basberry

The Golden age of the rail network in France was probably in 1928. The standard gauge main line network had attained a length of more than 40,000km, while the secondary rail network had reached its peak at 22,000 km.

This secondary rail network, criss-crossing the countryside, and focussed on local traffic, included track at standard gauge, but, more often, at metre gauge and at 0,60 cm gauge. Between the Age of the Horse and the Age of the Motor Car, the heyday of the secondary rail network in France lasted just 30 years and by the beginning of the 1930's the lines making the most losses were closing fast.

By 1965, just 2,000 km of of such secondary lines remained in operation.

By 1985, apart from a few lines run by volunteers, the remnants of the "Blanc-Argent" metre gauge line in the departments of the Indre and Cher, was one of the very few secondary lines surviving in the public domaine.

But in 1988, a further segment of this line was lopped off, from Buzançais to Luçay-le-Mâle in the Indre.

At this point, in 1989, a group of enthusiasts began a long and difficult project to save for posterity this final section of the "Blanc-Argent".

A heritage association was formed; SABA (Société d'Animation du Blanc-Argent).

The key to success was to persuade the five villages served by the railway line to work together to purchase the track bed. This was finally achieved for the 27 km from Luçay to Argy. The last few km to Buzançais had to be abandoned due to conversion to standard gauge of the ex B.A. line which reached the cereals silo at Argy.

Finance for the renovation of the track was found and many parts of the line, and station sites were classified "Monument Historique".

The new tourist train is called "Le Train du Bas Berry".

Since 2003, progress has been rapid, and the line was progressively re-opened. Facilities at Ecueillé have been developed and a fine three track train shed in wood and brick has been built.

Since 2006, a connection is made with the Centre Region TER at Luçay-le-Mâle on Sundays in the summer, which makes possible a day return visit from Paris, via Salbris.

Luçay-le-Mâle, August 20, 2006.

The Train du Bas Berry operates on Sundays and jours de fête during the summer.

A visit by rail requires a ride on the 11.10 TER from Salbris which covers the 67 km to Luçay-le-Mâle in 80 minutes. Here X 74503 has operated the TER train service. Then, a short walk down the line to board the waiting SABA railcar.

The train at Salbris can be reached from Paris-Austerlitz on Sundays, and a return connection from the SABA railcar to the TER and then at Salbris to the main line train makes possible a day return trip from Paris.

After 9 km we reach Ecueillé, the base of operations. Features include the brand new shed, the original station building now privately owned and maintained, the buvette in a 1947 De Dion Bouton railcar, and the three platforms from which two trains operate, one to the south, to Argy, the terminus, and one to the north, to a leisure park. This train will return and travel on to Argy, crossing the first train at Heugnes. So on the southern section there will be two return trips possible. The railcar and trailor have now been painted red and cream.

Ecueillé, June 16, 2007. A standard BA station with an extra wing, now privately owned. The loco-tractor "Deutz" was built in 1955. The train includes two Swiss carriages with platforms, dated 1917, and two "open" carriages converted from former BA wagons. On the right the freshly painted X 224 "Verney" railcar, in original livery.

Ecueillé, June 16 2007. For the Fête du Train to open the 2007 season, SABA arranged the visit of an O-4-0T Corpet Louvet tank locomotive lent by the Association des chemins de fer de la Baie de Somme. This was the first time that a steam locomotive had run on the Blanc-Argent line since 1955. The little tank locomotive built in 1927 performed with brio during the two days of the festival. SABA has acquired an identical locomotive that requires repairs and they hope to run steam trains along the line regularly in the future.

The terminus at Argy, in the Berry, 95 km from Salbris in Sologne.

The CHAIX timetable of 1975 shows a daily railcar Buzançais-Salbris-Buzançais passing Argy and taking just over 2 hours for the journey. Buzançais to Luçay closed to passenger services in 1980.

Thanks to SABA and its partners, we can push the clock backwards to the past times of secondary rural lines which were part of the fabric of the French countryside in the early part of the last century.

I encourage a visit to this heritage railway, which deserves to be more widely known. The welcome is very warm and friendly. The reconstruction is impressive in its authenticity.

During 2007, the line will be open Sundays and Public Holidays between

June 17th and September 16th inclusive. It will be open on Wednesdays in July and August.

For details call the Tourist Office at Valençay, (33)(0)2 54 00 04 42, or

Tourist Office at Ecueillé (33)(0)2 54 40 26 37

Web site at http://traintouristiquedubasberry.com/

The communes which now own the track are Argy, Pellevoisin, Heugnes, Ecueillé, Luçay-le-Mâle.

Pellevoisin, June 17, 2007. On the Sunday morning the steam train was run along the line from Ecueillé to Argy and back, a 38 km round trip. The weather was poor but the train was full to celebrate the return of steam to the B.A. after 52 years of absence.