The Chemins de fer électriques Veveysans (CEV) was a railway company that built and operated narrow gauge electric railway lines from Vevey to Blonay, Chamby, Châtel-St-Denis and Les Pléiades, in Switzerland. It began operations in 1902. The CEV and three other companies merged to become the Transports Montreux–Vevey–Riviera in 2001. The Vevey–Les Pléiades railway line remains in active use.

History

The first section to see service, that from Vevey to Chamby, was opened on 1 October 1902. Next section was the branch line from St-Légier to Châtel–St-Denis that opened on 2 April 1904. On 8 July 1911 the rack line from Blonay to Les Pléiades was opened. On 23 November 1911, Blonay was also reached by the Clarens - Chailly - Blonay electric tramway operated by a separate company (CCB). This closed at the end of 1955, being replaced by buses. The lines were constructed to a gauge of and electrified from the outset. Presently it operates on 900 V DC, overhead contact. Train services were offered from Vevey to Chamby and Châtel-St-Denis, where the CEV connected to the Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line and the GFM (now tpf). The electric motor coach from Vevey to Chamby conveyed coaches to Blonay, where they were taken over by a rack locomotive and brought up to Les Pléiades. On 22 May 1966, the section Blonay–Chamby was closed, followed by St-Légier–Châtel-St-Denis on 31 May 1969. While the Châtel-St-Denis branch was torn up, track to Chamby remained. Railway enthusiasts formed an association which could set up a weekend museum operation starting on 20 July 1968. On 24 May 1998 CEV reintroduced regular trains but stopped these services again two years later because of low patronage. The infrastructure was always owned by CEV and the museum trains of the Blonay-Chamby museum railway operate in open access. Of the remaining open sections, the Vevey to Blonay line is 5.72 km long and from there to Les Pléiades a further 4.79 km. In that 10.51 km, the line rises some 962 m reaching 1348 m at Les Pléiades. The line has its own workshops at Vevey although much work is undertaken at the MOB's Chernex works and also a small depot at Blonay. In 2001, CEV was merged into the Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR) which is managed and operated by the MOB management under their Golden Pass Services banner.

Rolling stock

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