journey time.

[swisspeat]

Here is an update on the BLS event in Frutigen 29/30 June 2013. Please excuse the approximate translation!

 

 

 

Big BLS railway celebration in Frutigen-«BLS learn and experience».

 

29 and 30 June 2013

 

The BLS celebrates with the great feast of the BLS railway centenary Lötschberg». Whether historical or current: who attended the Festival, learn almost everything about the BLS.

 

On 29 and 30 June 2013 the unique BLS railway station Frutigen is held. Around the old Frutiger railway station, the past is alive for two days again. Glamorous ladies in elegant robes and distinguished gentlemen with walking stick and barrel kidnap which at the time of the Belle Époque. At that time, around 1900, guests from all over Europe the Bernese Oberland discovered thanks to the new train service. For the feast of the railway, the historical vehicles go back to Frutigen. Admire the impressive locomotives and imagine the fascination exerted the magnificent mountain panorama on the illustrious passengers in the comfortable cars.

 

The railway fixed maps but also the present. The latest locomotive from BLS cargo, the modern fire extinguishing and rescue train of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel and the new double-decker multiple-unit train «Buddy» are to visit ready and fascinate not only railway enthusiasts. Slip into the locomotive Simulator in the role of a locomotive engineer and control the new double-decker multiple-unit train on a virtual cab ride. In numerous exhibitions, the BLS offers visitors a unique insight into the operation and maintenance of the railway. The BLS control center coordinates the running of trains live on-site. The BLS small railway and the JaMaDu children's land make hearts beat faster. An exhibition expected model railway fans and a market with various levels invites you to stroll around. The great Hall, as well as various food stalls on the festival grounds provide refreshments. Half hourly trains with historical and modern rolling stock on the North ramp run to Kandersteg.

 

Other highlights of the major BLS railway Festival in Frutigen:

• Historical rolling stock, including the particularly strong Lok AE 6/8

• Belle Epoque living history - delving into life 100 years ago

• Look behind the scenes of the operation and maintenance of the railway

• New double-decker multiple-unit train «Buddy»

• Modern deletion and rescue train

• Large model railway exhibition

• Leisure exhibition

• JaMaDu children's land with small railway

• Shuttle services every half hour to Kandersteg with historical and modern rolling stock

[jonti]

^{I lived in Switzerland for 16 years and spent several years on both sides of the Lötschberg. Both events will be well worth seeing.  Happy days}  

[swisspeat]

The full listing of two days programme of events and special trains at the BLS Fest at Frutigen is now available as a download at www.bls.ch

 

Go to the bls100 logo and the link will be seen.

[jonhall]

Did anyone go?

 

Jon

[eastwestdivide]

Resurrecting an old thread, but seemed like the best place to put it...

 

A huge model layout of the BLS Lötschberg north and south ramps has been bought by and installed in a hotel in Brig, the Good Night Inn:

http://www.brig-wallis.com/bls-modell-im-hotel.html

(all in German, but plenty of pics)

It was built by the Kölner Eisenbahnfreunde in 2001-2003.

[jonhall]

Since this thread has come back from the dead I've realised I didn't put any snaps online - here are a few to remedy that.

 

Captions as and when I get around to them.....

 

Accommodation and food in Switzerland is not cheap, I had decided to go half board with an Inghams package because it saved eating out for a week, and the package was quite a reasonable price - I needed to find a reasonably central base that wasn't out on a branchline that would have delayed start times in the morning and restricted returns. I chose Kandersteg just to the North of the Lötschberg tunnel, and having arrived at the hotel, had a little time to watch the rail-ferry loading cars for the trip through the tunnel, including these two, someones pride and joy returning for accident repairs, and a vintage postbus that seems to do tours on this side of the mountain

 

 

My room just about had a railway view from the balcony

 

 

J

[eastwestdivide]

There's some weird and wonderful stuff among that lot - thanks!

100010 and 29/35 in particular. 

Presumably the Italian railcar (100026) is at Domodossola?

[Simon Moore]

That railcar is certainly at Domodossola. I was there that day too & was lucky enough to be part of the celebrations & visited domodossola & got that shot of the railcar. I will never forget that day it was absolutely scorching I came back looking like a italian. It was like chalk & cheese because the Sunday was a right wash out.

 

I shall add my photos to the thread when I get chance.

 

Simon