With international travel the position at the end of May was as follows: Eurostar. On May 29th there were 2 return services scheduled between Paris Nord and London St Pancras. Departures from Paris were at 10h13 and 15h13. In normal times up to 18 return trains are scheduled. Thalys. Until June 8th, only one Thalys return service, daily, from Paris Nord to Bruxelles Midi is scheduled. It departs at 14.25 from Paris-Nord. Usually there are one or two Thalys trains an hour departing from Paris-Nord to Bruxelles, Amsterdam and Cologne. Additional trains are announced from June 9th and from July 12th. Lyria. TGV At present, there are no services to Lausanne (usually 3 trains a day). Until June 7th, two return services to Geneva are scheduled (usually 6 trains daily each way). Until June 7th, only one return service to Bâle is scheduled (usually 5 trains daily each way). Additional trains are announced from June 9th. Travel documents are required to use these trains. The documents must justify the journey depending on nationality, residence and destination. Rules are changing frequently. 

CFTSA (Chemin de Fer Touristique du Sud des Ardennes) have saved Y6431 and it is seen above being delivered to its new base at Attigny on 16th May. (photo Nicolas Retel)

Entering service in March 1955 Decauville Y6431 was allocated to Mohon, from where it was withdrawn in December 1991. It was then sold to Champagne Céréales, now known as Vivescia.  It last worked at the Monthois silo in April 2018 and the decision was initially taken to break it up to provide spare parts for other Vivescia locomotives. Inspected in March 2020 it was realised that it was in good condition with the Poyaud engine starting immediately, despite not having worked for two years.

Following negotiations  between Vivescia and CFTSA on maintaining the sustainability of the Amagne-Lucquy - Challerange line Y6431 has now been entrusted to CFTSA.

CFTSA is based at Attigny on the Amagne-Lucquy - Challerange line where they operate their fleet of four Picasso units. They also have two preserved modified Caravelles that undertake railtours across Northern France. They hope to start operations on Sunday 5th July. Further details via this link

In fact, since 21st October 2019, there have been no regular services on the Bourges - Montluçon line. For two months, the line was closed for "urgent repairs" to be carried out between Vallon-en-Sully and Montluçon (essentially all in Auvergne). The work included replacement of sleepers and ballast at 8 different sites totalling in all 700 metres. Similar work at other places totalled 500 metres plus repairs to a level crossing and replacement of a set of points at Montluçun. Following this work, the speed limit between Vallon and Montluçon was reduced from 120 kph to 80 kph !!! The engineer in charge (Colas Rail) had some difficulty explaining this to La Montagne newspaper and we will refrain from reporting his explanation. 

 From 14th December the line was re-opened, and promptly closed again, for industrial action (strike). From mid January 2020, some services re-started but were suspended from mid March, due to lockdown. In February 2020, agreement was reached between the State and Centre Val de Loire for regeneration of the 100 km of Bourges - Montluçon between 2023 and 2026. 

 So 6 more years of sub-standard services on this rail link. Luckiliy there is the A71 autoroute not far away !

 MTVS has formed a club, "Les Amis de la 36", for donators who will help fund the repairs. Donations are requested in multiples of 36 euros (e.g. per month or annually) More details here; donate to No 36. Donations (in euros) may be made by cheque, PayPal or bank transfer. Residents in France can obtain a tax reduction corresponding to 66% of the donations made.  

Lulu was retired in 1956 upon closure of the last Côtes du Nord line (St Brieuc - Paimpol). The tank engine was rescued for preservation in 1971 and arrived at MTVS in 1984. The engine was restored and entered service in 1997 for two successive periods of ten years. No 36 is probably the most popular and well known locomotive at the museum and, during 20 years, has visited numerous other tourist lines in France, including CFBS, GECP, VFV. 

Leaving Martel the train is propelled across open fields before descending into a tunnel. The line then emerges onto the northern cliff face of the Dordogne Valley some 80 metres above the Valley floor with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. After calling at Mirandol for passengers to alight and admire the view (see photo above) the train descends through a series of short tunnels to St-Denis-Près-Martel stopping just short of the junction with the Figeac line.

The return from St-Denis-Lès-Martel is in complete contrast to the descent, with the locomotive working hard instead of just braking the train. Traction is normally ex SNCF BB 63500 during the week and steam at weekends. Passengers are  conveyed in open accommodation using converted freight wagons (with suspension to match) so don't wear anything special! Below are two videos of the line with further details via this link

The video shows a selection of passenger and freight workings, and also some vintage mainline traction at Gievres and Salbris where the Blanc Argent meets up with the standard gauge network. Link to the video 

 

 

 The Aspe valley is one of the trans-pyréenean routes for pilgrims walking to Saint Jacques de Compostelle. In 1928, the railway to Canfranc * was opened. In this article, we will explore the history of the line since 1950 and current plans to re-open the railway. 

 

 * see MAY NEWS

 

 After the Second World War, Spain closed the frontier at Canfranc until 1948. A wall was erected inside the tunnel. Thereafter, the international railway line was re-opened with a distinct lack of interest on both sides of the border. Just a few trains daily, often mixed passenger / goods, stopping at all the stations.

The summer timetable in 1956 is typical. There were 3 trains each way between Pau and Canfranc. With 17 stops, the journey up the Aspe valley took 2h36 for 93 km, (2h45 for the evening train). Connections onwards into Spain were casual. Three times a week, the Valence train would depart from Canfranc at 11h45 (84 minutes after the train from Pau had arrived). It would reach Sarragosse at 15h25 and Valence at 22h55 (a journey of 11h10 for 521 km). The midday train from Pau arrived at Canfranc at 15h25 and the Spanish train departed at 16h30 reaching Sarragosse at 21h20 (4h50 for 173 km) and Madrid at 08h00 the following morning (15h30 for 514 km). There were no onward connections for the evening arrival from Pau at 21h20. You would stay in the Canfranc station hotel and catch the first train the following morning at 06h45 reaching Sarragosse at 11h35. 

Starting from Paris, the journey to Sarragosse, Madrid or Valence via Canfranc required determination and stamina. You would take the 21h20 overnight sleeper from Paris-Austerlitz to Pau via Bordeaux. Arrival at Pau was at 07h00. After breakfast in the station buffet, you could catch the 07h45 to Canfranc, a short train of pre-war 4 or 6 wheel carriages, stopping frequently. At Canfranc, there would be time to stock up on supplies for the final stage (partly by steam train) to Sarragosse, where the 18 hour journey ended. 

 Starting from Madrid, the journey to Paris via Canfranc involved two nights and one day of travel; we doubt that many tried this. Departure from Madrid was at 22h00 and the through sleeping car arrived at Canfranc at 13h00 the following day. The French train departed at 14h19 and was a "Direct" which meant that it stopped only 10 times instead of 17 times.   Arrival at Pau was at 16h36 and the overnight train to Paris-Austerlitz departed at 18h14, reaching the capital at 06h50 the following morning.

 Then came the accident.

 

The first 60 km of the line to Bedous has moderate average gradients of 1 in 67. Adhesion on the icy rails was difficult that night and sand was used to stop the slipping. A stiff climb at 1 in 30 after Bedous faced the crew. The struggling train passed Lescun-Cette-Eygun (502m). With no more sand in reserve, the train passed through the Tunnel of Brocat (621 m) and the Tunnel of Sens (384 m). It stalled just outside that tunnel on a gradient of 1 in 30 and was held by the pneumatic air brake system. 

 

 It is reported that both drivers climbed down from the cabin and set about collecting material to place on the rails for adhesion (in the absence of sand). After a few minutes, the train began to slip backwards into the tunnel with no-one aboard. It was 06.45. In the subsequent investigation, it was discovered that the brake control apparatus (H7A) in the leading BB locomotive had a small leak that allowed compressed air back into the brake pipe. At a certain pressure, this released the brakes. 

 

 During a 5 km descent backwards out of control, the 480 ton train reached over 100 kph before derailing and destroying the girder bridge over the river at l'Estanguet. Fortunately there were no fatalities or injuries. 

 

 The accident site was cleared and the army offered to install a temporary bridge but SNCF head office refused. At this time, SNCF (with the support of the government and the apathy of the population) was in the middle of an energetic programme of line closures that was supposed to reach 10,000 km. It had started in 1968 and would be prematurely halted in 1973 at 6,000 km due to the oil price crisis. Pau - Canfranc was a line governed by an international treaty with Spain. So it could not be unilaterally closed. But replacement of the bridge was deferred indefinitely, and trains stopped at Bedous. 

 

 It was 15 years before Spain formally complained.

 

 After the accident of the runaway train, trains no longer operated between Bedous and Canfranc. They were replaced by a bus over the pass (now a road tunnel). In June 1980, the section from Oloron-Ste-Marie to Bedous was closed to passenger services and, in 1985, freight trains also ceased on that section. 

In the mid 1980's, Spain finally complained about the absence of train services across the border through the Somport tunnel. The first lobbying group to demand the re-opening of the line was formed in 1986 after Spain and Portugal joined the European Union. It was CRELOC (Comité pour la réouverture de la ligne Oloron - Canfranc). This group has been relentless over the years in pursuing the cause, with many actions and many detailed studies. (CRELOC site).

 

In April 1991, France and Spain officially agreed to construct a road tunnel under the Somport pass and an international convention was signed to that effect. The decision triggered extensive opposition and violent demonstrations in the Aspe valley. Construction began in 1994. and the tunnel was opened in 2003. It is a single bore, two way tunnel, 8.6 km long. There are 3 ventilation shafts (one in the centre of the tunnel) and 14 ventilation fans. Following the Mont Blanc Tunnel fire in 1999, extra safety precautions were incorporated into the Somport road tunnel and the parallel rail tunnel is used to provide access and exit in case of accident. 19 cross passages link the two tunnels. 

 This new road tunnel is toll free. It cost about 254 million euros; France paid 94 million euros for the 2.8 km on their side and Spain paid 160 million euros for the 5.7 km on their side. Motorway access to the tunnel in Spain and in France was part of the original project. In Spain, a new motorway numbered A23 links Aragon with Valencia. Sections totalling 43 km (at present) of the A23 in the Aragon valley remain to be built to complete the Spanish motorway up to the Somport road tunnel. However, in Béarn, no significant improvements have been made to the only trunk road in the Aspe valley, the accident prone RN 134. On August 28th 2018, a Spanish tanker lorry carrying sodium chloride crashed off the road into the river which sustained severe pollution that killed thousands of salmon and trout. The driver died in the accident. There are many accidents on the road every year

 . 

 

 In 2019, total traffic through the tunnel averaged 1,470 vehicles, daily, of which 340 were heavy lorries. Traffic flows are approximately equal in each direction. It is estimated that about 2 million tons of goods pass through the road tunnel every year.

 

Pau - Canfranc 2000 - 2020 

 

 During the last 20 years, numerous feasibility studies have been commissioned by Aquitaine Region to examine the project to re-open Pau - Canfranc. Not all of them have been favorable to the idea. Two studies by SNCF Réseau (formerly RFF) concluded an absence of positive socio-economic returns on the planned investment. Despite these negative reports, Aquitaine Region financed the modernisation and re-opening of the railway from Pau to Oloron (2010) and Oloron to Bedous (2016). However, Pau - Oloron is no longer electrified. The 1500 volts system was removed in 2010. The electricity had already been switched off in 1987 between Oloron and Canfranc. 

 

 The modernised lines use diesel railcars (X 73500) for a modest TER service that is used by 45 passengers daily between Oloron and Bedous. There are no signals on that section and no passing loops between Pau and Bedous (60 km) except at Oloron.  Below An X 73500 pauses at Sarrance on a wet day. The former station building looks as if it is now a private residence (see photo above)

 

 Aquitaine formed an official alliance with Aragon Region in Spain in 2010. The two Regions set a target to re-open Bedous - Canfranc in 2020, but this was over-optimistic. The EU financed 50 % of the cost of a third study by SNCF Réseau. This will calculate the costs to re-open the final section of this line which has the steepest gradients of any railway in France. During 2018/2019, SNCF examined every metre of the track bed from Bedous to Forges d'Abel. A helicopter was chartered to photograph the line and drillings were carried out to assess the land. The Somport rail tunnel (currently with no rails) was inspected. 

 

 This study is still under way, apparently. In a press briefing before they left the valley, the SNCF team reported that the track bed and infrastructure were in generally good state and the project was "doable". Several bridges and a short tunnel would have to be rebuilt. 

 

We suppose that they will plan to return the line to its state in 1970. But no longer electrified. There is the matter of the former rail tunnel now used as an emergency access to the road tunnel. If the project is really to use diesel traction instead of electric traction there is a problem of ventilation in the old rail tunnel that has no ventilation shafts. 

 

 So what are the objectives ?

 

 

Last year, both CRELOC and Nouvelle Aquitaine Region published their visions for the future of the Aspe valley line. The CRELOC report was published in July 2019. It has very detailed plans but contains no cost estimates. It covers work to be done on both sides of the border. It insists on the need to electrify (at 25 kV) the line from Pau to Huesca (Aragon). It proposes to use electric locomotives with 6 powered axles (B+B+B). The study (French and Spanish text) is interesting to read as a source of ideas and questions that have no answers. There is a gallery of photos at the end of the report. A link to the CRELOC report is here Remember CRELOC is an independant lobbying group. Whatever they say is just their opinion. 

 

 Mr Alain Rousset* presented the Nouvelle Aquitaine "Livre Blanc" to the press in December 2019. In this document we learn that the original concept to save a Pyrenean valley from 44 ton lorries has been expanded to become a plan to create another rail "corridor" (the 3rd one) to interconnect Spain/Portugal with the rest of Europe. The objectives for this corridor include the creation of a direct rail link between Bordeaux, Toulouse, Saragosse The study addresses the matter of structures; who will invest in, and operate the interregional cross border line ? 

 

The study lists 9 possible scenarios without concluding which one is the most pertinent. It sets a target of 2025 for the re-opening of the line. There is talk of 300,000 passengers a year and 1.5 - 2.0 million tons of freight (200 fewer lorries daily in the valley). There are no details about the capacity of the modernised railway or the costs to open and maintain it. 

 

 In January 2020, the Vice President Transport at Nouvelle Aquitaine told the press that the public enquiry could take place in 2022, work could start in 2025 with a possible re-opening at the earliest in 2027. 

 

 

 Now that the Pau - Canfranc project is positioned as a "corridor" between Bordeaux and Saragosse, it is necessary to mention the context and the other "corridors". Every year, 90 million tons of freight are carried across the frontier between Spain.and France, 87 million tons by road ( 19,000 lorries a day) and 3 million tons by rail. The principal crossing points are at Hendaye / Irun on the Atlantic coast, Cerbère / Port Bou and Perpignan / Figueras via the Perthus tunnel on the Mediterranean coast. All these three crossing points are electrified and have dual gauge tracks (Figueras - Barcelona, in particular). There is substantial unused capacity on the Perthus line (opened in 2013). The share for train operators of the total cross border freight market is an average 2.7%. In view of the above, we are sceptical about the claim in the Nouvelle Aquitaine Livre Blanc that they envisage to capture 2 million tons from road to rail at Somport (nearly 100% of the current traffic ). It is unlikely that there will be any more detailed information about the projet to re-open Bedous - Canfranc until 2022 after the regional elections in 2021.