Chemin de fer du Cambrésis
km
57
 St-Quentin (Nord)
St-Quentin Rocourt
St-Quentin La Tombelle
St-Quentin Monplaisir
St-Quentin St-Jean
50
 St-Quentin (Cambrésis)
St-Quentin Moulin-Brûlé
Omissy
Lesdins
Le Tronquoy
Levergies
Joncourt
Estrées
Nauroy
Bellicourt
Bony
Mont St. Martin
25
 Le Catelet-Gouy
Cambrai (Cambrésis)
Aubencheul-aux-Bois
Cambrai St-Cloud
19
 Villers-Outréaux
Cambrai Faubourg-du-Cateau
Malincourt
Cambrai - Banlieue
Walincourt
Awoingt
Hurtevent
Estourmel
Clary
Carnières
Ligny
Beauvois
Caudry (Nord)
Le Jeune-Bois
00
Caudry-Cambrésis
0
Beaumont
Béthencourt
Inchy
Quiévy
Inchy - Sucrerie
St-Hilaire
Troisvilles
St-Vaast-en-Cambrésis
Le Cateau Faubourg-de-Cambrai
Le Cateau
St-Aubert (Sucrerie)
Le Cateau Rue-Belle
St-Aubert (Nord)
Le Cateau La Clef-d'Or
St-Aubert-Cambrésis
Bazuel
Villers-en-Cauchies
Catillon Le Gard
Avesnes-le-Sec
Catillon
Noyelles-sur-Selle
 Douchy (halte)
 Douchy
 Vieux-Lourches
 Bessemer
 Denain
28
km

Note: only metre gauge lines shown

The Chemin de fer du Cambrésis was a 120-kilometre (75 mi) long metre gauge railway in the Nord and Aisne departments of France. There were four lines with Caudry at the centre.

History

The Cambrésis railway opened in 1881. It was a voies ferrées d'intérêt local system. From Caudry, lines ran to Cambrai in the north, Denain in the east, Catillon in the south, and St. Quentin Cambrésis in the west.

The first section of line to open was the 26 kilometres (16 mi) section from Cambrai to Le Cateau in 1881, this was extended by 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to Catillon in 1886. In 1887, a 19 kilometres (12 mi) branch from Caudry to Villers-Outréaux was opened, extended by 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to Le Catelet-Gouy in 1888. The 28 kilometres (17 mi) line from Caudry to Denain opened in 1891. In 1892, the line was extended by 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Le Catelet-Gouy to St. Quentin Cambrésis, with a final extension of 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) to St. Quentin Nord opening in 1904. Caudry and St. Quentin are only 32 kilometres (20 mi) apart, but the railway took a route that followed contours and avoided heavy engineering, thus lengthening the distance by train.[1]

Wars

World War One

The Germans destroyed the CF du Cambrésis' infrastructure when they retreated in 1918. The lines were rebuilt, with Caudry - Villers-Outréaux reopening in 1921 and Villers-Outréaux - Saint-Quentin-Cambrésis reopening in 1923.[2] St. Quentin Cambrésis - St. Jean reopened to freight only in 1923. The line west of St. Jean did not reopen after the war.[1]

World War Two

In 1943, the CF du Cambrésis received three Corpet-Louvet 2-8-2T locomotives that had been destined for the Chemin de Fer Conakry-Niger in French Guinea. These locomotives were numbered 40, 41 and 42 in the CF du Cambrésis fleet. They were returned in 1947, and subsequently delivered to their intended customer.[3]

Closure

Closure occurred in stages. The line between Cambrai and Awoingt closed in 1936. Passenger service ceased between Le Catelet-Gouy and St. Quentin in 1936.[1] Le Catelet-Gouy to St. Quentin Cambrésis closed in 1954, and the entire system except Caudry - Denain closed in 1955. Final closure occurred in 1960.

Freight

The main freight was coal from Denain. Agricultural produce and general merchandise was also carried.

Locomotives

Railcars

The CF du Cambrésis had some four-wheeled Renault-Scémia railcars. These were only used on the lightest of trains.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "LE CHEMIN DE FER DU CAMBRÉSIS EN VERMANDOIS". a.gouge.free.fr. Archived from the original on 2006-12-06. Retrieved 2008-02-18. (fr)
  2. ↑ "L'Erclin, les moulins". Quiévy. Retrieved 2008-02-17. (fr)
  3. 1 2 3 "From Mallets to models". The Industrial Railway Society. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  4. 1 2 "The classic six-coupled tank". The Industrial Railway Society. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  5. ↑ Quine, Dan (2016). Four East Midlands Ironstone Tramways Part One: Waltham. Vol. 105. Garndolbenmaen: Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review.
  6. ↑ "Locomotive "Cambrai"". Talyllyn Railway. Archived from the original on January 4, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  7. ↑ Irchester museum page
  8. 1 2 Organ, John (2002). Northern France Narrow Gauge. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-75-3.
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