Tramways de Haute Vienne

Here are some more pics of relics of former French local railways: the Compagnie des Tramways de Haute Vienne (CDHV). This was a metre gauge system radiating from Limoges, very modern by the standards of the time (started in 1904) - overhead electrified throughout at 10Kv AC, 25Hz - when most urban tramways were 600v DC! This is a typical station - St Martial d'Isop - with Dorothy and our friends Keith and Sue who live nearby.



The building has been rendred which has removed some of the detailing, but the "quai haut" is beautifully preserved. The track layout would have been a through line, a loop immediately in front of the station alongside the quai and a siding behind - on this side:



This is the same design as the station at Oradour sur Glane, nearer Limoges on this line: Oradour is preserved as the martyred village - where in June 1944 the SS Das Reich division murdered the entire population by shooting the men and blowing up the Church into which they had forced the women and children. They shot the conductor and some passengers on the tram which had arrived from Limoges and told the driver to take it back. Track, poles and overhead are still in place at Oradour - but it is not because of the railway that one should visit.

More cheerfully, the "halte" up the line at Mondesir shows the detailing of the CDHV's buildings:



And the terminus station at Bussieres Poitevine was altogether more imposing (not too spoilt by the shower block on the right - it is now a youth centre.)



I've been screeching to a halt and taking detours all over western France for years to photograph these relics. They are the inspiration for my own railway. I'm happy to share them now!

Phil

Yes please Phil keep these coming as inspiration for other people's line too and for just a bit of history.

I like seeing the same design of BV but using different materials and finish styles depending on region.

Interesting pics Phil. Keep 'em coming. Just one thing i must correct though. During the course of the massacre at Oradour the tram returning from limoges was stopped before entering the village. The Oradour residents were removed from the tram and were kept at the roadside for about 2 hours and then told to return to Limoges. No driver , conductor or passengers were killed. I say this after visiting Oradour some 23 times during the course of writing a book (temporarily shelved awaiting re-inspiration) concerning the possible connection with gold buried by the Maquis at another oradour further south.

mikey

Mikey - I'm sure you're right: I was trying to remember (back here in UK) what I had read in the book we bought when we visited Oradour. Incidentally, Anthony Beevor - in his otherwise excellent new book on D Day - says that the SS stopped a train and shot the passengers....I know that's wrong! Oradour sur Vayres was the other Oradour wan't it - where the FFI had indeed attacked Das Reich? Hope your inspiration returns!
Best wishes
Phil

I guess the inspiration is there Phil but its such an emotive subject i'm not sure another tome would be welcome. It always gives me the same feeling as visiting Auschwitz. It must be said though that its the only place in France where you can see the original catenary and poteaux. I was telling Brian about a site I found http://www.lemosin.net If you havent seen it yet you will find it interesting! I hope

mikey