Moves at Limoges and other French Photos

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.   A few more photos from our trip to Orleans. I mentioned the difficulty of finding a proper number on the class 182.   Well, the Long lens solved the problem.  This framed A4 sheet of paper was mounted on the side of the cab.

Lo and behold a proper EVN in 20 point type.   Totally different to any other numbers painted on the loco.  What a way to run a railway. Anyway after 3 hours with no freights we caught a tram back to Central station and boarded our train to Tours.   This took us via St Pierre des corps, into Tours station.  This was an impressive stub ended terminus.

The impressive long train had a ghost liveried Sybic at it's head.

Alongside the train shed were quite a few stabling sidings and this shunter was hiding in the corner.

This was the best that I could get of the train shed but it is an impressive station.

And one of the tram lines runs down the side of the stabling sidings.

I really must clean my lens.

 

Anyway after that it was time to catch a train back to Ruffec.  This time via the classic line rather than the LGV with a change at Chattellerault to get an Angouleme service with a cross platform interchange. En route we saw several grain terminals with 66191 (EWS) working one near Chatellerault and a 75XXX working one near St Saviol.  All in all a cracking day out with many new lines in the book.

 

Jamie

 

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[JeffP]

It would have been late 90's, even possibly early 00's.

I did manage to get round every large depot except the two in central Paris, La Chappelle and La Villette.

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, JeffP said:

It would have been late 90's, even possibly early 00's.

I did manage to get round every large depot except the two in central Paris, La Chappelle and La Villette.

That sounds like my trip in about 95. La Chapelle was memprable for the tightly locked door on the bridge as well as the somewhat interesting offers from the young ladies on the pavement. I managed Archere, VSG and Paris sud Ouest.

 

Jamie

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

That sounds like my trip in about 95. La Chapelle was memprable for the tightly locked door on the bridge as well as the somewhat interesting offers from the young ladies on the pavement. I managed Archere, VSG and Paris sud Ouest.

 

Jamie

In the early 1990s, my wife did a signalling course at La Chapelle; walking to the shed with her one day, I observed that the hotels in the vicinity had an hourly rate, as opposed to the more usual daily rate. I suspect they were of the sort Tom Waits described as 'somewhere where they never changed the sheets'. 

[jamie92208]

A few pleasant hours were spent in the sun, sitting on Luxe station yesterday afternoon.  Not a lot of traffic as I think there was work going on till after 3pm.   However, there were some trains.   The usual northbound TGV came through on it's way from Angouleme to the LGV then the signal stayed red but a train appeared, 27002 heading north with a load of steel and some tanks of Acrylonitrile.  This was held for over half an hour.

Eventually the signal cleared and interestingly the permitted speed of 120 kph was displayed.

That set off very slowly but only using one pantograph.  The wagon labels showed that the train had come from the Spanish border at Irun.

I was expecting a torrent of freight but no such luck.  A pair of double deck TGV's headed north.  Both from the new batch that is gradually replacing the Atlantiques, 843 and 845. 

Then the regular Infra working with 22277 hauling it.  Most of the load was two locotracteurs.

 

Not a lot but a pleasant afternoon.

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Been a long time since I was on  a French train.

I used to buy a five day Eurodomino ticket.

Last time was 1999 or so. The Thomas Cooke European timetable was also useful.

Can I ask what the cost of your train trip to Les Aubrais was?

[jamie92208]

35 minutes ago, JeffP said:

Been a long time since I was on  a French train.

I used to buy a five day Eurodomino ticket.

Last time was 1999 or so. The Thomas Cooke European timetable was also useful.

Can I ask what the cost of your train trip to Les Aubrais was?

No probs, €70  with Senior discount.

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Not cheap then.

[jamie92208]

10 minutes ago, JeffP said:

Not cheap then.

No, probably as it was at the start of a bank holiday weekend. With the folliwing Tuesday being Toussant, the day of the dead, many folk took the Monday as a bridge day.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Just realised that I've not posted on here for 2 months. I have not been away from trains all the time though.  There have ben a lot of engineering works and strikes so some of the days have been pretty dire.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  However the new Platform 5 French book has arrived despite the postal chaos and much underlining has been done to get it ready for use in anger.  This has also cleared up some anomalies and allowed me to enter up various new stuff that got seen such as the Z31500's that Andy and I saw at Annemasse and Geneva.   The updated list of extanct TGV Atlantiques means that I have don't need any of the remaining ones.    One that had eluded me for a long time was no 400.   It's now gone so I have marked the whole class as seen.   That's beaten my previous best which is the 222XX's that currently stand at 92%.

 

Anyway I had to take a friend to Niort on Tuesday and what should arrive to take her to Paris but TGV401.

Bon Annee

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Nice to see you back.

I have the new Platform 5 book, but sadly, for interest only now.

My wife's condition means my trip out days are permanently curtailed.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a windy Charente.  I had a day out yesterday with a trip to Poitiers then Niort.   I parked up n the multi  storey at the station and waited and waited.   Not a lot was happening over lunch apart from units arriving after a lunchtime excursion then heading for the sidings. The stock utilisation is appalling.   They must spend the majority of each 24 hours in the sidings.   The first proper working was a northbound TGV, the number brought back many teenage memories of listening to 208 on a transistor radio with an earphone. I believe that the Long Wave station is about to close down.

Anyway it set of towards Paris.

Then an Atlantique set came in from Paris with the power cars in the 'green' livery'.

Then an EWS 66 headed north Light Engine followed fairly closely by a 186 on a train of cars from Spain.   I missed the number .  It's the first 186 I've seen for several months.   A freight followed behind 27009, one of the regulars than this appeared from the south,  60148

Hauling a complete rake of double deck TGV coaches.

You don't often see this sight.

These were the coach numbers so I think they may be for set 838.

I presume that they had just been completed at Aytre near La Rochelle.

Then I headed for Niort to meet a friend who needed a lift home.  This rather scruffy Infra loco was in theyard.

69294

 

 

Jamie

 

[jamie92208]

Good evening.  I got out again yesterday and on a wet afternoon Andy and I headed to our usual spot at Juille. Not a lot happened in the first hour but after we both perused out new Platform 5 books I ws able to work out that the rake of TGV trailers that I had seen last week at Poitiers were the coaches for set 893.  Presumably they were on test from Aytre before being mated with their power cars.

Anyway as soon as we opened a bottle of beer trains started to appear.  First was 27017 on a long and colourful train of Tanktainers.

Next was the regular Infrastructure train with 22295 and 22277 hauling 69281

3 minutes later a double double deck TGV with sets 846 and 830 headed north onto the LGV. 7 minutes after that a B845XX unit headed south empty stock.

8 minutes after that 27039 appeared with a long mixed freight.

Between the tanks and the steel carriers was a long rake of sugar carriers.  These are not as white as they used to be.

Then at 4.23pm a DE18 light engine appeared from the north. In Effiage colours my long lens enabled me to ID it as 92 87 4185 008-7  a nice line n the book.

20 minutes later a northbound local rounded off the afternoon.

All in all a good afternoon out.

 

Jamie

Edited February 3, 2023 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.   Nothing posted for a while but Andy and I had a grand afternoon out yesterday.   He's having a knee replacement on Monday so was glad to get out of the house and take his mind of things. Over the last couple of weeks I've taken a friend to Niort to catch trains.  Here two 84XXX Regiolis units come in from the north heading for La Rochelle.

Then our friends train for Paris arrived, one of the few remaining Atlantique sets.

Last week on 27th January Andy and I had an afternoon out and there was more traffic than our previous visit but I forgot my camera.   Yesterday I remembered the camera.   We saw a couple of TGV's part way to our usual spot, one of which was new to me, 4410 on a Strasbourg working.  Then we headed down to juille and within a minute this 27 appeared with a steel train.

4 minutes later 189 179 appeared with a very long car train from Spain.

We'd seen a car train the week before so that's 2 186's this year so far.  The car trains are very long.  This is less than half of it.

Not long afterwards  22366 appeared with empty ballast wagons.

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Not long afterwards 2 Effiage DE18's headed north light engine.

After them came a double headed freight with 27069 and 066 on the front.  069 was a cop for me.

Then another 27 came past with tanktainers.

Another TGV with two 800's went onto the LGV one of them new to me.   Finally 69213 came along with just one wagon.

The two locals rounded out the afternoon.   We even saw a southbound empty stock B81XXX unit.  All in all one of the busiest afternoons we have ever had.   

 

Jamie

Edited February 3, 2023 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a warm and sunny Charente.   It was also warm and sunny in Poitiers yesterday.  I had to go there for a lunch with my railway modelling group then had to wait a few hours to pick up a neighbour who was coming back from a holiday in Strasbourg.   By some mischance I ended up in the multi storey car park at the station for the afternoon.   What I wasn't expecting was a feast of trains. As I arrived I saw a tanktainer train parked in the goods yard waiting to head south.  27005 was at the head.

The train was it's usual length and stretched north into the distance.

Not long after a soutnbound Ouigo pulled into platform 1.   It parked very conveniently.

Then an infra train appeared from the south topped and tailed by CTSF G1206's, 1126 was at the head.

It eventually headed north with 1152 at the rear.

I noticed a couple of teenagers obviously trainspotting on platform 1, not a common sight in France..

Next up was the regular train of Spanish built cars with a 186 at the head.

Sadly my camera battery died at that point and I'd left my camera bag at home by mistake.   I decided to go and ask the youngsters if they knew the number of the 186.   They turned out to be a brother and sister from Limoges on a half term day put with their grandmother.   Enzo, the lad, told me the number of the 186, it was 336, a cop for me.   I got chatting to them and they were a delight to talk to.  Several more trains passed. 27068 headed north with tankers and steel followed by  66225 with cereals. A military train was seen heading into the goods yard from the north with a 60xxx on it but our view was obscured by another Ouigo set.  Then this appeared and stopped by us. I decided to use my phone.

4027 on a train of logs.   It waited at the signal but 27005 was signalled out first so came past it.

 4027 followed the tanktainers  south and I walked up and got a shot of the military train.   Sadly the 60xxx had gone.

It was then time to meet our friend off the train but as we drove out of the car park 27123 headed south on an intermodal.   What a cracking afternoon and good company.  

2  x 27xxx.s, 1 x 186, a 4000, and a G1206 along with several TGV's and units.    I've made Andy jealous as he is laid up following a knee replacement on Monday.

 

Jamie

[EddieB]

Doesn't seem right, but it seems the phone pics are at least as good as those taken on a "proper" camera!

[jamie92208]

47 minutes ago, EddieB said:

Doesn't seem right, but it seems the phone pics are at least as good as those taken on a "proper" camera!

They were actually higher res. That surprised me.

 

Jamie

[brushman47544]

1 hour ago, EddieB said:

Doesn't seem right, but it seems the phone pics are at least as good as those taken on a "proper" camera!

 

Depth of field in poor light is where my phone camera loses.

[jamie92208]

I had a day out yesterday to a model railway group meeting.  On the way there I went through Prahecq and checked out the wine train siding.  The tankers were parked in the usual place.

I was also able to see what looked like a shunting tractor hiding d like a shunting tractor hiding in the compound.

No idea bout what make it is.

Then off for a good meal and on to Poitiers and the car park.   A pair of Atlantiques passed me en route.  Another pair came in to Poitiers from Paris with the power cars in the green promotional livery.

A rake of newish nut partially graffitied steel carriers were parked without a loco.

There was very little freight but this military train came through with 27006 in charge.

Then last of all a 72xxx unit worked in from the south before stablng.

 

A pleasant afternoon.

 

Jamie

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a part of the world that isn't gripped by coronation fever.   despite two trips to the UK since I last posted I have managed a bit of time at the lineside. 27th April Andy and I escaped and enjoyed an afternoon at Juille putting the world to rights.

When we drive down we stopped as usual where we can see the high speed line and noticed that the train that calls at Angouleme had obviously used the normally southbound chord to access the LGV as it was a little late and running much faster than usual.  As we arrived at Juille the reason was apparent. This little machine and it's gang were checking and adjusting the catenary on the northbound spur.  Here they are doing some adjustments on the neutral section between the 1500 v DC and the 25 Kv AC.   The TGV's coast through here with pantographs down.

The gang were heading south when they were passed by a track machine.

w.o days later I was n my own as I had some shopping to don in Angouleme.  It would have been rude not to call at the station to eat a croque monsieur.  A couple of freights came though including this southbound,

On my way home I stopped at Luxe and saw a local arriving heading south.

Anyway 3rd of May on a nice sunny afternoon Andy and I escaped again.   This freight headed north just as a Ouigo headed south at speed.

A rather more sedate track machine followed.

Then a long and colourful tanktainer train.

And the regular infra train with two 69208 and a classmate behind a 222xx. 

Then the In Oui  service coasted past.  twin double deckers in the 800 series.  They had just raised their pantographs when I manged to get this shot with a southbound going past.

Then the regular LPG and steel train.

A long heavy tail of steel coil after the tankers.

All in all a very pleasant afternoon.

 

Jamie

[Re6/6]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

.  It would have been rude not to call at the station to eat a croque monsieur. 

...Aaah..a proper croque....

 

I bought a so-called one on the way to the Bristol show last week which was abominable. A microwaved block of goo!

[jamie92208]

A good afternoon was had yesterday.   Not too many trains but 4 locos went into the book, which is good going.  

The first freight , hauled by 27017 was a mixture of steel carriers and these.  I believe that they are sugar containers bringing sugar from Spain, marked Foodstuffs only in English.

Next up was the usual long train of car carriers with cars from Spain. 20, double units, each with 12 cars on hauled by a 186, that was a cop for both of us. 186 323.

Next up was a regular steel train which had  27067 on the front then 75407 dead in train.   They often seem to have a French 66 with them.  We suspect it's to act as a 'last mile loco' at the end of the run.  This is the first time that a 75 has appeared.

Then one of the signals that we can see south of us changed aspect, the one on the left here.

 

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Both are usually like the right hand one and we have noticed before that if the left hand one goes like this a train usually appears within a few minutes.   This time it stayed like that for well over an hour.  After about 45 miutes this appeared.

211 058 heading south light engine, probably heading for the LGV maintenance yard just south of Luxe at Villongnon.   10 minutes later the usual southbound local appeared.

 

All in all a good afternoon.

 

Jamie

 

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[JeffP]

Spent a couple of days in La Rochelle for the wife's birthday.

She enjoyed herself apart from having to come down two flights of circular stairs on her bum on the last morning because the lift was broken.

I thought I'd add these on here rather than having a new thread for two photos.

Hope you don't mind Jamie.

The first is the very grand frontage of La Rochelle station.

 

A "stolen" photo of two of the original Atlantique TGV sets waiting to depart south.

 

I say "stolen" as it was taken through a grille, as I'd been summarily denied permission to take ANY photos in a public space by two very officious guys in the information booth.

They insisted that ANY photography in a public space is illegal in France!

When I pointed out that La Rochelle is full of tourists with cameras, the one in SNCF uniform went as far as to say that if he saw any and thought he might be on their photo, he would take their camera and demand they deleted the photo, or he'd destroy the camera as that was his right!

I've never come across this attitude before.🤔

[jamie92208]

Feel free to  post Jeff.  Sorry to hear about the jobsworths. I've never had any trouble. 

 

Jamie

[Erichill16]

I didnt even have any trouble in St.Petersberg or Vladivostok just pre Covid!