RMweb Premium Popular Post jamie92208 Posted June 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Afternoon all from the Haut Limousin. I am on holiday down here and got a pass out from the boss today to go and spend some time at Limoges. It's my first trip to this area but I enjoyed what I found. After going to the station and then driving around trying to find vantage points I managed to park near the workshops and spent an hour on the bridge that crosses the tracks at that point. Apart from finding a rather nice 141TD I also saw a little LOCMA shunter that I saw two gents move towards a fuelling point. I had previously noticed that a bogie wagon had been positioned on the traverser that runs at the back of the workshops and the traverser had been parked where the main line connection is. I thought no more about it and was about to leave when I saw a shunter coming from behind me into the running shed area on the other side of the bridge. It was towing a similar wagon to the one that had been spotted on the traverser. The crew got the double slip below me lined to give them access to the traverser but that meant going though the servicing shed. Then under the bridge and gently onto the traverser. The pre spotted wagon was then coupled up and the shunter drew forward until the incoming wagon was left on the traverser. Then the traverser moved up to the LOCMA which then moved forward and after a bit of pushing and shoving managed to get on the traverser with the wagon (just) The Traverser then moved right up to the end of the track. And the LOCMA slowly pushed the new wagon, presumably loaded with stores, into the workshops. and then came back out The LOCMA was then moved down the shops and was moved inside. Finally the shunter moved off back towards the marshalling yards. Not very spectacular but to me a very interesting series of moves that one wouldn't see in the UK. Jamie Edited August 13, 2022 by jamie92208 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Do you know why the kettle is there, and what's going to happen ti it? Ed 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foulounoux Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Do you know why the kettle is there, and what's going to happen ti it? Ed I think it does annual excursions from LimogesAlways annoyed that our visits seem to coincide with it hibernating Colin Added the relevant link http://www.trainvapeur.com Edited June 23, 2015 by Foulounoux Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Do you know why the kettle is there, and what's going to happen ti it? Ed It works in the area during the summer, running excursions around Eymoutiers during July and August ( currently 14/29 July, 5,12,19,26 August) . Check out www.trainvapeur.com for more gen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted June 23, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 23, 2015 It's 141 TD 740 AND I've got a slightly better photo of it which I'll post in due course. Jamie 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Some great images there, did you go on the bridge near to the depot? Was it easy to get on? The 141 TD 740 is not seeing service this year as their other steam loco is running the service for its first year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted June 23, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Thanks for that Stephen. Yes Most of these were taken from the double arched concrete bridge that spans the depot between the workshops and the servicing shed. Parking at the depot side is bad but I found a space outside some shops just down from the other end. As promised here are a few of the Limoges station area. The exterior which is absolutely magnificent. Inside the domed circulating hall has some fabulous statues around it and this one caught my eye. After 20 minutes on the station I drove around to try and find some viewpoints and about 2 or 3 miles north found these parked up near to Rue de Bill Coleman. The yellow ones have numbers in the 9000 range that I can't find in my book. Any info would be appreciated. 141TD740 brought back memories of seeing 141T's at the Gare Du Nord when I was 14 on an exchange visit. Then a Sybic came in from Paris on a working to Brive. On the upper level above the servicing shed I saw this amazing old Ovehead Electric motor coach. Again any info would be appreciated. In the servicing shed were two 67400's in Infra SNCF livery. These then moved off giving better photo angles. And all the time various single unit DMU's were shuttling around. This one in Limousin livery was coming down a branch that goes up into the old town, I'm not sure where. And this one was setting off on another route north. All in all a very satisfactory couple of hours. Jamie Edited to put in the correct number range for the 67XXX's. Edited August 13, 2022 by jamie92208 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Lovely photos, Jamie. Limoges looks still to be a great place - I have fond memories (only visited once, not counting passing through a couple of times in the night). I think the electric motor coach is Z4909 - in store at Limges for the national collection (Mulhouse). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Lovely images Jamie, very interesting, even to an old G&SWR steam fan, but something of a Francophile thanks to the 'éntente cordiale' with Scotland? Thanks for sharing them with us, Kind regards, Jock. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Thanks for that Stephen. Yes Most of these were taken from the double arched concrete bridge that spans the depot between the workshops and the servicing shed. Parking at the depot side is bad but I found a space outside some shops just down from the other end. As promised here are a few of the Limoges station area. 150623-L1.jpg The exterior which is absolutely magnificent. Inside the domed circulating hall has some fabulous statues around it and this one caught my eye. 150623-L2.jpg After 20 minutes on the station I drove around to try and find some viewpoints and about 2 or 3 miles north found these parked up near to Rue de Bill Coleman. 150623-L3.jpg The yellow ones have numbers in the 9000 range that I can't find in my book. Any info would be appreciated. 150623-L4.jpg 141TD740 brought back memories of seeing 141T's at the Gare Du Nord when I was 14 on an exchange visit. 150623-L5.jpg Then a Sybic came in from Paris on a working to Brive. On the upper level above the servicing shed I saw this amazing old Ovehead Electric motor coach. Again any info would be appreciated. 150623-L6.jpg 150623-L7.jpg In the servicing shed were two 67400's in Infra SNCF liverey. These then moved off giving better photo angles. 150623-L8.jpg 150623-L9.jpg 150623-L10.jpg And all the time various single unit DMU's were shuttling around. This one in Limousin livery was coming down a branch that goes up into the old town, I'm not sure where. 150623-L11.jpg And this one was setting off on another route north. 150623-L12.jpg All in al a very satisfactory couple of hours. Jamie Edited to put in the correct number range for the 67XXX's. The branch in the photo goes via Limoges-Montjovis station to Angouleme, I believe, looking at my map (Atlas du Réseau Ferré en France, available from Platform 5). Limoges is something of a hub, with branches towards Poitiers, Angouleme, Perigueux, Brive la Gailliarde (west of the main line) and Ussel. However, I suspect most have only a skeleton service during peak hours, and a bus service the rest of the time. Isn't the station building at Limoges-Benedictins magnificent? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Last year there was a good service heading towards Ussel/Eymoutiers with the focus on the AM/PM commutes. I have yet to see this years timetable but at least that branch is doing ok for the time being. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 To round off my previous message, the Z4900 series were introduced in 1912 by the Compagnie du Midi for its 1.2kV 16 2/3Hz AC monophase electrification scheme. When CF du Midi converted most of its lines to 1.5kV dc in 1920, some of the railcars being converted (these later became SNCF class Z4500). The line from Perpignan to Villefranche wasn't converted, and fourteen railcars were retained - becoming SNCF class Z4900. The end came when the line was de-energised in 1971 (although subsequently re-electrified at 1.5kV). As I mentioned, Z4909 at Limoges is part of the French national collection and is regarded as a hitoric monument (even if it doesn't look like such). As Brian says, Limoges is a hub and Limoges-Benedictine is an attractive station for train-watching, in architecture - and name. My only visit was in May 1982, but the timing was fortunate in that it coincided with a short period when many local trains were comprised of autorail trailers and vintage electrics were very much in evidence. I'm pretty sure that BB63957 was shunting empty stock.rather than working a passenger service, given that there were several BB66000s "spare" on the depot at the time of my visit. Note the railcar trailer. BB934 departing on a local train consisting of three railcar trailers. The BB900 class was designed for CF de l'Etat in 1936, and the whole class was based at Limoges in their last days. Whilst this particular locomotive was withdrawn at the end of the following year, seven (out of an original thirty-five) survived into 1987. BB305 outside the depot at Limoges. Note the heating van and the autorails beyond the traverser. The BB300 were delivered new to SNCF, but to an earlier Paris-Orleans design. Around the time of my visit they, along with several other vintage Bo-Bos were being split into those designated for freight work ("marchandises") and those for shunting ("manouevres"). As far as the BB300 were concerned, I think the difference could be told by those which had rebuilt (two-window) cabs for the former designation, original (three window cabs, such as BB305) for the latter. My trip in 1982 turned into much more of an adventure than planned. Originally intended as a long weekend, we'd reached our furthest point (Toulouse) when the warning light went on to indicate a failed dynamo and the car battery not charging. I set off hoping to reach the ferry before the battery went flat, listening to the coverage of the Falklands War on Radio 4LW. We got as far as Lens before the battery gave out - conveniently just outside a Ford garage. Cue an overnight stay in Lens while the car was fixed and an extra day off work. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 We stopped overnight about ten or twelve years after you, Eddie, staying (IIRC) in the Hotel Jeanne d'Arc on the station approach. The lady in reception said she'd never had anyone specify a room overlooking the railway before... Sadly, the variety of stock was somewhat more limited than it was in your photos. There was quite a lot of overnight freight traffic of all sorts at the time, so the pleasure of being so close to the line paled after a while; we had yet to discover 'boules Quies' at that point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foulounoux Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 The unit going to town is off to Angouleme and is the current std class used It's predecessor is my avatar 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Lovely town, Angouleme! Did you have a go on the famous Limoges trolley-buses? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted June 25, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 25, 2015 Lovely town, Angouleme! Did you have a go on the famous Limoges trolley-buses? We didn't stop at Angouleme yesterday and unfortunately though I saw the trolleybuses in Limoge I was driving and didn't get a chance to take any photos of them. I only had a passout from the domestic authorities for a few hours. Thanks for the info. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Alternator failure at Toulouse eh? Been there, done that, Montauban, 1974, Ford escort MkI...which shouldn't have had an alternator, but I'd fitted one due to my love of Cibie rally lights. Me and a mate were on our way back from four weeks camping in Spain. Overnight stay at a cheapy hotel in Montauban while the defective alternator was repaired (actually rewound) by a French auto electrician shop. I'm over near Limoges on 1st July for a couple of months, I really MUST get out for a look. Even Bordeaux isn't that far......... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted June 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 25, 2015 There could be scope for a micro layout based on the workshops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted June 25, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 25, 2015 There could be scope for a micro layout based on the workshops. That's what I thought perhaps which was why I posted the pictures. Jamie 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Hand built traverser, though? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted July 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Finally had chance to upload and dumb down some more photos from the holiday. After Limoges we went down to the Landes area and then had a fortnight in the Charente region. I managed to get a pass out to Angouleme for a day and this is the result. On the way there I crossed the new Tours-Bordeaux LGV that's been under construction for some time. We'd seen bits of it driving down but it is really coming on. This bit looks almost complete apart from the actual contact and catenary wires. A section further north that I passed a week later had the full OLE in place. The new bridge over the river entering Bordeaux also looked to be well on. Then on to Angouleme and the first train was a southbound TGVA which seem to have given good service on this route. Then a local bi mode unit worked in a regional livery variation. In nearly 3 hours I only saw one freight which was this BB7200 class hauling a fast northbound block cereal train. The quality is poor as I only had chance for a snatched shot. Quite a variety of TGV's on various services to/from such places as Lille and Strasbourg as well as Paris. This set 4730 seems to be a new one. Then a brand new BiBi worked in. I think that's bi current bi mode with diesel engines as well as dual voltage. Finally on the way home I stopped to take a photo of an abandoned station called Saleigne Romazieres only half a mile from where we want to buy a house. I'll have to do some research to find out more about the line it used to be on as virtually all traces have now gone. Any update on the identity of the new stock would be welcomed. Jamie Edited August 13, 2022 by jamie92208 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 This may have something:- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Former_train_stations_in_France Search by Departement; often, the photo caption will give details of the line it was on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted July 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Time to upload another few photos. Twice during our holiday we stayed in a small hamlet near Chataeuponsac which is about 40 miles north west of Limoges. One evening whilst parking up to go for a meal I realised we were next to an old railway station, so braved the wrath of the various womenfolk and wandered up to have a look. It turned out to be the old station and this was the way it looked. There was even the old water tower next to the station building which is now a private house. A bit of research shows it to be the end of a branch line from the main line from Paris to Limoges, diverging west just north of Bersac. Whilst going out for the Bastille day celebrations I also saw a railway bridge with what looked like cared for track at Bessines sur Gartempes. A bit of time on Google Earth and conversations with our French host reveal that the branch served Bessines en route to Chateauponsac but was only maintained as far as Bessines where it served a Uranium mine part of which is now a mining museum called Eureka. Jamie Edited August 13, 2022 by jamie92208 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kintbury jon Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Great photos. We are off to the Poitou-Charentes area in a few days. We have booked a ride on an X2800 Railcar so will post some photos when we return. http://www.cf-charentelimousine.fr/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jivebunny Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Cracking photos Jamie, certainly a very interesting setup. To answer your questions regarding the motive power, the small shunters you ask about in your second set of photos are the Y 9000 series used on freight and infrastructure duties. They're actually late-50s and early-60s 7100 and 7400 series locotracteurs that underwent a full modernisation from around 2010, which is probably why they're not in your book. The chassis and body are the only parts that were retained IIRC. There are about 100 of them dotted around the country shunting things around. The brand new unit which you correctly identified as a BiBi is - despite its 846xx unit number - a B 84500 series Regiolis of the type now infamous worldwide for being too fat for SNCF platforms. For the benefit of anyone not familiar with these, they are bi-mode (diesel / electric power), bi-current (1.5kV / 25kV) units. I believe a tri-current 15kV one is also in the catalogue, for cross-border use to Switzerland and Germany. Cheers, JB (and good luck with the house purchase, I recently bought a house in France myself and it's the best decision I ever made) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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