Sunday October 2 - Bauma Steam Railway and the Dietikon to Wohlen Tram

Zurich in the rain

The weather was not too promising this morning but as this was the only day the Bauma Steam Railway would be operating during our time in Switzerland we felt we had no option. We took a train to Winterthur and had some 25 minutes to wait for the connection to Bauma.  In that time we saw an amazing variety of passenger trains.

The ride to Bauma was through gently hilly country with mixed farming and forest with a few small villages.  We were struck by the enormous freight shed at Bauma which is used by the steam railway. It is very long, has two platform roads with a lot of space in between.  The roof has recently been replaced.  Passengers can board their train in the dry and there were several stands selling drinks and meals, local produce and railway souvenirs. Our train was pulled by a small tank engine #2 Hinwil, a 2-6-0 built in 1903.  The ride was through pleasant country.  We had thought of getting out at Baretswil but a two hour wait in the rain put paid to that idea.  At Hinwil the locomotive quickly ran around its train and returned to Bauma.

The Bauma Freight Shed roof has been beautifully rebuilt.

The railway uses proper Edmondson card tickets

Brass plate on the side of one of the cars

Hinwil

Taking water in the steam at Hinwil

Click here to see all pictures of the Bauma Steam Railway

We caught a train to Wetzicon and from there went to Rapperswil on the southern tip of Lake Zurich.  This is a pleasant lakeside town.  We walked along the lake and enjoyed watching a grebe diving for fish.  The water was so clear that we could see it swimming underwater.

Street art at Rapperswil

The bowl of chilis certainly helped to spice up my pizza

Swiss Fire Hydrants are unique.

We caught a train back along the lakeside to Zurich Hauptbahnhof, while we were waiting for it to leave we saw the Voralpen Exress which we hope to ride tomorrow.  From Zurich we went on to Dietikon and rode the tramway to Wohlen.  This is metre gauge and is operated by the BDWM (Bremgarten Dietikon Wohen).  It runs mostly alongside the roads although there are some private right of way sections.  The line is now operated with 14 Stadler trains.  The views are great, the line traverses some severe hairpin curves to keep to the road.  We went through to Wohen and came back to Bremgarten to get a beer at a cafe with great views across the river.  Unfortunately the sun was in our eyes and pictures of the trains on the bridge didn't come out very well.

Running down the street on the approach to Dietikon station

Wohlen tram station across the street from the SBB station

Bremgarten

Bremgarten

Bremgarten

Bremgarten

Click here to see all pictures of teh Dietikon to Wohlen Tram

We returned to Zurich Hauptbahnhof and had a sandwich while watching a couple of excursions come in with Re 4/4s that sounded as if they had seen better days.

The Italian train was next to a grubby Austrian one

This Re 4/4 was working on empty stock trains.  It made a lot of noise when it moved as if everything was loose.