Metre-Gauge Railways in Provence

More reading material for the next long flight, many thanks!

 

This next post relates to a different line - the Nice to Digne metre-gauge line. This line is the only one of the metre-gauge lines near Nice toremain open. Despite a chequered history its future now seems relatively secure. This is the first post about this line. I have travelled on it a few times in recent years and will do again when we are in Nice once more. It has seen some dramatic improvements in the permanent way and rolling stock in the past 5 or so years.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.co...ins-part-1-nice-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-57

 

On a number of occasions, my wife and I have travelled on the line between Nice and Digne. our first trip was, I think, in 2001. I have still to find the photos. Uploading a lot of photos to the forum is not the best idea so I have provided a link to those taken by me in 2011.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.co...urney-to-entrevaux-and-puget-thernier-in-2011

 

I do not know if it's interesting to forum members. I have found this thread on the site of the railroad simulator, Railsim-fr. ....

http://www.railsim-fr.com/forum/index.php?/topic/10163-le-train-des-pignes

It seems to pick up quite faithfully on some of the buildings on the site of the Gare du Sud in Nice.

 

The journey from the Station in Nice begins with the length through the suburbs of Nice and out onto the side of the River Var. We get as far as Colomars (La Manda) in this episode. I hope you enjoy it.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.co...ice-to-la-manda-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-58

 

The video is great. I hope you also enjoyed the supporting information about that length of the line.

 

A few people have asked me whether I plan to publish a book, or books, about the Metre-Gauge Railways of Provence. I thought that I might see what was involved in punishing an eBook .... As a first step, I have tried to design a cover for what might be a book about the Central Var line. I have published a series of posts on that line on this Group.

So here are two questions for you ....

If I was to do so, would you be interested in buying a copy and what might you pay?

And ............... What do you think to this as a cover? Might it entice you to buy the book, knowing what you already do about the content?

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/an-ebook-on-les-chemins-de-fer-du-sud-de-la-france

 

This is a fascinating thread, given me so much to look out for on my next holiday in S France. I have visited the Nice- Digne Line a few times for the steam. I don't know if these will be of interest

 

Fantastic pictures 'JohnB' did you take these yourself?

 

Hello,

I am pondering converting my blog into an online book. This might prove of interest to people. I have produced the first few chapters of the book I am imagining. They are at the moment missing a contents page and and editorial page but I'd appreciate comments on whether the book might be worth publishing on line and whether you think it should be free or charged for?

If you are interested, please follow this link via my blog:

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/an-ebook-on-les-chemins-de-fer-du-sud-de-la-france/

Best wishes

Roger

 

There was a short line which ran through the streets of Nice linking the Gare du Sud to the central railway station in Nice. It was less than a kilometre long and I have done some research into the line and the locomotive which was predomiantly used to move wagons along it ... CP 51. You can get the story on this link ...

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.co...d-la-gare-du-sudchemins-de-fer-de-provence-59

 

The next length of the journey along the Nice to Digne railway line starts at La Manda and takes us to Plan du Var, where the TAM formed a junction with the Nice to Digne line. The TAM operated the line from Plan du Var to St. Martin Vesubie.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/nice-to-digne-les-bains-part-3-la-manda-to-plan-du-var-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-63

 

In the last post we noted that there was a short-lived tramway which left the Nice to Digne line at Plan du Var. It travelled up the Valley of the River Vesubie as far as St. Martin Vesubie.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/tam-tramway-from-plan-du-var-to-st-martin-vesubie-revisited-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-64

 

This is the next stage of the journey up the Valley of the River Var on the Nice to Digne metre-gauge railway:

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/12/nice-to-digne-les-bains-part-4-plan-du-var-to-la-mescla-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-65

 

This post covers another short-lived tramway which provided a service up the valley of l'Esteron from Pont Charles Albert over the River Var to Roquesteron, a distance of more than 20 kilometres.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/tam-tramway-in-the-valley-of-the-river-esteron-revisited-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-66

 

Another of the branch tramways left the Nice to Digne line close to La Mescla Station and travelled up the valley of La Tinee.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/tam-tramway-from-la-mescla-to-saint-sauveur-sur-tinee-revisited-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-67

The available imagery from the time of the tramway is limited in extent and is supplemented by images from later dates.

 

The next length of the line from Nice to Digne takes us from La Mescla to Le Pont de Gueydan. It is at Le Pont de Gueydan that the line leaves the banks of the River Var and follows one of its tributaries.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/21/nice-to-digne-les-bains-part-5-la-mescla-to-le-pont-de-gueydan-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-68

Although I have travelled on this line a number of times, I have only once travelled beyond Entrevaux and that was in 2001. So looking at the line in 2018, I am almost in virgin territory by the end of this post!

 

Just catching up with this fascinating thread soma bit late but yes I did take them myself. I've visited the line several times when we have beenon holiday in St Tropez and this was the last time I went and the first time after I had converted to digital photography. Plan to next year armed with the information you have provided I will be on the lookout for the remains of many line sthat I didn't know existed in the region.

 

New territory for me. The now removed TAM tramway from Pont de Gueydan to Guillaumes up Les Gorges de Daluis .....

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2018/07/25/tam-tramway-from-le-pont-de-gueydan-to-guillaumes-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-69

One of the bridges on this route has the distinction of being one of the earliest reinforced concrete arch structures in France.