Chemin de fer Lausanne-Échallens-Bercher (LEB)

Simplon - The Passenger Ship Website - www.simplonpc.co.uk Simplon Home - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Simplon facebook - Recent Updates - Search Simplon - Copyright Information - Contact Simplon This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation - There are no postcards for sale on this website

	LEB Chemin de fer Lausanne-Échallens-Bercher (LEB) All images link to larger copies which will open in a new window/tab
	This page shows postcards and images of the metre gauge Chemin de fer Lausanne-Échallens-Bercher which connects with the two Lausanne metro lines M1 and M2 at Flon. The Lausanne-Échallens railway (LE) was the first metre gauge railway in Switzerland and it opened throughout in 1874 (Lausanne to Prilly-Hunter had opened the previous year - this was an urban section which ran along the streets as it still does today). It was steam powered and the first two locos (LE Nos 1 & 2) had previously worked on the Mont Cenis Pass Railway in France. This was a temporary railway which ran from 1868-1871 during the construction of the Fréjus Railway Tunnel. It was a British-built railway using British-built 0-4-0T locos (G 2/2 in Swiss notation) and engine drivers. The locos arrived on the LE in 1973 but were not successful and No.1 was sold in 1874. No.2 was modified in 1875 but still only survived until 1880. A second No.1 was built in 1874 by Krauss (Munich), also a G 2/2 (0-4-0T) which ran until 1892 and was scrapped in 1895. LE Nos.3 & 4 (G 2/2) were also built in 1874 by Schneider at Creusot. These lasted until 1909 and 1912 respectively. A new company, the Central-vaudois, was formed to extend the railway to Bercher, where Nestlé produced condensed milk. The extension was completed in 1889 and the line was operated by the LE. The Central-vaudois was not profitable began to deteriorate. Trains speed had to reduced due to the poor track. The two railways merged in 1913 to form the Lausanne-Échallens-Bercher (LEB). Two G 3/3 tank engines (0-6-0T) were built in1888 and 1890 by SACM in Alsace. They were named Échallens and Bercher and numbered LE 2 and 5. No.5 survives on the Blonay-Chamby museum railway near Montreux. Loco numbers 6 and 7 (1920) and 8 were all built by SLM and LE No.8 survives on the LEB for use on special trains. The final steam locos LEB 1-3 were 0-4-4-0T Mallets built for the Yverdon - Ste.Croix railway in 1893, and bought by LEB in 1920/21 and these ran services until electrification in 1936. Steam locos were not really suitable for the urban section from Lausanne to Prilly and so electrification was studied from 1920. Work did not commence until 1935 and was completed in 1936. The line was electrified to 1500v DC apart from the urban section which was shared with TL trams running at 650v DC. Four new railcars (CFe 4/4 21-24) were delivered from SWS in 1935 followed by No.25 in 1947. They are currently classified as BDe 4/4. Matching bogie trailers 15-19 were built 1944-57. Before this, all passenger coaches were four-wheeled. BDe 4/4 Nos.21 and 25 survive on the LEB and No.22 was sold to the NStCM, whilst 23 and 24 were scrapped. Two new railcars Be 4/4 26-27 were delivered by SWS in 1966 along with trailers B 41-42 and driving trailers Bt51-52. These were followed by Be 4/4 30, 32, 34 (with matching driving trailers Bt 31, 33, 35) in 1985. Finally, further new low floor articulated sets RBe 4/8 were delivered by Stadler in 2010. Since 1995, the Lausanne terminus has been in a tunnel at Flon, with connections to both Lausanne Metro lines M1 and M2. After leaving the tunnel, trains run along the road as far a Prilly, restricting speeds and still the cause of numerous accidents. Beyond Prilly the tracks run across pleasant but unspectacular countryside. The new RBE 4/8 sets run at high speeds on superb track, although upgrades continue (buses substituted trains for part of the route on my last visit in July 2011). Map of the LEB

	Locomotive Classes on this Page Metre Gauge Steam Locos LE Nos.1-2 LE No.1² LE Nos.3-4 LE Nos.2² &5 LE Nos.6-7 LE No.8 LEB No.1-3 Metre Gauge Railcars & Trailers LEB Nos.21-25 - 1935 BDe4/4 railcars LEB Nos.26-27 - 1966 BDe4/4 railcars LEB Nos.51-52 (later 151-152) - 1964 Bt driving trailers LEB Nos.41-42 (later 141-142) - 1964 B trailers LEB Nos.31-36 - 1985 BDe4/8 railcars LEB Nos.41-46 - 2010 RBe4/8 FLIRT railcars Other Swiss Pages ASD - Aigle-Sépey-Diablerets GFM/TPF - Metre & Standard Gauge in Fribourg LEB - Metre Gauge railway from Lausanne - this page NStCM - Metre Gauge railway from Nyon TPC - Metre Gauge railways in Chablais TPG - Geneva Trams & Trolleybuses CGN Header Page - Lake Geneva - Lac Leman CGN Page 1 - CGN Paddle Steamers 1822-1886 CGN Page 2 - CGN Paddle Vessels 1887-2004 CGN Page 3 - CGN Screw Motor Vessels LNM - Lacs de Neuchâtel & Morat	Associated Pages UK Excursion Vessels Cruise Ships Ocean Liners World Ferry Fleets Simplon Postcards. Home Page Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards facebook page References Swiss Railways Platform 5 European Handbook No.5 by Haydock, Fox, Garvin Lokomotiven & Triebwagen der Schweizer Bahnen Band 2: Privatbahnen Westschweiz & Wallis by Peter Willen Orell Fuessli Verlag http://www..com Contacts Website:- www.leb.ch http://www..com h h
- Search the Simplon Website

LE Nos.1 & 2 were both built in the UK for the Mont-Cenis Railway in France. This was a temporary railway which ran from 1868-1871 during the construction of the Fréjus Railway Tunnel. It was a British-built railway using British-built 0-4-0T locos (G 2/2 in Swiss notation) and engine drivers. The line used the Fell design of mountain railway with three rails. The railway, opened in June 1868, was 77 kilometres (48 miles) long, with a gauge of 1,100 mm and a maximum inclination of 9 per cent. No.1 had been built in 1863 by Brassey & Co, Birkenhead, whilst No.2 was built by James Cross & Co, St Helens. In 1863 the engine which became No.1 was tested on the Cromford & High Peak Railway in Derbyshire, England. Both engines required re-gauging to metre gauge plus removal of the Fell equipment before entering service. The locos arrived on the LE in 1973 but were not successful and No.1 was sold in 1874. No.2 was modified in 1875 but still only survived until 1880. I have no photos of these engines in service in Switzerland.