Tuesday 7 October - Basel and Berne

Sunrise from my hotel room

 It was raining first thing but there were patches of blue sky. We took a tilting train to Basel and a tram to the Market which has the red Rathaus. 

Basel Rathaus

The smoky Basel concourse

 There was a visit to a model shop (no sale), tram back to the station then another model shop (no sale). The booking hall here is beautiful but SBB allows smoking which makes it somewhat unpleasant.
We wanted to see the Waldenburger bahn again but chose a different way to get to Bern. The suburban train to Liestal  was held outside the station and we only just made the Waldenburg train - 750 mm gauge, roadside tramway. A lady was gaily chatting away to us in German. We smiled politely not understanding a word. 

Waldenburg

Waldenburg

 At Waldenburg we caught a post bus to Balsthal. This was a pleasant ride through several small villages and through hilly green fields.

At Balsthal they don't even use the SBB clock

 We caught the Oensingen Balsthal Bahn train to Oensingen. This railway has a collection of exotic equipment. We saw some small locomotives which were over 100 years old but dod not see the crockodile or Churchill railcar.  At Oensingen we transferred to the narrow gauge Aare Seeland Mobil train to Solothurn. 

Aare Seeland mobile train at Solothurn

The Regional Verkehr Bern Solothurn train took us to Bern. This is a narrow gauge company that provides some suburban services in Bern.  Even with the smaller out of the way operations everything runs to time. This complicated journey turned out exactly as planned.
Quite a trip with good scenery although cloudy.
In Bern we walked down the historic quarter and took a look at the bears who seem quite happy in their large quarters. Bern is a good place to wander around. There was a break in the clouds and the snow covered mountains provided a spectacular back drop.  

Bern

 

 

Bern

We took a BLS regional train back to Neuchatel.

Click here to see all Waldenburgerbahn, Oensingen and Solothurn Pictures

 

Monday 6 October - Martigny to Neuchatel

We left the hotel and took the SBB to  Montreux where we transferred to the MOB Golden Pass train to Montbovon. 

The Chocolate Train at Montreux

Golden Pass Panorama train at Montreux.  The driver sits in the roof above the observation lounge.

 These trains are luxurious even in second class. We traveled in first. The coaches have windows in the ceilings and the driving cab is set in the roof so that passengers can sit in the front (for a supplement) and have a clear view ahead. The locomotive is in the middle of the train so as to be out of the way. We were on this train yesterday and it was empty as it was today. The only other time I have been on this route it was solid with tourists and Mary and I found it unpleasant.
It was another beautiful morning and we enjoyed the play of light on the mountain tops while the views across a calm Lac Lemain were very good. 

Once over the hill and away from the lake the country becomes pastoral with wooded sections. I was interested to see a few traditional hay stacks with a pole stood vertically in the middle.

At Broc Fabrique

100 year old locomotive at Bulle

We transfered to the Fribourg narrow gauge at Montbovon. The train took us first through Gruyeres. The whole area is given over to pasture and there were lots of contented cows munching happily away.
The next point of interest was Broc Fabrique where Nestles have a chocolate factory. The air was scented with chocolate. After a brief pause we went on to Bulle then Fribourg then Yverdon Les Brains where we caught a tilting train to Neuchatel.  Paul remarked that the only way the hotel could be closer to the station would be in it. The hotel is good and has a terrace with a view over the lake.
A walk into town and the port and we found out about cruises, saw a tram on the only line left and visited the tourist office.
We took a cruise on the lake for a little over an hour. The lake was calm when we left but a wind blew up and ruffled the surface.

Neuchatel from the water

Lake Neuchatel

The next order of business was to ride the one remaining tram line. The double cars are run in pairs but only every 15 minutes. The tram we rode had bad flats on the wheels which made for a rough and very noisy ride. The brakes were terrible. We could feel the wheels locking up and sliding for 10 feet or so at stops - more flats. It looks as if this line will eventually be abandoned although some new rails, ballast and ties have recently been installed.

The funicular to the station is not working at present so we caught a trolley bus back.

Sunday 5 October - Blonay Chamby

Montreux

 

We left early this morning on the train to Montreux. Although the forecast was for some rain, it was a beautiful morning although there had been some rain in places. We had some time to walk along the front at Montreux. Being Sunday morning there were few people around. There were swans and cormorants in the distance while tufted ducks were diving and mallards were sunning themselves on the rocks. A cat emerged from a shop called La Chatte, in front of the Post Office, and was immediately set upon by a couple of crows. They made a great noise and drove it away.
We caught the Golden Pass Express to Chamby. A man was making his dog sit for treats right next to a crossing. The dog was concerned about the train but was more interested in treats. At Chamby we had to get off in a very restricted space between two trains and wait for one train to leave before we could get on the platform. There were great views across the lake. The Sunday morning church bells were ringing to competition from the cow bells.

A beautifully printed Edmondson card ticket

We were the only ones on the platform but at the appointed time a well restored tram turned up and took us to the museum. We chose first to take the steam train to Blonay. The engine stopped on the viaduct to blow down the boiler which gave an opportunity for pictures. 

 

Blonay

At Blonay there was a special ready to leave for children then the engine ran round and returned us to the museum via Chamby.
The museum has a number of well restored trams and similar equipment. 

 

 

Click here to see all pictures taken at Blonay Chamby

After looking around we took the museum train to Blonay and then the narrow gauge electric line to Vevey, changed to a local to Montreux and then a regional express to Martigny.
The weather stayed fine with hot sun and a heat haze.
The train towards Chamonix climbs up into a high steep sided valley. We could only go as far as the border on this train One curious feature of this line is that it uses both third rail and overhead wires for current supply. The driver told us there is no mystery to this, the railway installed overhead wires in parts some time ago but left some third rail sections to save money. The current and voltage are the same. There are some tunnels where there could be clearance problems with overhead wires so they left the third rail in place. 

 

We had in mind to go back one stop and take a funicular but it was closed so we came straight back to Martigny. There is a castle here and we explored it and some of the town centre. A zip line has been strung across the town from about the height of the castle. It is 1,123 metres long and 400 feet above the town in places. Installed for the foire this weekend it is claimed to be unique. Must be quite a trip.
We found a small back street restaurant and had a fondue with mushrooms picked that morning by the proprietor. They use just local cheese and a cheese from Fribourg.  With a bottle of the Valais (local) Gamay it was a very good meal.

Saturday 4 October - Bex and Aigle

We had a very detailed schedule today to look at the lines running into the mountains.
We took the SBB to Bex and caught the tram to Villars sur Olton. Bex is an attractive, sleepy village and the tram runs through some narrow streets. In the country the running is mainly roadside. We ran against the traffic for some considerable distance and motorists had to go into the other side to avoid us.

Villars sur Olton

The line goes on to Col de Bretaye but is mainly for the winter skiing, there is an impressive golf course.
Coming back to Villars we traveled in an impressive restaurant/lounge car. 

There was a small market at Villars and we had lunch of a pork pie and a fish roll.

Villars sur Olton

The next part of the schedule was a bus to Aigle. This went through a large number of hairpin bends along very narrow roads. 

Aigle - decoration on a car

The bus brought us right to the station at Aigle and we took the train to Le Sepey and on to Les Diablarets.  This line is adhesion only and runs almost entirely through woodland apart from the vineyards close to the Aigle castle.

Aigle chateau

Aigle

Back at Aigle there was time to walk around and look at an impressive living wall on the side of an apartment building and have a glass of the local red wine.

Our next trip was to Champerey. The first part is along the wide, flat Rhone valley but the climbing then commenced in earnest.
The character of this line was much different from the others. It served a number of communities, mainly farming, but ended at the bottom of a ski lift.
Back to Aigle, the sun had been out most of the day but the temperature drops rapidly in the evening.
Our final train to Leysin Fedey was different again. We made our way through the evening rush hour traffic and went into the depot yard. After reversal we climbed up the steep valley side through vineyards. In a couple of locations monorails are being used to help transport grapes down the steep slopes. The vendage was in full swing.

A-L train at Aigle in the old colors

At Leysin Fedey the train stopped and everyone got out. After a pause the train disappeared into a tunnel. Turns out the real end of the line is a couple of minutes further at or in the Grand Hotel.
The views of the mountains on the evening light changed from minute to minute. Light and dark, mingled with the mist and the occasional shafts of sun light through the clouds.

Click here to see all pictures taken at Bex and Aigle

We caught the train back to Martigny and had a Chinese meal. It was surprising how many young people were coming into Martigny on the train on Saturday night. There was lots of smoking and drinking on the station.  Martigny is very different from most Swiss towns. Garbage lying around, untidy, dirty, unkempt, weeds in streets.

For the record this is the schedule we followed.

SBB 0819 Martigny to Bex 0834.

Bex Villars Bretay Rly (BVB) 0839 Bex to Villars sur 0919; 0935 Villars to Bretaye 0953; 1000 Bretaye to Villars 1020.

Bus TPC 1053 Villars to Aigle 1130.

Aigle Le Sepay Diablerets Rly (ASD) 1155 Aigle to Diablerets 1243; 1248 Diablerets to Aigle 1338.

Aigle Othon Monthey Champerey Rly (AOMC) 1422 Aigle to Champerey 1521; 1534 Champerey to Aigle 1536.

Aigle Leysin Rly (AL) 1656 Aigle to Leysin 1723; 1756 Leysin to Aigle 1832.

SBB 1851 Aigle to Martigny 1909

All ran to time

Friday 3 October - Zurich to Martigny

Polybahn

We left the hotel early to ride the Polybahn a short funicular close by. However there was a big line up of school kids so we contented ourselves by photographing it.
The train to Bern was the usual double decker and we went over the only high speed line in Switzerland.
It was cloudy in Zurich with a trace of rain but the sun was out by the time we had reached Bern.
Time between trains at Bern for tram and train watching. Bern is very busy with an interesting curve at the north end of the station.
We decided to take the slow train on the Bern Lotschberg Simplon railway because it went on the Lotschberg pass, the faster trains go underneath on a long tunnel. This turned out to be a good decision as the weather was very sunny and the views superb. As we anticipated the rooms were not ready anyway so there was no point in getting to Martigny earlier. There is a distinct change between Brig (German) and Martigny (French).  Martigny is untidy and grotty and there is nowhere as much pride in the place as we experienced further east. This is much more like France.

Martigny

We took the opportunity this afternoon to ride up to Le Chable and Orsieres, a standard gauge line into the mountains to the south. Leaving Martigny the train was full and standing.  However there was a fair on the outskirts of town with free transportation. After the first stop we had practically the whole train to ourselves.

Le Chable

This is grape growing and fruit growing country and the steep mountainsides are heavily cultivated in many places to a high level. Martigny has a reputation for strong winds, as evidenced by several large windmills on the valley bottom. The Saint Bernard Express took us to Le Chable and back to Sembrancher where we transfered to the train to Orsieres and waited for the connection from Martigny. The valley to Orsieres is very pleasant, well forested with mixed growth deciduous trees, tending to change to coniferous as we approached Orsieres which is too high for fruit.

Orsieres

Orsieres

Orsieres

Supper this evening was horsemeat steak, horse being cheaper than beef.

Thursday 2 October - Zurich Trams

We decided to stay in Zurich today and see the city. Paul devised this way of seeing a large part of Zurich.
Uetlibergbahn Hauptbahnhof to Triemli (where we saw a field cat sitting on a post which was a good vantage point)
Uetlibergbahn Triemli to Uetlinberg
Uetlibergbahn Uetlinbergbahn to Selnau
Sihtahlbahn Selnau to Giesshubel
Sihtahlbahn Giesshubel to Saalsporte Halle
Tram 5 Saalsporte Halle to Kirche Fluntern
Trolleybus 33 Kirche Flutern to Klosbach
(Walk) Klosbach to Romerhof.
Dolderbahn  Romerhof to Bergstation
Dolderbahn Bergstation to Romerhof
(Latte)
Tram 15 Romerhof to Bucheggplatz
Tram 11 Bucheggplatz to Auzelg
Tram 12 Auzelg to Bahnhof Stettbach
Tram 7 Bahnhof Stettbach to Schwamendingerplatz
Tram 9 Schwamendingerplatz  to Werd
(Visit model shop)
(Fish and chips and Guinness)
Tram 9 Wiedikon to Patadeplarz
Tram 7 Paradeplatz to Wollishofen
Tram 7 Wollishofen to Paradeplatz
Tram 2 Paradeplatz to Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen
Tram 2 Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen to Farbhof
Trolleybus 31 Farbhof to Hauptbahnhofplatz
(Salad)
(Watch trains at the Hauptbahnhof)

After yesterday's rain this morning started cloudy and foggy but the sun was out by noon and it was hot in the afternoon.

Cat on a pole

Uetlinberg

Sihtahlbahn at Giesshubel

Dolderbahn

Hauptbahnhof