Ae4/4 locomotive being winched up a hillside during the 1950s

[Welly]

I saw this on YouTube and wonder what was that about? Anyone know? - I think the location is near Brig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-K_5eJ7zOI

[CWJ]

How strange! There seems to be some damage to the bodyshell so preumably it's being recovered after a derailement. But why on earth would they assemble a custom-made winch and track to haul it up to a single line perched on a precarious ledge when there seems go be good level access to the bottom of the hill where it started?

 

Perhaps it was a deliberate training exercise to find out if they could recover their heaviest vehicle type in difficult terrain?

 

Sorry, I'm not being very helpful.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[DaveF]

It was being recovered after a derailment which happened on 7th January 1958 on the BLS line high up in the Rhone Valley, not too far from Brig.

 

David

[Oldddudders]

Re 4/4 rather than Ae 4/4?

[Welly]

2 hours ago, DaveF said:

It was being recovered after a derailment which happened on 7th January 1958 on the BLS line high up in the Rhone Valley, not too far from Brig.

 

David

Thank you, Dave. That explains it nicely. I figure that it was less dangerous to haul the loco uphill than to bring it downhill - imagine trying to control the fall of such a heavy thing downhill!

[Welly]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Re 4/4 rather than Ae 4/4?

Yeah, you are right! Can't edit the topic title!

[Frutigen]

The class mark on the loco is Ae4/4, half way along the body low down. 
 

According to Wikipedia, this particular loco was joined with a sister in 1965/66 to make an Ae8/8. 
 

 

[DIW]

5 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Re 4/4 rather than Ae 4/4?

 

3 hours ago, Welly said:

Yeah, you are right! Can't edit the topic title!

No, it is an Ae4/4. The side-on view of the Ae4/4 is symmetrical regarding the grills and windows, whereas the Re4/4 has the grill towards one end in an asymmetric arrangement.

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by DIW
Added photo of Re4/4

[Erichill16]

Re 4/4s weren't introduced until the mid 60s. As film is from the 50s it must be an Ae4/4! 

[Gordonwis]

To clarify:

 

 

Ae4/4 - the first 'lightweight' non rod driven/buchli type introduced in Switzerland - was considered ground breaking design at the time.

 

numbered 251 - 258. entered service 1944 (251) - 1955

 

Ae4/4 251, 257 and 258 ran in regular service until circa 2005

259 and 260 never entered service as Ae4/4, because...

 

Ae8/8

 

The last two Ae4/4 (259, 260) under construction were 'finished' as the double loco Ae8/8 271 in 1959. Four more bodyshells emerged from works as new Ae8/8 272 (1962) and 273 (1963)  

 

Subsequently four Ae4/4s were converted into two more Ae8/8:

 

253 + 254 = Ae8/8 274 (1965)

255 + 256 = Ae8/8 275 (1966)

 

Thus, the derailed loco, 253 ran as an Ae4/4 for around 12 years (1953 - 1965)

 

Re4/4

 

161 - 195 (1964 - 1983)

[Gottardo]

According to “Das grosse Buch der Lötschbergbahn“........... On the night of the 6/7th January 1958 Ae 4/4 no.253 was hauling a Basle to Milan express when it ran into a large boulder between Lalden and Brig.

The loco and a mail car were derailed and rolled down the embankment. 253 stopped after 50 metres but the mail car travelled 100 metres into the Rhone valley. The rest of the train stayed on the track and it was reported that the stranded passengers were amazed when they saw the loco driver climbing back up the slope uninjured. Miraculously two employees in the mail car only suffered minor injuries.

An Ae 6/8 was connected with steel cables to the stricken Ae 4/4 and using the device shown in the video hauled it back up the slope by slowly driving towards Brig.

[Frutigen]

After reading all this I’m rather chuffed that I chose 274 as the number for my Ae8/8 - nice to know it’s got a bit of a story. 

[Southernman46]

Didn't BR once do something similar on the GWML near Iver (?) to recover a Class 31 using 6 Class 47's and some major "Tirfor" kit.

[Gordonwis]

Three of my photos from the same wet day at Darligen on an Easter holiday trip  in 2004 

 

257 avoiding the platform with a Golden Pass service, followed by 176 on a Zweisimmen local  then 177 on an inter city (with Pano coach visible)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Fat Controller]

22 hours ago, Southernman46 said:

Didn't BR once do something similar on the GWML near Iver (?) to recover a Class 31 using 6 Class 47's and some major "Tirfor" kit.

I don't remember that one, but I do remember the EE Type 3 in the South Wales valleys. The loco was eventually recovered 

, using half a dozen locos, a stationary winch , and,( it was rumoured[) a military armoured  recovery vehicle\.l

 

eys

[Artless Bodger]

On 06/11/2023 at 17:29, Southernman46 said:

Didn't BR once do something similar on the GWML near Iver (?) to recover a Class 31 using 6 Class 47's and some major "Tirfor" kit.

OT but yes, I remember that, the recovery was reported in one of the magazines. The loco ran off the end of the up goods loop I think nearer London, just before a major road underbridge and ended up partly on its side propped up by trees. The recovery required one or two 47s to pull it back onto a sleeper base extended beyond the sand drag, two or three 47s to ballast the tracks on the mainline to which an additional tow cable was attached to prevent the 31 rolling further down the slope. The recovery gear was Kelbus if I remember rightly.

 

Quick search came up with this - 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by Artless Bodger
Spelling, as ever....

[Artless Bodger]

Having looked at the film, I wouldn't have wanted to be the bloke leaning across the haulage cables, lubricating them where they passed over the top of the frame - if a cable broke he'd be a goner.