A farewell and a surprise at the Núria Rack Railway

Given that 13 October of this year, 2018, was the final day that the Núria Rack Railway's Salon Car was to run in commercial service, we decided to head for two lineside spots I had been meaning to visit: one between Queralbs and the Roc del Dui Tunnel, and the other at the northern approach to Ribes-Vila.

What we did not expect was the wonderful surprise awaiting us. Upon arriving at Ribes-Vila, we noticed they were shunting two freight wagons to form a train:

• Wagon 01, painted yellow, which was converted from the former Affw-1 passenger coach.
• Wagon P25, painted white, built in 2005 for refrigerated food transport.

Consequently, we rushed back to the car and drove uphill to find a nearby spot to park, before walking at a brisk pace to our intended vantage point. We made it, but with very little time to spare.

The magnificent, warm light of dawn gradually grew brighter until, right on time, the veteran Salon Car finally appeared. It was hauled by the Beh A8 "Balandrau", the newest of the four multiple units in this class, with just 23 years of service under its belt.

Having accomplished our main objective, we proceeded to wrap things up, this time at the northern approach to Ribes-Vila station.

It is worth noting that while the Beh A8 multiple unit is newer, its sister units, the A5, A6 and A7, date back to no less than 1985. They have clocked up 33 years of hard service, remaining in fine shape after undergoing only a single refurbishment.

Upgrades are due to be introduced soon, along with a new intermediate trailer car adapted for PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility), ensuring a long and prosperous future ahead for them.

Following its demanding shift, the Salon Car was treated to a thorough clean, some proper care, and a well-deserved rest along with a few shunts to return it to its place of slumber. We shall see when it makes its next appearance!