Chemin de Fer du Blanc-Argent

Chemin de Fer du Blanc-Argent
Legend
Argent-sur-Sauldre
Clémont
Brinon-sur-Sauldre
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre
Souesmes
Les Loges
Salbris
La Ferté-Imbault
Selles St. Dennis
Loreux
Villeherviers
Faubourg d'Orléans
Romorantin
Les Quatre-Roues
Pruniers
Gièvres
Chabris
Varennes-sur-Fouzon
Valençay
La Gauterie
Luçay-le-Mâle
La Foulquetière
Terre Neuve
Écueillé
Heugnes
Pellevoisin
Juscop
Argy
Buzançais
Bonneau-Habilly
Chaventon
Vendoeuvres
Ste. Thérese
Subtray
Mézières-en-Brenne
St. Michel St. Cyran
Lingé
Douadic
Azé
Le Blanc

The Chemin de Fer du Blanc-Argent (BA) is a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) gauge railway in the Centre region of France, part of which is still open to traffic, whilst another section is now operated as a heritage railway.

History

The BA was conceived as a standard-gauge cross-country route linking lines of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans (PO). Although the original scheme was abandoned, the PO built the line as a single-track metre-gauge railway, linking Argent with Le Blanc, and running through the departments of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher and Indre.[1]

The line had a total length of 191 kilometres (119 mi), with headquarters at Romorantin. It opened in 1901 and remained intact until 1951, when the first closures took place. All traffic was steam hauled until the early 1930s, when Billard railcars were introduced to handle some of the passenger traffic. Steam locomotives were operated until the 1950s. In 1981, the Centre region and SNCF agreed to rebuild the four Verney railcars, and built two new ones. The timetable was reorganised to give better connections with the SNCF. The BA became part of TER in 1987. Freight traffic on the BA ended in 1989.[1][2]

The lines

The BA was divided into five sections operationally.

Argent - Salbris

Closed to passengers in 1939. Argent - Clemont was the first section to close completely, in 1951. Clémont - Salbris closed to freight in 1973[3]

Salbris - Romorantin

Open to passengers.[1]

Romorantin - Valençay

Open.[1]

Valençay - Luçay-le-Mâle

Closed in October 2009 after a safety inspection. There is a replacement bus service.

Luçay-le-Mâle - Buzançais

Closed to passengers in 1980, freight in 1989. Used by the preservation society Luçay-le-Mâle - Argy, Argy - Buzançais rebuilt to standard gauge.[3]

Buzançais - Le Blanc

Closed to passengers in September 1953 and freight in December 1953.[3]

Rolling stock

Steam locomotives

Railcars

X202 as preserved
X74504

Diesel locomotives

Preservation

Part of the line between Lucay-le-Male and Buzançais has been preserved by the Société d'Animation du Blanc-Argent (SABA). The final section, between Argy and Buzançais, has been converted to standard gauge to serve a local agricultural industry so Argy is the southern terminus of the preserved part of the line.[3][7]

Preserved stock

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Organ, John (2002). Northern France Narrow Gauge. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-75-3.
  2. "The Prototype Blanc-Argent". Jean-Philippe Joliveau. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Map of the Blanc-Argent Railway". Jean-Philippe Joliveau. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Davies 2003, p. 89.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Davies 2003, pp. 89–90.
  6. Davies, p. 90.
  7. "Plan de situation". Le Train du Bas-Berry. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  • Davies, John (November 2003). Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français Locomotive List 1938–1975. Woodbridge, Queensland: Dr. John Davies. ISBN 0-9585541-2-9.

External links