Broken noses in Paris…

Passing through Paris by train recently gave me the opportunity to take a few photos at both Gare de Bercy and Gare du Nord and interestingly all three variants of basically the same locomotive type were seen.

The SNCF electric locomotive classes BB 7200, BB 15000 and BB 22200 are known as “Nez Cassés” (Broken noses) due to their cab styling by French industrial designer Paul Arzens who claimed the design had been inspired by the form of a “sprinter on the starting block”.

First up was class BB 7200 507246R wearing the colourful “en voyage…” livery at Gare de Bercy. 240 examples of this class were built between 1976-1985 and they are the 1500V DC member of the family. This particular locomotive is equipped for push-pull working as indicated by the “R” (Réversible) suffix to the number and was due to work a service to Dijon Ville.

SNCF Class BB 7200 507246 at Gare de Bercy, Paris, 2/8/16

On arrival at Gare du Nord class BB 15000 215016 was waiting at the buffer stops. Wearing the “Multiservices” livery, 215016 is one of a class of 65 built between 1971-1978 that collect traction current from 25kV AC catenary.

SNCF Class BB 150000 215016 at Gare du Nord, Paris, 2/8/16

Also at the buffer stops were class BB 22200 422208 (wearing the dull “Beton” (concrete grey) livery and 522274 (wearing the even duller plain grey “Ghost” livery). 205 of this class were built between 1976-1986 and they are the dual-voltage (1500V DC/25kV AC) member of the family. The 22200 class number is in fact the sum of 7200 (1500V DC locos) and 15000 (25kV AC locos).

SNCF Class BB 22200 522274 & 422208 at Gare du Nord, Paris, 2/8/16

Class BB 22200 locos can still be found at work all over France and are regularly in charge of the trains I catch between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Paris. During the mid-nineties they even made it as far as the UK, handling freight trains through the Channel Tunnel before British Rail’s class 92 electric locos were available.

Postscript: While I was writing this post I passed through Paris again and managed to photograph a couple more liveries…

SNCF Class BB 150000 115003 & 115063 at Gare de l'Est, Paris, 18/9/16

At Gare de l’Est BB 15000 115003 wears the TEE-Arzens livery (pictured with “en voyage…” adorned classmate 115063) while Gare de Bercy produced uniquely-liveried (as far as I am aware) class BB 7200 507321R, carrying the Bourgogne regional livery of grey with red and yellow ends.

SNCF Class BB 7200 507321 at Gare de Bercy, Paris, 18/9/16

Spotted today - Metropolitan Railway No.1

I popped down to the Midland Railway-Butterley this afternoon to photograph visiting Metropolitan Railway class E 0-4-4T No.1, currently on hire from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.

Metropolitan Railway E class 0-4-4T No.1 arrives at Hammersmith with the 13.10 departure from Swanwick Junction, 8/5/16

The sole survivor of a class of seven, No.1, built in 1898, was the last locomotive built at the Metropolitan Railway's Neasden Works and was constructed as a replacement for accident-damaged class 'A' 4-4-0T No.1.

Metropolitan Railway E class 0-4-4T No.1 runs round its train at Hammersmith station at the Midland Railway-Butterley, 8/5/16

Metropolitan Railway E class 0-4-4T No.1 stands at Hammersmith station with the 13.26 departure to Butterley, 8/5/16

According to the BRC's virtual stock book the Metropolitan Railway board wouldn't fund a replacement for the original No.1 only a repair but the Met's Operating Department somehow wangled an addition to the small batch of E class locomotives being built at Neasden at the time. The rest of the class carried the numbers 77-82 and presumably No.1 was numbered as such to help with the 'repair' subterfuge…

The wrong sort of voltage…

March 18th 2016 saw Virgin Trains East Coast unveil the first of their new Class 800 bi-mode IEP (Intercity Express Programme) units at London King's Cross Station. In the main the Class 800s will be powered by 25kV overhead electrification but they are also fitted with seven 940hp diesel engines to enable them to operate on non-electrified routes and to provide so called 'last mile' and 'get you home' power.

Whilst in France recently I photographed a couple of SNCF Class B 81500 AGC (Autorail à Grande Capacité) at Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire in Burgundy, like the Class 800s these units are bi-mode, each set being fitted with two 887hp diesel engines in addition to overhead current collection equipment. One of the units was in use on local services to Nevers and as it departed I noticed that it was obviously running on diesel power even though the line is electrified…

SNCF Class B 81500 AGC unit departs Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire with a service for Nevers, 23/3/16

The train was indeed running on diesel power, its ability to pick up power from the overhead electrification rendered useless because the line here is electrified at 25kV AC and the Class B 81500 is designed to pick up power from 1500V DC systems as used elsewhere in France…

I did think that the anti-railway elements of the British press would have a field day using 'The wrong sort of voltage' in a headline!