Moves at Limoges and other French Photos

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon, nearly evening, from a sunny Charente.  On Friday I had a grand day out with a model railway group meeting north west of Poitiers.  As I was up that way and the nights were still a bit light I got permission from the domestic authorities to head on up to Tours and stay until it got too dark to spot. This was on the strict condition that I return intact.  I got to Tours for 17.30 and went onto the same bridge just east of St Pierre des Corps Station.  There seemed to be quite a bit of activity and in the yard to the east of the bridge this E4000 and what I thought was a class mate were on the head of a westbound train.

I then noticed a train of 4 locos coming off the flyover towards the depot which is on the south side of the passenger lines. 67513 leading two 75XXX's and 69292.  I managed to use my long zoom lens to record the 4 numbers.

However i had got distracted and hadn't noticed the E4000 setting off.  The long lens came in useful again to ID the locos.

The trailing one turned out to be 75037.

A gew minutes later the train of locos came onto the shed.

The sun was getting low so I tried an arty shot as two 27XXX's headed in from the west with a train of steel carriers.

Imateq had 5 shunters parked outside including two Colas ones 07 and 08.

When I walked back up the bridge 7347 came in with a train box wagons that had what looked like the remains of ballast in them.

That was followed by two 60XXX.s on more steel carriers.

An ECR G1000 arrived at the entrance of Imateq's private siding.

As usual there was no identifiable running number but my lens was my friend.

75008 headed west on the passenger laines with a train of hoppers.

Then 66236 came in from the west.

It was getting quite dark by now so I headed off to the next bridge but it was too dark to ID locos on the depot.   However it was a very good 2 hours, and well worth the drive.   Sandwiches and coffee were then consumed and I headed back home.

 

It has been a good couple of weeks for spotting.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[caradoc]

Looks a really interesting visit, thanks for the pics, but a slight caption correction; 66232 is 66236 !

[jamie92208]

4 hours ago, caradoc said:

Looks a really interesting visit, thanks for the pics, but a slight caption correction; 66232 is 66236 !

Corrected, thanks. It was interesting. It was inspired by an article about Tours in Todays Railways Europe which mentioned that there was a lot of freight activity in the evening. I was surprised that there was no intermodal traffic though I think that some freight uses the TGV line as a bypass.

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Does the shuttle still run between StPierre des Corps and the terminus in Tours?

There used to be a pair of, if I recall correctly, B-B 17000 locos with a special livery and both named.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, JeffP said:

Does the shuttle still run between StPierre des Corps and the terminus in Tours?

There used to be a pair of, if I recall correctly, B-B 17000 locos with a special livery and both named.

Yes it does.  I'm not sure what works it nwadays but it is some sort of EMU I think.  The article I mentioned said that it often had the oldest EMU's on the network.

 

Jamie

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, JeffP said:

Does the shuttle still run between StPierre des Corps and the terminus in Tours?

There used to be a pair of, if I recall correctly, B-B 17000 locos with a special livery and both named.

I don't think they'd be BB17000 (25kV), as the area is electrified at 1.5kV. They used to use superannuated DC locos, a bit of a contrast to the TGV-Atlantique which deposited you at St Pierre des Corps.

 

[Andy Hayter]

I think it was 2 modified BB 9600s used on the shuttle

[jamie92208]

25 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

I think it was 2 modified BB 9600s used on the shuttle

Probably with some ancient Inos stock.

[JeffP]

Sorry, I'd forgotten that the area was electrified at 1500V.

I have photos taken on a visit to the shed around 1999, but they are on my PC which is very slow to boot up, so gets little use now.

[jamie92208]

41 minutes ago, JeffP said:

Sorry, I'd forgotten that the area was electrified at 1500V.

I have photos taken on a visit to the shed around 1999, but they are on my PC which is very slow to boot up, so gets little use now.

It would be interesting to see them Jeff, feel free to post them on this thread if you wish.

 

Jamie

[EddieB]

While Jeff's waiting for his PC to boot, here's something from an earlier time, when the Tours depot shuttles were worked by former P-O Z4100 series automotrices dating from 1925.   Z4129 arriving at TSP station, May 1982. 

Edited October 19, 2021 by EddieB

[JeffP]

Finally got the PC to boot up..it refused at first attempt, producing a blank scren.

Here is the photo of 9641 at Tours St Pierre depot, late August 1999.

My wife had taken the lads round the chateau at Chinon, and I had a day out, we were camped on the south bank of the Loire on our way home.

This was the same day I got to Orleans Les Aubrais depot, after jogging from the station...only to find it closed and ONE shunter present.

The exact same thing happened at Tarbes. I learned not to trust the Platform 5 book I was using as it was out of date.

The second photo is the only two locos on shed at Tarbes that day, both withdrawn.

Edited October 19, 2021 by JeffP
To add a second pic.

[Michael Edge]

On 17/10/2021 at 17:03, jamie92208 said:

Good afternoon, nearly evening, from a sunny Charente.  On Friday I had a grand day out with a model railway group meeting north west of Poitiers.  As I was up that way and the nights were still a bit light I got permission from the domestic authorities to head on up to Tours and stay until it got too dark to spot. This was on the strict condition that I return intact.  I got to Tours for 17.30 and went onto the same bridge just east of St Pierre des Corps Station.  There seemed to be quite a bit of activity and in the yard to the east of the bridge this E4000 and what I thought was a class mate were on the head of a westbound train.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now there's a coincidence - we passed by there on the autoroute (as usual) on our way back to Caen for the ferry on Sunday afternoon. I keep thinking I ought to stop there sometime and have a look round - we pass quite close to Ruffec as well which I think is one your favourite spots. First trip back to France for more than two years, probably back again next March.

[jamie92208]

Thanks @Michael Edge.  Ruffec is our nearest station and on a main line so there and the 10 miles south to Villognon, where the two connections to the TGV line are, mean that it's our normal stamping ground. Poitiers is 50 miles north of us and Tours is 120.  As it sounds as if you pass it on the A10 the exit that I use is just padt the old depot water tower.  As you can probably tell from the photos the pont or passarelle Jean Moulun seems to be the best vantage point though the next bridge to the east gives better views of the depot.  

 

Jamie

Edited October 20, 2021 by jamie92208

[Michael Edge]

Yes, we use the A10 from Poitiers, then A28 to Le Mans, usually takes us 7 - 8 hours from Périgord. Over the years it's been very interesting to watch just how fast the French can build LGVs, the one alongside the A10 has gone from nothing to trains running in less time than we spend arguing about whether to build one.

[JeffP]

And their mayors fight to get the facilities in their towns.

[ChrisDPom]

On 04/04/2019 at 18:03, jamie92208 said:

The 67400's were as follows.  The pair of light engines coming north were 67573 and 67574.  The two in the scrap line were 67420 and 67585.  The others in the scrap line were 63846, 63821, 63759, Y7711, Y7780, Y7810, Y7817 AND Y7744.

Yes, I didn't know that they'd gone into the 2nd hand traction business.   The scrap yard seemed to be extending it's external sidings or at least fettling them. Some of the locos were completely see through.

The lead up from the Limoges line was almost overgrown.

 

And I did try an arty type shot of the 4000 and 27007 at the north end of the station yard.

 

Jamie

 

Just to clarify on this.

 

Silmet seem to have had a one off batch of SNCF locos sent to Gond-Pontouvre, Nouvelle-Aquitaine for asbestos removal and scrapping. Not sure if they have been doing trials only, but I haven't been able to find any other locos sent their for demolition.

 

The location is actually visible on googlemaps with the loks still stored outside on streetview. If you look up this address and use street view, they show up: Address: Sirmet Angoulême, 131 Chemin de Chaumontet, Gond-Pontouvre, Nouvelle-Aquitaine 16160.

 

Regarding the locos Jamie mentioned, the total batch I was aware of is as follows:

 

Row 1: (Apologies, order is not 100% confirmed): 63579, 67420, 67585, 63821, 63846, 7723, 7780, 7590*, 7711, 7744,  7817, 7834*, 7695, 7764 + 7841*.

 

*NB: 2 were already inside the scrappers gates by the time of the streetview. 7841 & an unknown one (1 out of 7590 and 7834). 

 

Row 2 from end of siding towards scrapyard:
7694, 7840, 8440, 7255 (Ex LOCMA 155496). 

 

So 7810 seen by Jamie is an extra for my database (which matches as it was noted stored at Bordeaux on 17/06/2016).

 

If anyone has anymore information, I would be really grateful as I am trying to prepare a database including storage places and scrap details.

 

The seem to mainly have come from Estagel or Bordeaux based on previous storage locations I can find.

Most seem to have been in CMR Convoy 466752 Bordeaux-Hourcade -> Angoulême Bordeaux behind 67228 on 07/03/2019.

 

Previously noted stored at Estagel on 17/06/2018 for many and then moved to Bordeaux then all to Sirmet.

 

NB: 63759 is not correct Jamie, it is 63579. 63759 is still running as 64605 with SNCF Infra.

[jamie92208]

Thanks very much for that @ChrisDPom.  I visited a couple of times since then and they seem to be just doing Corail coached now in a new building nearer the main line. I did post some photos then but haven't  got the date handy.  As to my record or 63759, my notebook got lost when I tripped at Tours last month so I can't check.  Next time I go down there I'll have another look round and post some photos.

 

Jamie

[ChrisDPom]

On 24/09/2020 at 02:22, jamie92208 said:

As mentioned in the previous post the Socofer plant was just across the road from Imateq, here is no 38 being worked on.

There were more DE18's on the north side of Socofer.

A Ferrotract G 1206 loco came along the main line but with no identifiable number. 

In the yard behind it was a full log train due to head south with VFLI 4022 on the front.

We also ID'd plenty of locos on the depot  then had our lunch alongside the line before heading for Aboise where this unit came through.

Then it was time to head back.   All in all a cracking day out.

 

Jamie

 

Not sure if someone got this for you in one of the middle pages Jamie (I am just catching up): Here you go for that G1206: https://www.loks-aus-kiel.de/index.php?nav=1406157&lang=1&id=71587&action=portrait

[jamie92208]

5 minutes ago, ChrisDPom said:

Not sure if someone got this for you in one of the middle pages Jamie (I am just catching up): Here you go for that G1206: https://www.loks-aus-kiel.de/index.php?nav=1406157&lang=1&id=71587&action=portrait

Thanks again. I've just checked back to my previous posts about Gond Pontouvre. By April 2020, the locos had all gone.  

 

Jamie

[ChrisDPom]

39 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Thanks again. I've just checked back to my previous posts about Gond Pontouvre. By April 2020, the locos had all gone.  

 

Jamie

Saw that :). I believe the last ones were chopped Jan/ Feb 2020. They did some scrapping at the old Mézidon-Canon, Normandy depot. 16500’s in 2018 - including at least 2 from Sotteville (16641 & 16742). If any more turn up at Gond Pontouvre, i would be very grateful for the info on the locos.

[jamie92208]

32 minutes ago, ChrisDPom said:

Saw that :). I believe the last ones were chopped Jan/ Feb 2020. They did some scrapping at the old Mézidon-Canon, Normandy depot. 16500’s in 2018 - including at least 2 from Sotteville (16641 & 16742). If any more turn up at Gond Pontouvre, i would be very grateful for the info on the locos.

No problem Chris, if I do see any more I'll let you know. Angouleme's just over 40 miles away so I don't go all that often.

 

Jamie

[Foulounoux]

We went past when we were there at the beginning of the month

 

Even made sure camera with me

 

And

 

 

..

 

..

 

Nothing  siding were empty 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning rom a bright, sunny but still cool Charente.   Yesterday was a good day.   Mid morning I set off to Ruffec and the first stop was the station booking office to book tickets for an overnight trip to Paris in early November.  Permission has been granted for this by the domestic authorities.  Anyway I now possess return tickets from Niort to Gare Montparnasse as well as a renewed senior railcard.   Something to look forward to.  Then after some shopping I had some lunch sitting by the tracks just south of Ruffec.   The southbound lunchtime local came past.

Then I picked Andy up and we headed down to Juille just north if Luxe.  As we parked up in our usual spot a northbound TGV 4512 headed past.   12 minutes later a G1000 came into view.

I blame operator lack of planning for a rather snatched photo.  I will have to have words with myself.

15 minutes later 22288 in Infra livery also Light Engine followed 20 minutes later by another TGV, 857.

20 minutes after the TGV, 27019 came north with a long train of vans.

My camera battery then failed but the trains kept on coming.  Before we left at 5pm 27015 had gone north with stone wagons, then 27063 with the usual LPG and steel trains.   I'd seen both these workings in the yard at Tours.

Our only southbound working was some kind of track machine then 69235 went past northbound light engine. The southbound local at 16.52 completed our haul.   We've sat there at least one afternoon and not seen a single freight but 3 light engines, 3 freights, 2 TGV's and a local made for a really good afternoon.  The weather was bright and warm as well. It's a hard life.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a rather grey Charente.  A couple of weeks ago I was given permission by the domestic authorities to head off to Paris for a trainspotting trip.  Obviously I booked my tickets the next day before minds could change and on Tuesday morning 9th November got up at stupid o'clock to head for Niort for the 07.43 TGV to Paris Montparnasse.  I needed to scrape ice off the windscreen but got there in good time and had a slightly delayed journey to Paris. Non stop from Niort but we slowed almost to a standstill twice as we approached the junction with the Le Mans branch of the LGV.  We arrived in Paris 10 minutes late. My first ever time at Montparnasse.  This was our leading power car. Presumably a new livery in aid of COP26.

One of my main objectives was to see the 273XX's before they get dispersed to freight operations with the influx of new EMU's.   After finding my way into the bowels of the station I managed to purchase a 2 day Paris Visite ticket that gave me the freedom of the Ile de France network for 2 days.  I then set off to ride my first train.  At t's head was 27316 with a classmate behind it.

That took me out to Versailles Chantier.  All new trackage to me.  Plenty of 273XX's heading past me.

In both directions.

There was even a couple of light engines at one point.

And quite a few of the new EMU's.   The numbering is rather obscure.

I'll post a few pictures from the trip each day now.

 

Jamie

Edited April 8, 2022 by jamie92208