![[Pump 7th August 1901. Pump by side of track in valley, several Chalets also visible.]](/IIIF/000530000/000522261/vtls000522261_001.jp2/full/800,/0/default.jpg)
[Pump 7th August 1901. Pump by side of track in valley, several Chalets also visible.]
[graphic].
| Main Creator: | |
|---|---|
| Summary: | Travels abroad. |
| In collection: | Clonbrock Photographic Collection |
| Format: | Photo |
| Language: | English |
| Published / Created: |
[7 August 1901].
|
| Subjects: | |
| Notes: | Additional information about this photograph is available on the National Library of Ireland's Flickr Commons photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/51207047400/ Physical description: 1 photonegative : 8 x 10.5 cm. more |
The Clonbrocks were out foreign again and took this interesting image while there. At first sight I thought the train was a case of a "Pushme Pullyou" as described in Dr. Doolittle but I was mistaken. The catalogue title makes note of the pump to the right and there is just so much to see in this lovely shot. Wouldn't it be lovely to see it colourised?
Photographers: Dillon Family
Contributors: Luke Gerald Dillon, Augusta Caroline Dillon
Collection: Clonbrock Photographic Collection
Date: 7 August 1901
NLI Ref: CLON682
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Tags:
The Clonbrock photographic Collection, Luke Gerald Dillon, Baron Clonbrock, Augusta Caroline Dillon, Baroness Clonbrock, Dillon Family, National Library of Ireland, Europe, family trip, chalets, Alps, train, mountain train, steam locomotive, water pump
Comments
Rory_Sherlock
'WAB' on the carriage probably represents 'Wengernalpbahn' (i.e. Wengernalp Railway):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wengernalp_Railway
This locomotive (now with the Brienz Rothorn Bahn but originally built for the Wengernalpbahn) looks very like the steam engine in the photo:
flic.kr/p/dW7WJz
Posted: 27.05.2021
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/139877639@N08] Good work!
7 August 1901 was a Wednesday . . .
Posted: 27.05.2021
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/] A quickie colourization with a disappointing rusty engine. Somebody clever might be able to do better ...
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia/51206156826/in/dateposted/] via playback.fm/colorize-photo
Posted: 27.05.2021
cargeofg
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/139877639@N08] You are on the ball this morning. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wengernalp_Railway
The wooden water trough is a piece of workmanship in itself.
Posted: 27.05.2021
Swordscookie
it seems that the"pump" is a constantly running spout? Probably coming from a nearby spring or stream? No doubt frozen during winter.
Posted: 27.05.2021
cargeofg
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/swordscookie] Yes I would go along with that but pipe could be insulated in the wooden housing with straw. Trough is most likely for cows but do not see any "evidence" of them passing. In the wintertime they would be housed in the lower /ground level byre under the living area of the farmhouse.
Posted: 27.05.2021
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Flickr is sometimes funicularly fun! In 2018 via [Kevin Oliver] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kmoliver/43118993052/]
Posted: 27.05.2021
sharon.corbet
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] There are some colorised postcards available here along with a history (in German) of the section of the line between Wengen and Lauterbrunnen - not this section, as this is between Wengen station and Kleine Scheidegg.
Posted: 27.05.2021
sharon.corbet
(I'm also grumbling a bit, as I had a trip to Switzerland booked for June last year, including taking this very train...)
Posted: 27.05.2021
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] Thanks - that confirms the engine was green and the carriage red as in Rory Sherlock's link above. My colourization bad!
[aside] - Fascinating Driver's Eye View 115 years later - I think this section is at about 13:40. Grab a cuppa and enjoy what the Dillons saw - youtu.be/cfSsP706mR4
Posted: 27.05.2021
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Nice Job.
Posted: 27.05.2021
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/trained_4_life/8488726797/]
via Richard Pryke
It is, of course, a rack and pinion, no regular loco could tackle that incline.
You can see the 'rack' between the rails. This engaged with the 'pinion' or cog of the loco.
Popular in very mountainous regions.
Posted: 27.05.2021
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Progress!
Posted: 27.05.2021
sharon.corbet
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04] The history I linked to above explains that this isn't actually the steep bit - the incline was originally much bigger from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen (up to 25% whereas from Wengen onwards it was "only" 18%). This was a particular problem as it meant that you could only have 1 passenger car on the steeper section, as the steam engines weren't powerful enough for 2. After Wengen, however, 2 were possible.
In the end, they rerouted the Lauterbrunnen-Wengen part in 1910, so that it was also max. 18% - there's a map showing both routes in the article, and you can actually see both routes on Google Maps too. The original route was apparently used mostly for freight trains in the meantime, until they decided to close it down in 2009, as maintenance cost was higher than the benefit.
(Wengen is car-free and has no roadd access so the railway is the main transport link.)
Posted: 27.05.2021
suckindeesel
This is a funicular, i.e. cable operated
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04/51206940478/in/dateposted/]
The Monongahela Incline in Pittsburg, I think it's the last one left there and it brought the steel workers back to their housing on top of Coal Hill.
Posted: 27.05.2021
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/139877639@N08] looks near the spot, judging from the mountain in the background
Posted: 27.05.2021
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] I see just one car and a baggage car at front. Seems to match the streetview of Wengen from Rory Sherlock. So, is it pre 1910?
Regular trains would struggle with even a 10% grade, hence the rack and pinion arrangement. Probable necessary to keep the loco at that end to ensure a download on the rack.
Posted: 27.05.2021
sharon.corbet
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04/] It’s dated 7th August 1901....?
But anyway, as I said, this is the part above Wengen station, where they could actually use 2 cars, which they sometimes did (attaching a second at Wengen).
Posted: 27.05.2021
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] Can't see the wood for the trees today!
Posted: 27.05.2021
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Got similar results from my 'colouriser' app.
We don't really know what the train colours were at that time, after all the other 'greens' are rendered correctly. At least one of those old postcards shows a brown engine and a red car.
Posted: 27.05.2021
Richard_FM
A kneeling cow locomotive.
Posted: 27.05.2021
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/richard16378] I like that!
Next question - was the train going up or down? From the smoke, I think down ...
Posted: 27.05.2021
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/139877639@N08] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/187095410@N06] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/swordscookie] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/richard16378] Well done everyone, very entertaining. Thank you.
Posted: 28.05.2021
fulvue
The loco's configuration is such so as to keep the boiler and its water level as horizontal as possible whilst working the steep inclines. Here is a view of some rack and pinion track, for interest.
www.flickr.com/photos/31324280@N02/3335396215/in/album-72...
Posted: 18.06.2021
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/31324280@N02] Very interesting and thank you for the additional information!
Posted: 21.06.2021
sharon.corbet
120 years later (well, less 4 days) - the train looks a bit different now, and is barely visible behind the new buildings:
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/146823309@N02/51355271923/in/dateposted-public/]
Posted: 03.08.2021
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I bet you had fun doing that.
Posted: 03.08.2021
sharon.corbet
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Wandering around in the Swiss Alps is always fun! As are cog railways...
Posted: 03.08.2021
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] Envy........
Posted: 04.08.2021
