Somme Centennial

The Battle of the Somme needs no introduction but unlike the British, the French commemorate the beginning of the battle in May rather than July. This explains why we were at the Chemin de Fer Froissy-Dompierre from May 5th to 8th this year. The celebration at the CFCD was a double annuiversary; the centenary of the battle of the Somme and the 45th anniversary of the resurrection of this unique 60cm railway.
The railway was rescued by Jacques Pradayroil and others who formed APPEVA and the Blondin family who for two generations (and counting) have driven the railway to the success that it is today. It is a major site for those interested in the history of the 'Soixante' with an emphasis on military equipment. Even more interestingly, parts of the railway are still on the original alignment set down in the First World War.
We first encountered the railway in the early Eighties before it became so familiar. Luckily, in spite of major investment in a modern museum the railway still holds a lot of its essential character. It was built to move material from the canal de Somme up the steep valley side on to the plain above. To do this it utilises two-stage zigzags and a tunnel (added in the Twenties). When we think that a single mile of Front when quiet required at least 80 tonnes of basic stores a day, (plus engineering supplies) we begin to see how busy such a railway would have been.

May morning 2016 at the CFCD, Somme canal to one side, locomotives including in steam to the other. Photo Malcolm Wright

The atmosphere of this photo captures something of the supply end of a trench railway. Barges on the Somme canal would bring up supplies which were transhipped here before being moved up to forward supply dumps. From there, trains would move at night by petrol power to the Front. 60cm gauge at this, safer, end of the line tended to be properly engineered. At the forward end, rail was laid, relaid and often repaired in a matter of hours.

Kerr Stuart Joffre 0-6-0T  from the West Lancashire Railway visiting the CFCD in May 2016. Photograph Malcolm Wright

Although, thanks to Prosper Péchot, the French had a lead in siege train technology in the 1890s, the Germans as second adopters overtook them. It was the Germans who started the war ready with 1000 miles of track and corresponding material.. The scramble to defend Paris and then the needs of trench warfare had them hurrying to update. In the autumn of 1914, they placed large orders. To the existing Péchot system bogies and wagons were added a simplified Decauville design. As the advance of the central powers threatened their own industrial areas, many orders had to be placed abroad.
The design of 0-6-0 tank engine in the photo above was made both in France (Decauville) and by Kerr Stuart in England. Two differences are obvious even to the non-specialist. The English cousin has a spark arrestor chimney and the platework over the tanks results in a 'three-stepped' side view. Its French relation had a straight chimney and more angular platework, for all the world looking like four 'steps'.
For another chance to see this little darling, the West Lancashire Railway PR4 6SP lies between Southport and Preston and is open on Sundays and special occasions between Easter to October.

The British sector of the Front lay to the north, on the far side of the Somme river. In spring and summer of 1916, they had almost no trench railways, apart from heroic improvisations by the 'boots on the ground' and a system they had inherited from the French. During the battle of the Somme, the War Department Light Railways were formed. The new Directorate of Light Railways placed vast orders. As British engineering firms had their hands full of French orders, they immediately looked overseas to the great Baldwin Works of Philadelphia, USA, among others.

Baldwin 4-6-0T from the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway pictured at the CFCD in May 2016. Photo Malcolm Wright

A total of 486 of these Baldwin 4-6-0T locomotives were supplied to the WDLR during the war.  As with human combatants, many were irreparably damaged by the long and horrific conflict. The survivors were sold off during the years of peace and served in fields, mines and quarries, many abroad. If only this restored locomotive could talk!
If you missed a chance to take a train at Froissy, she will be back at the Leighton Buzzard light railway this summer.
During the celebrations, Malcolm took his model Baldwin 4-6-0 and photographed it beside her big sister, much to the credit of both.

We much enjoyed our days at the CFCD commemoration. Malcolm had brought along an exhibition of 16mm scale locomotives and rolling stock, as used during the First World War, both British and French. We have mentioned the Baldwin steam locomotive. He also took along his Baldwin locotractor, developed to slip unseen to forward areas. Those wreaths of smoke, though atmospheric, made steam locomotives a prime target for enemy guns! He brought along a variety of wagons, both French military and WDLR, made from Wrightscale kits. He had come along with what he thought was a life-time supply of Péchot wagon kits; visitors were so delighted to see the models appearing beside the prototypes that Malcolm sold out! He has had to order more.
The photo below is a homage to the Péchot System. Sarah was beside Malcolm with her book 'Colonel Péchot: Tracks to the trenches' and was delighted with the many opportunities to discuss his work with people who could actually see examples outside! 

A Baldwin 4-6-0T in steam heads up a train outside the CFCD engine shed. Wreathed in drifting smoke,can just be seen a pair of Péchot bogies carrying portable track. Behind again is a Péchot flat wagon with its distinctive  stanchions and behind that is a Péchot wagon carrying a newly built reconstruction of an inspection vehicle built in the 1890s. May 1016. Photo Malcolm Wright

Outside the exhibition area can be seen a true homage to Péchot's work. When a French army base closed its 60cm gauge network, the CFCD was given a number of Péchot wagons and other material, dating back to the 1890s! It is a tribute to the resilience of the design that it could be put back to use. Bogie bolsters still carry 10m lengths of portable track as they would originally. The ten-tonne Péchot wagon in the photograph still looks good for its age. Just to prove its load-bearing capacity, the Péchot wagon behind has been rebuilt to a Belle Epoque design as an  Inspection Coach as used by the French high command and President. This was just finished for the May commemorations and we were able to watch this train leave the station and proceed up the line with Sarah onboard (a real priviledge). She was able to watch the original wheel brakes being screwed down as originally designed. It may have been a slightly rough ride for the President of France, but he was truly safe!
Come to Froissy to see this historic material . If you are in the west of France, you can see Péchot wagons in service at the chemin de fer de lac de Rillé, another place worth visiting. It has been mentioned in previous blogs.

CFCD May 2016. In authentic French costumes of the 1916 period, a re-enactment society pose beside a model of Etampes station commemorating its contribution to the War. Photo Malcolm Wright

This photo gives an idea of the hall devoted to models. We are just off to the right, in a good position to catch the re-enactment society in its pose beside the TEE exhibition. At the left were exhibits from the Confrerie des Amateurs de Vapeur Vive which put steam of the first world war period into historic context.  The poilus and  NCO in the photograph represent the infantry and Alpine troops as well as the soldiers who contested the area. As you can see, the French army greatcoat is pinned up during the day for ease of movement but at night could be opened out to provide a blanket for the legs. The coats are French horizon grey, similar to trench railway liveries of the period.The soldier far left wears a 1916 uniform, far right the uniform is a modern reconstruction (not the brighter blue) The bright red trousers have been abandoned in favour of sober grey - for obvious reasons.
Though uniforms and conditions improved during the war, French losses, not to mention other Allies and Central Powers, were terrible. When visiting the Little Railway of the Upper Somme, (one of the names of the CFCD) there are a number of memorials to the fallen which should be visited.All in all, this was quite an experience.