Train des Merveilles - Retro 2016 - Train of Marvels

Train des Merveilles - Retro - arrives in Breil-sur-Roya

This year's Train des Merveilles - Retro, the railway journey with ATTCV railcar Caravelle X 4567 between Toulon and Tende took place on Saturday 14th May.

Prior to the train's arrival in Breil-sur-Roya, enthusiasts waiting at the station could enjoy a calm, although somewhat chilly, Saturday morning with a clear sky.

Breil-sur-Roya station

The Breil-sur-Roya station has an interesting color scheme that nicely fits that of the Caravelle railcar. One may also recall that several units from this class of railcars, the X 4500 series, were for many years in use on this line.

Caravelle X 4567 at Breil-sur-Roya

During the X 4567 stop in Breil-sur-Roya, prolonged because of the late arrival of the railcar, the Trainitalia Minuetto regional train, arriving from Ventimiglia, stopped for passenger exchange.

Minuetto and Caravelle

Two generations of Train des Merveilles, with more than 40 years of age and technological difference, this day meet in Breil-sur-Roya.

Train des merveilles - current and retro

Passengers who chose to get off in Breil-sur-Roya could spend the day in this village, e.g by having a lunch in the village and then visit the Ecomusée du Haut Pays, which is located in the north-east part of the railway station's yard.

Ecomusée du Haut Pays

This museum addresses various means of road and rail transportation: railway and tram vehicles, automobiles and buses. Added to that, at the entrance you'll find components from hydropower generation.

Hydroelectric components

Since a few years ATTCV has a railcar, X 2204 (presented in an earlier post), which was used on the Nice to Tende line as a Train des Merveilles vehicle. The ATTCV railcar is still painted in its original color scheme, red and white, while most of the others were decorated as is shown on the following photo, where we in the foreground see railcar X 2217, in the background a trailer XR 6144.

X 2200 series Train des Merveilles

The museum has an 1-4-1 steam engine, 141.R.1108, on display in the vehicle shed.

141.R.1108 "Nice"

The museum also has a small collection of buses ... ...

Bus collection

... ... as well as a small set of vintage automobiles.

Automobile collection

Tende station is located 823 m above sea level. The commune of Tende belonged to Italy until after the end of WW2, when it in 1947 became a part of France. A few older inhabitants therefore still use the village's Italian name - Tenda.

Tende station

Those waiting for X 4567's arrival in Tende could view a train meeting. On this photo Trainitalia Minuetto train takes off for Cuneo, while Train des Merveilles prepares for taking off in direction Nice. And two descending passengers wait for an opportunity to pass over the tracks.