Chemin de fer Bex-Villars-Bretaye
Encyclopedia
The Bex–Villars–Bretaye Railway, abbreviated BVB, French
Chemin de fer Bex-Villars-Bretaye, is a metre gauge railway line operating between the towns in its title, situated in the Chablais region of south west Switzerland. It is, in fact, two railways, one mixed adhesion and rack worked between Bex
and Villars-sur-Ollon
, the other, linking Villars-sur-Ollon
to the Col de Bretaye being worked on the Abt rack system. Passengers making the full journey are required to change trains at Villars-sur-Ollon
.
The authority to construct the railway was gained in three stages, that from Bex
, a small town on the main Lausanne-Simplon Railway, to Villars-sur-Ollon
on 15 October 1897; from Villars-sur-Ollon
to Chesières on 19 December 1905 and from Villars-sur-Ollon
to Bretaye
on 5 October 1911. The lines were opened in 5 stages. A tramway was opened from Bex
to Bévieux on 9 September 1898, continuing to Gryon
from 3 June 1900 as a rack railway and reaching Villars-sur-Ollon
, again as tramway, just over one year later. The line from Villars-sur-Ollon
to Chesières was opened on 12 August 1901, less than eight months after authorisation whilst the final link, that from Villars-sur-Ollon
to Bretaye, opened on 18 December 1913 as a distinct company. The two companies BGVC and VB merged in 1943. However, the company was officially registered as "Forces motrices de l'Avançon" and this company still exists. Simply, the railway no longer belongs to this company. Since 1999 the line has been operated as part of the Transports Publics du Chablais
and details from that date of investments are included under that heading.
. Of this length 7.34 km. is operated on the Abt rack system. The first part of the journey, reflecting its tramway history, runs alongside and through the streets of Bex
from its terminal in the square outside the main line station.
Electrical power is provided at 650 V DC through an overhead contact wire.
s (automotrice), either singly or with driving-trailer
cars (voiture pilote) or the more recently built twin-railcars (automotrice-double) of class Beh4/8. A full list is given below based on the official stock list of the railway together with personal observation.
Most of the goods wagons used on the line date from 1900–1910.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Chemin de fer Bex-Villars-Bretaye, is a metre gauge railway line operating between the towns in its title, situated in the Chablais region of south west Switzerland. It is, in fact, two railways, one mixed adhesion and rack worked between Bex
Bex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
and Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
, the other, linking Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
to the Col de Bretaye being worked on the Abt rack system. Passengers making the full journey are required to change trains at Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
.
History
Bex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
, a small town on the main Lausanne-Simplon Railway, to Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
on 15 October 1897; from Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
to Chesières on 19 December 1905 and from Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
to Bretaye
Bretaye
Bretaye is a place located above Villars-sur-Ollon, Vaud, Switzerland, at the end of the BVB railway. In winter, it is the main area for the Villars ski resort....
on 5 October 1911. The lines were opened in 5 stages. A tramway was opened from Bex
Bex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
to Bévieux on 9 September 1898, continuing to Gryon
Gryon
Gryon is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-Geography:Gryon has an area, , of . Of this area, or 28.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 52.3% is forested...
from 3 June 1900 as a rack railway and reaching Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
, again as tramway, just over one year later. The line from Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
to Chesières was opened on 12 August 1901, less than eight months after authorisation whilst the final link, that from Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
to Bretaye, opened on 18 December 1913 as a distinct company. The two companies BGVC and VB merged in 1943. However, the company was officially registered as "Forces motrices de l'Avançon" and this company still exists. Simply, the railway no longer belongs to this company. Since 1999 the line has been operated as part of the Transports Publics du Chablais
Transports Publics du Chablais
In the interests of the communities in the Chablais region, at the eastern end of Lake Geneva, it was decided in 1999, to bring together passenger transport companies, to co-ordinate and develop services and investment in transport in the area...
and details from that date of investments are included under that heading.
Line
The line, with a total length of 17.1 km., rises from 427 m (1,400.9 ft) at Bex to 1810 m (5,938.3 ft) at BretayeBretaye
Bretaye is a place located above Villars-sur-Ollon, Vaud, Switzerland, at the end of the BVB railway. In winter, it is the main area for the Villars ski resort....
. Of this length 7.34 km. is operated on the Abt rack system. The first part of the journey, reflecting its tramway history, runs alongside and through the streets of Bex
Bex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
from its terminal in the square outside the main line station.
Electrical power is provided at 650 V DC through an overhead contact wire.
Locomotives, railcars, and rolling stock
The passenger services on the line are operated by railcarRailcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s (automotrice), either singly or with driving-trailer
Control car (rail)
A control car is a generic term for a non-powered railroad vehicle that can control operation of a train from the end opposite to the position of the locomotive...
cars (voiture pilote) or the more recently built twin-railcars (automotrice-double) of class Beh4/8. A full list is given below based on the official stock list of the railway together with personal observation.
Most of the goods wagons used on the line date from 1900–1910.
| No. | Name | Class | Builders Details. | Date Completed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Be 2/2 | Automotrice-Out of Service | |||
| 9 | Be 2/2 | SWS/MFO | 1915 | Automotrice | |
| 15 | Be 2/3 | SWS/MFO | 1948 | Automotrice | |
| 16 | Be 2/3 | SWS/MFO | 1948 | Automotrice | |
| 22 | BDeh 2/4 | SWS/MFO | 1940 | Automotrice | |
| 23 | BDeh 2/4 | 1940 | Automotrice | ||
| 24 | BDeh 2/4 | 1941 | Automotrice | ||
| 25 | BDeh 2/4 | 1944 | Automotrice | ||
| 26 | BDeh 2/4 | 1945 | Automotrice | ||
| 31 | Lavey | HGe 4/4 | SIG/MFO | 1953 | Locomotive |
| 32 | Villars | HGe 4/4 | 1964 | Locomotive | |
| 42 | He 2/2 | 1898 | Locotracteur (Shunting Locomotive) | ||
| 51 | B | 1953 | Rebuilt 1996 | ||
| 52 | Bs | 1953 | Rebuilt 1999 | ||
| 53 | Bst | 1964 | Reb.1997 Voiture pilote (Driving Trailer)) | ||
| 54 | Bt | 1964 | Reb.1999 Voiture pilote (Driving Trailer) | ||
| 61 | Bt | 1976 | Rebuilt 2000 | ||
| 62 | B | 1977 | |||
| 63 | Bt | Schindler Schindler Group thumb|200px|Schindler Test Tower in Ebikon, Lucerne, SwitzerlandSchindler was founded in Switzerland in 1874 and is the largest manufacturer of escalators and the second largest manufacturer of elevators world wide. Schindler produces, installs, maintains and modernizes elevators and escalators in... /SAAS |
1976 | Voitures Pilote (Driving Trailer) | |
| 64 | Bt | Schindler/SAAS | 1977 | Voitures pilote (Driving Trailer) | |
| 65 | Bt | SIG/ACMV (Vevey)/BBC | 1987 | Voitures pilote (Driving Trailer) | |
| 81 | Gryon | BDeh 4/4 | ACMV (Vevey)/SLM/BBC | 1976 | Automotrice |
| 82 | Ollon | BDeh 4/4 | ACMV (Vevey)/SLM/BBC | 1977 | Automotrice |
| 83 | Bex | BDeh 4/4 | ACMV (Vevey)/SLM/BBC | 1987 | Automotrice |
| 91 | Bretaye | Beh 4/8 | Bombardier Transportation (Vevey)/Stadler Stadler Rail Stadler Rail AG , based in Bussnang, Switzerland, is a Swiss manufacturer of rail passenger cars.In 1942 Ernst Stadler founded the Stadler Engineering Office which later became Stadler Rail.- Factories :... |
2000 | Automotrice-Double |
| 92 | Barboleuse | Beh 4/8 | Bombardier Transportation (Vevey)/Stadler | 2001 | Automotrice-Double |
| 93 | Tuttlingen | Beh 4/8 | Bombardier Transportation (Vevey)/Stadler | 2001 | Automotrice-Double |
Abbreviations
- ACMV....Ateliers de constructions mécaniques de VeveyAteliers de Constructions Mécaniques de VeveyAteliers de constructions mécaniques de Vevey was an metal engineering company based in Vevey, Switzerland. Founded as Ateliers B.Roy & Cie in 1848 by Benjamin Roy it became Ateliers de constructions mécaniques de Vevey SA in 1895....
- BBC.....Brown, Boveri & CieBrown, Boveri & CieBrown, Boveri & Cie was a Swiss group of electrical engineering companies.It was founded in Baden, Switzerland, in 1891 by Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown and Walter Boveri who worked at the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. In 1970 BBC took over the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon...
- BT......Bombardier TransportationBombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
- SAAS....S. A. Ateliers de Secheron, Geneva
- SIG.....Societe Industrielle
- SLM.....Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik, Winterthur