AMBLETEUSE

H0, French, 16 by 0.5 foot

Background    Through Coaches from Paris    Michelin    Mixed train

Empty limestone train    Full Limestone train    Picasso

Station    Goods Yard    Bayard Matériaux    Carriage Siding    Panoramas

Background     the Slack Valley lies between Calais & Boulogne and contains the northern part of the Réseau de la Petite Suisse du Nord (Network of the Small Switzerland of the North) {RPSDN} an imaginary railway. The RPSDN was built to develop the coal mines (closed in the 1950s) in the valley and the chalk/limestone/Marble quarries (still going strong) to the north of the valley. It was extended to the mouth of the Slack so a coal and limestone exporting harbour could be built. Predictably the harbour plans were defeated by silting and tides the same forces that had defeated Napoleon and others. The railway settled down to developing the coastal villages as tourist resorts. The villages, particularly Ambleteuse, became popular places for middle class tourists from Lille and Paris interested in sea-bathing, hunting, shooting and fishing. Oyster-beds were built in the bay. The only problem is the complete lack of industry in Ambleteuse. My answer is an imaginary branch of Bayard Matériaux a wholesaler and retailer of building materials.

Through Coaches from Paris

The coaches come on scene

Stop at the station

Run round

Go's to the carriage siding to be cleaned inside and out

Returns to the platform to load before departing to Paris

Michelin Railcar

Arriving from Lille

Stopping at the station

On route to Wissant

Returning from Wissant for a wash and clean

Being cleaned at the carriage siding

Returning from Wissant

Back to Lille

Mixed train

The mixed comes on scene

Stops at the station to let the punters off. The back up to the loop

Wagons are collected from the yard

Bayard Matériaux is cleared next

The van and cattle van change relative place

They are left in the yard as the mixed prepares to depart.

Empty limestone train

Comes on scene

Runs round

Heads for the quarry at Framezelle

Full Limestone train

Waits it the loop for the Picasso (below) to depart for Wissant

Then heads out


Picasso

Stops at the station before running to Wissant

Returns to Ambleteuse carriage siding for a spruce up. It then runs to Wissan, returns to Ambleteuse and heads out