Moves at Limoges and other French Photos

[brushman47544]

Interesting to see two 67200s moving. They have a reputation as failing to work when called upon to rescue a TGV.

 

The four letter destination code on the new EMU is very small compared to the older units.

[jamie92208]

Yes the codes, which people rely on are very small.

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Reminds me of an overnight in Paris, coming up the PLM, hadn't booked anywhere to stay, but found a chain hotel up in NE Paris close yo Riquet Metro station.

Left my gear at the hotel and went to St Lazare for an hour or so, before venturing into the student quarter for food.

At the hotel my Paris map showed me I was a short walk from la Villette, and also la Chappelle, so I got up and checked out at first light to visit both, before going on to Gare de l'Est for my train to Strasbourg.

Ah, the days of the Eurodomino ticket and more energy than I now have.

[jamie92208]

Bonjour from a rather grey and damp place.  It's still the 9th November on this thread though. I'm still at Versailles Chantiers  watching an constant procession of 273XX's plus a lot of other trains.  However I'd found out that most of them didn't have toilets, fortunately there were some on the station. I was also able to get a pocket map of the rail network, that included tramways.

From Versailles I headed west and north to Mantes la Jolie which was being rebuilt. An excellent boulangerie provided a good lunch then I caught a train on line J headed towards St Lazaire to Poissy before changing onto Line A to Acheres.  Lots of track machines were visible and plenty of passenger rolling stock for line J in the yard.  Since my previous visit in 1995, when I was allowed to wander around the shed on my own I decided that this was unlikely to happen so stayed on the station,

However the Achere allocation of 273XX's were passing through on a regular basis.

They did appear to be rather cleaner than the Montrouge ones. Then it was into Houille carrierer sur seine on line A where I changed for a St Lazaire train.   Very little freight was around with just a couple of locos in the yard at Acheres.

It was good to see a line up of locos at the buffer stops in St Lazaire.

And just to see so many trains moving in and out.

This is where they had to reduce the length of the rakes of carriages from 7 to 6 as no one had realised that the 273XX's were 5m's longer than the 17000's they replaced.

More tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a rather grey Charente.  It was nice and sunny in Paris on the 9th November though. At St Lazare the new order is gradually taking over with this newish unit present.

Then it was onto a line J train to Ermont Eaubonne. Then a Line C train to Epinay sur Seine.

There I was changing onto a tram to Le Bourget but could also see Tram Line T8.

I caught a tram on Lne T11 though that runs alongside the Grande Ceinture to Le Bourget.

An impressive bit of construction but no trains on the GC at all. This was the stabling area at the end of the line.

  From Le Bourget then a Line B train to Le Blanc Mesnil, alongside the vast yard that stretches along this line through Drancy. It was starting to get dark when I got there.

however I did spy some lights in the distance and the long lens came out,  A freight loco at last.  There had been about 4 parked up at the Le Bourget end of the yard.

At last a freight I thought.

 

Jamie

Edited April 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[Adam88]

As ever, very good photos which reminded me of something.  I always tried to call in at the La Vie du Rail shop which used to be at St Lazare but I see has recently moved a short distance outside the station.  While checking that out just now I noticed another (new to me) model railway shop Au Pullman in the same general area.  I was scheduled to go to a work-related meeting in Paris in March last year but CV-19 intervened and we all met on-line instead and I've not been out of the country since - perhaps next year now.

[Fat Controller]

15 minutes ago, Adam88 said:

As ever, very good photos which reminded me of something.  I always tried to call in at the La Vie du Rail shop which used to be at St Lazare but I see has recently moved a short distance outside the station.  While checking that out just now I noticed another (new to me) model railway shop Au Pullman in the same general area.  I was scheduled to go to a work-related meeting in Paris in March last year but CV-19 intervened and we all met on-line instead and I've not been out of the country since - perhaps next year now.

Pullman is well established; I used to go there when my wife was working in Paris pre-2007. There's a couple more shops on Rue de Douai, which are about 5 minutes walk from the 'La Vie du Rail shop. One used to have a bit of s/h stock.

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a rather dark Charente.   However we are still in Paris on 9th November 2021. T he evening was certainly drawing in. The Sybic kept getting closer.

And even into position for a decent shot of it if only the stanchion hadn't jumped out on me.

Then it was back to Gare du Nord, over the the hotel to book in, an evening meal then a walk down to the Gare de L'Est.   That was quite an experience.   The station was in chaos with hundreds of people milling about at the platform ends.   I did go down to the TGV area and saw a German ICE depart but missed getting a photo of it.  I caught the bus back to the hotel.  I was asleep quite early.   Next morning I was downstairs in good time for breakfast and by quarter to eight was over at the Gare du Nord. There was a good selection of Nez Casse at the buffer stops.

And the new alongside the old.

Plus a visitor from the UK.

Then down to the suburban platforms and out to St Dennis.  This took me past the rather sad looking remains of La Chapelle depot which looked to be bereft of tracks.  At St Dennis this unit was arriving.

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a rather dark Charente.   Better late than never but other things have intervened today, including a bit of modelling.   However on this thread it's the 10th November and I am in St Denis in Paris, named I believe after the patron saint of France. Outside the station there is a tramway crossroads between line T1, which runs round the periphery of Paris, and T8. Here a T8 tram comes towards the crossroads.

It then crossed T1.

While a Peniche went slowly underneath us. A very different form of transport.

T1 is the oldest of the modern tramways and it's rolling stock looks rather dated now some 20 years old.

It then stopped and I was able to get a seat.

The ride to Noisy Le Sec on the line from Gare de L'East took nearly an hour and the tram was very very crowded at times.   So much so that I had a derriere some 8" from my face for quite a while. Fortunately it was a rather attractive one.   It's a hard life.

At Noisy I went down and caught a train out to Bondy where I changed to tramway T4 which is run by SNCF under 25Kv catenary.  Here a tram is ready to depart.

More tomorrow I hope.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a grey and misty Charente.   The tardis is still in Paris and it's still 10th November 2021. I started on line T4 from Bondy. Having ridden up to the northern terminus I caught a train to Gare du Nord which gave me another pass of the yard at Le Bourget.  At GDN a quick pause to buy a couple of presents for the boss, which have been much appreciated.   Then a check of the platform ends before heading down to the catacombs again and getting a train to Gare de Lyon.  Coming out of the RER, a cut glass English accent was complaining bitterly that "these people don't staff their information desks 

I resisted the temptation to tell him to learn some French but guided them to the main line platforms by following the Grande Lignes signs.  They were well in time to catch their train to Nice.  I took this photo.

I had by then found hall 2 and eventually the toilets.

Then I walked up to where I had taken a photo of the roundhouse at Charolais depot and it's occupants.  This was the rather sad remains.

And a bit more of it.

It looked a lot better like this in 1994

Anyway from there I caught a train down to Villeneuve triage but saw this Italian set on my right on the TGV depot.

Then got off at Triage and found a fabulous 300m long footbridge that runs right across the yard.  This shunter was near the gates.

Then to my left this sight.

I remember seeing the postal TGV's at GDL in 94.   I believe that these had been at Villeneuve for some sort of open day.

 

Jamie

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[Re6/6]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 Coming out of the RER, a cut glass English accent was complaining bitterly that "these people don't staff their information desks 

I resisted the temptation to tell him to learn some French 

You should've done Jamie! What a pompous condescending idiot.!

[jamie92208]

18 hours ago, Re6/6 said:

You should've done Jamie! What a pompous condescending idiot.!

To be fair his wife thanked me very courteously and looked as if she was embarrassed by him. I suppose the northern accent didn't go down well with him.  

 

Jamie

Edited November 19, 2021 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a sunny Charente.   However on this thread we are still in Paris on 10th November 2021.

The vantage point provided by the footbridge was too good to waste. Here's another view of the 'preserved' TGV's with a view of the support bogie used when an articulated joint is split.

TSO had a presence to the south of the bridge but as usual identifying the locos wasn't easy but the long lens proved useful.

At the other end of the bridge was a very good boulangerie'/patisserie.  France does have it's good points.  Then I wandered back towards the station, noting this rather ironic road sign at the depot entrance.

The a train to Juvissy to see traffic from Gare D'Austerlitz.  There was actually a freight train with an E4000 on the front.

Not a very good vantage point for a photo but still nice to see.

 

Then another rather snatched shot as a 2 car DMU shot past heading in to Austerlitz.

It got a bit confusing as trains for Versailles Chantiers, which was my next planned destination went in either direction from different platforms and I ended up missing one. However all was not lost.

 

Jamie

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening it's cool and dark here but it had finally come sunny in Paris on 10th November. I had decided to head for Versailles Chantiers but managed to miss the train whilst watching the Unit speed through. I therefore caught the next train into Austerlitz, picking up a Lineas liveried 27XXX en route. I think it was 27114.  Austerlits is a building site at the moment but this tamper was parked outside. 

There was also this unit that I can't find in my Platform 5 book.

The 2 car unit was there and identifiable.

And this rather nice looking 7200 amongst the scaffolding.

Then I went back into the depths and caught the next train to Maissy Pallisaeu.  This went via Rungis and I discovered that non stop trains were being listed on the platform screens with their ID no.  The first one, taking the GC route was this train of cereal hoppers.

Then an announcemnet about a no stopping train turned out to be this convoy of 4 infra locos, two 60XXX's and two 75XXX's.   I was able to remmeber the first three and the camera helped with the fourth.  The day was getting better.

Jamie

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by jamie92208

[brushman47544]

Interesting to see 75401 - one of the passenger train compatible versions. Since they have so few passenger diagrams - Bourges to Montlucon, Valence to Briancon and the diesel legs of the few remaining Paris overnights if I recall correctly, I wondered what they worked most of the time.

[jamie92208]

On 20/11/2021 at 20:57, brushman47544 said:

Interesting to see 75401 - one of the passenger train compatible versions. Since they have so few passenger diagrams - Bourges to Montlucon, Valence to Briancon and the diesel legs of the few remaining Paris overnights if I recall correctly, I wondered what they worked most of the time.

I had a look in my book. I've seen 5 of them in the last 3.5 years all within 100 miles of here, Tours, Poitiers and south of Ruffec plus the one in Paris on the GC line.

 

Anyway to continue, it's still 10th November and I;, still at Massy Palliseau. Not long after the 4 Infra locos went past I cught the next train to Versailles Chantiers.  This runs along a very rural part of the Grand Ceinture.  As you leave Massy a large depot for the future line T12 is passed.  I believe that it is going to take over the passaenger service on this part of teh GC eventually.  Anyway I decided to spend the last daylight at Versailles. Almost as soon as I got onto the right platform this appeared off the GC.  It must have been just behind my train.  an E3000 on cement tank. No freight for a day and a half then a near feast of it.

Then a 72XX came in from the west.

Then back to the serius business of spotting.  A DVT lead a passenger working in from the west.

Then a rare 76XX on an outbound working.

Then it was time to catch a train to Montparnasse as the light was going.  A good meal in a cafe across the street then wait for my train whihch was at 20.20.  This memorial has survived the rebuilding.  It is certainly poignant.

And was obviously ready for the next day which is a public holiday in France.

Then a packed TGV back to Niort and home for 23.30.   All in all a great 2 days trainspotting/

 

Jamie

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[brushman47544]

Is that humped platform deliberate to allow level access to trains for wheelchairs and the like, or just a quirk in the construction, I wonder.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

Is that humped platform deliberate to allow level access to trains for wheelchairs and the like, or just a quirk in the construction, I wonder.

I suspect that it is deliberate as they are getting ready for the new EMU's. I think that there were some other raised bits that I saw around.

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Austerlitz used to be my favourite station in Paris in the late 90's.

Not for traffic, which wasn't that dense,  but for variety.

And the depot at Sud Ouest even still had a BB 300, albeit stored.

Now, with high rise buildings on top, it's almost as bad as New Street.

[jamie92208]

13 minutes ago, JeffP said:

Austerlitz used to be my favourite station in Paris in the late 90's.

Not for traffic, which wasn't that dense,  but for variety.

And the depot at Sud Ouest even still had a BB 300, albeit stored.

Now, with high rise buildings on top, it's almost as bad as New Street.

I went round Sud Oest one Sunday morning in 1995. The pictures are somewhere on my French railways thread. There were definitely some 4700's and possibly a 300. I'll have to check my platform 5 book.

 

Jamie

Edited November 29, 2021 by jamie92208

[Fat Controller]

35 minutes ago, JeffP said:

Austerlitz used to be my favourite station in Paris in the late 90's.

Not for traffic, which wasn't that dense,  but for variety.

And the depot at Sud Ouest even still had a BB 300, albeit stored.

Now, with high rise buildings on top, it's almost as bad as New Street.

Fortunately, it does retain the Metro line running above  the concourse at 90 degrees to the main tracks.

The last time I was there, a lot of the platform staff were using 'Segways' to get around...

[jamie92208]

Bon Soiree from a dark and damp Charente.  However since my Paris trip Andy and I have been allowed to play out and have had a few afternoons spotting at Juille just north of Luxe.  Time for a bumper edition from 3 trips.   We went down on Thursday 25th November and there was a lot more freight traffic than previously.  First up was the northbound car train with Spanish built cars. This is worked I think by ECR and usually produces a 186.  We weren't disappointed.

The weather was poor, grey and misty.  However the next northbound, the usual infra train that seems to appear most days. This time with a yellow liveried 22XXX

Next week we went back on the Thursday and the car train had a red 186 on it.

A better shot of the loco.

The Infra working was a ghost liveried 72XX running Light Engine.

The northbound TGV at 14, 53 left it very late before raising it's pantograph on the steep ramp up to the LGV SEA. Our summer weather spot is just beyond where the front of the train is.

Then a 27XXX on tanktainers.  That's not been seen for a while.

We went back 2 days ago on Friday 10th, not as many trains around but still some variety. A Ghost 72XX on the northbound Infra.

Then a lonely tamper.   It must feel like the ugly duckling.

Then a ghost Sybic heading north with the regular LPG and steel train.

Quite a bit of variety.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a rather dark and chilly Charente.   Yesterday I got an unexpected chance to got to the station at Ruffec to buy some tickets for a friend.  It would have been rude not to take advantage of this so after buying the tickets, and missing seeing the number of a southbound intermodal whilst making the transaction, I headed about 10 miles south to Vervant where the spur from the southbound LGV joins the classic line.  I parked up and was rewarded by a test train with two class 69XXX's topping and tailing a test coach, heading north.  

A northbound TGV, 4523 followed that . heading for the northbound spur at Juille.

Then a series of freights and light engine movements heading north.  A Sybic, 26118, with a 60XXX dead in train, hauling LPG tanks,  then 22366 with another 69XXX heading north light engine.   Then within 10 minutes this appeared.

Two heavily rebuilt ex DB class 211's owned by Aquitaine Rail heading north with a lengthy train of what I think are scrap rail carriers.

7271 Then went north light engine before another pair of 69xxx's.

Finally a southbound TGV Atlantique, in the new livery heading to Angouleme.

A very pleasant afternoon. Sunny but cool.

Jamie

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Happy Christmas to everyone.   Andy had to go in for a shoulder op but had recovered enough by yesterday for a trip out.   We headed down to Vervant again but stopped at Juille to see a northbound TGV off Angouleme.   To our surprise if headed north on the usually southbound line and passed us going a lot faster than if it had used to normal route as it gets onto the LGV about 4 miles south, south of the depot at Villognon.

 

We then headed down to Vervant and only saw one freight with 27084 in charge but it came up so quickly there was no time for a photo.   I did however manage to catch the next northbound TGV of Angouleme, which was a double set of two 800 class. Here set 837 leads it's classmate north on the normal route towards Luxe and Juille. to access the LGV.

It was interesting to note that both pantographs are up on both units under the 1500v OLE.

 

Jamie

Edited April 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a bright and sunny Charente.  Yesterday afternoon was similar and Andy and I had a good afternoon watching trains.   It was warm enough to stand outside the car in shirt sleeves.  As Andy still has his shoulder strapped up there was no way that we were going to climb the steep embankment to our summer viewing spot at Juille so parked up by the fence.  A freight soon appeared heading north with Tanktainers behind 27019.   I've now seen all the first 20 of the 27XXX's that have the Midi pantographs fitted apart from 16 and 18 which have eluded me.

That was followed by 27002, another regular, with a mixed freight including the loaded sugar containers.  This is a new traffic bringing sugar from Spain.

The LGV SEA can be seen above and behind the loco in that picture.  Our summer spot is just to the left of the overbridge.  It was a bit frustrating to see the TGV's racing past but not being able to get any numbers.   There are all sorts of features on my Olympus EM-10 that I've never got round to learning how to use but after some discussion I wondered if a very fast shutter speed and the long lens would work.   Some experimentation took place during which this double TGV headed north on the link line from Angouleme.  I managed to get this shot at 1000th of a second and the pantographs on both units can be seen being raised. 

I  then tried getting shots of the trains at full speed without success so went up to 1/1600th and eventually had some success with this northbound.

The original was easily legible on the camera screen as no 849, a cop for me.

All to soon the night was drawing in and we watched the north and southbound locals.  Here's the southbound.

 

1

And that will almost certainly be my last train photo of this year.  Altogether it's been quite a successful year of spotting, despite falling and getting my scalp stapled in Tours.  63 new electric locos underlined in the book. This means that I've seen 40% of the total fleet.  75 diesel locos that brings me up to nearly 16% of the fleet.  53 new TGV's has taken me to 53% of the fleet.  Al in all a good year.  Best wishes for 2022 to all and sundry.

 

Jamie