|
If the photos don’t show up, I will be able to post them next HU-with-wifi visit, hopefully tomorrow. -Dave There was a time when a desire to visit the Charleroi area of Belgium was paramount in planning my trips to Western Europe. In those days the region was home to the only substantial interurban streetcar system remaining in the so called “free world.” The great network in western Pennsylvania was gone and Upper Silesia was difficult due to perceived travel risks imposed by governments beyond Western Europe that might be considered enemies of the U. S. The SNCV (or Vicinal) was still operating a system of meter-gauge lines using mostly traditional cars that interconnected various villages and urban centers along trackage that consisted of miles of street running, side-of-the-road, cross country and other types of reserved rights-of-way in both single- and double-tracked configurations. The cars rolled through a mix of industrial landscapes, slag heaps and bucolic farmland (and everything in between) following the contours of a countryside dotted with canals and railway lines, with the occasional bridge or short tunnel. The system was so photogenic that scores of picture books were issued, with many finding a home in my bookcase. Alas, that description of Belgium’s Hainault province no longer holds as most lines were converted to bus operation and the remaining pieces of the net |
A computer problem prevented posting anything on my visit to Hebrew U - wifi today. I’m posting the text continuation, and hope to edit-in the photos tomorrow.
We were looking forward to celebrating the “old” Vicinal on Saturday, August 18, and were pleased that the weather report indicated blue skies for the morning, but then were disappointed that they would cloud up in the afternoon. The ASVi tramway museum in nearby Thuin was scheduled to open at 11:00; so we started early to insure a prompt arrival. The ASVi is the Association pour las Sauvegardede Vicinal, meaning an organization devoted to
safeguarding (protecting) the history and artifacts of Belgium’s Vicinal (or SNCV). This day it scheduled its festival, where every piece of rolling stock possible would be operated or put on display.
The museum is located in Thuin, a town of 15,000 located some 12 miles southwest of Charleroi, and it looked like it was a half-hour drive away. As it turned out the weather forecast was accurate and so our plan of photographing as much as possible early and riding later was appropriate, but in practice it turned out difficult to achieve, as we had to first ride the line to find the best locations for photos. There was only a minor glitch in the day’s proceedings, which didn’t have a real effect on our activities. When we went to the hotel’s parking lot to retrieve our car we found it hem
Photos added sccessfully, today, 12 Aug. '19
Very interesting. Thanks!
Continued from Segment 8.
We had a number of tasks scheduled for Sunday, August 19, but felt they all could be accomplished at a leisurely pace. We would conclude the day by leaving the Kingdom of Belgium and entering the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, where we would spend the next two nights, but first we wanted to continue our nostalgic survey of the Vicinal with stops to ride and photograph two diesel-operated light railways that were once part of the national system of secondary railways.
The first would be at Han-sur-Lesse, some 65 miles southeast of Charleroi, which, according to Google Maps, we could reach in just over an hour. We slept in a little later than normal, had our usual robust breakfasts, checked out of the Ibis and had no trouble leaving the hotel’s parking lot and getting out onto the highway by 9:30. The forecast was for a cloudy morning, with the skies clearing up later. Han-sur-Lesse is the home of one of Belgium’s most popular tourist attractions, the Grottes de Han (or Caves of Han). Located in the Ardennes forest, a region of rolling hills and rough terrain (made famous by major extended battles in both world wars), the caverns have been served by a meter-gauge railway since 1906.
When the SNCV was dissolved in 1991 the only passenger service still in operation other than the Coastal Tramway and the Charleroi system was the diesel-operated Han tramway. Located in the French speaking section of the country, the line became part of the TEC, the same organization that operates throughout Wallonia (including the Charleroi Metro), but remained under lease to an consortium controlled by the owners of the caves a
Photos installed
The photos in the first posting of this thread and several subsequent postings, including several by other posters, have been removed.
Who? Why?
If I learn that the moderator did not remote them, I’ll do my best to replace what was removed. Might take several days.
But all seems OK this morning. Could it have been a server problem here?
Correction, there is a segment missing, but it is now in the process of being restored as an edit. First the text, and hopefully after a few hours, the pictures.
Don’t know Dave, but when I tried for you I can tell you those pictures were a nightmare! Took a month off my life! Never dealt with anything so frustrating .
I am so delighted with Jack’s reports that I won’t complain at all about the format he uses to send me these reports, just happy to get them and happy to be able to share. However, when each trip is complete I do make pdf books of the total trips to make it easy for me to use the text and pictures in the future. And I am in the process of assembling the pdf for this Paris-based trip. I have done Uk, Southern Europe, Baltic, New Orleans, & USA Streetcar, and Jack permits me to share them. I ccannot email them all at once, since some approach or even are just at the 25000mg limit on Google transmission. Anyone wanting any or all can contact me, and I will do my best to be helpful.
But your effort in posting the pix indicates why I prefer to post the text at the Yeshiva and use my limited time at the University only for the pix. Trying to do it all at once opens possibilities for mistakes and confusion.
Of course. I understand. Certainly hope Jack appreciates your effort.
Success in adding the photos.
Jack had included a statement that could be termed political, and it was unnecessary, and so I removed it. Strange, since neither he nor I agree with the specific politics. I will be more careful.