The Blonay-Chamby Heriatage Railway began its operations in 1968 and has since pursued the following goals:

• Tourist and museum operation of the Blonay to Chamby railway line.
• Offering its members the opportunity to share their passion for railways by participating in operations, engaging in leisure activities, and sharing this interest with visitors.
• Preserving railway equipment destined for disappearance, which has significant historical and technical interes
• Promoting regional and national tourism, as well as tourist traffic on adjacent lines.

Blonay-Chamby is the first living railway museum in Switzerland.

The route, overlooking the Vaud Riviera, is traveled by historical trains pulled by antique steam locomotives or old electric railcars. The 3 kilometers section includes all the features of a real mountain railway with steep gradients, a viaduct, a cornice passage, and a tunnel.

The Chaulin-Chamby Museum houses workshops and a collection of around 80 narrow-gauge railway vehicles, recognized as one of the most comprehensive and representative in Europe. Approximately 70% of the vehicles are preserved in working condition.

The association, composed entirely of VOLUNTEERS, with more than 120 active members, operates the trains every Saturday.

A multitude of projects followed one another to connect Vevey to the regions of Gruyère and the Bernese Oberland. Among them, two projects from two independent companies were halted and submitted on December 28, 1899:

Vevey – Blonay-Chamby 

Vevey – Châtel-St-Denis 

The federal chambers granted a concession to the Vevey Electric Railway Company on June 28, 1901.

Construction began on November 5, 1900, between Vevey and Chamby, and on May 1, 1902, on the section from Châtel-St-Denis.

• 01.10.1902 : inauguration of the Vevey –  Chamby line
• 02.04.1904 : inauguration of the St-Légier – Châtel-St-Denis line
• 08.07.1911 : inauguration of the Blonay – Les Pléiades rack railway line

In the 1960s, in light of the modest train attendance, two important conditions were imposed by the Confederation during negotiations for the renewal of the concession: 

Cessation of rail traffic between Blonay and Chamby without a substitute service.

Cessation of rail traffic between St-Légier and Châtel-St-Denis with a replacement by a bus service.

The implementation of these decisions occurred as follows:

• 22.05.1966 : Closure of the Blonay-Chamby line to traffic.
• 31.05.1969 : Closure of traffic and dismantling of the St-Légier – Châtel-St-Denis line.

A later attempt to resume regular operations between Blonay and Chamby was made between May 24, 1998 and May 27, 2000 but it did not meet the set attendance targets.

The beginnings of the Blonay-Chamby tourist railway coincided with the inevitable announcement of the cessation of regular service on this very section by the Vevey Electric Railways (CEV). Rail enthusiasts gathered along the route to photograph the Chamby train one last time.

An idea then began to take shape: wouldn’t it be a shame to abandon this magnificent line? Couldn’t it be preserved and run as a tourist train, similar to what the British do?

The line has many assets: the route is interesting and varied, featuring a viaduct and a tunnel; the area is very touristic and well-equipped with transport facilities, ensuring a potential flow of passengers. The proximity of the urban centers of Vevey, Montreux, and Lausanne should also provide enough volunteers to ensure the success of the enterprise.

Some pioneers then contacted various authorities. The response was somewhat skeptical but positive. Encouraged by this, they convened a founding assembly on December 5, 1966, where the 82 attendees established the Society for the Creation of the Blonay-Chamby Tourist Railway.

The CEV management, owners of the line, gave their approval, and negotiations continued with the canton and the Confederation. Since operating such a railway was a completely new venture, it was necessary to find an appropriate legal status, which significantly prolonged the process. Meanwhile, the first works were undertaken on the tracks, especially in the tunnel, to prevent further damage due to lack of maintenance over the past few years.

To carry out these works in acceptable conditions, a wooden hut, graciously offered by the Swiss Federal Railways (CFF), was erected at the end of the viaduct; this was the first building of the BC.

Operating a tourist train requires rolling stock; the first tramway was received on January 25, 1967, and the first steam locomotive on June 9 of the same year.

On July 1, a service train ran between Blonay and Chamby, not without difficulty, as nature had reclaimed the tracks after more than a year of interrupted traffic.

A significant milestone was reached on March 12, 1967, with the submission of the federal concession application. For practical reasons, the original company was dissolved and replaced by a cooperative society to manage the administration and operation of the line, as well as a support association that included its members.

Given the favorable opinion of the Vaud cantonal authorities, the Federal Council ratified the operating license in its session on May 1, 1968. However, the concession is cantonal rather than federal, due to the line’s tourist operation. The Federal Office of Transport acts as a supervisory authority. This green light allowed activities to intensify: searching for and renting land for the future depot, weeding and even pruning the track, replacing worn rails, restoring rolling stock, training personnel, and fine-tuning the organization of the society.

The inauguration took place on July 20, 1968, and the success exceeded all expectations: 2900 people were transported during the first weekend. The total for the first season reached 20’000 passengers. The combined operation of steam trains and electric trams proved effective, as it allowed for a comprehensive timetable despite the constraints of steam traction.

Although the operation was a success, it was carried out under challenging conditions. There were no station facilities; at Blonay, the CEV sold the tickets and received BC trains on their tracks, which caused issues when there was simultaneous traffic on the Pléiades and Chamby lines. Locomotive and carriage maintenance had to be performed outdoors, due to the lack of adequate facilities. There were no sidings to store the vehicles. However, the enthusiasm of the volunteer operators allowed them to overcome all these difficulties.

Excerpt from “Le chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby” by Sébastien Jarne (BC 1991) 

Since July 20, 1968, the date of the first tourist operation on the Blonay-Chamby line, volunteers have been actively working on developing the museum site. In the summer of 1973, the inauguration of the first hall, including workshops and storage tracks, allowed part of the collection to be sheltered and the first vehicles to be carefully restored. The years have passed, always maintaining the same priorities: operating the line, maintaining the rolling stock, and keeping financial balance. 

Thanks to the support of authorities, foundations, and private and public institutions, Blonay-Chamby has made progress in restoring its collection and inaugurated the second exhibition hall, built in the style of old locomotive depots, on May 29, 1993, as part of the 25th-anniversary celebrations. This made it possible to shelter most of the collection. The buildings cover areas of 1187 and 765 m². 

Maintaining the superstructure (track and contact line) is also a priority. The line today meets the rolling requirements for modern equipment. The MOB Company regularly operates on the Blonay-Chamby section, particularly for vehicle transfers. 

To improve visitor comfort, the Chaulin Station Buffet was inaugurated in 1998 during the 30th-anniversary celebrations. This building features a simple dining area, modern restrooms, and a souvenir shop. In 2005, following the sale of the “Bretonne” locomotive, which was unsuitable for our steep line, to the Somme Bay Railway, Blonay-Chamby was able to purchase the 11’690 m² of land at the Chaulin museum site, which had previously been rented. 

After all the progress made and challenges overcome, the 50th-anniversary celebrations left a lasting memory for active members as well as the many visitors. The success and quality of the programs gained widespread recognition in Switzerland and abroad, helping reposition the Blonay-Chamby railway museum as a major tourist attraction both regionally and nationally. It is also recognized as a leader at the national level in organizing events related to railway history.