France : 23 - 26 May 2011 : Day by Day
31/07/12 17:07
This section shows the details of the trip on a day by day basis. If you’re looking for loco numbers or individual workings, you’re in the right place.
Select the day you want to view from the menu on the right or scroll down through the pages below.
To return to the main report click here.
Select the day you want to view from the menu on the right or scroll down through the pages below.
To return to the main report click here.
Mon 23 May 2011
31/07/12 17:07 | Mon 23 May 2011
A spur of the moment trip to southern France for a few days photography on the main line from Montpellier to Barcelona on the Cote Vermielle where the railway hugs the Mediterranean coast, just north of the Spanish border. I flew with easyJet from Gatwick to Montpellier then drove down to Port Vendres, between Perpignan and Cerbere, where I based myself for the trip. The weather was wall to wall sunshine from dawn to dusk every day. It’s not often I get to say that!
Three freights were seen north of Perpignan, two hauled by BB27000 (or BB37000) and one by a BB26000 “Sybic”. An hour by the lineside in the evening, just south of Port Vendres, didn’t produce any freights and only one loco hauled passenger, the Lorca-Sutullena to Montpellier Talgo, hauled by 7265. As expected, both the local passenger trains seen were EMUs, one a pair of Z7300 2-car units and the other a Z27500 4-car articulated AGC unit. These, and all the other EMUs I saw carried Languedoc-Rousillion’s red and yellow colours.
Three freights were seen north of Perpignan, two hauled by BB27000 (or BB37000) and one by a BB26000 “Sybic”. An hour by the lineside in the evening, just south of Port Vendres, didn’t produce any freights and only one loco hauled passenger, the Lorca-Sutullena to Montpellier Talgo, hauled by 7265. As expected, both the local passenger trains seen were EMUs, one a pair of Z7300 2-car units and the other a Z27500 4-car articulated AGC unit. These, and all the other EMUs I saw carried Languedoc-Rousillion’s red and yellow colours.
S of Port Vendres Ville
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7265 | TLG460 | 08:20 Lorca-Sutullena - Montpellier St. Roch | 19:15 |
Tue 24 May 2011
31/07/12 17:07 | Tue 24 May 2011
A full day on the line between Port Vendres and Cerbere. I started off on the coast just north of Cerbere, with the southbound Talgo, hauled by 7265 again. At this point I was wondering if the next loco hauled train I would see would be the northbound working in the evening. I was under the impression that all the local passengers would be units and wasn’t entirely sure that freights weren’t already using the new line via the Perthus tunnel under the Pyrenees.
It wasn’t long before a BB27000 went north with a couple of vans. At least there was some freight although, hopefully, most trains wouldn’t be so short. A Sybic on a long northbound intermodal half an hour later finally put paid to my fears. There was also an ECR presence with an EWS livery class 66 going south on a single van at lunchtime followed by a 186 on a very long northbound freight, part intermodal, part high capacity vans. During the afternoon a Sybic worked a southbound intermodal and an ECR 186 worked a long southbound consist very like the one seen going north earlier.
The prospects brightened up even more when 7291 appeared on the Avignon - Cerbere passenger followed by 7289 on the Avignon - Port Bou a couple of hours later. The loco off the first train didn’t wait for the return working but almost immediately went north light engine. A different loco came down light engine during the afternoon to work the second Avignon train back. The loco off the second southbound train went back on the first Avignon train in the afternoon. This pattern was repeated the following day. All the other passengers seen were units, either Z7300s or Z27500s.
After spending almost the whole day near Cerbere, with a break to stock up on food and water at lunchtime, I returned north to the Port Vendres area in the evening for the northbound Talgo.
It wasn’t long before a BB27000 went north with a couple of vans. At least there was some freight although, hopefully, most trains wouldn’t be so short. A Sybic on a long northbound intermodal half an hour later finally put paid to my fears. There was also an ECR presence with an EWS livery class 66 going south on a single van at lunchtime followed by a 186 on a very long northbound freight, part intermodal, part high capacity vans. During the afternoon a Sybic worked a southbound intermodal and an ECR 186 worked a long southbound consist very like the one seen going north earlier.
The prospects brightened up even more when 7291 appeared on the Avignon - Cerbere passenger followed by 7289 on the Avignon - Port Bou a couple of hours later. The loco off the first train didn’t wait for the return working but almost immediately went north light engine. A different loco came down light engine during the afternoon to work the second Avignon train back. The loco off the second southbound train went back on the first Avignon train in the afternoon. This pattern was repeated the following day. All the other passengers seen were units, either Z7300s or Z27500s.
After spending almost the whole day near Cerbere, with a break to stock up on food and water at lunchtime, I returned north to the Port Vendres area in the evening for the northbound Talgo.
N of Cerbere
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7265 | TLG463 | 07:27 Montpellier St. Roch - Cartagena | 09:17 |
| 27xxx | NB Vans | 09:51 | |
| 26122 | NB Intermodal | 10:24 | |
| 7291 | 76407 | 07:28 Avignon Centre - Cerbere | 11:01 |
| 7291 | NB Light Engine | 11:20 | |
| 66.243 (ECR) | SB Van | 12:25 | |
| 186.xxx (ECR) | NB Freight | 12:46 | |
| 7289 | 86989 | 09:15 Avignon Centre - Port Bou | 12:50 |
N of Cerbere
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72xx | SB Light Engine | 15:35 | |
| 7289 | 76428 | 15:41 Cerbere - Avignon Centre | 15:45 |
| 26xxx | SB Intermodal | 17:18 | |
| 72xx | 76434 | 17:18 Cerbere - Avignon Centre | 17:20 |
| 186.xxx (ECR) | SB Freight | 18:20 |
S of Port Vendres Ville
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72xx | TLG460 | 08:20 Lorca-Sutullena - Montpellier St. Roch | 19:15 |
Wed 25 May 2011
31/07/12 17:07 | Wed 25 May 2011
Basically a repeat of the previous day but with more of an idea what to expect, I hoped to be in the right place for more trains. The morning and early afternoon were spent in the Cerbere area but I returned north to the Port Vendres area in the middle of the afternoon and remained there for the rest of the day. The first train seen was the day service from Cerbere to Paris Austerlitz via Toulouse, hauled by a Sybic. There’s also an overnight service but I didn’t see it.
After the southbound Talgo, another Sybic passed with a northbound intermodal at exactly the same time as the previous day. Unfortunately the predictable timing of the freights ended there. Neither of the short trains operated and there were no ECR trains at all. This was partly made up for by three southbound intermodals in the late afternoon and early evening, all hauled by Sybics. Despite spending hours in position for southbound trains, I only managed to photograph one of them as the other two came during the few minutes I was out of position, photographing the northbound loco hauled passengers.
Passenger workings were more predictable with both pairs of Avignon trains and both Talgos worked by BB7200s. All the other passengers seen were units again.
After the southbound Talgo, another Sybic passed with a northbound intermodal at exactly the same time as the previous day. Unfortunately the predictable timing of the freights ended there. Neither of the short trains operated and there were no ECR trains at all. This was partly made up for by three southbound intermodals in the late afternoon and early evening, all hauled by Sybics. Despite spending hours in position for southbound trains, I only managed to photograph one of them as the other two came during the few minutes I was out of position, photographing the northbound loco hauled passengers.
Passenger workings were more predictable with both pairs of Avignon trains and both Talgos worked by BB7200s. All the other passengers seen were units again.
Port Vendres Ville
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26045 | 3630 | 07:50 Cerbere - Paris Austerlitz | 08:05 |
N of Cerbere
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7298 | TLG463 | 07:27 Montpellier St. Roch - Cartagena | 09:18 |
| 26164 | NB Intermodal | 10:24 | |
| 7218 | 76407 | 07:28 Avignon Centre - Cerbere | 11:01 |
| 7289 | 86989 | 09:13 Avignon Centre - Port Bou | 12:53 |
| 7289 | 76428 | 15:41 Cerbere - Avignon Centre | 15:44 |
S of Port Vendres Ville
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7407 | 76434 | 17:18 Cerbere - Avignon Centre | 17:29 |
| 26135 | SB Intermodal | 17:39 | |
| 26134 | SB Intermodal | 17:45 | |
| 26122 | SB Intermodal | 19:11 | |
| 7294 | TLG460 | 08:20 Lorca-Sutullena - Montpellier St. Roch | 19:16 |
Thu 26 May 2011
31/07/12 17:07 | Thu 26 May 2011
The final day of the trip. With a mid afternoon flight to catch from Montpellier, I headed north and spent the morning near Leucate-La Franqui, between Perpignan and Narbonne, where the line runs through an area of salt marshes.
This section of line is busier than where I’d been with TGVs from Perpignan and Figueres, on the Spanish side of the Perthus tunnel and currently the limit of operation on what will eventually be the high-speed line to Barcelona. The only loco hauled passengers seen were the two trains from Avignon. I had hoped that a Perpignan - Avignon service might also produce but it was formed of a pair of Z27500 units.
At least there were more freights with a northbound steel train and a northbound intermodal seen, possibly the same intermodal I’d seen at Cerbere on the previous two mornings. There was also a BB69200 hauling a single car carrier wagon south.
I left for the airport at midday, just as the cloud was beginning to gather in the west.
This section of line is busier than where I’d been with TGVs from Perpignan and Figueres, on the Spanish side of the Perthus tunnel and currently the limit of operation on what will eventually be the high-speed line to Barcelona. The only loco hauled passengers seen were the two trains from Avignon. I had hoped that a Perpignan - Avignon service might also produce but it was formed of a pair of Z27500 units.
At least there were more freights with a northbound steel train and a northbound intermodal seen, possibly the same intermodal I’d seen at Cerbere on the previous two mornings. There was also a BB69200 hauling a single car carrier wagon south.
I left for the airport at midday, just as the cloud was beginning to gather in the west.
S of Leucate-La-Franqui
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7407 | 76407 | 07:28 Avignon Centre - Cerbere Passsenger | 10:02 |
| 69224 | SB Car Carrier | 10:07 | |
| 26183 26169 |
NB Steel | 10:12 | |
| TGV.4522 | TGV9962 | 10:13 Perpignan - Bruxelles Midi | 10:30 |
| 26122 | NB Intermodal | 11:11 | |
| 7301 | 86989 | 09:15 Avignon Centre - Port Bou | 11:50 |
| TGV.736 | TGV6210 | 11:06 Figueres Vilafant - Paris Lyon | 11:52 |
| TGV.740 | TGV6203 | 07:20 Paris Lyon - Figueres Vilafant | 12:00 |
