Milan to Zurich via the Swiss Alps 24-28th February 2023 (FS, RhB, MGB, SBB) Trip Report

Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) Loco HGe4/4ii 107 climbs the final ascent to Oberalp Pass, the highest point on the MGB network, while working a train from Disentis/Muster to Andermatt. 27.02.2023

Those who have read these pages before will be well aware that this was not my first trip to Switzerland and its narrow gauge railways. The main aim of this trip therefore was to have a good time with friends, and introduce our partners to what we consider 'The best railway in the world' (if anyone knows a better one... please let me know!). 

The aim was to showcase all that was best about the RhB over the weekend, with a couple of days bolted on once the girls had left for some more serious railway photography!

Friday 24th February

Peter Witt car 1866 working route 19 in Milan.

It was an early start to get to Heathrow for the 06:45 ITA flight to Milan Linate, which was uneventful and put us onto the new M4 metro line from the airport. This doesn't actually go to the city centre yet so we changed onto a tram, and I then excitedly forced another tram change when it was observed that one of the old 'Peter Witt' trams on route 19 was following us.

A bit of tourist activity and lunch around the Duomo left us very tight for time to get to Milano Centrale for the 14:20 Trenord service to Tirano but we made it with a minute or two to spare. Unfortunately the train was pretty busy and walking through almost the whole thing was an exercise we didn't really need, especially with it's 'barn door' style doors which like to close on you several times per coach! 

E464 403 prepares to depart Milano Central very 
very shortly for the run to Tirano. 24.02.2023.

The reason for aiming for this train was that it was expected to be loco and stock, and indeed was E464 403 pushing a long rake of single deckers. Many of the trains on this route are now new 'Rock' units, but it appears that the Trenord online timetable has the answers with units shown to have disabled access and the hauled trains having bicycle spaces and no 1st class. 

The run along lake Como was pleasant but would have been improved if the cloud had lifted enough to see the far shore... the forecast for this whole trip wasn't massively promising in terms of weather! Fortunately we arrived at in Tirano in time since we were risking the 8 minute connection onto the 17:00 RhB service to St Moritz. This made comfortably, even allowing time to run to the supermarket for supplies! Our Allegra hauled train had a couple of empty log carrying flat wagons tagged on the back for good measure! 

Morning at Alp Grüm at 2091m above sea level. The clouds have parted revealing the view from the station hotel as a St Moritz bound service makes its scheduled call. 25/02/2023.

We were staying in the Hotel at Alp Grüm where we also enjoyed an excellent dinner. Despite being prepared for no entertainment after the restaurant shut, the staff stayed up fairly late and kept us well watered.

Saturday 25th February

The Bernina Express, hauled by an ABe 8/12 
'Allegra' railcar pauses at Alp Grüm. 25/02/2023.

We woke up to find that the fog from the previous night as very much still present and I really thought that nobody was going to get to see the view we had all came for. Fortunately I was to be proven wrong as the sun broke through before breakfast, some fresh snow overnight completing the view. What was very evident however was how little snow there was, even here above 2000m. This winter has been very bad for the Alps, with somewhere around 50% less snowfall than usual- places which were buried during our previous winter trip this year were bare ground. Not good for our photography, and even less good for the winter industries in this area that rely on the snowfall with many ski resorts already having to consider shutting early.

Gemf 2/2 20607 shunts in the 'road' platforms for
the Arosa line at Chur. 25/02/2023.

Travelling on from Alp Grüm we boarded a very lengthy and busy train over the beautiful Bernina pass. The conditions were all that we could have hoped for, though it would have been good if we had been able to find some seats on the train. Our next highlight was the Gourmino dining train, reached by way of Pontresina and Samedan, the latter connection having somewhat mysteriously reverted to loco-hauled push/pull operation over the Autumn after the Engadine services became units shortly after our last visit. 

The Gourmino runs on many trains over the winter months, and pushed by an Allegra unit we all had a great lunch and everyone was suitably impressed with the views on the Albula line.

Loco hauled street running as Ge4/4ii 618 'Bergun/Bravuogn' works the 14:17 from Arosa to Chur. 25/02/2023.

618 in the street platforms at Chur ready to head 
back up the line to Arosa. 25/02/2023.

Checking in to the usual accommodation, Hotel Post in Chur we then had a little while to get into position for the inbound loco-hauled service from Arosa. This was worked by Ge4/4ii 618, the originally booked loco, 623, having failed ahead of the first run. Achieving Arosa loco hauled was definitely a big objective of this trip, having failed on a previous visit and to make it even better the Apré Ski bar attached to the rear of the train for the return trip was persuaded to open for us! This meant enjoying the stunning line from a 4-wheeled wooden coach complete with balconies- oh and a beer or two!.

There was time to find some further refreshment in Arosa before our dinner booking at the highly recommended Güterschuppen in the old goods shed. 

Sunday 26th February

One of the main photographic aims of the trip, the Arosa loco hauled train led by Ge4/4ii 618 crosses the impressive Langweiser viaduct. 26/02/2023.

End of the line, 618 rests at Arosa. 25/02/2023.

This morning's objective was to photograph the Arosa turn again on the viaduct at Langweis- this was achieved while the other half of the group enjoyed the museums of Chur, returning back in time to watch the loco-hauled street running once more. 

In the afternoon we had planned to all take the Chur cable car up to Brambrüesch, however it was closed due to high winds so a B-plan was needed! This turned out to be a ride along the Rhein Gorge from Chur to Ilanz and back enjoying the Ge4/4ii's while they are still dominant here.

A snowy scene at Langweis as Ge4/4ii 618 arrives with the 11:37 service from Arosa to Chur. 26/02/2023.

Back in Chur it was time for the female half of the group to depart, neatly timed for the 17:37 Chur - Zurich, booked Re4/4ii, but as had happened on my previous visit, actually covered by an Re460 - seemingly a common occurrence at weekends. Either way, the restaurant car was enjoyed by all before the split between those heading home and the three of us who were returning to Chur. 

The once regular sight of Re4/4ii locomotives at Zurich Hbf is becoming less common. The evening arrival of EC164 the 'Transalpin' from Graz brings a pair in the shape of 11121 and 11301. The shunter waits for the all clear to detach the locos from the Austrian stock. 26/02/2023.

Monday 27th February

One of the infrequent car shuttles between Andermatt and Sedrun is seen behind Deh4/4 52. These shuttles provide a connection between the cantons of Graübunden and Uri when the road pass is closed over the winter. As can be seen, traffic is generally light and it is reported that the winter of 2022/23 will be the final year of operation for these trains. 27/02/2023.

Re460 001 at Chur. 27/02/2023.

The weather forecast had turned from good to poor for today during the night, the best of the weather seeming to be around Chur. With this in mind, and after waking to a clear sky we headed around the corner to Lake Walensee to attempt a shot of EC163 'Transalpin' making its way towards Buchs and then into Austria via Lichtenstein. This worked very well, the booked pair of Re4/4ii's turning up in beautiful sunny conditions. Buoyed by our success, our 'rainy day' plan to explore Lichtenstein was set aside and we were quickly on our way back up into the mountains bound for the Oberalp Pass to try to see what we really wanted- some MGB trains in the snow!

A beautiful scene by the shores of Lake Walensee as SBB Re4/4ii locomotives 11196 and 11149 haul EC163 the 08:41 Zurich - Graz 'Transalpin' towards Buchs where the train will have a traction change before heading into Lichtenstein and Austria. 27/02/2023.

Even if we failed in our aim we knew we would have an enjoyable journey, loco hauled on the RhB up to Disentis and then onto the MGB rack system where baggage car Deh4/4 23 was to take us forward. We stopped off at Rueras to photograph the days Glacier Express and the ski shuttle which runs between Sedrun and Dieni- both captured in what has become a beautiful sunny day.

MGB Bagage CarDeh4/4 22 approaches Dieni with one of the short ski shuttles from Sedrun which convey skiers between these two resorts. 27/02/2023.

Up to Oberalp and the snow we were seeking was very much present. There was time for lunch in one of the ski restaurants, serving up a lovely cheese Rosti, before we were able to photograph a couple of trains from one of the hiking runs, including one of the occasional Andermatt to Sedrun car shuttles which are believed to be in their final season. 

HGe4/4ii 103 is at the top of the MGB as it approaches Oberalp Pass- the scene was enveloped by cloud rising up the valley just moments later. 27/02/2023.

Clinging to the valley bound for Oberalp Pass 
behind Baggage Car Deh4/4 23. 27/02/2023.

A very successful afternoon concluded and it was time to think about heading back to Chur as the sun dipped below the mountains. A plan was hatched to try a few more photos at Nastchen, where it was hoped that fresh snow over the weekend might have covered the bare ground, but we were somewhat thwarted when cloud enveloped the line almost as soon as we left Oberalp. With visibility pretty much non-existent at Naschen we continued to Andermatt and then for a run down the dramatic and incredibly steep branch to Göschenen- somewhere I had not visited since the last days before the Gotthard Base Tunnel opened. There was time to get some supplies for the now fairly lengthy journey back by way of Deh4/4 96 up to Andermatt, GEh4/4ii 3 forward to Disentis and finally Ge4/4ii 621 or the RhB on to Chur. The final move was to a very cheesy restaurant for our final nights meal!

Tuesday 28th February

Not quite the sunny scene I was hoping for, but an atmospheric shot none the less as Swiss Express liveried Re4/4ii 11109 crosses the Rhein on the bridge at Eglisau with a Zurich - Singen (and on to Stuttgart) service. 28/02/2023.

Re4/4 543 of the Sihaltal Bahn arrives into Sood
Oberliembach with a train to Zurich. 28/02/2023

With another clear dawn, and with a good sunny weather forecast today we made our way north towards Zurich to attempt some photos of the Zurich - Singen IC's while they remain loco-hauled. This was a mistake- half way to Zurich the cloud closed in, and despite the forecasts still predicting a sunny afternoon the cloud was very much set in for the day. While we considered turning around and heading back to the mountains the forecast persuaded us to continue with our plan, winding up in a very cold and cloudy Eglisau. After the northbound IC passed with Re4/4ii 11309 we were pretty cold and realised we needed a new plan for this dismal afternoon, so we retired to a cafe to discuss options over a hot chocolate with Baileys.

The answer came in the shape of the Sihaltal Railway which runs two suburban routes, the S4 and S10 out of Zurich. While a private operator the routes are run as part of the Zurich transport network, the main attraction for railfans being tha tthe S4 is solidly worked by loco push/pull sets (while S10 is a bespoke fleet of EMU's). The locos used are small fleet of Re4/4's together with two ex-SBB Re450 sets. 

Re551 of the Sihaltal Bahn departs Sood Oberliembach bound for Zurich Hbf. 28/02/2023.

A 20 minute interval service is worked to Langnau am Albis (10 min interval in the peaks) while once an hour the train continues a further stop down the line to Sihlwald. While the route is not the most exciting, it was a good way to pass the afternoon in relative warmth, and tick off a few of the locomotives of this interesting railway.

By the time we were back in Zurich it was time for me to say my goodbye's and head to the airport, loco hauled with 460 097, for my Swiss flight back to London City.

HGe4/4ii 1 'Matterhorn' is working the Glacier Express between Rueras and Deini heading towards the Oberalp Pass. 27/02/2023.

Conclusions

Deh4/4 96 at Göschenen with the MGB shuttle
to Andermatt. 27/02/2023.

The weather hadn't always been kind to us, but despite these challenges I came away with the majority of the pictures I wanted- even better my partner had a great time and would happily return to Switzerland! Maybe not as soon as I might, as I am already looking for dates for a quick return trip to tick off a couple more shots, and of course attempt to track down RhB Ge4/4ii 614 which continues to elude me- of course it worked the Arosa trains the following weekend!

Loco haulage with Ge4/4ii's still clings on at the RhB, though there are doubts it will last out the year, while the impending invasion of units to the remaining loco-hauled services on the MGB is also now rapidly looming. That said, even with these new trains I can't see these railways being demoted from their 'best in the world' status any time soon!

Deh4/4 23 'Randa' descends from Oberalp Pass with a train from Andermatt to Disentis/Muster. This was one location where the lack of snow this season certainly wasn't evident! 27/02/2023.

A summer fouray to the West Country

When the weather plays ball there can be few places better to be than some of the idylic parts of the UK. With the forecast looking good and a few days off work last summer, things were aligning for a quick trip to the West Country.

I had a few aims, for which I would need to drive, both to access locations and also to ensure I had the equipment I would need. 

The main objectives of the trip were to access some of the locations around Dawlish that are not so easily accessible by public transport; such as the bridge at Powederham, and also achieve some shots that required a pole, drone, steps or even wellies- I'm pleased to report that I did ultimately use all of these!

On into Cornwall this time of year is perfect to capture the GWR Night Riviera Sleeper, a notoriously difficult train to photograph since so much of its route is only covered in darkness. There were some more shots of short 'Castle' HST sets that I wanted to try as well as the big prize of catching a china clay train at the famous location of Golant on the Fowey Branch.

If I achieved all of that I would be more than happy!

The first surprise of the trip came along almost as soon as I had finished the drive from south-west London. Having pulled open train times maps up on my phone I was surprised to see some odd digits- sure enough this did turn out to be one of those hard to come by freight trains in this area. While I'm sure I could have positioned myself better had I known, I was none the less pleased to see 66139 rounding the corner with 6V99 from Exeter Riverside to St Blazey. 14/06/2022. 

43154 powers 2C77 west from Dawlish, taken by pole at Horse Cove between Dawlish and Teignmouth. This was another shot I was very keen to achieve while I had the kit with me as since the erection of a paliside fence some years ago the shot is no longer possible without some sort of height enhancement. 14/06/2022.

150247 crosses the Royal Albert Bridge over the Tamar as it heads into Cornwall. This was the final shot of the trip taken on a brief stop off at Saltash since the light was still so good before embarking on the long driver home. 15/06/2022.

Cockwood Harbour on the Exe estuary is another classic spot in this area, though the view from above by drone opens up a new perspective as 43378 heads west with 1V44 the 06:11 Leeds - Plymouth. 14/06/2022.

66165 crosses the causeway in the village of Golant working 6G05 the 20:15 empty china clay train from Fowey Docks to Goonbarrow. The train was fortunately running significantly early allowing the shot to be captured in good light. Our earlier attempt to photograph the inbound working had been caught by a spurious cloud, however waiting several more hours for the tide to come in also made a huge difference to the picture. 15/06/2022

The light doesn't last long on the front of eastbound services at Dawlish, and a shot here in this direction had long been on my list. Happily 43042 + 43009 were able to oblige. 14/06/2022.

43122 leads a class 255 'Castle' HST across the causeway at Cockwood Harbour. These trainsets are now scheduled to be withdrawn by December 2023. 14/06/2022.

43009 and 43042 are captured working an early morning service from Cornwall into Devon seen on the approach to St Germans. 15/06/2022.

A 'nearly' shot at Liskeard with 150261 on the Looe branch while a class 802 IET passes above on Liskeard Viaduct. The two photographs which have been combined to create this image were taken less than a minute apart- it nearly happened! 15/06/2022.

A 'Castle' HST powered by 43154 and 43170 is captured crossing Largin viaduct near Liskeard. I knew a shot here was possible but it took some fighing through vegetation to find a reasonably clear vantage point from which to see the trains. 15/06/2022.

A class 802 is captured near Restormel between Bodmin and Lostwithiel with a Penzance bound service. 15/06/2022.

43040 leads a 'Castle' HST up though Powderham along the Exe estuary as it approaches its next call at Exeter St Davids. 43088 is on the rear. 14/06/2022.

57605 is pictured at the head of 1C50 the 23:45 London Paddington - Penzance 'Night Riviera'. It is only possible to photograph this overnight sleeper train in high summer and we were certainly pleased that the weather played ball when it passed our location at Trerulefoot in full sun just after 06:00. After a late arrival at our hotel in Liskeard the previous night we had not had a lot of sleep, but getting the shot we were really after had made it worthwhile! 15/06/2022.

Japan in 2013

JNR 103 Series were once among the most numerous trains in Japan. The remaining fleet are likely to see out their final years on commuter turns in the Osaka area. One such unit is pictured at Inari station with a service for Jöyö on the Nara line in Kyoto. 

A couple of conversations recently, both at work and at my model railway club have turned to discussing the railways of Japan. I had not quite realised that it will be 10 years this year since my visit on a family holiday back in August 2013.

A JR West series 381 unit arrives into Shin-Ōsaka. The rear of the unit features a high-level cab and is in the authors opinion much more interesting!

Railways are an essential backbone of Japan's transport system, and while this wasn't a trip specifically for the trains, there were plenty of opportunities to see them on our travels, and I also managed to spend a little of my free time away from the group exploring the railways at the expense of a few temples and the giant bamboo in Kyoto.

A series 185 approaches Urawa station in greater Tokyo, most likely with an Odoriko Limited Express. This series was retired form scheduled work in 2021. 

A 231 series Tokyo commuter EMU at Suidōbashi.

Aside from the famous 'Shinkansen' (Bullet Train) network which forms the fastest connections between most cities and is built to Standard Gauge, the remaining railways run on 3ft 6in (1,067mm) 'Cape Gauge'. I wrote about the Shinkansen shortly after I returned here, but aside from looking at some freight spots around Tokyo here, I never really published any of my pictures of Japans regular railways. 10 years on, it feels like now might be a good opportunity.

A JR West series 221 dating from 1989 calls at Nishiōji.

I knew that I did not have a lot of time to pursue trains on my visit, so I had done enough research before leaving the UK to at least have an idea of some of the trains I wanted to see, and where I might find them. As it turned out, I probably should have done a little more research into the tourist sights as well as to my surprise there was a lot more free, un-guided time on our trip than I had expected.

EF510 513 stands at Tokyo's Ueno station at the head of the
Hokutosai Limited Express Sleeper (or 'Blue Train') bound
for Sapporo. The train ran for two more years before being
withdrawn upon the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

At the time of my visit Japan's passenger operation was already an almost 100% unit operated railway. The only exception being a couple of loco hauled tourist trains and the very last of the overnight 'blue trains' which would finish just a few years later in 2016. The once large network of 'Blue Trains' had gradually been eroded over a large number of years by the expanding Shinkansen network, enabling journey times to be reduced and thus the need and demand for overnight travel also fell.

The stylised EMU's of the Narita Express,
one of the airport trains available in Tokyo,

The Tokyo area has a very dense rail network of commuter lines operated by modern air conditioned [much needed!] EMU's. Many of these are arguably not very exciting, away from the pure metro networks however more variety could be found with longer distance, and more interesting 'Limited Express' services which connect larger towns. These are generally the highest class of trains on the classic network with the Shinkansen now forming all high-speed intercity services. Away from Tokyo it is possible to find older EMU's on local services, these present much more character than some of the modern units and often carry much more traditional liveries.

Further afield still, away from core routes DMU's can be found working more rural services on the roughly 1/3 of the network which is not electrified. I did not encounter a huge number of these, but do recall seeing a few around Osaka and on a trip we made to Takayama. 

Takayama plays host to a KiHa 40 Series (left) and KiHa 85 Series DMU's. The former has been removed from service by JR central in 2016, but do retain limited work elsewhere. The 85 Series cling on to duties on the Takayama mainline, but are slated for replacement in 2023.

EF210 159 approaches Nishi-Kokobunji with a tank train. These locos were built from 1996 and have replaced many of the older types in the Tokyo area.

EF641011 at Omiya with a container train.

Locomotives, as already mentioned are almost exclusively used on freight services and can be found on many of the trunk routes away from the Shinkansen. Much of the traction at the time of my visit still dated from the 1960's with EF64, EF65 dominating traffic in the Tokyo area. Although numbers are reducing, these locomotives are still at working at the present time. One the locos which particularly interested me were the EF66's, featuring their distinctive sloped fronts. This class is split into two with the original locos (now all withdrawn) and a slightly more modern batch which featured a revised cab design. The original locos certainly look the most impressive, and while I managed to see two, neither produced especially good photographs.

Despite not being caught at the best angle EF66 36 shows off the features of the class as it passes with a Freight through Kyoto. This was the only example of the original EF66 series I would see working. 

Kawasaki built EF66 120 hauls a short tank train through
Nishi-Kokobunji on the Tokyo freight loop line.

The scarcest of traction to find are diesel locomotives. With almost all the main routes electrified these are scarcely seen outside of yards and indeed I do not recall seeing any working on my trip.

DE10 1592 is seen in the yard at Minami-Matsumoto. Note the unusual Bo-Co wheel arrangement.

With such a wide variety of EMU's on offer, and the Japanese trait for designing some rather quirky looking trains, it was almost inevitable that there would be some of particular interest. 

A 231 series Tokyo commuter EMU at Sendagaya.

A Series 111 EMU in 'Shonan' livery calls at Yamashina.
These units have now all been withdrawn, however similar
series 113 still retain some work.

Having developed a bit of a soft spot for the Dutch ICM 'Koplopper' [translates at 'Head Walker'] trains, when I discovered that similar looking units existed in Japan I certainly wanted to try to see some. This is one of the older designs of cab which have been used in Japan for Limited Express trains since the mid 1960's and at the time of my visit many of these original classes with their pointy above-gangway cab were still running, often in their original beige and red colour scheme. Even by 2014 however the use of these older trainsets was beginning to dwindle as replacement was well underway with sleek new trains, still with the distinctive overhead cab, replacing them on most of their routes.

10 years later, the original sets have now been almost entirely removed from service. The final tilting class 381 units which have a high cab at just one end are due to work their final duties during 2023.

My best attempt at capturing a high-cabbed series 189. This example working a Kounotori service from Ōsaka. 

The series 683 is an example of the more modern high-cabbed Limited Express units and is seen at Kyoto.

Extensive use of  'The Red List of Trains in Japan' was made in preparing this article. If you are interested in the railways or Japan, I certainly recommend giving it a look! 

The refurbished EF66 is still clinging on to life as of 2023. Here, EF66 129 is captured with a container train at Yamashina on the outskirts of Kyoto.