[ RURAL RAILWAYS IN FRANCE ][ CHEMINS DE FER RURAUX DE FRANCE ]
[ AMIENS - ABBEVILLE - BOULOGNE ]
From Paris to Amiens the rail network is electrified.  Thereafter, for the 123 kilometres to Boulogne, the double track line is not electrified and the Corail Intercité trains from Amiens to Boulogne are hauled by
BB 67400 diesel locomotives in a variety of liveries, most of which are illustrated on this page.
The line follows the marshy valley of the Somme to Abbeville where there is a branch off to Le Tréport.  The main line then turns north along the coast of the English Channel, to Etaples(junction with line to St Pol) and Boulogne.  The Amiens-Boulogne line was opened in 1847/8 and has always been associated with the cross channel traffic and later the famous Golden Arrow express.
Apart from the ferry boats there have also been hovercraft and in the 1960's an air service between Gatwick Airport and Etaples-Le Touquet.  The passengers on this service were brought to and from Paris by special RGP diesel trains which penetrated on to the airfield at Le Touquet and crossed the runway.
The main line crosses the Region of Picardy and then into Nord Pas de Calais at Rang du Flier.
The scope of this web site allows us to ignore the big city station at Amiens and to start our journey at
PK 140, Ailly sur Somme,where the imposing country station has been renovated as all the Picardy stations have been.  On the right of the picture below, a semaphore signal and vista of telegraph poles.
PK 145 Picquigny.  Next station down the line we are here looking back towards Amiens.  The original station building is now apparently a private home.  Adjacent to the station is a lock on the Canal de la Somme.
PK 158 Longpré-Corps-Saints.  The station building here is unusually positioned at right-angles to the track. It has a comfortable waiting room.  Modernisation has brought a new footbridge to the station from which the next photo(below) was taken looking towards Abbeville.
The former Hotel de la Gare is on the left and a characteristic pre-fabricated freight shed remains visible in poor condition.

A local train from Rue to Amiens enters Longpré station on April 5th 2008, operated with two X 4300 "Caravelle" units of Picardy region that are not far from retirement.
Probably the most attractive and original station on the line is to be found here at
PK 176 Abbeville on the rainy morning of April 6th 2008.  The ornamentation of the eaves of the roof are completed by the elaborate clock tower.  The station square has been smartened up.
PK 184 Port-le-Grand.   The double headed Corail Intercité 2032 from Boulogne speeds through this disused station on its approach to Abbeville on Saturday April 5th 2008.
After passing Noyelles, and Rue we have reached PK 216 Rang-du-Flier in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.  The semaphore adds a historic touch to the scene.  But on the morning of my visit train services had been busified due to track work.  I am not quite sure how the little van got on the platform.
A close up of the old semaphore signal.  Such vestiges are to be found at Ailly, Picquigny, Noyelles, Rang-du-Flier, Dannes-Camiers.
It is reported that the semaphore at Noyelles is in use.
April 6th 2008.  Corail Intercité 2007 arrives at Abbeville from Paris-Nord at 09.50 with BB 67602 in charge since Amiens.  The apparently sinister spectators on the footbridge are in fact train spotters from a special working of Picasso 4039 which is seen below.
PK 227 Etaples Le Touquet.  We are looking northwards.  Here is one of the rare points on the otherwise straight railway line where there is a wide sweeping curve through a station which serves two towns on either side of the river Canches.  It is also the junction for the single track line towards St Pol and Arras.  That traffic is handled from an island platform on the east side of the station which is mechanically signalled.  This can be seen from the two photos below on another day just after a spring snow storm.
Etaples - Le Touquet.  The view on departure towards St Pol.
Etaples.  A push-pull unit of Nord-Pas-De-Calais Region has arrived from Arras.
PK 234 Dannes-Camiers.  Yet another different architectural style on this interesting line.
At Pont-de-Briques, 5 km south of Boulogne,
the Paris-bound Corail Intercité 2038(Sundays only) is hauled by BB 67413 in En Voyage livery
on April 6th 2008.
Published May 2008
All rights reserved | J.G.Skinner | 2008