Wednesday 4 September - Bouveret Steam Park and Bex

The SBB were having problems again this morning - something happened at Morges. Anyway we made our way easily to Montreux and found we had a lot of time before the paddle steamer was due. So much time that we saw it come in on its way back to Vevey. We decided to get on anyway and so we rode first class on the paddle steamer Vevey from Montreux to Vevey and then Vevey to Montreux and Bouveret.  The weather was calm and sunny.

Paddle steamer Vevey

Chateau de Chillon - sorry about the rope

The funny green island near Villeneuve

We noticed a couple of very large flocks of cormorants which do not normally flock. Maybe they were following a school of fishes.

The Bouveret Steam park was running about four trains, including one steam locomotive. It wasn't too busy with most of the visitors being grandparents with under school age children.  The ride is exceptional - the main one took about twenty minutes. The rack equipped train was also interesting - it took about ten minutes.  The gardens are very well laid out with some exceptional architectural features and some colorful flower displays.

Engine house

"Meckienburg" a Decauville 0-4-0 built in 1990

A RhB Ge 6/6 Crocodile built in 2008

MGB Ge 4/4 built 1990

The MGN rack train (built 2003) crossing the lake

We had lunch at a good restaurant close by. I decided to have the poulain, which I thought would be a derivation of poule - i.e. chicken.  The waitress asked me "Quel cuisson?" so I then realized it was some red meat. Turns out poulain is foal.  Anyway it was very good and tender and I enjoyed the salad, vegetables and fries that came with it.

We ambled up to the station at Bouveret and caught the SBB to Saint Maurice and changed for Bex. There was a tram waiting in the station forecourt and so we took it into Bex.  After a quick look around we caught the next tram back to the SBB and came back to Yverdon, changing at Lausanne

In the station forecourt at Bex

We searched in vain for Magnum ice cream bars but had to wait until we had returned to the SBB station so we ate them waiting for the train to Lausanne.

Bex has some very ornate hydrants

Also fountains

Bex is amazing. The track is single and wanders from one side of the two way main road to the other. There is a very tight corner close to here and a lot of whistle is used.