Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways
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NARROW GAUGE AT WORK.
NUMBER 11: ACROSS THE CHANNEL
Running Time: 59 minutes for the VHS video (72 mins for the DVD with bonus footage)
 
 
See below for summary and stills from the production
 
To order ACROSS THE CHANNEL securely online using PAYPAL
VHS
video
VHS VIDEO including postage within UK: £10:00
VHS VIDEO including postage to Europe: £11:00
VHS VIDEO including postage outside Europe: £12:00
DVD DVD including postage within UK: £14:00
DVD including postage to Europe: £15:00
DVD including postage outside Europe: £16:00
 
SUMMARY:

Within a short drive from the French coast there were several small narrow gauge railways mainly associated with the building industry. This video captures 7 of these railways, with three now closed, but others still hard at work.

There is a wide variety of locomotive builders represented, with Gmeinder, rebuilt Rustons, Plymouth, Moes, Alsthom, Whitcomb and Jung motive power seen working.

On the DVD there is extra footage of the French brickworks that operates railways of 2 gauges, Briqueterie Chimot. This location still operates in 2005.

 
 
Stills from the DVD are available below.


The Moes loco hauls 12 empty skips around the back of Ploegsteert Brickworks. Date: Oct 1998

Travelling under the road leading to Lomme town centre, a rebuilt Ruston from Lomme Brickworks pulls a train of skips to the claypits. Date: June 1999

A rebuilt Whitcomb stands outside the tipping shed of Templeuve Brickworks. Date: Oct 2001

As a train of empties is pushed away in the distance, a full train nears the road crossing at Lomme Brickworks. Date: June 1999

Leaving the pit at Templeuve another rebuilt Ruston crosses a minor road on route to the brickworks. Date: Oct 1998

Briquetieries du Nord No.27 was a small Plymouth loco, seen here shunting skips outside Templeuve tipping shed. Date: June 1999

A yellow Moes loco gently pulls forward the tain of skips under the large bucket and chain excavator at Ploegsteert. Date: Oct 1998

At one of the tipping sheds at Ploegsteert the loco moves slowly inside as the skips are emptied. Date: Oct 1998

An elderly Jung loco backs skips to the clay pit along the 500mm gauge railway at Lagrive Brickworks. Date: July 1999

After loading the skips at Lagrive Brickworks, the Jung loco moves back to couple up the train for the return journey. Date: July 1999

No.1, a small Gmeinder loco pushes 4 loaded skips back to the brickworks at Rejou Brickworks. Date: July 2001

At Rejou Brickworks a small bucket and chain excavator fills the skips from a clay stockpile. Date July 2001

The drying sheds at Leers are served by a network of tracks. The trolleys are hand pushed on this part of the railway. Date Aug 1996

At Leers, a Whitcomb in original condition was dumped off the end of the tracks. Date: Aug 1996

One of the rebuilt Whitcomb locos travels round the back of the brickworks with a full train of skips. Date: Aug 1996

Three SW locos arrive out of the mine at Terres Rouge, the last narrow gauge system operated by Arbed. Aug 1996

The same SW locos returning into the mine. Date: Aug 1996

© Steve Thomason 2004
Upgraded site relaunched 1st January 2004

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Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways