10th Anniversary of the Albula Railway Museum

2022 marks a big year for Swiss Railways with many anniversaries happening at the same time. Jamie Ringwood gives an overview of his recent visit to Switzerland and the locomotives central to the year's celebrations.

Words and photographs by Jamie Ringwood.

After a gap of 5 years, I took a visit to Switzerland and the RhB for the Albula Railway Museum in Bergun's 10th Anniversary and 45 Years of the Steam Friends of the RhB.

The Event was over three days featuring 7 different locomotives and units from all different eras. The main star of the show was G3/4 No.11 'Heidi' (pictured above) which looked after the steam services over the weekend. LGB and Marklin were also visiting to announce a planned partnership to build a G Scale Garden Railway at the Museum. The steam services ran to a now disused station at Alvaneu which has recently reopened as a holiday let.

The event had music, G scale Model Railways and trips with steam and electrics. The Friday started with two 100-year-old electrics Ge 4/6 353 and Ge 6/6 I 415 (pictured above) running from Chur to the museum ready for the start of the event. Saturday was the start of the main event with 'Heidi' running two services during the day whereas Sunday, the last day of the event, saw 'Heidi' do three runs with one going over the Wiesen Viaduct. One of the last trips of the weekend was behind a 75-year-old still in daily service: Ge 4/4 Is hauling a pullman set from the museum back to Chur.

The museum is very interesting, with two model railways and lots of history, information and artefacts from the RhB. Very much worth a visit when you're in the area.

https://www.bahnmuseum-albula.ch/de

It's also 175 Years of the SBB which is being celebrated by all railway companies across the country and throughout the year with the RhB going for a world record of 100 Coaches using the New Capricorn Units on 29th October. More information can be found below.

https://www.rhb.ch/de/news-events/offizieller-weltrekordversuch

Rhaetian Railway Ge 4/4 I 605.

Action at Alvaneu Station.

'Heidi' waiting for the road.

RhB Ge 4/4 II with LGB models of the same class (left). / "The Swiss Flying Scotsman" was the nickname given to sister engine No 1 RHÆTIA from the NNR (right).