Jon Gwinnett Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Chris's SNCF Freight thread has reminded me why I love French railways, and here are some shots from our last trip to (hopefully) explain why. If I could fit this into my loft, I'd be a contented man, even if it was just an oval or two... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJH584 Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Terrific photos and I can see why you would like to incorporate it into a layout. What amazes me is that there isn't any fencing/walling between the track and the roads. Regards David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Yeah - common throughout Europe. Only in the UK is it assumed folk are too stupid to avoid the fast moving heavy lumps of metal! I think some true high speed lines are fenced - but afaik that's to keep livestock out. It has to be said that even on that sort of line, a double unit TGV ramping past is quite impressive! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 I should mention that the shots along the Cote D'Esterel owe much to the inspiration provided by a chap called Ian Leech - I've never met him, but his shots on Railpictures.net inspired me to search out the location when we were staying nearby. Here're some examples of his work: http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=197321&nseq=1 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196676&nseq=3 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196304&nseq=4 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196308&nseq=7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Yeah - common throughout Europe. Only in the UK is it assumed folk are too stupid to avoid the fast moving heavy lumps of metal! I think some true high speed lines are fenced - but afaik that's to keep livestock out. It has to be said that even on that sort of line, a double unit TGV ramping past is quite impressive! That patch near St Raphael has an average of about one 'one-under' every week- the figure is greater in summer as people think crossing the tracks is the quickest way to the beach. All LGVs (like all autoroutes) have fencing to stop livestock becoming deadstock- sadly it's not enough to stop things like wild boar in the Morvan, so there are quite a few animal-related delays. If animals are reported in the vicinity of the line, there is a specific procedure to be followed, known as 'BEST' (bestieux= livestock), with trains being slowed down to 'Marche Prudente' in the affected area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSWR Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 For your further entertainment, here's a video I took in 1994 during one of my business trips to the south of France. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJXjy4DF980 Original video was on VHS tape Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Yeah - common throughout Europe. Only in the UK is it assumed folk are too stupid to avoid the fast moving heavy lumps of metal! Agree. Same as the USA (i.e. No Fences). What I do find amazing is many "fans" in the UK think all railways and railroads should be fenced off - it's bloody brain-washing I tell you from the ultimate Nanny State! Nice shots Jon, many of which would have been spoiled with a fence in the way....... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 Agree. Same as the USA (i.e. No Fences). What I do find amazing is many "fans" in the UK think all railways and railroads should be fenced off - it's bloody brain-washing I tell you from the ultimate Nanny State! Nice shots Jon, many of which would have been spoiled with a fence in the way....... Best, Pete. Couldn't agree more. Although as the father of a lively (read chaotic) 6 year old I occasionally wish all stations were like the jubilee line, with doors on the platforms! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 15, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2011 Had a holiday in Spain many years ago (late 1960s early 70s?) and seem to remember the railway appeared to be running along the edge of the beach, between the road and the sand. (Was it Costa Brava/ Costa Dorada?) There was no fence and to get to the beach you had to cross the tracks. The "Catalan Talgo" came past each day, at some speed, so I assume it was a main line. I recall the holiday rep warning people about the trains. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burkitt Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Lovely photos, they bring back memories of a holiday to France in the late nineties. It doesn't look like much has changed since then, the local push pull sets and locos are still going, without even a repaint it would appear. Quite a difference to the UK where since 1998 most things have been repainted at least twice or maybe even more. Also, the lack of lineside fences is the least of the health and safety worries. The doors on the push pull sets close automatically, but can be manually opened at any time, so as soon as the train got going the locals opened the doors and enjoyed the breeze and sea views. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 Had a holiday in Spain many years ago (late 1960s early 70s?) and seem to remember the railway appeared to be running along the edge of the beach, between the road and the sand. (Was it Costa Brava/ Costa Dorada?) There was no fence and to get to the beach you had to cross the tracks. The "Catalan Talgo" came past each day, at some speed, so I assume it was a main line. I recall the holiday rep warning people about the trains. Keith Our honeymoon was in Sicily, and the main line from Catania to Messina ran right along the edge of the beach. Pre Digital camera, so the pictures aren't up to much, but it made sunning yourself all day much more interesting. Fortunately my wife was well aware of my railway interests and didn't find the photography of the trains too off putting... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 Lovely photos, they bring back memories of a holiday to France in the late nineties. It doesn't look like much has changed since then, the local push pull sets and locos are still going, without even a repaint it would appear. Quite a difference to the UK where since 1998 most things have been repainted at least twice or maybe even more. Also, the lack of lineside fences is the least of the health and safety worries. The doors on the push pull sets close automatically, but can be manually opened at any time, so as soon as the train got going the locals opened the doors and enjoyed the breeze and sea views. Paul Yes - the youtube clip above also supports the theory that not that much has changed. Alright the emu's are different, but the loco hauled stock is superficially very similar. So a layout set in the area coudl run a mix of late Era IV, Era V, and Era VI stock without much problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Jon, Does that line run across the border into Italy? I can't remember the name of the guy that modeled that (around his apartment in Italy) but it had lots of peek-a-boo views threading its way around Cathedrals across the backs of beaches etc. All tight urban mix with rock cliffs. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Jon, Does that line run across the border into Italy? I can't remember the name of the guy that modeled that (around his apartment in Italy) but it had lots of peek-a-boo views threading its way around Cathedrals across the backs of beaches etc. All tight urban mix with rock cliffs. Best, Pete. It runs to the frontier at Vingtmille/Ventimiglia, then along the coast towards Genoa and then Pisa. The Italian side is even more spectacular, especially around the Cinque Terre beyond Genoa- IIRC, the model which you describe is based there. The line seems to consist of tunnel/station/covered gallery/station for miles- the best way to watch the trains is from a boat! Much of the original line on the Italian side was single-track, which is being gradually doubled- something you see a lot in Italy. The service during the summer is very heavy- lots of freight to and from Genoa, long-distance passenger services and local trains. We stayed at San Margherita, and took a boat to Sestri Levante, then walked back for part of the way along the original trace of the railway, which now forms part of the coastal footpath. It's well worth a visit if you get a chance. The bit around the border is strange; you go from the very affluent bit around Monaco and Menton, go through a tunnel and come out in Vintimiglia, which is pretty run down in places. We stayed overnight in a hotel on the promontory, which had wonderful views over both sides- we'd arrived in the dark, so it was quite a surprise to look out of the window in the morning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSWR Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Jon, Does that line run across the border into Italy? I can't remember the name of the guy that modeled that (around his apartment in Italy) but it had lots of peek-a-boo views threading its way around Cathedrals across the backs of beaches etc. All tight urban mix with rock cliffs. Best, Pete. The line eastwards from Marseilles pretty much hugs the coast all the way from Saint Raphael through Cannes and Nice, tunnelling under Monaco to the Italian border at Menton (France) and Ventimiglia (Italy). The line continues on in Italy to Genoa. French domestic train services terminate at Nice, Menton or Ventimiglia (including the local push-pull services). International services continue on to Milan or Rome (or did in 1994). Like most European frontiers the boundary between France and Italy here has moved back and forth over the years. The line does go in and out of tunnels as it skirts the densely built-up bays along the coast. Any model of this line would turn out much like you describe for your Italian acquaintance's layout. Somewhere in my slide collection I have pictures of the trip I made by train from Cannes to Milan in the mid 1990s. May be I will dig them out and see if I can get decent scans of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Thanks, guys. I've only done the section between Cannes and Saint Raphael. St. Raphael is a kind of blue collar place too. I used to go there to take a break from MIDEM. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 Thanks, guys. I've only done the section between Cannes and Saint Raphael. St. Raphael is a kind of blue collar place too. I used to go there to take a break from MIDEM. Best, Pete. Same here - only St Raph to Cannes. I liked St Raph, not too pretentious but lovely evening market on the harbour wall. What's MIDEM? RE your earlier comment about the Italian model - irrc it was based loosely on the Cinque Terra, although much of the coast line is similar. Really its a continuous link from Marseilles all the way down to Sicily, only having occasional detours inland - although I think the Cinque Terra are now bypassed in tunnels? Viareggio where we're going this year is south of La Spezia but the line is still only a few 100 metres inland. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhBBob Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Jon, Does that line run across the border into Italy? I can't remember the name of the guy that modeled that (around his apartment in Italy) but it had lots of peek-a-boo views threading its way around Cathedrals across the backs of beaches etc. All tight urban mix with rock cliffs. Best, Pete. I keep this link as a remainder of what I might achieve, one day http://www.rmweb.co....album&album=678 Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Yes that's the Italian layout I was thinking of - it's the same line he modeled (loosely). Beautiful isn't it? Destroyed now, I think................Isn't he doing the Hastings line or something???????????Aargh. MIDEM = Marche International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale. Think Cannes Film Festival but for music. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Fantastic pictures, thanks for sharing. The architecture of French Railway buildings is fascinating especially the different regions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Yes that's the Italian layout I was thinking of - it's the same line he modeled (loosely). Beautiful isn't it? Destroyed now, I think................Isn't he doing the Hastings line or something???????????Aargh. MIDEM = Marche International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale. Think Cannes Film Festival but for music. Best, Pete. Especially for Trisonic: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=357453&nseq=20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Especially for Trisonic: http://www.railpictu...=357453&nseq=20 When I was in Milano about 15 years ago I distinctly remember thinking that the Italians hadn't quite gotten the hang of designing good looking locomotives.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 When I was in Milano about 15 years ago I distinctly remember thinking that the Italians hadn't quite gotten the hang of designing good looking locomotives.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 At least they don't paint them matt 's**t'-brown any more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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