Neil C Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 This Design Observer photo collection might be of interest: http://places.designobserver.com/feature/la-petite-ceinture-paris/36978/. Some interesting and atmospheric shots. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Thank you, they were fascinating and could only be Paris! I liked the armchair in the tunnel. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold A Murphy Posted November 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 15, 2012 C'est magnifique! Alastair M Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted November 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2012 There were some very interesting locations around the Petite Ceinture to model. Compact and yet offering the possibility of short main line trains (through coaches being transferred between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon/Gare d'Austerlitz). Some very good books on the line and any number of old postcards. In the pre-nationalisation era, there was some fascinating stock on the Ceinture including a steam railmotor that had a dog kennel! And it has been available as a kit IIRC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted November 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2012 Note that the text that accompanies the photos is a bit inaccurate. He's a photographer rather than a rail enthusiast/historian. Local passenger services ceased on most of the Petite Ceinture in the 1930s. But the line from Pont Cardinet to Auteuil survived until closure in the mid 80s (?) for part to be reopened as a section of RER C. On the eastern side of the Petite Ceinture, through diesel-hauled passenger trains continued to run until the 90s (all I think, through sleeping cars) before being diverted to the Grande Ceinture line further out in the suburbs. This meant that these trains were no longer remarshalled by taking them into Gare de Lyon or Gare d'Austerlitz but ran directly onto their destinations, usually without need of a loco change as the trains were hauled by the dual-voltage 22200 class. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 No14 - looks like it's only the graffiti that's holding the building together. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 What an interesting set of pictures. I do have a fascination with abandoned railways and this one is definitely up there with the most interesting ones. I think it says a lot about a city in the way it reclaims these types of abandoned areas for new uses and in some ways I am always loathed to see these types of places disappear (case and point the arm chair in the tunnel). However, we must not be blind to the fact that this line is now surplus to requirements and there is a need for space to develop in Paris. Thanks for posting the link to these pictures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 I had heard that SNCF, in conjunction with the regional authority for Paris and some of the large shops (Monoprix being one that springs to mind) had launched a trial where goods for some of the big stores in central Paris would be put on rail some way outside the city. The wagons would be taken to a depot within the central area, then transferred to electrically-powered road vehicles for final distribution. I believe the depot being used was somewhere on the Petite Ceinture; I shall try and find out more. (which I have; the scheme taking freight into cental Paris, exclusively for Monoprix, runs to a depot at Bercy, connected to RER line D, and not the Petite Ceinture. The vehicles used for the 'last mile' are LPG, not battery, powered. Volumes are in the order of 20 bogie vans per day.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L49 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Great to see the Ceinture gaining some interest. We are hoping to have our (extremely) Petite Ceinture layout ready for St Albans at the end of January... Watch this space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L49 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Have a look at this website for more history and photos of the Ceinture. http://www.petiteceinture.org/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Love it especially the sleeper size/spacing in pic #10. Looks like I must attend the St Albans show, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Just came across this on the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24655733 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Just came across this on the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24655733 Just happened across this too - a charming piece. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike lee Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I worked in Paris for 12 years and used to walk to work most days generally following the route of metro line 13 which crossed the Petite Ceinture near Porte de St Ouen. For me I think the best thing that could happen to the line would be to make it into a circular Metro /RER/Tram Line. I know this has been muted many times in the past and I am amazed that it has never happened considering it crosses nearly every Metro/RER line out of Paris. I think it would ease congestion in the center of Paris, I know it would have certainly helped me getting around when I wanted to. I suppose the same could be said for the Grande Ceinture as well? Just my thoughts, Mike Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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