Advance notice of an event hosted by the president of TDS (Traverses Des Secondaires) at Saint Aubin du Thenney, a small village between Bernay and Orbec and about 15 minutes from me.

More details as they become available but I will be there with my double track portable layout and some 32mm track as well this time.

I will take along at least 2 diesels all being well plus live steam.

I would be nice if others could join and I will assist with accomodation and food.
I can happily host 2 couples (in separate rooms...) here for free, first come first served. But there are cheap gites and alike very close.
Plenty of space too for caravans (or camping for the brave) with electricity and water.

I will probably run trains here on Friday and Monday too and make a long weekend of it.

I am about 1h15 from either Caen and Le Havre and about 2h30 from Calais/Tunnel.

We are/It is 1 hour 15 minutes by good direct train Paris St Lazare to Bernay (main line to Caen). We live (and the event is too) about 10 - 15 mins from Bernay station,


The easiest, if your coming from Angouleme is TGV to Montparnasse then gare St Lazare, journey time about 5 hours.

There is another cross country way, and get off at Tours or St Pierre de Corps and catch a train to Mezidon which is on the Paris -Caen line and take a train back to Bernay. The time is about 20 mins longer.

They do a Loisir Reduit le Weekend which is the cheapest ticket I can see but not for October yet.

Thanks Carl,

My attendance very much depends on Caroline's UK contract finishing before October and we're not sure at the moment. So will keep you posted by PM if I can make it.

Cheers

It would be great to see you Brian.

I haven't yet ruled out a trip 'down south' but again it's trying to find the right time around work and domestics.

Thanks Brian.

Spoke to the organisers (TDS) of this event last night and a confirmation that this will go ahead as planned.

There will be at least 2 large G scale layouts including mine and featuring very much live steam. At the moment we can count upon about a dozen locos.

For visitors (members of this forum) we can offer free accomodation either at my house (2 rooms available) or at a huge comfortable gite in St Aubin along with other mostly French guests.

Paid for meals will be at either the relais routier on the main N13 near me or in a restaurant in St Aubin plus catering at the venue. You will not go hungry!

This is available for a small number of guests from this forum and offered from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. I can accomodate Sunday night if required.

I know two people have expressed an interest and possibility in coming (Troy and Bill) and I would be happy to welcome a couple or few more.

The emphasis is on live steam (...plus a bit of diesel of course) rather than electric stuff.
So especially welcome would be anyone with a steam locomotive to run.

If anyone would like more information then please ask.

It's only a small village event but it attracted a lot of interest and activity last year.

So I googled "Rail Saint Aubin" out of curiosity to see if there was anything on line about the event.

I got a couple of interesting hits:
http://staubinonline.com/ - an internet train shop, specializing in G scale
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Railway about the Jersey Railway, which at one time had its terminus at St Aubin.

So it seems St Aubin has a long and vast association with railroading.

All that aside, I am looking forward to this event. A visit to France never disappoints and this one promises to be great fun.

We are looking forward to your arrival too Bill.

And seriously your internet search discovery maybe of peculiar interest to the village people in St Aubin (du Thenney). You should tell them.

Who know perhaps in the future we could do some 'twinning' exchanges.

....Some cider and smelly cheese for a G scale mallet

Ok I found it.

The village



The town Hall



And the cow


I presume the "salle des fêtes" is right next to the mairie after the car park.

Where is the place you talked about Carl for lunch in the village ?

Okay. I spoke to JC this morning and the resto will be the one on the road to Broglie.

The meal on Saturday night plus breakfast and dinner Sunday is 'taken care of' for Troy and Bill as they booked up in advance.

If anyone else would like to come, there is no more room at the inn Saturday night but you will be very welcome and I will make sure you are fed and watered either Saturday or Sunday or both.

For Troy and Bill I will pm you about Saturday night.

I am also taking along an 00 gauge layout/diaroma that I built about 25 years ago when I had good eyes.

Any pictures ?

A great weekend.I don't think I've ever been so well looked after.Many thanks Carl and I was very pleased to meet Bill.(definately one of us with his sense of observation and humour.)

I've posted this video for you Carl.Edit and place it where you want.

Carl and his diesel.

However, I may be away for a little while due to some sudden family commitments.

It was an excellent weekend.

A small show but big on atmosphere and friendship. From a village bash to international event.

Photos and some film clips to follow. I'm a bit busy with work for the next couple days.

Troy and Bill were brilliant company and a good help plus my daughter too spent the best part of 2 days running trains....

Jean-Claude called me this evening to thank both of you (Bill and Troy) for coming and if you feel like making the journey to RailExpo he will provide you with hotel, food and entrance for the weekend. You made an impression.

One of the greats was the successful running of 2 live diesels together, mine and Troy's, much to the bemusement of the the few score visitors.

Again pics to follow in a day or too.

I too enjoyed myself - beyond my expectations. Jean-Claude and his crew know how to run a train show. I do wish I could return for Expo. I'll post some of my photos when I get back to Texas.

A few random pics that my daughter mostly took:











I took along an OO model diaroma that I built 25 years ago at my daughter's request.