Tacot des Lacs - 10 September 2013

Some time ago, Thomas Kautzor suggested we charter the legendary FELIN-HEN at Patrick Mourot's Tacot des Lacs near Nemours in France. The 2-6-2T Baldwin locomotive started off in France with the USA Army in the Great War and it came to Fairymead Mill in Queensland, Australia, via Penrhyn slate quarries in north Wales, before returning to France. Patrick restored a dismantled wreck to operating condition.

Tacot des Lacs features a tourist railway based on old sand extraction workings as well as Patrick Mourot's most interesting collection.

A 1917 Decauville 0-6-0T

Trevor Barber's 1973-built 0-4-0ST 

1917 Alco (Cooke Works) 2-6-2T for the USA Army

1917 British Army 4wPE from Dick Kerr

Off for a ride behind FELIN-HEN
James Waite (L) and Thomas Kautzor

Patrick Mourot attends to FELIN-HEN at the Loing River bridge

A Billard Type T50D from Cap Ferret dating from 1930

Deutz diesel on the tourist train

Proud owner of FELIN-HEN

Along the canal bank

Back at the depot, demonstrating a US Army Baldwin 0-4-0PM tractor