Tramways de l'Aude

[rogerfarnworth]

My wife and I are spending a week or so in a village to the southwest of Carcassonne in France during September 2018. A little bit of research highlighted the existence of a network of metre-gauge tramways in the Aude. These tramways were only in operation for a few decades in the early part of 20th Century. Other matters will take priority during much of the time that we are in the department but I am interested in these lines and have pulled together a blog which gives an overview of the lines and which is based around a French Wikipedia article about the lines.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/27/tramways-de-laude-overview-part-1

 

The plan is to look at the different lines in turn in future posts.

[rue_d_etropal]

Now you are on my home turf. I bought a copy of the book at exhibition in Sedan a few years ago when I was exhibiting.I did think it might make an interesting model, but then got distracted when I found out about the CF de Camargue!

I have driven through a few of the small towns and villages the railways served. Much of the area is quite flat, a big contrast to Provence, but gets a bit more interesting to the north. As the land is relatively flat there are not that many big railway items, although I think I have spotted the odd station halt building . Being flat it wasn't difficult for 1930s buses to compete!

The odd fact that one of the lines crossed over into Herault is interesting. The border might not be that easy to spot, but on the roads youdon't need a sign as Herault spends far more on its roads and you really notice the difference.

I look forward to what you manage to find.

[ianp]

I spent a holiday last year in the village of Durban-Corbiers, about an hour's drive south east of Carcassonne. We came across a small museum in the village of Grasse (closer to Carcassonne) which is devoted to vinegar (yes, really) and local history around the end of the 19th century. So what? Well, it has a model railway showing how some of the old metre gauge network linked various local villages. All good fun.

Here is a link: https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/lagrasse-729/museum-1900--34461.htm

I have to say, I didn't spot any relics of the old tramway itself.

[rogerfarnworth]

Here is the first of a promised series of blog posts about the Tramways de l'Aude. It covers half of the line between Belpech and Castelnaudary.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/29/tramways-de-laude-belpech-to-castelnaudary-part-a

[rue_d_etropal]

The style of the buildings is possibly one reason some don't spot them. There are probably still quite a few aound, converted into other uses. Being next to roads in many cases made them ideal for the replacement bus services.

[rogerfarnworth]

This next post follows up the first overview of the Tramways with information which comes from the first of a series articles from 1961 .....

 

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/31/tramways-de-laude-overview-part-2

 

This second part of the overview of Les Tramways de l’Aude is based on the first of a series of three articles provided by Loco-Revue in its magazine in late 1961, written in French by C. Lacombe. It is not a direct translation, and it seeks not to repeat information already provided in the first post in this series. [1] Inaddition a short set of notes are provided about the Compagnie du Midi which also served the department de l’Aude. Another post will look at the remaining articles by C. Lacombe. ….

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

Even more my home patch than yours, Simon. Will be down at the house next week. And, thanks Roger, for starting this thread.

 

Not too many buildings left immediately around Durban-C, these days. The old station building at Ripaud has, I think, been  demolished now after years of standing derelict but the locoshed is still there. Currently for sale, the hotel at Ripaud effectively served as a station buffet. Passengers would jump off the train, grab a quick drink while the train reversed at the station (about 200m  further east) and then jump on again as the train came back past. Bear in mind that these light railways ran on the rule of the 3 15s, one of which was 15kph. So not difficult to jump on.

 

Also Ian, on your way to Durban, you will have gone through a road tunnel. That was one of very few tunnels (then rail only)  on the TdA network. There was another rail tunnel just northwest of Ripaud that was demolished about 30 years ago and replaced with a road cutting.

 

Several rail buildings do still exist on the D611 northwest from Ripaud. And most of the buildings at Tuchan are still there in various new uses.

 

The line from Durban to Tuchan had to pass over the Col d'Extreme, quite a steep climb. As you approach the Col from Villleneuve-C, you can still see the embankment where the railway diverged from the road so as to make the gradient less severe. It's one of only two locations where the line diverged significantly from the roads. Even so, it was not unknown in adverse conditions, for passengers to have to walk up to the Col!

 

Edit to add: Another relic that Ian should have spotted. Many houses locally contain parts of and some roadside barriers are made of 15kg/m fb rail from the Tramway

Edited August 31, 2018 by Joseph_Pestell

[Joseph_Pestell]

I spent a holiday last year in the village of Durban-Corbiers, about an hour's drive south east of Carcassonne. We came across a small museum in the village of Grasse (closer to Carcassonne) which is devoted to vinegar (yes, really) and local history around the end of the 19th century. So what? Well, it has a model railway showing how some of the old metre gauge network linked various local villages. All good fun.

Here is a link: https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/lagrasse-729/museum-1900--34461.htm

I have to say, I didn't spot any relics of the old tramway itself.

 

Lagrasse is a particularly lovely village with an interesting history. It's main economic activity until the 1950s was olive oil until a bad winter killed off all the trees. East of Lagrasse, I think there is still a short tunnel extant.

[Mike Storey]

I spent a holiday last year in the village of Durban-Corbiers, about an hour's drive south east of Carcassonne. We came across a small museum in the village of Grasse (closer to Carcassonne) which is devoted to vinegar (yes, really) and local history around the end of the 19th century. So what? Well, it has a model railway showing how some of the old metre gauge network linked various local villages. All good fun.

Here is a link: https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/lagrasse-729/museum-1900--34461.htm

I have to say, I didn't spot any relics of the old tramway itself.

 

This definitely looks worth a visit, thanks. 

 

It is good to see some parts of France are now safeguarding memories of their heritage. When I lived in the Limousin, I tried researching the old tramways around Limoges (set off by a very emotional visit to Oradour-sur-Glane). Apart from one very good book, some French rail mag articles and a cafe with pictures on the wall (in Brive maybe?), there is almost nothing to be found locally - just the odd decrepit bridge hidden away, and of course the preserved section at Oradour (if you have never been, go, but not for that).

 

I tried the same when I first arrived here in the Charente Maritime (the Etat section from St Jean to Chef Boutonne), again with some good volumes in both French and English (one chap spent four years putting info together), but apart from many of the station buildings preserved as private houses now, it is almost impossible to follow the routes on the ground for more than a few hundred metres here and there. Almost none of the locals even knew there were ever railways around here - they were opened after the great vine infection disaster of the 1870's, so that farmers could turn to arable and livestock farming which needed much better transport, but shut again in the 1930's when the vines had returned (although the Germans re-opened many of them during the war but they were all shut again a few years after the war ended).

 

I hope the review of that in l'Aude is more successful!

[Joseph_Pestell]

This definitely looks worth a visit, thanks. 

 

It is good to see some parts of France are now safeguarding memories of their heritage. When I lived in the Limousin, I tried researching the old tramways around Limoges (set off by a very emotional visit to Oradour-sur-Glane). Apart from one very good book, some French rail mag articles and a cafe with pictures on the wall (in Brive maybe?), there is almost nothing to be found locally - just the odd decrepit bridge hidden away, and of course the preserved section at Oradour (if you have never been, go, but not for that).

 

I tried the same when I first arrived here in the Charente Maritime (the Etat section from St Jean to Chef Boutonne), again with some good volumes in both French and English (one chap spent four years putting info together), but apart from many of the station buildings preserved as private houses now, it is almost impossible to follow the routes on the ground for more than a few hundred metres here and there. Almost none of the locals even knew there were ever railways around here - they were opened after the great vine infection disaster of the 1870's, so that farmers could turn to arable and livestock farming which needed much better transport, but shut again in the 1930's when the vines had returned (although the Germans re-opened many of them during the war but they were all shut again a few years after the war ended).

 

I hope the review of that in l'Aude is more successful!

 

As the name implies, the Aude lines were very much along the roadside. So all the routes still exist but the roads have been widened to cover them.

 

Only traces therefore are in the station buildings and some of them were little more than huts on a small platform.

 

Edit: Roger's blog has reminded me of a name that I was struggling with, Les Palais. This was a triangular junction rather in the middle of nowhere. Its station building was more imposing than most and still standing. Indeed, for a long period recently, it was for sale.

Edited August 31, 2018 by Joseph_Pestell

[Pacific231G]

This next post follows up the first overview of the Tramways with information which comes from the first of a series articles from 1961 .....

 

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/31/tramways-de-laude-overview-part-2

 

Hi Roger

This is very interesting and I look forward to hearing more of what you discover. Investigating the archaeology of French light railways is an excellent way of exploring la France Profond.

 

Because these tramways were mostly built on or alongside existing roads, sometimes widened to accomodate them, there won't be any real trace of these sections on the ground. There were though a total of about 25kms of "deviations" between 2 and 6 kms long and about 9 shorter ones. These were mostly to avoid villages with narrow streets or particularly steep or twisting roads and these can often still be found as local paths or back roads. Numerous minor diversions avoided sharp corners in the road but most of which are probably now incorporated into the road. A number of existing road bridges were also strengthened or rebuilt to carry the extra weight of trains or to be wide enough for road traffic to pass a train and many of these still exist.

 

The most visible remains that aren't simply part of the road are buildings - quite a few of which remain intact but, unlike many other French tramways and light railways, the station buildings didn't include an apartment for a chef de gare so were single story buildings some incorporating a small goods shed but more often just a loading dock accessed from the running line by a wagon turntable. There are also a few rail only bridges and possibly the Ribaute tunnel; the other four tunnels were demolished or widened to accomodate roads. In the 1980s the Lastours tunnel and its approaches were used as one way road but I don't know if that's still the case.

 

I have found a local history website (in Fr. & Eng) devoted to the Piège region which has 15 pages, clearly well and thoroughly researched,  devoted to the Castelnaudary-Belpech line. The final page  has maps and a lot of photos of what still remains though you already have quiite a lot of these documented in your blog. 

http://sgdelestaing.pagesperso-orange.fr/English/ETram4.htm

 

If you can get hold of a copy,F.A.C.S. devoted one of their quarterly journals Chemins de Fer Régionaux et Urbains (which were mostly monographs on particular lines) to the Tramways a Vapeur d'Aude. This was no 171 - 1982-III. Accoding to the FACS website https://www.facs-patrimoine-ferroviaire.fr/cfrtliste

this number is still available though how easy it would be to get hold of it from them outside France I'm not sure. I got my copy from Motor Books many years ago.

Edited August 31, 2018 by Pacific231G

[Joseph_Pestell]

Hi Roger

This is very interesting and I look forward to hearing more of what you discover. Investigating the archaeology of French light railways is an excellent way of exploring la France Profond.

 

Because these tramways were mostly built on or alongside existing roads, sometimes widened to accomodate them, there won't be any real trace of these sections on the ground. There were though a total of about 25kms of "deviations" between 2 and 6 kms long and about 9 shorter ones. These were mostly to avoid villages with narrow streets or particularly steep or twisting roads and these can often still be found as local paths or back roads. Numerous minor diversions avoided sharp corners in the road but most of which are probably now incorporated into the road. A number of existing road bridges were also strengthened or rebuilt to carry the extra weight of trains or to be wide enough for road traffic to pass a train and many of these still exist.

 

The most visible remains that aren't simply part of the road are buildings - quite a few of which remain intact but, unlike many other French tramways and light railways, the station buildings didn't include an apartment for a chef de gare so were single story buildings some incorporating a small goods shed but more often just a loading dock accessed from the running line by a wagon turntable. There are also a few rail only bridges and possibly the Ribaute tunnel; the other four tunnels were demolished or widened to accomodate roads. In the 1980s the Lastours tunnel and its approaches were used as one way road but I don't know if that's still the case.

 

I have found a local history website (in Fr. & Eng) devoted to the Piège region which has 15 pages, clearly well and thoroughly researched,  devoted to the Castelnaudary-Belpech line. The final page  has maps and a lot of photos of what still remains though you already have quiite a lot of these documented in your blog. 

http://sgdelestaing.pagesperso-orange.fr/English/ETram4.htm

 

If you can get hold of a copy,F.A.C.S. devoted one of their quarterly journals Chemins de Fer Régionaux et Urbains (which were mostly monographs on particular lines) to the Tramways a Vapeur d'Aude. This was no 171 - 1982-III. Accoding to the FACS website https://www.facs-patrimoine-ferroviaire.fr/cfrtliste

this number is still available though how easy it would be to get hold of it from them outside France I'm not sure. I got my copy from Motor Books many years ago.

 

The Ribaute tunnel was certainly still there last time I passed by. But both ends concealed by a lot of vegetation so anyone who was not actively looking for it would probably miss it.

 

If I remember on Sunday evening, I will take a little detour to check on the current state of Les Palays station. But we don't land at Blagnac until 21.00 hrs, so I may well forget!

[rue_d_etropal]

 

If you can get hold of a copy,F.A.C.S. devoted one of their quarterly journals Chemins de Fer Régionaux et Urbains (which were mostly monographs on particular lines) to the Tramways a Vapeur d'Aude. This was no 171 - 1982-III. Accoding to the FACS website https://www.facs-pat...e.fr/cfrtliste

this number is still available though how easy it would be to get hold of it from them outside France I'm not sure. I got my copy from Motor Books many years ago.

Useful link that. When my interest moved on from the Aude to the Camargue, I found a back copy whichhad been recommended to me . Luckily I found a copy online and the French seller was prepared to post to UK.

[rogerfarnworth]

This is the third part part of the overview and covers much about the locomotives and rolling stock on the line.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/31/tramways-de-laude-overview-part-3

 

On 28th December 1910, the train for Olonzac painfully climbed the coast of Felines, with a strong head-wind in the storm. But the Corpet-Louvert 0-6-0T reached the top of the gradient despite the strength of the wind. However, on the last curve before the pass which separates the departments of Aude and Herault, and 50 m from the summit, the train suddenly exposed its flank to the enemy and the three passenger cars and the van overturned against the embankment.

 

Three years later, on 28th November 1913, Train No. 144, towed by Corpet-Louvert No. 40, consisting of three freight cars, two passenger coaches and a van, left Narbonne at 9:55am for Thézan. The wind blew violently and the locomotive struggled against it. Even so, the trip seemed to be going relatively well. However, just 6 km from its destination after the train had passed Saint-Andre Station, the wind redoubled in violence. The locomotive swayed heavily but remained on the track, so did the three freight cars, but the two coaches and the van were lifted bodily and thrown into the vineyard alongside the track.

 

[rogerfarnworth]

This post completes the story of one of the lines of the Tramways de l'Aude. The journey from Belpech to Castelnaudary is completed by a run from Salles-sur-l'Hers to Castelnaudary.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/29/tramways-de-laude-belpech-to-castelnaudary-part-b

[rue_d_etropal]

That railcar has got me interested. Forgot that the Prof had done a model. Drawings in one of my books only show other versions, not quite the same but found this http://forums.e-train.fr/trains/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2484&start=15 

not the best copy, but enough to do something I think.

[rogerfarnworth]

I am enjoying the responses, please keep them coming in ....

 

On 6th September 2018, my wife and I visited a series of towns and villages in the Aude before visiting the Citadel in Carcassonne. We managed to combine an interest in ecclesiastical history (Saint Dominic and the Cathars) with some visits to spectacular castles and churches and two of the tramway routes serves by the Tramways de l'Aude.

 

I have been working on the post below with a view to publishing it after travelling the route, which we did today. First thing in the morning, we walked the first 3 kilometres of the tramway which left Fanjeaux heading for Bram. We then drove the route of the tramway from Fanjeaux to Saint-Denis in our little hire car.

 

We went on to follow another of the tramway routes, but more of that on another occasion!

 

I hope you enjoy this post.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/06/tramways-de-laude-fanjeaux-to-st-denis/

[rue_d_etropal]

Another eccellent piece.

If you ave time explore north of Carcassonne, into Herault, especially the lumpy parts as it is totally different to the flat lands. Possibly visit Castres. The local model railway club I think is open tothe public on Sundays. Might even get to meet the Prof. I still hav not got up there. Alternatively plan another trip, so that you study the metre gauge lines aound Castres.

Trouble withthe area is that there is so much history, and not enough time to study it all.

[Mike Storey]

A bit OT, sorry, but perhaps reflective on the contrasts. Much of what I have read above, on the links etc, reminds me a great deal of the history of the, somewhat obscure, North Wales, Corris line (which I have researched a considerable amount), especially the roadside elements. There has probably been ten times the amount written, photographed and saved about the history of the Corris, per mile/Km, than anything in France. It is an interesting contrast, but almost certainly not useful for your purposes......

 

It may only serve to illustrate the heroism of trying to salvage the histories of French secondary lines, for which you should be recognised.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Back yesterday evening from the Corbieres. On our way to Blagnac (world's most bolshy airport security), I did take the slightly longer route via Fabrezan to check on Les Palays station. Currently occupied, one can not get as clear a view of it as one used to as the new owner has put a lot of hedging and fencing around it.

[rogerfarnworth]

Just back now from 6 days in France. We were able to travel along parts of, or along full length s of the lines I have been looking at in this series of posts up to now. On 6the September 2018 we travelled along the line from Fanjeaux to St. Denis and then crossed over to Lastours and followed the line from Lastours to Carcassonne. On 10th September we were able to travel along part of the line from Belpech to Castelnaudary.

 

This post covers the line from Lastours to Carcassonne.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/11/tramways-de-laude-lastours-to-carcassonne

 

This line passed through areas of significant industry in the early 20th Century. Areas which are now essentially rural but which in those days were primarily wealth generating. The decline of this industries and that of the tramway seemed to go hand in hand.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Just back now from 6 days in France. We were able to travel along parts of, or along full length s of the lines I have been looking at in this series of posts up to now. On 6the September 2018 we travelled along the line from Fanjeaux to St. Denis and then crossed over to Lastours and followed the line from Lastours to Carcassonne. On 10th September we were able to travel along part of the line from Belpech to Castelnaudary.

 

This post covers the line from Lastours to Carcassonne.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/11/tramways-de-laude-lastours-to-carcassonne

 

This line passed through areas of significant industry in the early 20th Century. Areas which are now essentially rural but which in those days were primarily wealth generating. The decline of this industries and that of the tramway seemed to go hand in hand.

 

Hand-in-hand in the sense that they were contemporary but not, perhaps, in the sense of cause and effect.

 

Main factor in the decline of the TVA was the rise in the availability of road transport (some of it ex WW1 army surplus) which could compete easily with the very slow speeds on the railway and all the hassle of transhipment. It's interesting to compare with the Herault standard-gauge network, some of which still exists.

 

Equally, as transport became easier, the small mines and factories in the Aude could not compete with bigger, more efficient enterprises elsewhere.

[rogerfarnworth]

In this post we travel along the tramway from Carcassonne to Caunes-Minervois.

 

This is a pleasant meander through he countryside encountering small historic villages.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/19/tramways-de-laude-carcassonne-to-caunes-minervois.

[rogerfarnworth]

It has been a few weeks since my last post on the Tramways de l'Aude This next section is the length from Caunes-Minervois in the Aude to Siran in Herault.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/10/09/tramways-de-laude-caunes-minervois-to-siran

 

Topography in this area means that road gradients and curvature at the time of the building of the tramway were such that at times the tramway had to find its own route. There are two such significant lengths on the tramway in the first part of its journey with the Departement of Herault.

[rogerfarnworth]

This next post completes the length of the Tramways de l'Aude from Carcassonne to Lezignan.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/10/13/tramways-de-laude-siran-to-lezignan-corbieres

 

The post which follows will begin to look at the tramways to the South and East of Lezignan-Corbieres.