[ RURAL RAILWAYS IN FRANCE ][ CHEMINS DE FER RURAUX DE FRANCE ]

[ 241 P 17 - The Return, August 27th 2006 ]

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All rights reserved / tous droits réservés / J.G.Skinner  / 2006 - 2007 - 2008

Shortly after the Second World War, the Establishment Schneider at Le Creusot received an order for 35 powerful new steam locomotives designed to haul trains of 800 tons at 120 kph.

This locomotive type was designated P class and was delivered between 1947 and 1951.  The wheel configuration is 4-8-2 ( in French 2-4-1) and the locomotive with tender weighs 216 tons in working order.  The four coupled driving wheels are 2 metres in diameter.

The locomotives proved to be very successful and were allocated, principally, to haul heavy express passenger trains on the legendary "Imperial" main line to Marseilles. 

They would have hauled the famous Mistral "rapide" between Dijon, Lyon and Marseilles.

241 P 17 entered service on May 10th 1950 and was withdrawn on October 24th, 1969.  This locomotive covered 1,741,865 kilometres in commercial service for SNCF, the record of the class.

After withdrawal, the locomotive was returned to Le Creusot where it was stored at the factory where it had been built.

241 P 17 was purchased by the Ville du Creusot and a heritage association (Les Chemins de Fer du Creusot)restored the locomotive to running order during a period of 13 years. It has been classified Monument Historique.  Three other P class locomotives have survived; P 9 at Guitres in the west of France, P 16 in the National Railway Museum at Mulhouse and P 30 which, after 30 years exposed in open air at Vallorbe, has been moved to a museum at St Sulpice, Canton de Neuchatel, Switzerland where it is to be restored externally.

The first steaming of 241 P 17 after rebuilding took place between November 18th-21st, 2005.

The official inauguration run was completed on Friday 15th September 2006 between Le Creusot and Dijon.

During 2007 the locomotive completed a programme of special trains including a double headed run from Le Creusot to Lyon with 141 R 1199, and then a Lyon - Marseilles - Lyon with the "Mistral' charter.

In 2008 the following trains are announced:

April 6th Le Creusot - Nevers - Moulins - Vichy return

May 11thDijon - Le Creusot - Dijon

May 31stLyon - Amberieu two return runs

June 1stLyon - Avignon return

June 20thLons le Saunier - Amberieu return

June 21stLons le Saunier - Dijon return

June 22ndLons le Saunier - Lyon - Tournon return

Welcome to France's most powerful steam locomotive

Etang-sur-Arroux, August 27, 2006

At the junction with the line to Autun, 241 P 17 drifts gently into Etang with the special train for Nevers under a threatening sky.

Below:

All is well and the "P" makes a dramatic departure from Etang, difficult to catch her before the next stop at Luzy!

A "snatch" shot as I caught up with the "P" entering Luzy station after a brisk 25 km run, certainly with peaks at 100 kph.  

After a 35 minute stop at Luzy, here is 241 P 17 accelerating away through the green countryside of the Nièvre, destination Nevers

Etang-sur-Arroux, 18.00.  The end of the day long trip for the 400 passengers approaches as the P 17 arrives back at Etang to be met by a crowd of local residents eager to admire the magnificent locomotive.  This was nothing compared to the reception awaiting the train at its terminus, Le Creusot, a few kilometres away.

The P 17 set about cleaning its tubes with a resulting black cloud covering all of the front of the station.

A slow departure from Etang but then it was impossible to catch the loco again as it sped along the line and the roads clogged with excited followers.

The 241 P 17 has its own web site here.

We are now in 2008 and the new programme for the P17 has been published on its web site.

I recommend a visit as there are some interesting runs planned.

Page revised January 2008