The June Interrail trip with its constantly evolving plan and rescheduling for rail strikes, grandchildrens’ birthdays and so on, had left me with Eurostar tickets to Brussels and back. I decided to use them while Mrs EG was on her much-postponed transatlantic trip, for a very short trip to Belgium to minimise cost as far as possible. I decided on visits to the Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussels, and the Vicinal preservation group at Thuin, south of Charleroi. Short it certainly was, but not without incidents of one sort and another.
Friday 3 September
The big day has arrived – Mrs EG is setting off on her much-delayed transatlantic venture and I’m accompanying her to our overnight stop in Kent before continuing to Brussels for beer and trams.
Off at a civilised hour for once, in accordance with the new life plan. A taxi to the station for TfW’s 158 (two in fact) at 10:53 to Birmingham New Street, followed by nearly an hour’s wait for the next LNW through service to Euston. As usual TfW managed to lose time between Wellington and Telford, but not much, so we had time to trundle up to Broad Street for a look at the Commonwealth Games mechanical bull.
Continuing on 12:33 to Euston, nothing happened other than losing 6 minutes somewhere between Coventry and Milton Keynes, and a quick transit to Charing Cross enabled us to miss, very narrowly, the 15:00 to Orpington. The next fast, 15:15 Hastings, arrived in good time for our heroes to position themselves perfectly for a sharp exit via the stairs at Orpington, having forgotten the weight of Mrs EG’s suitcase. Further back would have been sensible, near the lifts...
The big day has arrived – Mrs EG is setting off on her much-delayed transatlantic venture and I’m accompanying her to our overnight stop in Kent before continuing to Brussels for beer and trams.
Off at a civilised hour for once, in accordance with the new life plan. A taxi to the station for TfW’s 158 (two in fact) at 10:53 to Birmingham New Street, followed by nearly an hour’s wait for the next LNW through service to Euston. As usual TfW managed to lose time between Wellington and Telford, but not much, so we had time to trundle up to Broad Street for a look at the Commonwealth Games mechanical bull.
Continuing on 12:33 to Euston, nothing happened other than losing 6 minutes somewhere between Coventry and Milton Keynes, and a quick transit to Charing Cross enabled us to miss, very narrowly, the 15:00 to Orpington. The next fast, 15:15 Hastings, arrived in good time for our heroes to position themselves perfectly for a sharp exit via the stairs at Orpington, having forgotten the weight of Mrs EG’s suitcase. Further back would have been sensible, near the lifts...
The Birmingham Bull, an impressive presence in his temporary home in Centenary Square outside the Hall of Memory (on the right, domed) and Baskerville House (on the left). Following a threat of being scrapped, the bull, now named Ozzy, has been found a permanent home in the Grand Central concourse at Birmingham's New Street station.
Saturday 3 September
D-day for Mrs EG, so up before the sparrows for an 05:30 departure for Heathrow, dropping me off at a nearby station for a leisurely Oyster bash to Warren Street (for Gregg’s breakfast) and a stroll to St Pancras via the nearby Nisa (for bottled water).
Eurostar opened up the queue for 11:04 Amsterdam which this time encompassed 10:22 Paris Nord and 10:31 EuroDismal as well, so it took almost half an hour to get my Schengen stamp and be released into the heaving swamp that is the Eurostar 'departure lounge’. This dark, fetid, overcrowded and inadequate facility had no empty seats until the Paris train was called.
Once aboard the Amsterdam train, life was reasonably pleasant and enhanced by an on time arrival at Brussel-Zuid, for once. Having located the Metro ticket machines I lucked on to a no 3 tram to Rogier where I was able to find Hotel Síru a few metres away and check in, leaving my rucksack there to avoid the ban thereon at the Belgian Beer Weekend.
Back by no.3 to Beurs and a walk round the corner to Grote Markt where the beer fest was in full swing. It’s a fabulous place to drink beer on a sunny day, (in the shade for thermophobics like me) and the beers I tried were exceptional almost without, er, exception. Even the exception would outshine most of the UK. For the record, Lefebvre Funky Brett, Lupulus Hopera, Van Steenberge Baptist IPA (man of the match), St Feuillien Saison, Val Dieu Blonde, Der Dool Der Dolen Tripel, and Van den Bossche Pater Lieben Blonde. Ruinously expensive for the (fortunately) small measures, but generally fabulous.
A good night’s sleep was had, not surprisingly, after once again lucking on to a northbound 3 with seconds to spare.
There can't be many finer locations for a beer festival ! Grand Place, aka Grote Markt, Brussels |
Not quite top speed, even at my advanced age. I doubt that I'll be troubling the magistrates' courts with 'speeding while on foot' though. |
Only the wheelset (R) gives it away. The entrance to Brussel-Noord/Bruxelles-Nord station. |
Sunday 4 September
Late night purchase of a Geriatrics’ Special Day Return (€7.20) had brought the glad tidings that Bertie the Bus was in charge from Charleroi to Erquellines due to cable theft. Not really a problem until I got to Charleroi, a minute or two late after a signal check despite waiting for time at every intermediate stop.
Bertie turned up a few minutes late, and was +30 at Thuin, not that it mattered. Local enquiries didn’t reveal much about the trams so I pottered up to the AVSi depot to see what was what. By the time I got there it was about 11:30 - turned out they’d start the trams about 13:30. Interesting and informative chat with one of the ASVi guys followed, then I had a wander round their museum which was very educational for this know-nothing and had some items which really took me back to the Vicinal era. I knew little of this but was fascinated and can certainly see what motivates ASVi. Their volunteers are a delight – not a lot of fluent English but I say yet again, that’s my problem not theirs. As helpful as you could possibly hope for, let alone expect.
After my forage round the museum which took quite a while, I thought it only proper to support their bar (not literally) and greatly enjoyed a bottle of Abbaye d’Aulne Blonde, apparently a local brew. I was then summoned for a ride on the diesel tram down the new (well, new to me - 2006) extension to the regauged former SNCB line to Biesme-sous-Thuin, the end of ASVi ownership at 50.318160 N, 4.307561 E, whence the line towards Beaumont has been lifted and the footpath/cycleway which runs beside the ASVi line from Thuin takes over. A phot stop was offered (and taken up) at the crossing loop half way. On the return I was advised by the friendly driver that the next departure would be an electric car down to the riverside (Sambre) at Ville Basse, Thuin’s answer to Bridgnorth’s Low Town. Lucky I took that one, as it turned out. It’s not far and I was soon back at the museum, again being advised of the next trip to Lobbes. [I’d asked when AVSi had started operating on the Biesmes-sous-Thuin section and was told 2006, but Google Street View’s image at the level crossing where the loop is has a date in 2009. In that image the track is still standard gauge, so the (re-)opening date is uncertain at present]
While all this had been going on, a pipe and drum band had marched by, as they do. There seemed to be two groups, adults and teens. They marched down to the nearest pub, some unsurprisingly stopping there but others continuing inside, drums still audible. The noise continued, audible from the tramway, until to my surprise the teenagers reappeared going the same way along the museum access road as they had before. I could only assume they’d marched through the pub and out of the back. Meanwhile I disgraced myself by keeping the Ville Basse tram waiting (quite unintentionally) while I videoed the parade.
We passed the band on the way down to Ville Basse and to my astonishment, when they got there they marched into the chippie at the end of the square.
Back at the museum I elected to wait in the shade for the Lobbes tram as it was getting uncomfortably warm. More shame, as the driver came to roust me out! It seemed he hadn’t bothered going as no-one was sitting in the tram, and I confess I had decided to wait until the crew appeared, such is the informality of the whole setup.
The line up to Lobbes is ‘proper Vicinal ', part roadside, part off-piste, ridiculous gradients and so forth. Sadly they have to stop at Lobbes Entreville, where the line comes alongside the N355 road (Rue de l’Entreville). This is because of the condition of the line; they have applied for government funds to renovate the remaining 900 metres to Lobbes Quatre Bras and are waiting for a response.
Back at the museum I made a dash on foot down to Ville Basse for the 15:26 (o.n.o.) Bertie working to Charleroi. En route I noticed one of those large gleaming pickup trucks parked blocking the tramline. [There are clear notices telling you not to park there on Sundays and public holidays].
Although I arrived at about 15:20 comfortably in time for Bertie, I found only a small crowd watching a strange event on the Sambre which I couldn’t see clearly from the bus stop, but seemed to involve two boats each with a crew of 4 and one more standing on the stern with a pole padded at each end. The aim seemed to be hit your opponent’s pole in such a way that he, and preferably his crew, fell into the river. Propulsion seemed to be by pulling on a rope stretched across the river, rather than oars.
Meanwhile there was no sign of Bertie the bus. At 16:40, when a large gleaming pickup had just come down the street followed by two trams, I gave up and walked up to the station to see if there were any clues. There weren’t, and I’d also checked the website. I decided to go back to the chippie for a late lunch and a try at the 17:26 instead. On the way to the chippie I noticed at a bus stop in the one way street that there was a 16:50 bus which appeared to go to Anderlues, from which advantageous position I could get to Charleroi Sud more easily. It duly appeared but there was a complete breakdown in comms with not even the other pax able to help out. Eventually I got a shrug from the driver and some hint that he was going that way.
During the subsequent tour of the ‘suburbs’ of Thuin it belatedly occurred to me that Google Translate might help so I wrote out that I wanted to go to Anderlues or Charleroi and translated it to French. That got a response of sorts and I was able to pay a €3.50 fare. Eventually the bus pulled up at the entrance to the huge Leonardo da Vinci hospital near Montigny-le-Tilleul and everyone except me piled out. The driver then appeared, phone in hand, and explained this was the terminus. He too had Google Translate and used it to ask me if I wanted to go to Charleroi via Anderlues or Charleroi direct. Charleroi direct, quoth I. He then led me to the next bus stand where we elicited that there was a ‘direct’ bus in 10 minutes and that my ticket was valid. Happy days, and we further established that he was Spanish and his French was only a whisker better than mine. No wonder we couldn’t understand each other ...
We parted the best of friends, with a handshake and profuse thanks from me. A genuinely helpful and friendly bloke, once the comms were sorted! The bus into Charleroi was in fact very much indirect, and got to the bus station at about 17:58, so that once I had found my way to the railway station through the demolition/rebuilding shambles outside, I got to P5 just as the 18:05 to Brussels passed me at walking pace.
Rehydration was calling loudly by then due to the warmth so a can of Pepsi from the slightly eccentric ‘one customer at a time’ shop took the edge off, and a Westmalle Tripel in the station bar enabled me to fill up the remainder of the 59 minutes 50 seconds wait for the 19:05. Patronage on the 19:05 was sparse, and the only event of note was the loss of 6 minutes possibly due to single line working.
Back in the hotel the KFC which I could see from my window was too close to ignore so I made my first ever visit to one, for food (disappointingly bland even by my bland standards) and more fizzy pop. All in all though, a very satisfactory day despite the slightly alarming bus farce. The Schienenersatzverkehr circle could have carried on 2-hourly cycles until the last at 19:26 without me being able to get back to Brussels, so my €3.50 bus fare was well spent, as well as being fortunate given that many comparable small towns in Belgium don’t seem to have Sunday bus services.
Late night purchase of a Geriatrics’ Special Day Return (€7.20) had brought the glad tidings that Bertie the Bus was in charge from Charleroi to Erquellines due to cable theft. Not really a problem until I got to Charleroi, a minute or two late after a signal check despite waiting for time at every intermediate stop.
Bertie turned up a few minutes late, and was +30 at Thuin, not that it mattered. Local enquiries didn’t reveal much about the trams so I pottered up to the AVSi depot to see what was what. By the time I got there it was about 11:30 - turned out they’d start the trams about 13:30. Interesting and informative chat with one of the ASVi guys followed, then I had a wander round their museum which was very educational for this know-nothing and had some items which really took me back to the Vicinal era. I knew little of this but was fascinated and can certainly see what motivates ASVi. Their volunteers are a delight – not a lot of fluent English but I say yet again, that’s my problem not theirs. As helpful as you could possibly hope for, let alone expect.
After my forage round the museum which took quite a while, I thought it only proper to support their bar (not literally) and greatly enjoyed a bottle of Abbaye d’Aulne Blonde, apparently a local brew. I was then summoned for a ride on the diesel tram down the new (well, new to me - 2006) extension to the regauged former SNCB line to Biesme-sous-Thuin, the end of ASVi ownership at 50.318160 N, 4.307561 E, whence the line towards Beaumont has been lifted and the footpath/cycleway which runs beside the ASVi line from Thuin takes over. A phot stop was offered (and taken up) at the crossing loop half way. On the return I was advised by the friendly driver that the next departure would be an electric car down to the riverside (Sambre) at Ville Basse, Thuin’s answer to Bridgnorth’s Low Town. Lucky I took that one, as it turned out. It’s not far and I was soon back at the museum, again being advised of the next trip to Lobbes. [I’d asked when AVSi had started operating on the Biesmes-sous-Thuin section and was told 2006, but Google Street View’s image at the level crossing where the loop is has a date in 2009. In that image the track is still standard gauge, so the (re-)opening date is uncertain at present]
While all this had been going on, a pipe and drum band had marched by, as they do. There seemed to be two groups, adults and teens. They marched down to the nearest pub, some unsurprisingly stopping there but others continuing inside, drums still audible. The noise continued, audible from the tramway, until to my surprise the teenagers reappeared going the same way along the museum access road as they had before. I could only assume they’d marched through the pub and out of the back. Meanwhile I disgraced myself by keeping the Ville Basse tram waiting (quite unintentionally) while I videoed the parade.
We passed the band on the way down to Ville Basse and to my astonishment, when they got there they marched into the chippie at the end of the square.
Back at the museum I elected to wait in the shade for the Lobbes tram as it was getting uncomfortably warm. More shame, as the driver came to roust me out! It seemed he hadn’t bothered going as no-one was sitting in the tram, and I confess I had decided to wait until the crew appeared, such is the informality of the whole setup.
The line up to Lobbes is ‘proper Vicinal ', part roadside, part off-piste, ridiculous gradients and so forth. Sadly they have to stop at Lobbes Entreville, where the line comes alongside the N355 road (Rue de l’Entreville). This is because of the condition of the line; they have applied for government funds to renovate the remaining 900 metres to Lobbes Quatre Bras and are waiting for a response.
Back at the museum I made a dash on foot down to Ville Basse for the 15:26 (o.n.o.) Bertie working to Charleroi. En route I noticed one of those large gleaming pickup trucks parked blocking the tramline. [There are clear notices telling you not to park there on Sundays and public holidays].
Although I arrived at about 15:20 comfortably in time for Bertie, I found only a small crowd watching a strange event on the Sambre which I couldn’t see clearly from the bus stop, but seemed to involve two boats each with a crew of 4 and one more standing on the stern with a pole padded at each end. The aim seemed to be hit your opponent’s pole in such a way that he, and preferably his crew, fell into the river. Propulsion seemed to be by pulling on a rope stretched across the river, rather than oars.
Meanwhile there was no sign of Bertie the bus. At 16:40, when a large gleaming pickup had just come down the street followed by two trams, I gave up and walked up to the station to see if there were any clues. There weren’t, and I’d also checked the website. I decided to go back to the chippie for a late lunch and a try at the 17:26 instead. On the way to the chippie I noticed at a bus stop in the one way street that there was a 16:50 bus which appeared to go to Anderlues, from which advantageous position I could get to Charleroi Sud more easily. It duly appeared but there was a complete breakdown in comms with not even the other pax able to help out. Eventually I got a shrug from the driver and some hint that he was going that way.
During the subsequent tour of the ‘suburbs’ of Thuin it belatedly occurred to me that Google Translate might help so I wrote out that I wanted to go to Anderlues or Charleroi and translated it to French. That got a response of sorts and I was able to pay a €3.50 fare. Eventually the bus pulled up at the entrance to the huge Leonardo da Vinci hospital near Montigny-le-Tilleul and everyone except me piled out. The driver then appeared, phone in hand, and explained this was the terminus. He too had Google Translate and used it to ask me if I wanted to go to Charleroi via Anderlues or Charleroi direct. Charleroi direct, quoth I. He then led me to the next bus stand where we elicited that there was a ‘direct’ bus in 10 minutes and that my ticket was valid. Happy days, and we further established that he was Spanish and his French was only a whisker better than mine. No wonder we couldn’t understand each other ...
We parted the best of friends, with a handshake and profuse thanks from me. A genuinely helpful and friendly bloke, once the comms were sorted! The bus into Charleroi was in fact very much indirect, and got to the bus station at about 17:58, so that once I had found my way to the railway station through the demolition/rebuilding shambles outside, I got to P5 just as the 18:05 to Brussels passed me at walking pace.
Rehydration was calling loudly by then due to the warmth so a can of Pepsi from the slightly eccentric ‘one customer at a time’ shop took the edge off, and a Westmalle Tripel in the station bar enabled me to fill up the remainder of the 59 minutes 50 seconds wait for the 19:05. Patronage on the 19:05 was sparse, and the only event of note was the loss of 6 minutes possibly due to single line working.
Back in the hotel the KFC which I could see from my window was too close to ignore so I made my first ever visit to one, for food (disappointingly bland even by my bland standards) and more fizzy pop. All in all though, a very satisfactory day despite the slightly alarming bus farce. The Schienenersatzverkehr circle could have carried on 2-hourly cycles until the last at 19:26 without me being able to get back to Brussels, so my €3.50 bus fare was well spent, as well as being fortunate given that many comparable small towns in Belgium don’t seem to have Sunday bus services.
Car 9924 (La Dyle à Louvain, 1931) on display at Thuin Basse Ville |
Unthinkable in this age of Covid-19, this notice probably doesn't need translation! |
Looking down the long centre aisle of the ASVi museum at Thuin |
'Mixte' trailer A2026 (Franco-Belge à La Croyère, 1904) displaying not only a luggage compartment but also the exceptionally high standard of finish on ASVi's restored vehicles. |
Interiors too - this is a first class compartment in one of the restored trailers (perhaps more appropriately, 'coaches' or 'carriages'). |
Footplate view of steam tram loco HL303 (Les Ateliers Métallurgique, Tubize 1888) |
Diesel car AR86 (SNCV Brabant 1934) at the passing loop on the former standard gauge line to Biesme-sous-Thuin |
AR86 at the terminus at Biesme-sous-Thuin |
Members of the marching bands taking a break at the friterie at Thuin Basse Ville |
Monday 5 September
Back to post-Brexit ‘take back our borders’ version of reality with a 2-hour lead time demanded by Eurostar even though there’s only one train to handle. Fortunately it’s at 12:57 so there’s time for breakfast when the German coach party has dispersed. My left over ticket was an ‘Any Belgian station’ one, so it’s a ‘free’ ride from Brussel-Noord.
The last bit was written before shower and shave – down to breakfast at 8:20 to find the coach party still there in what seemed like hundreds. The staff were being worked very hard (but successfully) to keep supplies replenished and were doing a great job with the crowds. My breakfast was taken in relative comfort in the overspill (but nearer the food!) dining room.
Eurostar, reached at 10:49 (departure 12:57) had me through all the checks in 7 minutes despite me setting the scanner off twice with wallet and GHIC card. Or EHIC, but that one’s never caused a problem before. The swamp at Brussels is now getting very short of seats with 20 minutes or so to go, but it’s still markedly superior to the dreadful St Pancras. My 90c bottled water purchased from Delhaize in the Metro booking hall compared favourably with €3 at Eurostar. As for the beer prices, utterly insane, not even worth listing. It took half an hour to get my devices connected to SNCB/NMBS free WiFi but at least it used up some waiting time.
The train was called slightly before the usual 20 minute boarding time and I sat and watched while the queue subsided. One of the last few to board, I was able to get to my (aisle) seat easily enough having circumvented a further queue of luggage-rack-loading normals by boarding at the door of the previous coach and walking through into my allocated coach 5. Departure was on time and we appeared to be still on time at the Cheriton Tunnel exit, but a rather leisurely approach to St Pancras had us in at 14:02, 5 minutes late.
Not for the first time, I took a wrong turn on the way out of St Pancras and ended up exiting via the Undergound concourse but I had plenty of time at Euston to grice the ‘Customer Lounge’ (a recessed area of the concourse with some wooden seats) before the 14:49 London North Western service to Birmingham New Street. This was on time as far as Coventry where, as usual, station time was elongated and arrival at Birmingham Irrational was 3 minutes late. The 6-car (3x158) 17:06 Llandudno was ready and waiting in P1 and left on time, with a seemingly very sporty driver. All was well (even at Proof House, passed at a canter for once) until the almost inevitable stand at Crane Street made us 2 minutes late at Wolvo – and indeed at Telford Central where I decamped for buses home to my corner of the world.
Back to post-Brexit ‘take back our borders’ version of reality with a 2-hour lead time demanded by Eurostar even though there’s only one train to handle. Fortunately it’s at 12:57 so there’s time for breakfast when the German coach party has dispersed. My left over ticket was an ‘Any Belgian station’ one, so it’s a ‘free’ ride from Brussel-Noord.
The last bit was written before shower and shave – down to breakfast at 8:20 to find the coach party still there in what seemed like hundreds. The staff were being worked very hard (but successfully) to keep supplies replenished and were doing a great job with the crowds. My breakfast was taken in relative comfort in the overspill (but nearer the food!) dining room.
Eurostar, reached at 10:49 (departure 12:57) had me through all the checks in 7 minutes despite me setting the scanner off twice with wallet and GHIC card. Or EHIC, but that one’s never caused a problem before. The swamp at Brussels is now getting very short of seats with 20 minutes or so to go, but it’s still markedly superior to the dreadful St Pancras. My 90c bottled water purchased from Delhaize in the Metro booking hall compared favourably with €3 at Eurostar. As for the beer prices, utterly insane, not even worth listing. It took half an hour to get my devices connected to SNCB/NMBS free WiFi but at least it used up some waiting time.
The train was called slightly before the usual 20 minute boarding time and I sat and watched while the queue subsided. One of the last few to board, I was able to get to my (aisle) seat easily enough having circumvented a further queue of luggage-rack-loading normals by boarding at the door of the previous coach and walking through into my allocated coach 5. Departure was on time and we appeared to be still on time at the Cheriton Tunnel exit, but a rather leisurely approach to St Pancras had us in at 14:02, 5 minutes late.
Not for the first time, I took a wrong turn on the way out of St Pancras and ended up exiting via the Undergound concourse but I had plenty of time at Euston to grice the ‘Customer Lounge’ (a recessed area of the concourse with some wooden seats) before the 14:49 London North Western service to Birmingham New Street. This was on time as far as Coventry where, as usual, station time was elongated and arrival at Birmingham Irrational was 3 minutes late. The 6-car (3x158) 17:06 Llandudno was ready and waiting in P1 and left on time, with a seemingly very sporty driver. All was well (even at Proof House, passed at a canter for once) until the almost inevitable stand at Crane Street made us 2 minutes late at Wolvo – and indeed at Telford Central where I decamped for buses home to my corner of the world.
So ended the first very brief venture under the new system of ‘don’t keep trying to bash every line in country x or y, just wander over when you feel inclined and look for something interesting’. Despite the bus farce at Thuin it seemed to be far more enjoyable than the hectic, unenjoyable and not wholly successful Interrail in June. I suspect that my serious trackbashing days are over, but daft expeditions like this one remain on the agenda while I can still manage to stagger about with the trusty rucksack...
