Today’s Voies Ferrées du Velay runs for 37 kilometers through the French Départments of Ardèche and Haute-Loire from Dunières to Saint Agrève.

The Vasilikos, Kalavassos and Drapia Mineral Railway in Cyprus was owned by the Hellenic Mining Company Limited.

It was an approximately eight miles long, 2 foot 6 inches gauge railway system built to serve the mines in the Vasilikos River Valley.

Mining of gypsum, copper and iron pyrites started in the valley in 1937, continuing until 1977 when the mines became worked out.  The railway track was lifted in 1978, but some rolling stock remained in open store until 1980.

I’ve just had a few fleeting days in England, and as a gricer with severe withdrawal symptoms I had to get some train pictures somehow.

The problem was I was staying in Bishops Stortford, not renowned in gricing circles for it’s depth and interest.  If you’re a Class 317 aficionado, you’d be in heaven.  If you think they’re the most boring of EMUs, tough.

This is a set of pictures taken on the third and final day of my Midland Railtourer adventure in 1983. 

The day started out at Banbury.  From there I went to Birmingham New Street, Leicester, Wellingborough and Derby before returning to Banbury.

The Chemin de Fer de la Corse (CFC) is a fascinating metre gauge rail network serving the French island of Corsica.

At the time of my visits in the 1980s it was a delightful combination of beautiful scenery and quaint rolling stock.

Billard Autorail Type A80D no 503 was built for the P.O. Correze in the mid-1930s. 

It subsequently moved to Corsica and was used in regular passenger service in red and cream livery until about 1984

Locotracteur no. 114 of the CFC (Chemins de Fer de Corse) was built in the works at Bastia in 1955 from secondhand parts. 

The locotracteur was known as the "Sous-Marin" on account of the round windows.  Quite why is a mystery because submarines don't have round windows!