Moves at Limoges and other French Photos

[JeffP]

How did you get 29001 from those chaotic numbers on the 77?

Does the Platform 5 book "translate it"?

[jamie92208]

56 minutes ago, JeffP said:

How did you get 29001 from those chaotic numbers on the 77?

Does the Platform 5 book "translate it"?

Yes the Platform 5 book has the 29001 and 29002 as the first two entries under class 77.   The EVN ending in 461 is the clincher.   Overall the running numbers of private locos are a mess.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a rather damp Charente.   My wife is now recovering well from her shoulder surgery and a kind friend came up and made her tea on Thursday afternoon last week   I picked Andy up and we set off down to our usual spot at Juille.  I called at Ruffec and there were no less than 4 locos in the yard.  Three private G1206's, one of which I needed and a Yo Yo that was at Angouleme, Y8205. The track work is still ongoing on the track so the first train we saw was the work .train heading north at 16.28.

Not long after at 16.47 this steel train appeared behind 27090 which was a cop for both of us.

Then the regular Infra working with 22366 hauling 64601 and 66191.   Both the latter were cops.

At 17.48 Atlantique set 356 appeared going very slowly as it passed us coasting with it's pantographs down as it passed the voltage changeover point.  It came to a halt on the steep grade up to LGV but had got it's pantographs up.

At 18.07 27007 appeared on a heavy steel working.

And finally at 18.41 a lone 67, 67611 in the maroon livery.   I d like these.

A good afternoon/evening was had and the world was put to rights.

 

Jamie

Edited May 20 by jamie92208

[Foulounoux]

Damp..... bit of an understatement 

We've been here past 3 weeks and I have never known it so wet

 

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Foulounoux said:

Damp..... bit of an understatement 

We've been here past 3 weeks and I have never known it so wet

 

 

 

 

Yes it's raining at the moment.  A lot of the crops are being planted late as the farmers haven't been able to prepare the fields. 

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

Arrived here to a bright, warm Limousin, May 10...weather broke May 12, almost incessant rain since.

French Meteo reports a huge depression trapped by three high pressure systems. The depression would normally move east in a day or so, but has now been with us nine days...and four more to go, at least😒

[Ben B]

That 67 does look very pretty in maroon- is it a special heritage repaint, still in SNCF main-line service, or a private operator doing heritage liveries (like LSL do here)?

 

I've a model (well, to be fair, toy) one in HO, I might be tempted to do a maroon repaint having seen that shot...

[brushman47544]

14 minutes ago, Ben B said:

That 67 does look very pretty in maroon- is it a special heritage repaint, still in SNCF main-line service, or a private operator doing heritage liveries (like LSL do here)?

 

I've a model (well, to be fair, toy) one in HO, I might be tempted to do a maroon repaint having seen that shot...

There are two in that livery, 67611 and 67613, as a throwback to the old ‘Capitole’ liveried BB9200s. The Trains du Sud Ouest website shows them as the MAT activity and part of the Infrastructure fleet. I think they are primarily used for stock moves around France - MAT meaning ‘materiale’.

Edited May 21 by brushman47544

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

There are two in that livery, 67611 and 67613, as a throwback to the old ‘Capitole’ liveried BB9200s. The Trains du Sud Ouest website shows them as the MAT activity and part of the Infrastructure fleet. I think they are primarily used for stock moves around France - MAT meaning ‘materiale’.

 

2 hours ago, Ben B said:

That 67 does look very pretty in maroon- is it a special heritage repaint, still in SNCF main-line service, or a private operator doing heritage liveries (like LSL do here)?

 

I've a model (well, to be fair, toy) one in HO, I might be tempted to do a maroon repaint having seen that shot...

Yes they do do stock moves to and from repair depots etc.  That one does look nice.  We do get stock moves taki g stock down to be repaired at a factory somewhere south of Pau. 

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

I just cannot believe it.  2 months since the French equivalent of Victor Meldrew updated this thread.  Life seems to have got in the way but yesterday was our monthly Model railway Group meeting and afterwards Andy and I spent a pleasant couple of hours on Ruffec station.   The big advantage there is that the signal box is on the platform and the various Chefs du Gare sometimes tell us what trains are due.    Yesterday was no exception.   We got there about 4.50pm and stayed till just after 7.  

 

First off a northbound steel train came through with 27062, 27001 and 60101 on the front.   It sort of surprised us so I didn't get a photo.  However 60101 was a cop for me and another line in the book.

Next the 5pm locals appeared.  Here is the northbound.

 

At this point the bell began to ring and the southbound log train appeared slowing down.

75045 and 055 doing the honours.  The reason it was slowing down was that it was being sent through the southbound loop. Apparently this has to have a train through it every 24 hours.

 

As it headed south without stopping.

 

We could follow it on the mimic panel.

 

There was a path for a freight at 18.42 but nothing appeared so we waited till the next southbound local/

Not a lot but we enjoyed it despite the 30 plus degree heat.

 

Jamie

[JeffP]

I have spent many a happy hour on the platforms at Miramas, between Marseille and Avignon.

I have to say that the heat and the incessant cicadas added to my pleasure.

Back in the day it was so busy that sometimes three trains arrived at the same time.

Like all locations in France, it's now a pale memory of itself 🙄

[brushman47544]

The station looks very quiet, or were the passengers waiting in shade rather than on the platforms?

[jamie92208]

19 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

The station looks very quiet, or were the passengers waiting in shade rather than on the platforms?

There weren't many but they did wait in the shade.  Most of the passengers were getting off the trains from Poitiers and Angouleme. 

 

Jamie

[caradoc]

3 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

There weren't many but they did wait in the shade.   

 

 

They clearly were not mad dogs or Englishmen then!

 

[jamie92208]

51 minutes ago, caradoc said:

 

They clearly were not mad dogs or Englishmen then!

 

Only the two on the platform, putting the world to rights. 

 

Jamie

Edited July 21 by jamie92208

[Stephen Freeman]

They have certainly spent some money modernising the station infrastructure since last I was there, catenary posts look as though they need some paint though.

[jamie92208]

On 27/07/2024 at 08:10, Stephen Freeman said:

They have certainly spent some money modernising the station infrastructure since last I was there, catenary posts look as though they need some paint though.

Nouvelle Aquitaine put a lot of mobility money into it a couple of years ago.  The usable platforms can now only take 6 car units and have been raised plus the bridge and lifts have been installed. 

 

Jamie

Edited August 4 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Bon Apres midi from the Charente where it is cloudy but warm.   Not s warm as earlier in the week when it got up to about 38 degrees and nothing got done on an afternoon.   Andy and I had got out the previous Friday but I forgot my camera so no report for that.  There were also very few trains.    However this last Friday Andy and I got passouts for a late afternoon session.   It seems that the trains are now running again on an afternoon so we got down to Juille for 13.50 and were rewarded, 5 minutes later, with a double TGV heading north from Angouleme,   212 and 4704 the latter was a line in the book for me.

I'd forgotten my long lens but here it is in the distance.  It was going a lot faster than normal and had both pantographs up very early so was putting down the power as it joined the LGV.   Even then the following train on the LGV had to slow down a bit as it passed the junction.  An interesting bt of regulating.   Then at 14.11 This hove into view. 27009 on a long steel train.

It's interesting that the freight drivers often sound their horns if we wave  we photograph them but never the TGV's.

Nothing much then till 15.09 when these two infra 67's came north. 510 and 543.

Nothing much then for nearly 2 hours apart from a TGV for Paris.   Then at 16.40 the log train came south behind 75045 and 75043. 43 was another line in the book.

The log trains are really long as you can see from tis photo.

Then, what is becoming an unusual sight, two Atlantiques running in multiple. at 17.46.   366 and 368.

Then the various locals that provide what asses for a commuter service.   The last of these at 19.13 was an 84XXX so the camera was used to read the number.

Two 700 class TGV's then followed of which 714 gave me a third line in the book.   Finally at 19.52 a double headed stone train appeared behind 75037 and 75008.

Here are the locos.

Gums were well bumped, coffee beer and cake were consumed and the world was a better place.  A good afternoon.

 

Jamie

Edited August 4 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a sunny Charente.   Andy and I went out last Friday but were very disappointed by the lack of traffic.   First up was the usual TGV to Strasbourg that had 4710 plus 210.  4710 was a line in the book.  Just after 14.00 a short freight headed north behind 27018 and then there was not a lot.

There was a northbound 81XXX

 

 

 

1

 

1

Another photo was necessary to et the number.

Then the late afternoon TGV headed north, two 800's.

No other freight.   We have now given up on Fridays and are due to ead out this coming Wednesday.

 

Jamie

 

Edited August 26 by jamie92208

[Foulounoux]

When we drove back up to calais yesterday they were working on the classic line at Saint Saviol one line certainly was occupied by an rail excavator 

 

Wonder if it was same on Friday hence less traffic 

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

1 minute ago, Foulounoux said:

When we drove back up to calais yesterday they were working on the classic line at Saint Saviol one line certainly was occupied by an rail excavator 

 

Wonder if it was same on Friday hence less traffic 

 

 

 

There is a big TSO presence in the yard at Ruffec with three G1206 Locos.  The up line through the station has been relayed with new rail.  I think that they are working in the mornings. Photos to follow. 

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon, just from the Charente.   I had an abortive shopping trip to Ruffec on Friday but did manage a bit f time on the station.  The recently refurbished sidings appear to be being put to good use.   The contractor TSO has a lot of equipment parked there.   They are obviously doing rail replacement and have installed some gantries for transferring rails from train to train.

There was what I think is called a slinger on the end of one of the trains.  I think this actually feeds the rails onto the ground

They have three G1206's on site.

Here's the other one.

Then a tamper and some other self propelled machine.

The long lens helped get the numbers.

They are obviously working most mornings as the lunchtime locals have been retimed.  Here the southbound was just leavng at 13.06

The up line through the station has obviously been relaid.

 

Jamie

Edited August 31 by jamie92208

[Fat Controller]

On 29/08/2024 at 17:17, jamie92208 said:

There is a big TSO presence in the yard at Ruffec with three G1206 Locos.  The up line through the station has been relayed with new rail.  I think that they are working in the mornings. Photos to follow. 

 

Jamie

Probably trying to do the re-railing before it gets too hot; must be a nightmare with the temperatures I've seen on the Meteo sites. 

[jamie92208]

40 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

Probably trying to do the re-railing before it gets too hot; must be a nightmare with the temperatures I've seen on the Meteo sites. 

That makes a lot of sense.  It's getting a bit cooler now. Only 27 forecast for this afternoon. 

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

After I left Ruffec on Thursday I met up with Andy, as I was over there, and we had a pleasant hour or two at Juille.   There was even a bit of freight traffic.

First off a 27 on a steel train.

It was a somewhat gloomy afternoon but this was brightened by the appearance of a car train behind a 186.

This was it's usual length but not heavily loaded. 186 171 was a welcome line in the book

Then finally 27020, another old friend.

Jamie