Trams in Wallonia - 3

The Heritage of the SNCV

The Heritage of the SNCV
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€ 17.95

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Because of the small edition, this DVD comes as a DVD-R, in a standard box, with label, booklet and envelope printed in professional quality.

DVD, PAL

colour, sound

Films can be separately chosen from a menu.

Optional subtitles.

Belgium had, in its vicinal network, an asset that was unique in the world. Where many countries had a railway network, and sometimes city trams, Belgium not only had both, but in addition an unbelievably dense rural network of interurban trams that was overseen by the SNCV. At its height, there were over 5,000 kilometres of such vicinal tracks available, which made it more extensive than the regular train system. The vicinal trams were unable to compete with buses and cars eventually, and from the forties the SNCV continually reduced in size until nothing was left but one electric line at Charleroi, and in Flanders the coastal tram. Old rural tracks can often still be easily distinguished in the landscape, having become part of the road network, or survived as sandpaths. Many have become incorporated into the network of cycling paths marketed as RaVel (Rail-Vélo). The actual rails have been removed almost everywhere. Yet some spots remain where the glory days of the SNCV are being kept alive. This last DVD in the series covering trams in Wallonia concentrates on what is left, even if the last film also shows what happens where the trams have disappeared.

The films recorded on super-8 film were subsequently restored with the greatest care, frame by frame. Modern techniques make them look better than ever. The sound for those films is a mix of commentary and original live sound, where the original texts from the era were retained. The films that were recorded in high-definition video were also edited with the utmost care for DVD. Again, the sound is a mix of commentary and live sound.



1

Touristic Tramway of the Aisne Valley
A section of the old vicinal tramway Melreux-Manhay has seen museum activity ever since 1965. The line has never been electrically operated, and the museum era continues to see exclusively motor trams. Developments have been relatively slow around here, but as the organisation consists of just five volunteers, it's actually a bit of a miracle that the organisation managed to survive all that time. In 2015, it was even managed to prolong the line considerably, by reactivating the steep section from Dochamps to Lamorménil.
Recorded in: 2015
HD-Video, Colour, Sound (live and commentary)
Running time: 21'13"


TTA
TTA

2

Association for the Preservation of the Vicinal Railways
In 1991, on a section of track in Hainaut abandoned by the SNCV, the ASVi was already carrying out a museum service with historic rolling stock. On Sundays, trams were running between Lobbes and Thuin from the depot at Anderlues. Scenically, the ASVi had been very lucky in getting the former SNCV line 91, but it was an expensive one to maintain, and a depot of its own nearer to their own tracks would have made survival a lot easier.
Recorded in: 1991
Super-8, Colour, Sound (live and commentary)
Running time: 9'44"


ASVi (1)
ASVi (1)

3

Railcars to Biesmes
The collection maintained by the ASVi contains not just electric trams, but also rail cars with combustion engines. In order to have a dedicated track for them, without the superfluous catenary, the former railway line from Thuin to Biesmes was converted into narrow gauge and taken into service.
Recorded in: 2013
HD-Video, Colour, Sound (live and commentary)
Running time: 14'23"


ASVi (2)
ASVi (2)

4

A Safe Haven for Tramway Heritage
A lot had changed since the first visit to the ASVi. The line may still be the same one, but a large new depot and museum in Thuin mean that more stock can be stored and protected. Some of the new additions can be seen in operation. It's also becoming increasingly clear that in Thuin, traffic is no longer used to the competition from the trams.
Recorded in: 2013
HD-Video, Colour, Sound (live and commentary)
Running time: 16'30"


ASVi (3)
ASVi (3)

5

The Tramway to the Caves of Han
The cave system of Han was made accessible donkey's years ago via a tram line with 'rail cars' (two-axle combustion-engined trams) and open trailers. The intention was to replace the old trams with a modern transportation system. This first visit was made during a period of great uncertainty about the future. Passengers are only carried on the way up to the caves; the return journey is made empty, as the cave exit is once more close to Han. In this film, the line still starts near Han's village church.
Recorded in: 1985
Super-8, Colour, Sound (live and commentary)
Running time: 7'09"


TGH (1)
TGH (1)

6

Electrically into the Future
There was almost a decision to replace the trams with cable cars. There was almost a decision to replace the trams with guided buses. There was almost a decision to replace the trams with trams on tyres. But, after a lot of 'almost', the final choice was to retain the existing trams. All the time apparently wasted on procrastination was not really lost, because technology had moved on in the meantime. Refitting trams with electric traction fed by battery power had become not just possible, but feasible. In 2015, two trams had been rebuilt that way, which were in service together with the old ones with combustion engines.
Recorded in: 2015
HD-Video, Colour, Sound (live and commentary)
Running time: 6'11"


TGH (2)
TGH (2)

7

Off the Rails... (2)
In the manner line 90 was treated in Off the Rails... on the first SNCV DVD, present and past of the lines 30, 89, 63 and 80 are juxtaposed. Again, a harrowing picture emerges as the tram operation there used to be merges into the dilapidated remnants that could be seen much later. Since then, the situation changed again. In many of the locations shown, the old track was turned into a cycling trail, but that's beyond the scope of this film.
Recorded in: 1985/86 (Photos: 2012)
Super-8, Colour, Sound (Music)
Running time: 12'53"


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