Longueville station

[kirtleypete]

Best known now as the station serving the AJECTA museum in Longueville engine shed, the station itself is worth a look as well. It was opened by the Est railway in 1858, and at the same time a line was opened to Esternay via Provins, making Longueville a junction. This line remains open as far as Provins. 

 

This picture shows the layout of the station, with the engine shed bottom right and the Provins line running north to the top of the picture. The engine shed opened in 1911, replacing a smaller shed adjacent to the junction. 

 

 

Having been designed as a junction for the start Longeville station changed little over the years as these postcards show. 

 

 

The original engine shed can just be made out on the right. 

 

 

The café opposite the station entrance is still there today.

 

 

 

On the left is a train for Provins and Esternay and on the right is a main line train for Paris.  

 

 

The original buildings have been tastefully restored, and beyond a new multi story car park is being built where the goods shed once stood. 

 

 

 

 

The station was built with a single track through the platforms to allow a quick interchange and this feature remains today. The unit had arrived from Paris and was about to reverse to run up the branch to Provins. The units on the right were stored. 

 

 

We saw no freight traffic while we were there, and no loco hauled passenger trains. 

 

 

The new car park is on the left. The original loco shed stood to the right of the cream building, the branch to Provins curving away to the right behind it. 

 

Peter

Edited June 25, 2017 by kirtleypete

[Gordonwis]

I actually stayed in the Hotel de la Gare for the 2009 Ajecta festival. They were having a bash at refurbishing the rooms (but in old style still with loo down the corridor - it was a delightful throw back. There was also a meal available but it was a 'fixed' menu (and lovely it was too!) By the time of the 2011 Ajecta event it had closed down again and we had to stay at Nangis 

 

 

euuurgh - hate the new car park.

 

Preferred the old scene...

 

 

Edited June 27, 2017 by Gordonwis

[kirtleypete]

They've just begun work on the 68000, one end was newly painted in a very gloss blue which looked very odd as the rest of it was just like it is in your picture. 

 

 

Have you any more pictures of the goods shed? That area has been completely redeveloped.

 

I wasn't going to bother posting pictures of AJECTA as it's so familiar, but these shots might be of interest; they were relaying some of the tracks from the turntable into the shed, probably for the first time since 1911! The rail was real heavy duty stuff on concrete sleepers but with a couple of wooden sleepers at each end where it will show. Once it's all in place no one will be any the wiser. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least were able to see a loco moving and the turntable in use! 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter

Edited June 27, 2017 by kirtleypete

[Joseph_Pestell]

I actually stayed in the Hotel de la Gare for the 2009 Ajecta festival. They were having a bash at refurbishing the rooms (but in old style still with loo down the corridor - it was a delightful throw back. There was also a meal available but it was a 'fixed' menu (and lovely it was too!) By the time of the 2011 Ajecta event it had closed down again and we had to stay at Nangis 

 

 

euuurgh - hate the new car park.

 

Preferred the old scene...

 

 

That car park is a bit el cheapo grot. But I would be happy to have the same at our local stations, Gillingham & Tisbury. Good to see that Longueville has good enough passenger traffic to justify such a car park.

[kirtleypete]

I doubt if it has, but when AJECTA have a big event on it gets overwhelmed and the roads to the station are all very narrow and winding. There's hardly any parking on the museum site. I'd be interested to know who has paid for all the new work,

 

Peter

[Gordonwis]

I doubt if it has, but when AJECTA have a big event on it gets overwhelmed and the roads to the station are all very narrow and winding. There's hardly any parking on the museum site. I'd be interested to know who has paid for all the new work,

 

Peter

 

 

 

I agree. Whenever I have visited Longueville, it seems very sleepy. I'm not convinced there is huge commuter traffic into Paris.

 

 

.