JAMIE'S RANDOM FRENCH RAILWAY PHOTOS

[beaumoc]

Lost nearly all my photos but recovered a few..

[Stephen Freeman]

We have been through Orodour, not an experience I would wish to repeat frankly. At the moment we don't know if we will get the chance to visit this year. We shall see, it will be sad not to be able to see Mr Beans train from the end of the land. That is progress of course.

[JeffP]

Our first visit to Oradour was 37 years ago. There had been a storm, and bits of tree and debris were everywhere. Added to the shock.

No visitor centre, and the artefacts now held by the museum were inside the ruined houses.

Many were stolen by souvenir hunters before the new museum was built.

Near to our French property is Oradour Sur Vayres, which WAS a centre for the local resistance.

Many locals believe the Germans mistakenly went to the wrong Oradour.

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon.  It's raining so time to do a bit of uploading.   The Tardis has now moved to 2018 and the year that we finally moved to France.   We arrived on the 16th June, some of our new neighbours had put balloons out for us.  My rather old Volvo estate had performed admirably towing a heavily loaded trailer. My back is towards the shed where the layout now stands.

Anyway, the next month I went to my first meeting of the Charente Maritime Railway Modellers Group, very sociable with a meal then meet at a members house to admire their models over cake and tea. On my way home I stopped at a station that's on the Poitiers to La Rochelle Line and this came past.

Fast forward to 8th October and I had to got to Bordeaux to pick up more Billy bookcases from Ikea. That's just over 100 miles south of us.   After packing the car I parked it up and caught a tram down to the Bordeaux St Jean, the main station.  Here a DMU is heading in from the west.

There were even loco hauled trains with 7284 waiting to head south west towards Irun.

One of the newer duplexes came in from the north.

The station concourse is magnificent with this lovely map of the Midi Railway network on the walls.

Hopefully some more tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

[brushman47544]

In an important and well served station like Bordeaux St Jean I’m surprised at the vegetation especially between the platforms as in the photo with 7284. More rural stations you might expect it.

[jamie92208]

Sadly that seems to be the norm. Angouleme is similar. I once wztched a team using strimmers to clear the island platform.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon, it's a tad breezy down here but the Tardis is still in Bordeaux on the 10th August 2018. I heard the sound of a couple of diesels working hard and two 75XXX's headed through with a freight.

The tram system is excellent and here is one of the trams.

12th September I was in Ruffec, on the station, where the chef du gare kept me informed about what trains were coming.  Here a V211 is coming through on a works train.

This was parked in the mormally empty but extensive yard, I think it's a G1206.

The V211 was at least identifiable with a decent sized number on the cab.

A few days later we set off for Cannes and a holiday at La Bocca. Here it's the 21st September and a 27XXX is heading west with a regular afternoon freight.

It's not a bad place to trainspot, even in September.

 

Jamie

[Allegheny1600]

That last picture - trains aren’t the only things to be spotted! It is France of course, such things barely raise an eyebrow!

Anyway, regarding the greenery at Bordeaux St. Jean, my favourite French station by the way, that’s nothing! At the hugely busy Hamburg Harburg station in Germany, parts of the station can appear quite jungle like, it seems they simply don’t bother with vegetation unless it gets in the way.

[Chris116]

11 minutes ago, Allegheny1600 said:

That last picture - trains aren’t the only things to be spotted! It is France of course, such things barely raise an eyebrow!

Anyway, regarding the greenery at Bordeaux St. Jean, my favourite French station by the way, that’s nothing! At the hugely busy Hamburg Harburg station in Germany, parts of the station can appear quite jungle like, it seems they simply don’t bother with vegetation unless it gets in the way.

What train? Where?

[Foulounoux]

Seeing the pictures of thev velo rail i would thoroughly recommend the Pere Noel (and other specials) trains they run.  And after the events of the past year they will need the support 

 

Like others not sure when we will get to the charente 

 

https://www.cf-charentelimousine.fr/

 

 

[brushman47544]

Is that last photo the one you alluded to a couple of weeks ago then realised you hadn’t posted it?

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

Is that last photo the one you alluded to a couple of weeks ago then realised you hadn’t posted it?

Yes, that's the one.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon.  Some more photos from Cannes in 2018.  21st September the freight from the previous picture did arrive hauled by 27058

In the yard were various contractors locos including this V211

The former siding used by sleeping cars have now been rebuilt into servicing facilities for the EMU's that operte the local services.  4 of this fleet were bought by the Government of Monaco and painted in their livery of red and white but are numbered in the standard SNCF series. They have the Monaco emblem next to the cab door,

The loctractuer was still in the yard, visible between two EMU's.  By this time the car traffic seemed to have finished and there didnt seem to be any coaches being refurbished at La Bocca Industries which are accessed from the yard.

A G1206 also appeared one day.  

And here is good September weather an EMU pulls into La Bocca to start it's run to Ventigmilia.

 

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a sunny, at the moment, but cool and breezy Charente. The Tardis is still in the south of France, it's the 26th September and these are in Cannes La Bocca. Here a Duplex heads east towards Nice.

Then a Corail Push Pull set comes through heading west, I'm not sure where the driving trailers came from.

They were propelled by a push pull fitted 222XX in this case 22307 in En Voyage livery.

That was closely followed by an EMU dropping it's last passengers before heading into the sidings.

There isn't a lot of reight traffic on this line but a regular working on and afternoon was a train of covered steel carriers with a 27XXX in charge.  The time could vary by at least an hour or two each way. On the 28th September it was 27083.  

I was lucky enough to catch a Thello working from, IIRC, Milan to Marseille. This normally turned round at Nice but on a weekend it came thorugh to Marseille. This day 36012 was heading the return working.

 

Hopefully some more tomorrow.    I'm getting to the end of my French ones and my next thread will be on Railways in North and Central America from 1978 to 2019.  I've started the thread but not posted any photos yet.

 

Jamie

Edited May 15, 2021 by jamie92208

[brushman47544]

22 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Then a Corail Push Pull set comes through heading west, I'm not sure where the driving trailers came from.

They were propelled by a push pull fitted 222XX in this case 22307 in En Voyage livery.

These are B5uxh driving trailers converted by Alston between, I think, 2004 to 2008 or thereabouts. They are 200km/h Corail coaches and are used with 7200 and 22200 locos and Corail stock on TER trains between Paris - Dijon, Dijon - Besancon, Lyon and Geneve, Chambery and Marseille, Marseille - Nice/Ventimiglia, and Nancy - Strasbourg - Basel (26000s).

Edited May 15, 2021 by brushman47544
Clarification

[weave]

Hi Jamie,

 

No offence to the US railroad but it's a shame the SNCF pics are coming to an end. Obviously it wasn't going to last forever but thank you for all of them, very enjoyable especially the '80s/'90s ones which brought back great memories. I am aware of your up to date SNCF ones on the Limoges thread which are always enjoyable too.

 

Again, thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers, Chris (weave).

 

PS Do you have a layout? I think you mentioned that you did but I might be, which is usually the case, wrong.

[jamie92208]

12 hours ago, weave said:

Hi Jamie,

 

No offence to the US railroad but it's a shame the SNCF pics are coming to an end. Obviously it wasn't going to last forever but thank you for all of them, very enjoyable especially the '80s/'90s ones which brought back great memories. I am aware of your up to date SNCF ones on the Limoges thread which are always enjoyable too.

 

Again, thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers, Chris (weave).

 

PS Do you have a layout? I think you mentioned that you did but I might be, which is usually the case, wrong.

Thanks very much for the very kind comments.  I have enjoyed putting the photos on but have nearly caught up to where I started putting my up to date ones on the Limoges thread in 2019.   

 

Yes I do have a layout, Lancaster Green Ayre, and there is a thread about it in the layout threads. There is a link to it in my signature below.It's not French though and is Midland Railway 1923. However as I'm a member of the Gauge 0 guild and it's French equivalent, Le Cercle du Zero, I might run a French loco sometime.  

 

Jamie

Edited May 16, 2021 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a windy but at the moment sunny place. It's now 6th November 2018 and I'm on my way back from a Model Railway Group meeting so stopped where the road goes under the Poitiers La Rochelle line and found this Bi Mode heading for La Rochelle.

The next day I had a day out trainspotting. My first stop was the TGV maintenance base at Villongon north of Angouleme where the classic and TGV line cross. One of the High speed track inspection cars was there. They are known as BROOM's and save them having to use a TGV set.

Wj=hat ooks to me like a tamper was present as well.  TSO is the contractor.

There were also 2 G 1206's in teh yard.

Two days later on the 9th I got a pass out to go and visit a large Model Railway show at Orleans.   I went by train from Niort on the Friday and booked into a hotel then took the tram up to Les Aubrais station.  This is the main line station but is some way out of town. An Atlantique set was heading north,

Most of the express trains were loco hauled by Sybics here 26053 heads north.

The largely derelict yard can be seen behind the train.

 

Jamie

 

 

[brushman47544]

It must be getting on for 15 years since I’ve been to Orleans. No tram then of course so to get from Orleans to Les Aubrais I had to get the shuttle formed of an all-steel unit I paid no attention to at all. Still don’t take much notice of Units (TGVs included). Had a 10 minute connection at Les Aubrais into my Paris train and 15 minutes after departure time still no sign of the train crew... Arrived eventually and we trundled off. Needless to say the Paris train was also late so no problem with the connection. That was Sybic hauled from Bourges, which locos then as now dominated those and the Limoges line trains as well as the InterLoire 200km/h Corail services. The Paris - Orleans and Tours trains were primarily 7200s, with the odd 22200 thrown in for good measure.

Edited May 16, 2021 by brushman47544
Typos

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a warm but windy corner of the Charente. We are still in Orleans on the 9th November 2018 near the station at Les Aubrais. Here a tram approaches to take me into the city.

In the centre the two lines cross in the square, there does appear to be a signalling system.

After prospecting the exhibition centre I headed back to Les Aubrais and spent the rest of the evening there. Here the first Sybic was heading north.

I thought that it looked quite nice in it's En Voyage livery.

A 7200 was heading south with a push pull set.

That was the last photo that evening but there were lots of trains and I spent the evening chatting to three Cheminots from Grenoble who had come up for the show and were trainspotters.  

The next morning this was the view from my hotel room with the tram track to the right, the main line to Tours and Bordeaux in the background and the loop from Orleans City to the main line west nearest me.

After a pleasant time at the show I went back to Les Aubrais and this freight headed past with two 60XXX's in charge.  The yard and loco depot is largely derelict.

Some more tomorrow all being well.

 

Jamie

 

[brushman47544]

12 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

A 7200 was heading south with a push pull set.

That’s an interesting photo, in that 7221 is from the first batch (petite cabine) that were for many years limited to 100km/h and used on freight services, but in the early 2000s some were overhauled, had bogies stopped with locos numbered in the 7300s and were allocated to passenger services. 7221 has also lost its crest/blason Saint-Amand-Montrond, presumably during its repainting in Grise livery.

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from the Charente which is slightly Maritime today. The Tardis is still in Orleans on 1oth November 2019. After a bit of time at Les Aubrais I headed into the city to the original station which of course was a terminus. Several EMU's and a Sybic were at the buffer stops.

Then one of the new EMU's whic are taking over the Loire Valley workings came in to take me to St Pierre des Corps.

It was then back home via TGV to Niort.  2 weeks later on the 23rd November I had to go to Ruffec so called at the station.  This track machine was heading south wit a few wagons.

Then a 27XXX came north on a train of Tank Tainers. As sometimes happens it had been pathed via the loop that runs along Platform 3. The Chef due Gare does this in each direction with at least one train per day.

And you can see it nearing the north end of the loop.

Two days later on the 25th Andy and I headed south to near Luxe to our favourite spot on a bridge that has been isolated by the construction of the LGV SEA. We can see trains on both lines from this vantage point. Here a 60XXX heads north with an inspection saloon.

Behind us a Duplex in the 800 class headed south going rather faster. The OHLE for the chord that TGV's use to regain the LGV after calling at Angouleme, can be seen in the backgound.

And that Gents is is.   I've now caught up t where I started putting my up to date pictures on my Moves at Limoges thread.  I have thoroughly enjoyed going through my older pictures and am glad that you seem to have enjoyed seeing them.   My Random American photos thread is now up and running so I will say A bientot to you all.

 

Jamie

 

[brushman47544]

Thanks for posting all the French photos Jamie; a very interesting reminder of times past.

Edited May 18, 2021 by brushman47544

[JeffP]

My thanks too.

Some great shots and amusing how my travels have mirrored yours.

 

The BROOM bears more than a passing resemblance to the Badger.

 

Do you mind me asking how/where you learned to speak French?

[jamie92208]

21 hours ago, JeffP said:

My thanks too.

Some great shots and amusing how my travels have mirrored yours.

 

The BROOM bears more than a passing resemblance to the Badger.

 

Do you mind me asking how/where you learned to speak French?

Yes the BROOMS do look like The Badger.  I was hopeless at French at school but got sent on an exchange to live with a French family in Paris for 3 weeks. They had to sign that they wouldn't speak English to me. I was 14 and for 3 weeks spoke and listened  only to French, at scout camp and school for 4 days. At the end of it I could sort of think in French. That seems to have stayed with me. My grammar and written French are poor but I can chatter away in in.  It's a real asset but I only got a grade 6 at O level, apparently  mainly on my oral.  I also subscribe to Rail Passion and do my gest to read it. I still struggle at times but it is getting easier.

 

Jamie