Brian and Mikey have been trying to find out when the small Gourville (Charente) station and museum is open; it wasn't open when we went on our expedition last week, but if we can find out when it is, it's worth a CGT pilgrimage - it is said to open on request from parties in summer. Gourville is on the Economiques des Charentes line from Segonzac to St Agneaux via Rouillac and Mansle.
Inside the exhibition hall is a 60 cm gauge industrial loco. It's very annoying not to be able to read the information about it because there might (see below) be a local connection.
There is also a metre gauge wagon on track which is on the original alignment.
The crossing gate looks a bit grand for French metre gauge...
The line went on to Luxe, which I have posted before but for the sake of the story, here it is again:
Beyond Luxe the line went through Echoisy: the station is not in as good condition as Gourville, but at least it's still there:
But Echoisy has another point of great interest; just by the station (round the corner of the building behind the station), the track bed goes past a chalk extraction works which local groups are restoring, complete with ovens and more.
There is a wonderful collection of 60 cm track, probably part of the works system - hence the added interest in the loco at Gourville.
Some was on a steep grade, perhaps to the chalk quarry; this bit looked a bit too steep to have been loco-worked...
There was a pretty complete point:
and another one with a point lever
But inside the restored bit of the chalk factory, there were stacks of track:
One can only hope that this is being saved to reconstruct the chalk works 60 cm network one day.
For the sake of completeness, though I have posted it before, the line ran on through Mansle, through Puyreaux (below) and on to St Agneaux.