Railways in france, 1980's/90's more pics added 01/2015

[JeffP]

Evening at Beziers, and a southbound express pauses in the charge of BB7200 class, No.7287.

 

With Toulouse depot in the background and the traverser in front, newly painted BB7200 class 7206 awaits it's next duty.

 

I think this is Gare de l'Est, and BB16032 waits to leave with a train of Corail stock.

 

And I think this is Gare de Lyon, with BB63136 on ecs duties.

 

Three shots of what I think is an early DB ICE set at Lyon. it turns out to be set 27 of the Italian ETR463 class Pendolino. Thanks.

[DavidB]

Love the photos - but isn't that an Italian ETR460 Pendolino at Lyon, rather than an ICE?

 

David

[Andy Hayter]

I agree, it looks Italian and that would make more sense with the Modane link to Turin and Milan.

It certainly is not a DB ICE.

[EddieB]

It's actually an FS Trenitalia ETR 463 set.  The ETR 463 was an adaptation of the ETR 460 Pendolino for operation into Lyon (from Milan).  Three sets were modified (1995/6) to run on the French 1.5kV system and downrated to a maximum 200km/h.  This is set no. 27 (the others being 21 and 28).  The units have since (2005) been converted back to single voltage (3kV dc) for domestic operation.

[JeffP]

Hi, thanks for the above, post amended.

[JeffP]

 

These two withdrawn shunters were the only locos found at my abortive visit to Orleans les Aubrais depot, another one closed before I made it there.

In the foreground is Y6577, behind it appears to be a Y5000 or Y2400 series loco.

 

At Tours St Pierre depot, this appears to be an ex Y5000 loco, now numbered LOCMA0074.

 

Brightly painted Y2200 series loco also in use as a LOCMA at Tours St Pierre depot. (LOCMA: LOco de MAnoeuvres, a type of shunter confined to depots and works.)

 

Long shot of Tours St Pierre depot.

 

Line up at Tours St Pierre with three newer shunters and BB66238.

 

Two shots of one of the shuttle trains, painted specially, to travel between Tours St Pierre and Tours Ville, this one headed by BB9641, named "Tours".

[Focalplane]

For a couple of years we stayed at a very good auberge near Azay le Rideau on our way down south.  The local station was up and running but I never saw any trains pass through.  Like so many cities, Tours railway facilities have seen better days.  But at least the infrastructure is still there.

[JeffP]

No more until Sunday, I'm away this weekend, sorry.

 

I meant to post some this morning, but have been too busy.

[JeffP]

Two views of (then) newly painted BB7200 class, No.7219 at Tours St Pierre.

 

Another long view of Tours depot.

 

BB67200 series locos at tours, with 67235 nearest camera. I'm unsure of what the diagonal hatching on the buffers of the other loco facing us denotes. Anyone?

 

Three views of ex SNCF Y2100 series loco, Y2140. It works from the cereal silos where the N154 crosses the TGV and classic lines at Allonnes, south of Chartes, and is usually visible from the road. Further examples can be found across the Beauce area, one at Voves, one at Bonneval and others I'm unsure of. All are ex-SNCF shunters from the Y2100/2200/2400 series.

 

The above loco can be readily seen on Google Earth street view from the bridge passing over the lines, it is usually parked under the loading chute which affords some small cover from the weather.

[JeffP]

I'm pretty sure this is Avignon depot, after the BB65500 "Dakota" locos were moved from Miramas, here's the lineup with 65527 nearest camera.

 

A close-up shot of a pair of BB67200 series locos, with 67216 on the left, showing a special coupling, used, I believe for coupling to TGV sets.

 

This is definitely Avignon, with one of the two remaining "rotondes" (roundhouses) on show. BB62500 series, No 62508 nearest, still in NS livery. These had also been used on the construction of the LGV Sud-est to Marseille/Nimes.

 

Rather newer, BB27005 parked up for the weekend at Avignon.

 

And here is 27033, brand new awaiting acceptance trials. Apart from grease on the buffer heads, the loco was pristine.

[JeffP]

Miramas, and BB9300 series No. 9312 waits to leave northbound with a train of Corail stock. It will probably go to Toulouse or even Bordeaux.

 

Closer shots of the above train.

 

Here is newly repainted CC6500 series, No. 6512 at Miramas, it had come off the shed and was probably heading to one of the refineries for it's train.

 

I'm pretty sure that BB7200 series No.7278 is pictured at Narbonne, with a long mixed freight.

[Fat Controller]

Re the diagonal hatching on the 672xx at Tours; I suspect it indicates that it's one of the TVM-fitted machines for rescue/works trains on TGV Atlantique. Two of the Avignon locos have similar markings (and those couplings whose name I can't spell..)

[Pacific231G]

Re the diagonal hatching on the 672xx at Tours; I suspect it indicates that it's one of the TVM-fitted machines for rescue/works trains on TGV Atlantique. Two of the Avignon locos have similar markings (and those couplings whose name I can't spell..)

Scharfenberg couplers? and yes I think these are the locos used for rescue/works on LGVs. Apparently they can often be seen hanging around in Tours as can similar locos in Lille etc.

[JeffP]

And lo and behold, there's a picture of a pair so fitted at Avignon above. And at least the buffers are hatched, you can't make out if anything else is.

[JeffP]

 Not sure, but I think this is Angouleme one quiet Sunday afternoon, April 2002. BB9200 series, No. 9203 rests between duties.

 

Angouleme again, and an unidentified BB9200 loco brings a train of car carriers through.

 

Miramas, and CC6500 series No. 6558, still in "Maurienne Green" brings a load of tanks through from Marseille refineries.

 

 

Around the turntable at Miramas, BB62400 series loco, No. 62418, still in NS livery. The building behind is the offices etc for Miramas depot.

 

And looking the other way, a line up of locos, including five of the 65500 series.

 

[kintbury jon]

As always, great photos.  Thanks for sharing them Jeff.

[JeffP]

Miramas, two views of then virtually new BB27000 series, No.27006.

 

Worksplate of above loco.

 

On the turntable at Miramas, BB67000 series, No. 67063.

 

Two views of preserved BB4100 series, E4162, outside the museum at Miramas. Behind it is preserved Y6000 shunter, Y6013.

 

BB65500 "Dakota" locomotives around the turntable at Miramas.

 

Little and large, BB8000 series No. 8123 stands beside CC6500 series No. 6558 at Miramas.

 

 

 

[JeffP]

Preserved BB8000 series No 8177 at Miramas.

 

Avignon depot, the end for a couple of CC7100 locos, the cutter seems to go right round the body, which is then lifted off by crane, exposing the insides.

 

Master-Slave shunter parked next to another doomed CC7100 at Avignon.

 

Two shots of ex-NS class BB62400 locos at Avignon, No's 62413 heads a line of five, with 62453 behind.

 

BB8152, Avignon.

 

Y7000 serires shunter Y7277 has been repainted for use on the LGV SE at Eurre.

 

The evening sunshine highlights steam loco, class 141 r(??) at Toulouse, with it's support coach.

[bluedepot]

fantastic photos!

 

excellent weathering on Y2140!!!

 

 

Tim

[JeffP]

Thanks, I'm always surprised to see it graffiti-free, but being in the middle of the Beauce and not near any large urban connurbation, I suppose most graffiti-"artists" won't know of it's existence.

 

The nearest habitation is actually called "Demainville"...which translates as: "Tomorrow Town". Fascinated me as a kid. (1960's).

[Focalplane]

That class 141 Mikado is beautiful. I understand it is no longer in Toulouse and was last heard with a for sale sign in Switzerland. It used to do regular main line steam trips out of Toulouse. Very attractive for what I think was an austerity locomotive.

[EddieB]

I think it's 141R.1126, which as far as I know remains at Toulouse.  It's an oil-burning example, built by Alco in 1947.  Put on display at Narbonne during the 1980s, it was returned to working order in 1991.

 

Twelve 141Rs have survived, of which (according to Wikipedia) five are in Switzerland.

[Focalplane]

I think it's 141R.1126, which as far as I know remains at Toulouse.  It's an oil-burning example, built by Alco in 1947.  Put on display at Narbonne during the 1980s, it was returned to working order in 1991.

 

Twelve 141Rs have survived, of which (according to Wikipedia) five are in Switzerland.

That's good news.

[JeffP]

Spent some time today uploading the last of my French photos...those I can find anyway. I seem to have mislaid some, I know I have loads from Chalindrey, Lens, Bordeaux, Chambery, Venissieux to name but a few, but cannot find the  prints, let alone the negs.

 

Anyway, a few for tonight:

 

This is behind the station at Vergigny Gare, south of St Florentin on the N77. A track machine of some sort.

 

BB7346, still with the cast numbers on it's sides, rolls through Vergigny Gare with a southbound cereal train.

 

This delightful little Krass 0-4-0 used to stand on the roundabout outside Montalieu, in the Savoie region of France, close to an area of the Rhone known as "La Vallee Bleue" It was used to attract tourists to visit the narrow gauge (60cm gauge), line that ran beside the Rhone. I'm unsure if it still runs. the above loco had gone last time I was in the area.**

 

two shots of the Decauville 0-6-0 that was hauling trains on the line in 1994

 

And finally, one of it's worksplate.

This is a good photo for the argument about liveries, colours etc. The loco itself was clearly painted brown. The plate, however, appears to be on a GREEN background......

 

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemin_de_fer_du_Haut-Rh%C3%B4ne

 

**Researched it a bit better: the 0-6-0 is being repaired for a boiler leak, the 0-4-0 is now the prime mover for the line which still operates.

[Fat Controller]

The track machine is one of several types of 'draisine'; essentially a means of moving track workers between work-sites when carrying out light maintenance or inspections. SNCF is still quite keen on a regime of 'Periodes Blanches', when there would be no traffic over a section of line for an hour during the day, to allow for a visual inspection; as the 'period blanche' moves along a line, some sort of transport is required for the personnel. There are larger draisines fitted with 'HIAB'-style cranes, or sometimes with a catenary inspection platform.

I stopped for a look at the CF de Haut Rhone about four years or so after your picture was taken; I have a shot somewhere of my god-daughter (who's from Lyon/ Beaujolais) standing in front of the loco.- she'd have been nine or ten at the time. The line was originally a standard-gauge route from near Amberieu, I believe, and part of the original section remains to serve some sort of nuclear establishment. Incidentally, it's in the Isére Departément (38); Savoie is slightly further east and south.

There was a good restaurant across the Nationale from the railway; I recollect having stuffed quail..