Chemin de Fer du Cambrésis

Chemin de Fer du Cambrésis
Legend
 57 km St-Quentin (Nord)
 St-Quentin Rocourt
 St-Quentin La Tombelle
 St-Quentin Monplaisir
 St-Quentin St-Jean
 50km St-Quentin (Cambrésis)
 St-Quentin Moulin-Brûlé
 Omissy
 Lesdins
 Le Tronquoy
 Levergies
 Joncourt
 Estrées
 Nauroy
 Bellicourt
 Bony
Cambrai (Cambrésis)
Mont St. Martin
25 km Le Catelet-Gouy
Cambrai St-Cloud
Aubencheul-aux-Bois
Cambrai Faubourg-du-Cateau
19km Villers-Outréaux
Cambrai - Banlieue
Malincourt
Awoingt
Walincourt
Estourmel
Hurtevent
Carnières
Clary
Beauvois
Ligny
Le Jeune-Bois
Caudry (Nord)
0 km Caudry-Cambrésis
Béthencourt
Beaumont
Quiévy
Inchy
St-Hilaire
Inchy - Sucrerie
St-Vaast-en-Cambrésis
Troisvilles
St-Aubert (Sucrerie)
St-Aubert (Nord)
St-Aubert-Cambrésis
Le Cateau Faubourg-de-Cambrai
Villers-en-Cauchies
Le Cateau
Avesnes-le-Sec
Le Cateau Rue-Belle
Noyelles-sur-Selle
Le Cateau La Clef-d'Or
Douchy (halte)
Bazuel
Douchy
Catillon Le Gard
Vieux-Lourches
Catillon
 Bessemer
 28 km Denain
 Note: only metre gauge lines shown.

The Chemin de Fer du Cambrésis was a 120-kilometre (75 mi) long metre gauge railway in the Nord and Aisne departments of France. There were four lines with Caudry at the centre.

History

The CF du Cambrésis opened in 1881. It was a voies ferrées d'intérêt local system. From Caudry, lines ran to Cambrai in the north, Denain in the east, Catillon in the south, and St. Quentin Cambrésis in the west.

The first section of line to open was the 26 kilometres (16 mi) section from Cambrai to Le Cateau in 1881, this was extended by 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to Catillon in 1886. In 1887, a 19 kilometres (12 mi) branch from Caudry to Villers-Outréaux was opened, extended by 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to Le Catelet-Gouy in 1888. The 28 kilometres (17 mi) line from Caudry to Denain opened in 1891. In 1892, the line was extended by 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Le Catelet-Gouy to St. Quentin Cambrésis, with a final extension of 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) to St. Quentin Nord opening in 1904. Caudry and St. Quentin are only 32 kilometres (20 mi) apart, but the railway took a route that followed contours and avoided heavy engineering, thus lengthening the distance by train.[1]

Wars

World War One

The Germans destroyed the CF du Cambrésis' infrastructure when they retreated in 1918. The lines were rebuilt, with Caudry - Villers-Outréaux reopening in 1921 and Villers-Outréaux - Saint-Quentin-Cambrésis reopening in 1923.[2] St. Quentin Cambrésis - St. Jean reopened to freight only in 1923. The line west of St. Jean did not reopen after the war.[1]

World War Two

In 1943, the CF du Cambrésis received three Corpet-Louvet 2-8-2T locomotives that had been destined for the Chemin de Fer Conakry-Niger in French Guinea. These locomotives were numbered 40, 41 and 42 in the CF du Cambrésis fleet. They were returned in 1947, and subsequently delivered to their intended customer.[3]

Closure

Closure occurred in stages. The line between Cambrai and Awoingt closed in 1936. Passenger service ceased between Le Catelet-Gouy and St. Quentin in 1936.[1] Le Catelet-Gouy to St. Quentin Cambrésis closed in 1954, and the entire system except Caudry - Denain closed in 1955. Final closure occurred in 1960.

Freight

The main freight was coal from Denain. Agricultural produce and general merchandise was also carried.

Locomotives

Railcars

The CF du Cambrésis had some four-wheeled Renault-Scémia railcars. These were only used on the lightest of trains.[7]

Gallery

References

  1. 1 2 3 "LE CHEMIN DE FER DU CAMBRÉSIS EN VERMANDOIS". a.gouge.free.fr. Retrieved 2008-02-18. (fr)
  2. ↑ "L'Erclin, les moulins". Quiévy. Retrieved 2008-02-17. (fr)
  3. 1 2 3 "From Mallets to models". The Industrial Railway Society. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  4. 1 2 "The classic six-coupled tank". The Industrial Railway Society. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  5. ↑ "Locomotive "Cambrai"". Talyllyn Railway. Archived from the original on January 4, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  6. ↑ Irchester museum page
  7. 1 2 Organ, John (2002). Northern France Narrow Gauge. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-75-3.
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