StFlorentMontlucon

The history of this single track line along the valley of the Cher is linked with the grand strategy of the Compagnie des Chemins de fer de Paris-Orléans ("P.O."). Contrary to the impression given by its name, this railway company had grands ambitions to extend its tracks all over western and southern France, reaching out first to industrial sites, mines. During the 19th century, the arch enemy of the P.O. was the P.L.M. which had been given the more favourable routes to the south of France via Dijon, Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand. This left the P.O. with the task of crossing the obstacle of the Massif Central.

The railway line from Paris-Austerlitz to Orléans ( Les Aubrais) was opened in 1843, and from Orléans to Vierzon and Bourges in 1847.

The P.O. then wished to grasp the traffic from the industrial region of Montluçon and applied for a line to be established from St-Florent-sur-Cher to Montluçon. North of St-Florent the line was connected to the Vierzon-Bourges route by a triangle allowing trains from Paris and Vierzon to join the line south along the Cher without having to reverse at Bourges.

St-Florent-sur-Cher station has been renovated (seen here in May 2004)and is located at the northern end of the line with several passing loops. It was originally a junction with a short line to Issoudun on the Paris-Limoges main line. The most spectacular part of that line, long closed, is the 14 arch viaduct across the valley of the Cher at St-Florent.

The distance from Bourges to Montluçon is 101 km. The line after St-Florent follows the bends of the river mostly on the west bank and serves a number of villages and the small towns of St-Amand-Montrond which share a station.

At Chateauneuf-sur-Cher there is an 11th century chateau and basilique.

South of St-Florent, the railway line was originally single track, later partly doubled and then singled again in 1943.

Mechanical signals remain in use along the line, notably at St-Amand.

At first Montluçon was the terminus, but in 1887 the railway line was opened from Montluçon to Eygurande-Merlines and then in 1891 as far as Aurillac. The P.O. had reached into the Massif Central and opened up direct rail links to the capital for the inhabitants of the Cantal.

Finally in 1908 a connecting line was opened from Bort-les-Orgues to Neussargues. Finally the P.O. could run through trains from its terminus at Paris-Orsay(opened in 1900) to the Mediterranean at Beziers. The night trains travelled on P.O. tracks all the way to Neussargues where the carriages were attached to a PLM train for the remainder of the journey.

So on our line from St-Florent to Montluçon there could be seen long distance night trains as well as local traffic and day time expresses. Destinations served in the Massif Central by trains passing along this route included Ussel, Aurillac, Le Mont Dore and St Flour.

The early morning Corail express from Montluçon to Paris approaches Urçay in May 2004. The train is diesel-hauled to Bourges where its reverses direction and an electric loco takes over.

Either CC 72000 or BB 67400 locos can be assigned to these trains.

In the summer 1975, the timetable showed three stopping trains operated by autorail between Bourges and Montluçon taking about two hours for the journey. There was a 6.50am express from Paris Austerlitz, Vierzon(8.50), St-Amand(9.46) Montluçon(10.26) and Ussel(12.48). An express autorail connected at Vierzon with a Paris express and train from Tours, departed at 14.20 and reached Montluçon at 14.45. An evening express left Paris at 18.59, stopped at Vierzon at 21.01 and reached Montluçon at 22.40. Finally the Thermal Express left Paris at 21.12, Vierzon 23.18 and Montluçon at 0.53. It reached Le Mont Dore at 06.00.

In the same period the up trains from Montluçon were as follows: three stopping trains to Bourges at 05.37, 12.23 and 17.38.

The express 4610 for Paris left at 06.38, Vierzon 08.08 and Paris 10.07. An express autorail left at 09.52 for Vierzon (11.16) with a connection to Paris and to Tours. The express from Ussel left Montluçon at 17.02 Vierzon 18.32 and reached Paris at 20.27. The Thermal express from Le Mont Dore (21.30) passed Montluçon at 01.46 and stopped at Vallon, St Amand, Chateauneuf, St Florent, Vierzon and reached Paris Austerlitz at 05.52. But it did not run every day.

In 2004/2005 the express train service between Paris and Montluçon was not much faster than in 1975 as now the trains travel via Bourges with reversal and this costs about 15-20 minutes.

There are two daily through express trains from Paris at 12.11 and 19.01 and a third express on Fridays at 17.18( continues to Ussel)

In the up direction the daily Paris expresses are at 08.58 and 16.03(except Sundays) On Sundays, there are through expresses at 16.36 and 19.04(from Ussel).

This is an attractive line( once part of the P.O. empire) that retains an old-fashioned atmosphere with its stations and mechanical signals.