Prototype Modern French Railways, Mostly "Sud de France"

[Focalplane]

Near Leucate La Franqui.

The lagoons between Narbonne and Perpignan are picturesque and the railway quite literally stays close to them, affording views of the sea, islands, flamingos and the Pyrenees.

Several communities along this stretch are served by local trains with an approximate hourly service except mid morning and mid afternoon when more freight trains will be seen. While not as busy as the line around Nissan, the variety is much the same. Back in 2013 the service to Barcelone by TGV was about to start, so this Duplex was only going as far as Perpignan:


25 March 2013

As the TGV moved past, Le Canigu came into view:


25 March 2013

On the other side of Leucate La Franqui Station I stopped to see what was then a novelty, a regional loco-hauled train with custom painted coaches:


25 March 2013

I have ridden in these coaches and they are some of the most comfortable to be found.

The town in the distance is modern Fitou, the centre of an excellent red wine appelation. The old village is hidden in a sheltering valley for those wind turbines are some of the most efficient to be found, very rarely are they still.

 

[Focalplane]

Watching trains at Leucate La Franqui.

A busy hour or so at this small station on a long straight stretch of main line.

First, a Regional TER EMU heading toward Perpignan:


29 March, 2013

Followed by a freight train:


29 March, 2013

And then a container train bound for La Boulou which meets an old TER EMU. Looking at the EXIF information on these photos, it was early afternoon, hence the old EMU and several freight trains.


29 March, 2013

The ancient two car EMU departs:


29 March, 2013

Followed by another container train:


29 March, 2013

 

[Focalplane]

C'est magnifique ! Almost a mini Pont du Gard - which aquaeduct and adjoining museum left a big impression on this colonial.

A little way from your neighbourhood, and definitely not modern , the Menton to Sospel tramway route was fascinating, especially when the Viaduc du Caramel came into sight. (photos halfway down this page:
The Sospel to Menton Tramway Revisited (Chemins de Fer de Provence 51) )
I imagine it has been modelled a few times.

Brian

I nearly missed this post as it is the last on a page. French stone viaducts are indeed magnificent and I enjoyed viewing the old postcards of the tramway. Thanks, Paul

 

[Focalplane]

Le Train Jaune, Villefranche - Font Romeu - Part 1

June is a good month to take the Yellow Train, good weather, not too hot to enjoy an open wagon, but still some snow on the mountains. This trip was most memorable and I have quite a few photos to share:

We left Villefranche with enough time to go as far as Font Romeu and back. This is the most scenic part of the route and includes the two bridges as well as some interesting (giddying) views from the train. The first photo was at Olette, the village where I first saw the Yellow Train in operation:


12 June 2013

The railway then starts to climb in earnest up the valley:


12 June 2013


12 June 2013


12 June 2013

After some time the large stone viaduct comes into view:


12 June 2013

And the train crosses both the valley and the main road (this is where we parked to visit the viaduct):


12 June 2013

A couple of kilometers beyond the viaduct:


12 June 2013

To be continued.

 

[Focalplane]

Le Train Jaune, Villefranche - Font Romeu - Part 2.

The train follows the opposite side of the valley for a while.


12 June 2013

And also affords fine views of the main chain of the Pyrenees:


12 June 2013

And then we come to the Pont Suspension. I believe the correct engineering term, in English, is "cable stayed bridge".


12 June 2013


12 June 2013

And then on to Font Romeu. We decided to take the train back down rather than explore the area, which includes a fine French fortified town, Mont Louis, and the solar oven.


12 June 2013

 

[Focalplane]

Le Train Jaune, Villefranche - Font Romeu - Part 3.

It's down hill all the way from here:


12 June 2013

The first few kilometers are in an upland valley:


12 June 2013

And then back into the steep sided valley:


12 June 2013

The Pont Suspension.


12 June 2013


12 June 2013


12 June 2013

 

[Focalplane]

Le Train Jaune, Villefranche - Font Romeu - Part 4.

There are no tokens on the line, just a request to move on from each passing loop:


12 June, 2013

The approach to the stone viaduct:


12 June 2013

And on the viaduct:


12 June 2013


12 June 2013

And finally, the approach into Villefranche:


12 June 2013

 

[Focalplane]

This is it for the time being. If anyone would like to add photos to this thread, please go ahead.

In recent years years I have focussed more on modelling than the real railways but after all the "likes" I should probably get down to the tracks more often!

I'll leave you with this one. Salvador Dali famously said that the centre of the universe is at Perpignan Station.



Well, he certainly made an impression so should we believe him? Perhaps the font used on the station clock is a clue?

 

[Graham Bustin]

Thank you for this tranche of slides.
Please can we have some more?

Graham

 

[Focalplane]

Graham

Thank you. I will do my best but now I have a railway room with house attached I don't feel the need to visit Nissan any more. Also, I am now retired so hardly ever use French trains to travel to Paris for work assignments. I do have a few photos from time spent at Paris and other stations so I will dig those out in the days ahead. Most of them were associated with travel to the South so they will fit in with the foregoing posts.

Paul