Les Chemins de Fer de l'Herault

[rogerfarnworth]

The secondary railways of the French Departement of the Herault were built to standard gauge. They were usually built to light rail standards although on occasions were strengthened to carry more substantial traffic.

 

The region had a significant viniculture and wine was one of the major commodities transported via the secondary lines of the departement.

 

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/03/18/railways-of-herault-route-a-saint-chinian-to-beziers-line-part-1-saint-chinian-to-cazouls-les-beziers

 

[Pacific231G]

Interesting stuff here Roger and a very thorough survey of what remains today.

 

Using disused railways as greenways is a generally good idea  but the passion for voies vertes  in France, fuelled  I suspect by generous grants, seems to be leading to perfectly good railways being closed just so that their routes can be used that way.   Shades of the Railway Conversion League that wanted to replace railways by roads but I think that was what finally did for the Chinon Richelieu preservation and one of the preserved sections of the Vivarais was cut back simply in order to "complete" a greenway. 

[rogerfarnworth]

The second post in a series about the secondary railways of l'Herault.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/03/20/railways-of-herault-route-a-saint-chinian-to-beziers-line-part-2-cazouls-les-beziers-to-beziers-including-the-line-to-colombiers

[rue_d_etropal]

very interesting especially as I crossed some of the line to St Chinian quite a lot on way up to St Pons,but never saw a train.

There were plans at one time to extend the line up past StPons, bypassing it a a more direct route dow to Beziers, but I think the local landscape(lumpy!() mafde it too costly.

A pity lines are being converted ti greenways but that is better than removing them completel as track can always be put back. Given the number of lorries that go through St Chinian, it should be obvious that it would be better torestor railways in the area.

[rogerfarnworth]

The Gare du Nord, Beziers is no longer an active station. It was a terminus for two different secondary Iines. The two lines were once linked by a triangular junction which allowed trains to travel through Beziers without visiting the station. The through line disappeared relatively early to make way for a Co-operative building which in turn has given way to a modern block of apartments.

 

This next post covers the line from Beziers to Penezas.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/03/26/railways-of-herault-route-b-beziers-to-pezenas-line

Edited March 26, 2019 by rogerfarnworth