Background information | Contact details | Aa Valley Rly
Rando-Rail near Lumbres 'Pedalos on rails!'

Pedal through the woods Take a gentle ride through the woods - on a pedalo-on-rails! It's not hard work to pedal your trolley along the rails. Two people do the pedalling, and each vehicle can take 4 adults or 2 adults and up to 3 children. There's room for a special child-seat or a wheelchair. 10 km of track You can head 5km in eaither direction E or W from the station. It's a unique experience, and a novel way to explore this beautiful countryside. You need to book Use the contact details below to book ahead - you can't just turn up (and they don't yet take credit cards).

Map of the old Boulogne - Saint-Omer railway route (Tourist Trains in blue, Rando-Rail in red). Restored diesel railcar working on the Arques - Lumbres section of the railway	Rural branchline The Compagnie du Nord railway started planning in 1868 for a new railway between St Omer &endash;and Boulogne. It would serve the farmers and the paper mills and cement works of the Aa valley near St Omer. They gained government permission for a route via Arques, Lumbres and Desvres in 1871, and opened the line for business in 1874. Passenger trains ceased in 1959, and the section between Desvres and Lumbres was abandoned. The line from Lumbres to St-Omer via Arques continued to be used by freight trains - for the paper mills and cement works of the Aa valley. Today this section is also used by the tourist trains of the Aa Valley Railway. Then Christophe Magnier. working in Lumbres tourist office (situated in the old station)had the idea of reviving part of the abandoned line with "vélo-rail " - cycle-powered trains! In 2005, his idea was put into action - the first in northern France (for others, see web link )
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Background information Railways Paper	...Send in a review.. Reviewer - It could be you... Location: Rando-Rail, route de la Gare, 62380 Nielles-les-Bléquin BP 37. Directions: 5km SW from Lumbres. Turn off RN42 Boulogne-St.Omer at Lumbres, take D 225 then D 202 Information/ reservations: Tel: 00 33 (0)3 21 88 33 89 Fax: 00 33 (0)825 183 778 Email: [email protected]
Nature park: Adomarois - near Saint-Omer. The railway runs through the park. Information on walks and cycle paths from Park Office.
Web links Official web site: http://www.rando-rail.com/ More photos and a video: http://www.espacetrain.com/index.php?page=contrib/touristique/randorail/index

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