AMTP in Pithiviers, France

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

NEWS FROM PITHIVIERS
The Easter long weekend, since monday is a legal holyday in France, will mark a milestone in the long story of the AMTP since the unbelievable ridership reached 1164 for the two days,708 on Sunday, the best one since the 40th Anniversary of the association in 2006. It was also the first time that you could book your accomodations on line and more than 800 people did it. Two trains ran on the occasion with  the ten cars available  that were solid packed at each trip. Each train did 3 roundtrips. In Bellébat Station an egg hunting took place at each train. Inflatable structures and quite a lot of other games  had been set . The buffet car sold sandwiches cakes and soft drinks for a quick lunch or snack. Needless to say that all the volunteers at the end of the weekend were really happy as for me I got a high to see so many riders, it reminded me of the heyday of the AMTP in the 80's. The next  occasion will be held on May 13 in the evening the association will be part of the national event La Nuit des Musées when most of the French museums stay open at night and create a special atmosphere with all sorts of lights for their visitors. The same day in the morning the general meeting will take place and at noon the association will celebrate the 50th membership of two of its members. During the interseason trackworks were carried out in Pithiviers Station and in the engineshed yard. Quite a lot of maintenance was done on the three aging steam locomotives still in running order. MTP #5 has been srtipped naked and its boiler will be soon sent to a shop to be repaired and retubed. If everything is OK that locomotive that hauled the first ever French tourist train in April 1966 will be ready to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the association. You can see alot of pics of Easter trains on my Fb page. Nonetheless I'm going to try to post a few pictures of last Sunday for those that don't have Fb.

[Graham Buxton]

Congratulations on a successful Event!


It sounds like AMT experience with 'train rides' versus 'events' is similar to that of the WW&F.  In a nutshell, train rides tend to draw railfans (in limited numbers), but events tend to draw families and those looking for something beyond an ordinary train ride, and events are more  likely to result in full trains. 

[John McNamara]

Wonderful news!

[Mike Fox]

Nice report

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thank you guys for your congrats.  In 2012 I did think the association was bound to die  hardly 4000 riders not a lot of money and few disenchant volunteers and above all not the real will to try to get out of the rut. So last weekend watching all those riders has literally blown my mind. I believed I was back in the 80's when such ridership rather often happened, which goes to show that you never know. It has been a  long tough journey to get where the association is today. Once again it's all due to the young leadership that was eventually  been voted in 2017 after they had little by little ta

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Sorry ther has been something the matter with my old computer. I'll resume...... after they had little by little taken over from the aging leadership that did not want to quit. Even if the ridership had started to go up slowly the atmosphere was not good at all in the association for three years but it's all over now.
You're right Graham people are more and more drawn by events and the train itself is no more the main attraction like 50 years ago. Nowadays the train on tourist railways has pretty much become again what it was and still is, a mere means of transportation that take passengers from one place to an other one to enjoy something interesting or funny or to  have a nice meal and God knows how much chow matters a lot in France. So in July theer will be a dinner in Bellébat with  a band that will play blues and rock'n roll. By then in mid May the AMTP will be involved in the National Night of the Museums and a train will run the main at night. As I told it before our" youngsters" are really creative  and energetic.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 In my last reply I told you about the young leadership of the association Officers are between 43 and 20. But since last Sunday AMTP the oldest tourist railway in France has probably had the youngest steamcrew of the French tourist railway. Eden the Vice President of the AMTP was in charge of the 123 years old 062 Decauville  and the fireman was Victor. They are hardly 42 years altogether. A few pictures of those efficient and trained youngsters.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 Two more pics

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 But waiting for the departure at Bellébat Station and after checking up on the locomotive they don't forget to check their phone with the same seriousness.

[john d Stone]

It's great to see that your museum is attracting young people to carry on the torch. WW&F also has some very active and talented young volunteers. Such members are so important to the survival and growth of these fascinating railways.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 I do agree with John. In 2012 AMTP was about to close down by lack of of young volunteers - see replies above. It's a great boone for the WW&F and AMTP to have quite a lot of dedicated young go-getters to continue what has been started up decades ago by their eldest. At the eve of my 50th membership in the association I'm really happy to note that AMTP has still a bright future all due to the young leadership  and volunteers that will be able to face all the challenges that they'll meet over the next few years especially as regards the use of the coal and the tightening of the safety rules. I'm really proud of them.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hi you guys. Sorry  for not having  posted anything for more than 120 days. But with all the paperwork  I 've done  because of my mother's inheritance and the sell of her house that have both required several round trips to my hometown  plus my vacation I'haven't got the time to post hardly anything on the forum. You know I'm not getting any younger  and I wish a day counted 48 hours to catch up on my long to do list. Don't worry I'm fine but not as fine as the AMTP that is making really big this year with quite a lot of successful events and a very hight ridership. I promise you to give you itemised news as off next week. By then I wish my followers a pretty good weekend.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

NEWS FROM PITHIVIERS
A promise is a promise so I'm going to catch up. Well, after the unexpected ridership of the Easter long weekend, see reply #300, the next major event of the operating season was "La Nuit des Musées" ,a yearly event when all the museums in Europe stay open late at night. In Pithiviers the museum was open untill 11 pm. Inside only all the lanterns were alight and a special soft colored lightning had been set up to highlight the main exhibits, the whole creating a special and kind of mysterious atmosphere. Plus there were conducted visits. Our famous but small steam locomotive built by Schneider in 1870 was on steam and coupled with two small cars, eight seats each, was commuting between  Pithiviers Station and the very back of the engine shed yard.
A steam powered train left Pithiviers at sunset with 134 passengers. At Béllébat Station there was an old genuine large cab drawn by two horses that was called in the late 19th century "Omnibus de gare" that, back then, carried the travellers and their luggage from the station to their hotel in the center of the town. A lot of the train  passengers enjoyed a nightly short ride around Béllébat park. The train was back in Pithiviers at ten thirty pm.
Next week I 'll tell you about the general meeting that  was held the same day.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

About "La Nuit Européenne des Musées" see my prevoius reply here is a pic of the "Omnibus de Gare" waiting for its riders  close to Béllébat Station.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

And that pic of MTP #9 waiting to come back to Pithiviers, Sorry for the quality of these two pics.