Narrow-gauge railways in former French Morocco

600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) and 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge networks in Morocco

French Morocco had from 1912 to 1935 one of the largest 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge network in Africa with a total length of more than 1700 kilometres.[1] After the treaty of Algeciras where the representatives of Great Powers agreed not to build any 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard-gauge railway in Morocco until the standard-gauge Tangier–Fes railway being completed, the French begun to build military 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge lines in their part of Morocco French Morocco.

The 948 km Marrakech–Casablanca–Kenitra–Fes–Oujda line became known as Chemins de fer stratégiques du Maroc and the branch lines diverting from the line as Chemins de fer de pénétration du Maroc. These lines were mostly built during the period of 1921–1925, With the exception of Guercif–Outat Oulad el Hadj–Midelt, which was started in 1916 and completed in 1920.

Casablanca–Boussekoura–Berrechid line

The first French-built narrow-gauge railway was the Casablanca–Bouskoura–Berrechid 500 mm (19 3⁄4 in) line, built with portable railway track from Decauville, which also delivered the rolling stock to the line. Construction started in May 1908 and the 52 km line was completed in late July 1908. The trains reached a maximum speed of 20 km/h averaging only 12 km/h between Casablanca and Berrechid.

The locomotives which worked the 500 mm gauge line have not been yet been fully identified. Sources claim:

Chemins de fer stratégiques du Maroc

Casablanca–Marrakech

This 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge line had a short life. It was completed around 1920, activities ceased in 1928.

Casablanca–Boussekoura–Berrechid

This line formed the northern part of the Casablanca–Marrakech narrow-gauge line. In 1913 the French regauged the Casablanca–Berrechid section from 500 mm (19 3⁄4 in) to 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) track gauge and was opened to public service in March 1916.

Berrechid–Dar Caïd Tounsi

The Berrechid–Dar Caïd Tounsi (junction) section was completed in 1915 ( 109 km south of Casablanca).

Dar Caïd Tounsi–Marrakech

The Dar Caïd Tounsi to Ben Guerir section was completed in September 1919. The final section from Ben Guerir to Marrakech was opened in September 1920.

Dar Caïd Tounsi–Mazagan branch

Later also a branch line was built running from Dar Caïd Tounsi, which became a railway junction, to Mazagan (Harbour). This line was opened in early 1928.

Casablanca–Kenitra–Fes

The French started also to build 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge railway north of Casablanca. Rabat 89 km and Port Lyautey -now Kenitra- 128 km was reached in 1913. The opening dates of this line were:

Oujda–Fes

At Kenitra (Port Lyautey) the 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) "main line" turned towards east, the main target for the French military was a rail connection with their Algerian Railways at Oujda, where the French military had built from the Algerian side a 87 km 1,055 mm (3 ft 5 1⁄2 in) gauge line from Tlemcen via Marnia. This Chemin de Fer de Marnia a Taourirt was completed by 1911.

The 364 km line from Oujda to Fes was difficult to build. The railway had to go over a narrow passage between the Rif mountains in the north and the Altas mountains in the south. The railway line had to be built with steep gradients and sharp curves to reach – from both sides – the Touahar Pass.

East of Fes the narrow-gauge line followed the route Fes–Sidi Abdallah–Col de Touahar–Bab Marzouka–Taza–Kasba Msoun–Guercif (with branch to Midelt)–Chreia–Taourirt–El Aioun–Naima–Oujda.

Construction started simultaneously from both Fes and Oujda. When the 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge line was completed, it was then possible to travel by train from Morocco to Algeria and Tunisia over the standard-gauge Chemins de fer l´Ouest Algerien

The French source gives opening dates for sections of Oujda–Fes line:

Chemins de Fer de Penetration du Maroc

Berrechid–Oued Zem line

During World War I the French built also a 500 mm (19 3⁄4 in) gauge line from Berrechid to Oued Zem. This Berrechid–Ben Ahmed line was put to service in 1916 (narrow gauge closed in August 1923) and the Ben Ahmed–Oued Zem opened on August 1917 (narrow gauge closed in July 1925).

It was intended to continue the line from Oued Zem 44 km to Kasbah Tadla but this never materialised.

Dar Caid Tounssi–El Jadida

As mentioned earlier, one penetration line from Dar Caïd Tounsi to El Jadida (Magazan) was built from the Casablanca–Marrakech line. This branch line, opened in early 1928 gave the shortest possible outlet to the Atlantic Ocean from Marrakech. But at El Jadida the port facilities were poor and primitive. When the standard-gauge railway from Machraa Ben Abbou to Marrakech was opened in July 1928 the narrow-gauge ( 500 mm (19 3⁄4 in)??? ) line between Ben Guerir and Marrakech was closed. But the northern part Casablanca–Berrechid ( where the new standard gauge line runs parallel with the narrow-gauge line 52 km )–Dar Caïd Tounsi–El Jadida line remained open until the new 142 km standard-gauge line from Ben Guerir to Safi was opened on 07.05.1936.

Rabat–Tiflet–Khemisset

The next penetration line was the 95 km Rabat–Tiflet–Khemisset 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge line running east of Rabat. This line had only a local importance but it made it possible to move the local products as well as the inhabitants in the morning train of the provincial capital to Rabat and their return during the same evening.

In addition a short branch line near Rabat was built from Bir–Tam–Tam to just built Abermoumou military garrison. This branch was completed in 1925.

There were in the early 1920s many local resistance against the French colonial administration in Morocco. Especially in the north, where Rif Cabyles rebels under leadership of Abd El-Krim, who did not recognise the Sultan's position as ruler of all Morocco and demanded an independent state for Cabyles. This led to open revolt in 1925–1926 against the French and Sultan of Morocco. By the time there were 325.000 French soldiers trying to pacify the Rif unrest and revolts in the French Zone of Morocco. World War I delayed the construction of the standard-gauge Chemin de Fer de Tanger a Fes. This, and the unrest in Rif area made the French to build a 600 mm gauge railways.

Kenitra–Mechra Bel Ksiri–Ain Dfali–Aïn Aïcha

In 1922 first a railway line was built from Kenitra (Port Lyautey) to Mechra Bel Ksiri on the proposed Tanger–Fes Railway. This line was opened to traffic in 1923.

With this narrow-gauge railway the French transferred troops and supplies during the Rif rebellion.

In addition, after World War I the French extended the 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge narrow-gauge railway into the heart of Rif region, from Mechra Bel Ksiri to Ain Dfali (junction). The line was further extended to Maarif and Aïn Aïcha.

The whole railway was closed by 1935, but its remnants were still visible in the 1950s.

Branch line Ain Dfali–Ouezzane

At Ain Dfali the branch line was built via Dar Echchaouia to the city of Ouezzane.

Mechra Bel Ksiri to Ouezzane was opened in 1924 and Ain Dfali–Aïn Aïcha next year in 1925.

Chemin de Fer Guercif a Outat el Hadj et Midelt

Perhaps the most famous and "mysterious" of the 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge narrow-gauge railways in Morocco was the Chemin de Fer Guercif an Outat el Hadj et Midelt. It started from Fes–Oujda line and ran south-west along the Moulouya River valley near the east bank of the river course. The whole railway line was: Guercif–Meski–Fritissa–Tissaf– Outat Oulad el Hadj. This section was completed and opened for military service during World War I in 1918.

The Outat Oulad el Hadj–Missour–Metlili–Midelt was completed in 1920. The total length of the line was 280 km 33 km longer than Casablanca–Marrakech main line.

There are several photographs showing trains and locomotives at Midelt railway station during the 1920s, and one official photograph with title " Midelt Gare " from 1920.

There were three limestone quarries around Midelt and later branch lines were built to the quarries, but little is known them because the whole line was closed by the end of 1935. ( One other source give the closing date 05.07.1936.) This line served many French Foreign Legion Forts. There were also many colonial troops from West Africa, mainly from French Soudan. Many of the soldiers had taken their wives with them to Morocco and they settled to station settlements along this railway line such as Midelt, Missour and Outat Oulad el Hadj. The trains were packed with French officers, Foreign Legioners, Senegalese soldiers and their women, local tradesmen, even some " blue men ", the Tuaregs, French business men from Algeria and Morocco and French administrative personnel. Really a cosmopolitan society of travellers, really unique in railway world of narrow-gauge lines. When the line was opened in 1920 the Midelt railway station was still 12 km away from Midelt in an empty valley without any settlement around it. Only later it was extended near to old town of Midelt.

Others

Casablanca–Dar Bouazza

To provide better travelling facilities for local population in Casablanca area the French Gouvernement Cherifien helped to build a new 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge line from Casablanca (Port) along the Atlantic coast to Dar Bouazza and turn toward at Bou Haj el Mehdi to Foucauld. This local line was opened in 1923 and it served at least up to 1953. In Casablanca the section from Boulevard d´Anfa to Casablanca railway station was replaced by a trolleybus line.

Agadir to Auone

Finally, there was in Morocco a little-known, totally isolated short 12 km 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow-gauge line from Agadir to Auone. It was built after the Agadir Incident to strengthen the French military presence in Agadir. Nothing else is known of it. Remnants were still visible in 1960s.

Locomotives delivered to French Morocco for 600 mm gauge lines

Baldwin

Borsig

Crochat

Decauville

Jung

Orenstein & Koppel

Schwartzkopff

Societe Alsacienne

Weidknecht

See also

References

  1. ↑ Durrant, A.E., A.A. Jorgensen, C.P. Lewis. Steam in Africa, London, 1981, Hamlyn.
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