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Train des Mouettes

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The Train des Mouettes is a tourist train that has been operating since 1984 on the 21 km of railway between Saujon and La Tremblade on the Saujon to La Grève line in France. As the only steam railway in Charente Maritime (Nouvelle Aquitaine), it serves the stations of Fontbedeau, Mornac-sur-Seudre, Chaillevette, Étaules, and Arvert.

History

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Commercial Service

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The 'Compagnie du chemin de fer de la Seudre' was founded on 25 April 1868 and required several years of negotiations before construction could commence. The line was opened to traffic on 8 April 1876 following completion of the section from La Tremblade to Saujon with an inaugural train running on 25 June 1876.[1] It was later extended to the La Grève channel in La Tremblade.

In 1880, the line was acquired by the administration of the ‘Chemins de fer de l'État’, which had absorbed the bankrupt Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest in 1908.  The state network, after merging with other national railway companies in 1938, became the SNCF.

In 1939, the line was closed to passenger traffic but continued its operations for freight transport.

In 1980, the SNCF closed the line to all traffic, with the exception of oyster trains operating from La Tremblade. Subsequently, the section between La Tremblade station and the La Grève terminus was dismantled.

Tourist Service

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In 1984, the ‘Chemin de Fer Touristique de la Seudre’ (CFTS) association revived the line by running a tourist train.[1]

In 2002, CFTS ceased tourist operations. The infrastructure (track, stations and Chaillevette depot) was then acquired by the department of Charente-Maritime.

Between 2004 and 2006, the line's operation was entrusted to the company Veolia Transport through its subsidiary CFTA.

No trains ran in 2007.

In 2008, the ‘Trains & Traction’ association took over the operation of the line and secured its activity, reporting about 9800 passengers during the year.[1]

Tourist operations take place from early May to late September, with daily runs in July and August. Some special trains are organised in-season or off-season, such as the "Train des Loupiotes" [2] or the "Train Éclade de moules".[3]

The office is located at Saujon Chemin Vert station, and the workshop is in Chaillevette, at the centre of the line.

In the summer of 2021, a train composed of restaurant cars hauled by a diesel locomotive, the Seudre Océan Express, entered service.  The journey included a round trip between Saujon and Chaillevette, lasting about 3 hours, with a meal (lunch or dinner) prepared onboard from regional products and served at seats, without passengers disembarking during the journey.[4]

The Seudre Océan Express ran regularly in 2022, especially during the holiday season, raising the total number of passengers carried in the year to 45000.[1] The service was extended to 2023.[5]

Infrastructure

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The 21km route has 69 level crossings.[1]

The depot and workshop is located in Chaillevette, halfway along the line, and was expanded in 2015.

In 2020, two turntables were installed, one at each end of the line, allowing locomotives to be turned.[6]

Rolling Stock

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The railway has about 60 items of rolling stock, of which 18 are classed as 'Historic Monuments':[1]

Steam Locomotives

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Type Builder Year Origin Observations Illustration
030 T No.3 Schneider

no 2503

1891 Chemin de fer de Saint-Victor-sur-Rhins à Cours Named 'Progrès'

Classified as a 'Historic Monument' in 1987.[7]

Arrived at Chaillevette in 1984 and in service since 2004.

030 T Henschel

no 11128

1912 Usines Japy (Doubs) Arrived at Chaillevette in 1984 and returned to steam 20 June 2015.
030 T No.5 Fives-Lille

no 3716

1910 Mines de Ferfay Classified as a 'Historic Monument' in 2004.[8]

On loan from 'Train à vapeur thouarsais'.[9]

Awaiting restoration.

030 T No.3 Borsig

type T 3 Prussienne

1906 Rosheim to Saint-Nabor line Classified as a 'Historic Monument' in 1985.[10]

ex 'Train folklorique de Rosheim à Ottrott'.

On loan from 'convention de l'Agence Départementale du Tourisme du Bas-Rhin'.[11]

Awaiting restoration.

Diesel Locomotives

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Type/Number Builder Year Origin Observations Illustration
Y 2330 Decauville 1960 SNCF Nantes-Blottereau In service.
Y 51228 Blanc-Misseron 1958 Colas Rail Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. Awaiting restoration.
Y 51147 SACM

no 10019

1956 SNCF Nevers,

then 'Trains à vapeur de Touraine'.

In service.
Y 7648 Moyse 1968 SNCF Bordeaux In service.
BB 64073 Brissonneau et Lotz 1971 SNCF Sotteville In service.

Painted in livery as 040 DE 073

BB 71008 CFD 1965 SNCF Nevers,

then CIPHA in Le Havre.

In service.

Classified as a 'Historic Monument' in 2020.[12]

BB 71010 CFD 1965 SNCF Nevers,

then Rive-Bleue Express.

Awaiting restoration.
Shunter (200hp) Baudet Donon et Roussel

Rebuilt on plans SACM in 1961 with a Baudouin motor.

1961 Société métallurgique de Normandie, then Silo Portuaire de Bollène. In working order
Shunter TE 4401 Decauville 1967 Colas Rail Les Mureaux. In working order
CC 65005[13] SACM, Alstom, CAFL 1956 SNCF Nantes-Blottereau until 1986, then Agrivap from 1987 to 2021. Awaiting restoration at Saintes.

Battery Locomotive

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Type/Number Builder Year Origin Observations Illustration
13 t battery shunter No.320 Orenstein & Koppel Foundry at Niederbronn-les-Bains In service.

Railcars

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Type/Number Builder Year Origin Observations Illustration
X 5822 Restoration on progress
Type A75D

902

Billard 1947 CFD Indre-et-Loire Loaned by FACS
X 2208 Limoges depot. On loan under an agreement with SNCF.

On loan to Centre-Bretagne railway.

X 2251 Limoges depot. On loan under an agreement with SNCF.

On loan to Centre-Bretagne railway.

Draisines

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Type/Number Builder Year Origin Observations Illustration
DU 50 4M 076 Out of service
DU 49 catenary inspection car Brive Arrived Chaillevette 20 December 2023

Awaiting restoration

Passenger coaches

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Type/Number Builder Year Origin Observations Illustration
6 two-axle cars with open end platforms:

C3 in yellow livery

C12 in red livery,

C32 in green livery

C39 (chassis)

C59 in original green livery

C72 in original green livery

De Dietrich Built for the network of De Wendel mines then HBL of Petite-Rosselle
Coach C3
Coach C12
Coach C32
Coach C72
2-axle closed car with open end platforms:

C7 named "Badoise"

1907 From the former Rabodeau tourist railway
Bogie postal car PAz Ocem type 1926, registered 50 87 00-37 304–8 From the former tourist railway Autorail Touristique du Minervois Refurbished and serving as the booking office at La Tremblade
Postal coach PAz Ocem
2-axle postal car Patf Ocem known as "postal ambulant" Alsace and Lorraine Railway Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement
8 covered 'Baladeuse' cars

including one accessible to PRMs

Converted from old M-type vans by the CFTA workshops in 2003 Ordered by the previous operator of the network, CONNEX Tradition
Covered 'Baladeuse'

accessible to PRMs

Converted from an old M-type van by the Chaillevette workshops in 2017
Open car SNAF-de Dietrich in Bône (Annaba) in Algeria Built on a tank wagon chassis
Covered 'Baladeuse' Built on a Dyle and Bacalan chassis 1892 Built in the "Saint-Germain train" style
3 axle Prussian car with side doors named "Armistice" C6tf 1908 ex-State (classified MH)
2 axle car with open end platforms

No. 21 type B7 t 312

("thunder box")

Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement
2 axle car with open end platforms

No. 22 type B7 t 322

("thunder box")

Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement
2 axle car with open end platforms

No. 23 type B7 t 321

("thunder box")

Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement
2 axle car with closed end platforms

No. 24 type A6 t 134

("thunder box")

Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement
3 axle car with side doors

No. 25 type C7 tf 15062

1901 Alsace and Lorraine Railway Classified as a 'Historic Monument' in 2006.

Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement

Coach type C7 tf 15062
3 axle car with side doors

No.26 type B2C4 5231, ex BC3 Pr 11

1912 Loaned under Touraine Steam Trains agreement
First-class Corail Lunéa A9 car loaned under SNCF agreement. Installed in a fixed position, used to accommodate volunteers in season
4 Swiss unified type I air-conditioned cars Voralpen-Express To create a restaurant train
A7 yfi 5 West bogie car 1907 previously at AJECTA Currently being restored in Rochefort.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1991

Coach A7 yfi 5 West

Wagons

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  • One 1889 three-axle PLM van;
  • One 1898 'Chemins de fer de l'Est two-axle van;
  • One 1905 two-axle West State Railways van, rebuilt and returned to service in 2015. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1994;[14]
  • Seven 1866-1869 two-axle type M vans for freight trains, including number 40 87 949 which was classified as a Historic Monument in 2013;[15]
  • One two axle postal van with open end platforms, built by Van der Zypen & Charlier in 1902 for the line from Rosheim to Saint-Nabor,[11] from the former tourist railway "Train folklorique de Rosheim a Ottrott".
  • One MC 76 Corail van, loaned under SNCF agreement. Installed in a fixed position serving as a changing room for volunteers in season.
  • One two-axle metallised baggage van ex-Midi Dd2 50 87 93-37 536–3, modified into a generator van to accompany the restaurant train. Loaned under SNCF agreement.
  • One two-axle tank car built in Germany in 1928 for France for war damages;
  • One OCEM 19 flat wagon with drop sides;
  • One rake of Talbot ballast hoppers type SV-WF 969 495 built in Germany in 1930 for France for war damages, classified as a Historic Monument in 1990;[16]
  • Ten American bogie wagons type USA 1918 called "TP": 3 flats, 2 tanks, 4 covers, 1 dumper, including the 4-door covered type Lyw 422 874, classified as a Historic Monument in 1990 [17] and the 2-door covered Lyw 412 000 called "Felton", classified as a Historic Monument in 2006;[18]    
  • One original 'Compagnie du chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans' covered wagon with double pitched roof, from the Touraine Steam Trains;
  • Three Ouest-Etat type covered wagons from the Touraine Steam Trains;
  • One flat wagon number Jho 117544 of 'Compagnie de l'Est' origin, from the Touraine Steam Trains;

'US 1917' Wagons

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In September 2016 in Chaillevette, the restoration of a train of six wagons known as type "US 1917" began. This work, which received the support of the Heritage Foundation [19] and the United States World War I Centennial Commission,[20] involved two covered wagons, a flat wagon with stanchions, a gondola, a tank and a low sided wagon. At the end of October 2017, the first two left the Train des Mouettes workshops. This rolling stock was restored to the original livery of the American Expeditionary Force of the First World War. The two wagons were exhibited in La Rochelle from 9 to 19 November 2017, as part of the centenary of the arrival of American soldiers during the First World War.[21] It was in La Rochelle that parts for 37,800 wagons [22] were unloaded, to be assembled by American soldiers, then, once peace returned, by the Middletown Car Company based in Aytré, Charente-Maritime, France.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Bienvenue sur le Train des Mouettes". La Gazette du Train des Mouettes (in French) (6): 1–2. 2023.
  2. ^ "Train des Loupiotes". Train des Mouettes (in French). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Train Eclade de Moules". Train des Mouettes (in French). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Seudre Océan Express". Royan Atlantique (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Seudre Ocean Express". seudre-ocean-express (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Pays Royannais: le Train des Mouettes tourne sur lui-même". sudouest.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Locomotive à vapeur, à voie normale, dite le Progrès, 42 030 T 3". POP: la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Locomotive-tender Fives-Lille, 030 T 3716, n°5". POP: la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Train des Mouettes en Charente-Maritime : une traction 100% à vapeur cet été". Sudouest.fr (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Locomotive-tender Borsig, à voie normale, 030 T 3". POP: la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Saujon – La Tremblade (17): et une locomotive à vapeur de plus". sudouest.fr (in French). Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Locomotive diesel BB 710008, deux bogies, Fives-Lille CFD". POP: la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  13. ^ Jeantet-Leclerc, Anne (15 March 2021). "La CC 65005 bientôt de retour au Bercail". La Lettre du Cheminot (in French). Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Wagon fourgon à essieux parallèles, à voie normale, M 934007". POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Wagon fourgon pour trains de marchandises type Standard D immatriculé 40 87 949 1866-9". POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Wagon de couplage de trémies à gravier Talbot, à essieux parallèles, à voie normale, SV-WF 969 495". POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  17. ^ "wagon couvert à bogies, à voie normale, LYW 422 874". POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  18. ^ "wagon couvert à bogies, type USA, à voie normale, LYW412000". POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Rame Wagons USA 198 "TP"". Fondation de Patrimoine (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Six United States WWI-era railcars to be rebuilt in France for the Centennial Commemoration". U.S. World War One Centennial Commission. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  21. ^ "La Rochelle : les 100 ans de l'arrivée des soldats américains sur les rails". sudouest.fr (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  22. ^ "1918, les wagons américains de La Rochelle". www.railsdautrefois.fr (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2024.