Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury

Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury
Legend
 Brouville
Paras
 31km Toury
<-- SNCF Orléans to Paris -->
Ruan
Spuis
 Germanville
 Brandelon
 25km Outarville
Erceville
Gueudreville
Autruy
Charmont
 Landreville
La Briére
La Tour
 15km Chátillion le Roi
17km Izy
Beauclair
 12km Greneville
 7km Guigneville
 Guinonville
Torville
Thignonville
4km Bellébat
 3.5km Ormes
Pithiviers-le-Vieil / Bouzonville
to Étampes
<-- SNCF Orléans to Malesherbes -->
0km Pithiviers
to Bourges

The Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury (TPT) was a 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge railway in the Loiret department of France. The system had a total extent of 80 kilometres (50 mi)[1]

History

Pithiviers and Toury are 31 kilometres (19 mi) apart, and sugar beet is a major agricultural product in the area. The Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans passed through Toury. It was realised that a light railway system to link Pithiviers and the surrounding villages to Toury would be beneficial. The system used by Decauville was thought to provide the answer and a 15 year concession was agreed with the Société Decauville to build and operate the system.[2]

There were sugar refineries at Pithiviers and Toury, and the line connected these. The route of the railway generally followed local roads. The line opened on 25 July 1892. The failure of the Société Decauville meant that operation of the TPT was taken over by the department on 1 January 1899 and thence to the Ponts et Chaussees on 29 March 1901.[2]

Traffic grew steadily until the Second World War. A railcar was introduced in 1922, and another followed in 1926, followed by two more acquired second-hand from the Chemins de Fer du Calvados in 1937. After the war, traffic declined due to better roads in the area and increase in private vehicle ownership. The passenger service was withdrawn in 1951 but freight ran until 31 December 1964, with a final enthusiasts special running on 22 May 1965. However, this was not to be the end of the TPT.[2]

Preservation

The Association du Musée des Transports de Pithiviers (AMTP) was formed to preserved at least part of the line. It was agreed that Pithiviers would be suitable as there was a depot and workshops there. The 3.5 kilometres (2 miles 16 chains) of roadside line to Ormes was saved, with an extension of 0.5 kilometres (25 chains) to Bellébat being built to take the terminus away from the busy road. The preserved line reopened on 23 April 1966.[2]

Rolling stock

The TPT operated the following rolling stock.

Steam locomotives

The TPT had a unique numbering system for its locomotives. The first figure denoted the number of driven axles, and the second figure denoted the individual locomotive number within that classification.[2]

Mountaineer, ex TPT 3-23, on the Ffestiniog Railway and rebuilt for its loading gauge

Mallet

First engines

Railcars

The TPT had four railcars.[2]

Passenger stock

Six Decauville type IS bogie coaches were supplied when the line opened. Five were rebuilt between 1931 and 1939 and carried numbers V1-V5. A sixth was built in 1942 to a similar design and numbered V6. This carriage is now preserved by AMTP. Three fourgons were also used.[2]

Freight stock

The TPT had a large amount of freight stock, mostly open wagons but also some covered vans and cattle wagons. Decauville supplied the initial stock, but later the workshops at Pithiviers produced wagins for the system.[2]

AMTP rolling stock

The AMTP operates, or has operated the following stock:-[2]

600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge

Metre gauge

External links

References

  1. ↑ "France Narrow Gauge Line Histories". Daniel McIntyre. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Organ, John (2002). Northern France Narrow Gauge. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-75-3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Hunslet "War Office" Type Locos". I Hughes. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  4. ↑ "Erhaltene O&K-Dampflokomotiven" (in German). Jens Merte. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Davies, W J K (February 2008). "Standard Decauville Stock". Continental Modeller. Vol. 30 no. 2. pp. 88–91. ISSN 0955-1298. 1298.

Coordinates: 48°10′29.15″N 2°14′36.68″E / 48.1747639°N 2.2435222°E / 48.1747639; 2.2435222

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