THE SNCF SOCIETY'S ARCHIVE
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
THE SNCF SOCIETY’S ARCHIVE
The Archive was formally established in 1995 following the acquisition of photographs and papers
from the estate of G.P. Keen, of Model Railway Club fame. (In Journal 73, March 1994, there is
a concise yet detailed account which remains valid). The other photo collections were
successively incorporated. Technical papers and booklets were transferred from the Society
Library such as were considered antiquarian, fragile or otherwise unsuitable for loan. Walter
Dendy presented his collection of photos, literature and memorabilia of professional visits. I trust
I have acknowledged in the Journal the presentations which have been made over the last ten
years, (see Journal 139, Sept.2010.p.5 for recent notices and references, which are repeated in
the list below; earlier notices can be traced in the cumulative index compiled by P.Clegg).
The list that follows is a summary; many items are described generically, as sets or collections,
as with photos and some categories of ‘literature’. This is not the space to enter the title of every
paper or article. However a good many items are entered individually where it is useful and
illustrates the range of material present. Sections A to M represent categories of materials, and
reflect to an extent the way they are stored, but size and format are of course deciding factors.
A more extensive subject analysis might be desirable, but sections N to S represent fields which
are useful and convenient to list.
.
A. Photographs, b & w
1. G. P. KEEN. Ca. 960, mainly 1920s-30s, a few post-1945: original prints of various sizes, with
35 mm copy negatives and contact prints produced by B.Lockyer, on 24 sheets, for nearly the
whole set. Especially valuable for rolling stock, with 310 prints of CIWL stock. Listings are
available.
2. W. DENDY. Ca. 185, 1935-55; earlier prints 85 x 60 mm; reprints of these and later ones 135
x 85 mm (ca. 51/2 x 31/2 in). 38 were reprinted 1994 in 15 x10 cm, with 35 mm copy negs and
contact print sheet. Similar range to Russell’s; some travels were evidently made together and
the resulting pictures appear in the CD-R (next entry).
3. E. S. RUSSELL. 1938-80s: b&w prints and colour slides, with original negatives. This wide –
ranging collection is the subject of the CD-ROM which is now available for sale. (The originals
remain with the Secretary)
4. G. LYALL. Ca. 105, 1960?-67: recent 14 x 9 cm prints from original negatives (mainly 7 x 10
cm).
A varied collection, at locations mainly West, South-central, and East of Paris -: some rolling
stock; notable takes on Bastille-Vincennes and Réseau Breton.
5. Rev. D. ROKEBY. 125, 1920s: recent 15 x 10 cm prints from original negatives (same size);
all of stations, mainly Midi and Etat, a few Paris area and N-E, apart from one wallet of 18 which
is of locos, mostly Midi.
6. J. QUANJER (H. HESSELINK). Ca. 670, 1930s-1950; negatives 114 x 69 mm, and a few
larger, from which contact prints have been made (sheets of six). Collection acquired in 2002-03,
see Journal 110, June 2003 (and subsequent issues). Nearly all are static shots of steam locos,
and important for the number of types shown that were withdrawn by the 1950s, and indeed
many that didn’t last to be incorporated in the SNCF.
7. H. M. PETIET. Ca. 167, before 1920 - ca.1936: large prints mostly 18 x 13 cm, obtained 2004
at an auction of M Petiet’s vast effects, see the account in Journal 117, March 2005. Mainly
‘portraits’ of Nord loco classes, with 3 of diesel railcars; ca. 42 are of entire trains in motion. The
catalogue of the sale is also held (see entry M.3).
1 of 98. JOHN BLYTH. Over 950 prints 14 x 9 cm, ca.270 from 1930s, most 1949-54 and up to 1968.
Mostly steam loco ‘portraits’ with good background detail and nearly all with place and date
indicated. Ca. 90 1m-gauge and industrial. Various photographers apart from Blyth himself
indicated by initials, eg. CRGS (Gordon Stuart) in 1938, GSL (Lloyd) 1936, FC Butcher, 1950,
RJP 1957-65. (Jnl 129, March 2008)
9. MILBROOK HOUSE (P.Whitehouse). Ca.125 prints var. sizes, max. 10 x 8 inches; these last
being 54 ‘classic’ loco portraits dated 1938-9 at Paris-Nord and Batignolles, some credited to
A.W.Flowers. The rest form a ‘steam age’ 1945-67 miscellany, mainly Nord, Ouest and
Bourbonnais, some evidently for publication by Ian Allan. Photographers include Aubert, Fenino,
Haresnape, W.J.V.Anderson; some PBW (Whitehouse himself). See Jnl. 131-2, 139.
10. (OTHERS).
a. 25 large prints 8 x 6 inches (with set of copy prints slightly larger) of concrete structures on the
Nord system: stations, depots, bridges…, issued by the British Reinforced Concrete Engineering
Co., 1930s.
b. 25 large copy prints 21 x 15 cm, with 35 mm negs, from published photos of (a)very early
locos, and (b) various scenes up to 1920s; probable origin is the Locomotive publishing Co.
c..Large collection (uncounted) of prints in b&w and colour (and slides) passed to us from the
SNCF London Office ca. 2001, and later via Milbrook House. Some are of Paris termini; most
illustrate various railway operations(1960s-70s?—p.w./installations fixes), with a few illustrations
of road-rail convertible vehicles.
d. (from J. Petrie) 20 colour prints recording the LGV-SE under construction (late 1970s).
e. 30 prints 17.5 x 10 cm of narrow-gauge and industrial steam locos, from Nord/ Est areas—9 of
the C.F.Cambrésis. Some (all?) appear to be by H.Hesselink (see 6 above).
B. Colour slides
1. A. SWAIN (and another photographer). 202, 1965-68 and a few earlier: the last years of
steam on the Nord (on the occasion of rail tours from England); also Dieppe and Rouen, 1965,
with the new BB670xx as well as steam; and locos at the last steam depots elsewhere in France
in 1968.
2. W. DENDY. 51: trains and details at Calais, Amiens, Paris, 1961-86; turbotrains ad others,
Caen,1994; Eurostars, Waterloo,1995.
3. S. SACHSE. Ca. 350, ca. 1982-93: wide-ranging and showing most classes of all types of
traction; some RATP locos and RER units; a few light rail units; some inside the Mulhouse and
St Mandé Museums; steam specials, Baie de Somme.
4. SNCF (LONDON OFFICE). (Uncounted, 1980s?): views and trains for illustrative purposes,
donated with the prints entered above.
C. Postcards
1. The HMP set complete in 747 cards, published 1940s: a survey of locos from early examples
to 242A1; many contemporary photos by L. M. Vilain. 12 of North African locos, 120 of others
worldwide.
2. (From W. DENDY and J.BLYTH). Ca. 90 cards; individual and from collections; eg.Fleury,
F.Moore, Photomatic, LaVie du Rail, etc.
2 of 9D. Material featuring drawings/ diagrams of locos and rolling stock
1. Sheets of drawings that form part of the Museon di Rodo Scrapbooks; subjects are mostly
early locos and rolling stock, on paper cut to small sizes; not numbered nor is source indicated.
Came with G.Keen material but probably from Giraud Eymery. Lists and indexes to the
Scrapbooks have been acquired.
2 Copies and cuttings from Engineering (pre-1900), Railway Engineer (1900s-1929 and
thereafter Railway Gazette) and The Locomotive… (1910s-30s). Various subjects but two files in
particular relate to the C.F.de l’Est and the CIWL (for the latter see also sect.R).
3. Paris, Expo.Universelle 1878: Etudes sur l’Exposition: paper on ‘Locomotives’ and set of
drawings relative to this and other railway installations (2 bound vols.)
3a. Issues of, and extracts from, Revue Générale des Chemins de Fer (and other sources)
describing railway exhibits at trade exhibitions: Paris, 1900—with complete set of large-scale
drawings--; Milan, 1907; Brussels, 1910—with a comprehensive account by J. B. Flamme;
Ghent, 1913; Liège, 1930.
4. Cours sur la Construction du Materiel Remorque. SNCF Reg. S-E, 1946, in 15 parts: a full
survey of the history and technicalities of carriage design, mainly on the PLM but with examples
beyond.
5. Drawings in 1/100 scale of the 1411 locos built by A. Koechlin & Cie., Mulhouse, 1839-72,
with numbers and specifications: photocopied MS bearing date 1913.
6. Large folded sheets of O-scale diagrams issued by Loco-Revue and others, of eg. BB67xxx,
242A1, 141R (701 & final lots), 141P(section through cylinders);
also of 231 Etat/TP--several sheets of O and HO drawings and description in MS (anon.? done
or donated by Stewart Miller).
7, Diagram books (in photocopy) of continental wagons permitted to run on British Railways:
‘SFV’ book (1958), complete; ‘E’ book (post-1965)--the pages of French wagons; (ca.355 + 36
sets of drawings and specs.) with explanatory letters from R. Bayliff.
7a. Wagons à Marchandises. SNCF, 1969 (later editions are in the Library);
7b. La Vie du Rail, 948, May 1964: 8-page extract with brief spec.and diagram of 28 wagon
types.
8. 39 very large sheets of Diagrams of SNCF and TEE carriage detail to 1/10 or 1/5 scale. See
description in Journal 139, Sept.2010.
And see below: J ‘Technical and Instructional texts’.
E. Other graphical items
1. Performance graphs of 240P 5, 232S 3, 141P 1, and 242A1, on Laroche - Dijon and Lyon -
St Germain-des-Fossés, 1941-46, with gradient profiles.
2. Timetable graphs of (a) Paris - Basle/ Berne route, Summer 1930 (1 large sheet);
(b) Paris-St Lazare and Invalides suburban services, 1937-38 (3 large sheets);
(c) RER line A—St.Germain-en-L. – Vincennes – Boissy/ Torcy, 26 Mars 1984 (1 long sheet
folded to12 cm width).
3 of 93. Roulements (rosters for depots): Argentan, Caen, Cherbourg, Le Mans, Rouen-Sotteville, 1983 (23 sheets). 4. Track plans. a. Petite Ceinture de Paris: a large sheet of various published plans and tables, 1862-1926. b. Villeneuve St.Georges, station and Triage (Inst.of Transport, 1954, collection of ‘memorabilia’); Gevrey (near Dijon) Triage, 2 folded sheets 1948/51 (for similar German visit, 1954); c. Peter Cook archive: Lille, Aulnoye, Cambrai (etc*): track plans with schema de signalisation; photocopied on to a quantity of A3 sheets (*to be sorted); and plan of Blainville Triage (1973) with description (1960?)—SNCF- Est – Nancy. d. Channel Tunnel, manuscript diagram to various scales, on large folded sheet (
7. [Metz traffic division] Repertoire des trains (working timetables) for lines radiating from Metz,
summer 1988, for passenger and freight services, in several loose gatherings.
With these, sets of tables (Recueil d’equivalences: 1300,130) of weight allowances for every
loco class on Line 3, Metz – Luxembourg.
8. Paris Banlieue and RER—see Section ‘Ephemera…’
Literature
H. Magazines (pre-1955 and particular issues since)
Bulletin PLM, 7 issues 1934-37; Le PO.-Midi Illustré, No.51, Mai 1937;
Rails de France, 4 Special issues 1937-39;
Notre Métier, no.3—7 1938-39; La Vie du Rail, 3 issues 1951;
L’Illustration, July 1943, Realités (in English), Sept 1972: both with features on ‘steam’.
Trains (Brussels), no.1 1944-, near complete to 1953; many issues with a French slant; also the
accompanying part-work, Au Fil du Rail (both edited by F. Lebbe –W Dendy coll.).
Transmondia, no.25, Oct.1956: Special on French railway electrification.
Rail et Route, 1952 Special ‘Tourisme’: esp. travel in Corsica.
Several photocopies of articles in Railway Magazine (from 1922) and The Locomotive…,
also in Railway Wonders of the World
See also section above on Drawings, entries 2 and 3a; and K.3, Earle Edwards collection of
extracts (listed below under ‘Promotion and Publicity’).
J. Technical and instructional texts
Some 20 works covering:--
1. electric traction: notably regarding Midi 1923-4 and Nord-Est 25kV 1954-6;
2. locomotive efficiency, notably Chapelon’s report on the P-O 240 (RGCF, 1935),and
-- -- report on BR/SNCF staff interchange on loco. maintenance, 1952.
3. also signals, brakes, marshalling yards, track maintenance, welded rails, concrete sleepers.
4. Manuals and reports specific to loco classes: BB4200/4700, Monophasees—BB12001,13001,
CC14101--BB9400, BB22200, diesel CC72000, autorails X3800, TEE units X2771-81, the
Renault Gas Turbine loco (1952-54);
Inspection regime for A1A…62000, 1969;
Moyse locotracteur specification, 1929, and product range (ca.1980? both in photocopy)
Note also entries D.3-4 in ‘Material containing drawings…’
K. Promotion and publicity
1. SNCF: some 15 brochures 1948-70 in French or English incl. ‘Modern Railways Specials’ on
progress generally and electrification schemes; more 1970 to 90s for the TGV era.
Le Figaro, 30 Mai 2003: cutting of the spread on the railway exhibition on the Champs-Elysees.
2. (Pre-SNCF): several brochures issued at the Colonial Exhibition, 1931: by the Nord, on
‘Pacific’ locos, ‘reversible’ suburban train, Draisine Renault 40 cv, technical training, et alia;
by the P-O, on carriage refrigeree, wagons isothermes, technical training.
Two other Nord booklets (economique, tourisme), 1930;
Chemins de Fer Francais, four booklets (1934/5).
5 of 92a.Vitry S/Seine: 3 booklets—test plant (1930s), repair shop (ca.1950), test centre (1975).
3. Earle Edwards collection of cuttings from Modern Transport, Railway Gazette et alia, on
developments on French railways 1930s-50s, on motive power, signalling, schedules, structures
and p.w. items—see Journal 126, June 2007.
L. Ephemera-- small notices, handouts, pocket timetables
1. (C.F.Etat, Southern Rly) 2 leaflets in English promoting Britanny, ca.1938-9
2. SNCF: various leaflets advertising services and regional info., 1951-83, folded to 7.5cm width.
3. From 1982, A5 booklets issued per timetable change: TGV services 1982-86/ 94-(2006);
TER Regions 1994-(2009), Guides Corail /Teoz 2003-(09).
4. RER : complete timetables for individual routes, 1980s, and combined with associated
Banlieue routes 1994-97. (also line A Graph, 1984, see item E.2c above)
5. RATP: Metro maps and guides—see Subject section P below.
6. ‘Memorabilia’: leaflets etc.collected by W. Dendy at Paris Exhibition 1937;
Institute of Transport organised visit to Paris, Villeneuve St.Georges, Dijon, May 1954:
programmes, travel vouchers, tickets, dinner menus and bills etc., also plans of Villeneuve and
Gevrey yards (see above - ‘Graphical items:Track plans’) collected by W. Dendy and Earle
Edwards;
Similar visit for German student engineers, to Paris, Dijon (Gevrey Yard) and N-E electrified
routes, Oct 1954.
7. Unsorted tickets and passes for timespan ca. mid-1980s – 2008.
M. Modelling catalogues and papers
A residual collection 1970s - 90:--
1. Catalogues: France-Trains 1972 and 1976(?), with historical notes on prototypes;
Jouef, 6 issues, 1970s, + ‘TGV Atlantique’;
Kit-zero, no.12, 1987; MKD, 3 issues, 1984-88; HM Diffusion…HO, 1990.
2. Articles on layouts etc. by P.Brumwell, A. Hart, N.Wood, in Model Railway Constructor,
Euromodel Rail Review, 1977, 80, 82.
3. H.M.Petiet : two sale catalogues of his historic model collections, Paris, Dec.1996; also the
sale catalogue of his photos and papers, Nov. 2004 (See entry A.7 under ‘Photographs’).
SAMPLE SUBJECT AREAS
N. Secondaires and narrow gauge
1. See photos: entries A. 2,3,4,5,8.
2. Loco-revue (pull-out) leaflets, 1971-2—CFT(touristiques)1-24, Tram 1-4, MUS(musées)1-4.
3. Booklets: Tramway Pithiviers – Toury, 1988, Pithiviers Museum (ca.1984);
Tramways des Deux-Sevres, 2-part issue of Ferrovia-Midi, ca.1977;
‘Petit train de Plabennec’ (Finistère), 1992;
Tramway de Mont-Blanc, 1991;
6 of 9Funiculaire de Mont-Dore—centenary 1998;
line La Roche s/Foron – Cluses—centenary 1990;
C de F.Touristique du Sud des Ardennes: ample information in English for tour, Aug.2000;
line Bordeaux – Aurillac, historical note and bid to preserve the stretch Sarlat – Martel (1982);
Nantes, restoration of tram no.144, 1987.
3. John Davies (author of comprehensive loco.lists of French main railways): list of Secondaire
railways and their loco.stock, arranged by Departements: Ain and Aisne received so far, with
correspondence to/from John Willis (see Journal 139, Sept.2010).
4. Le Blanc – Argent railway: boxful of plans relating to the construction of the line, 1903: 24 large
folded drawings of building works Valencay to Argent, ca.20 of trackwork ; detailed list of the
contents by Andrew Else who retrieved them (see Jnl 128, June 2008, p.1).
O. Signalling, Securité
At least a dozen articles and papers (mostly in photocopy) in French and English:--
PLM Rly: on the Block-System, 1925, and on the Flaman speed recorder, 1929;
Various,1930s on, in P.Cook archive and ex- Library list pre-1995;
SNCF course manuals: Block manuel, 1969; Signalisation électrique, 1969.
4 papers extracts from RGCF on automation, 1960,62, eg.of level crossings.
P. RATP
1. Metro maps 1936, 37, 1946; various pocket guides 1950s, 1970s-80s—métro, bus, RER.
2. Le (C de F) Métropolitain de Paris: book with fine artwork on occasion of Colonial Expo.,1931.
3. Three poster-size sheets: tariffs and conditions, 1933;
first and last trains on each line with indications of frequency, 1935?
last trains at interchange stations, 1936?
4. Metro: historical /statistical typescript notes (French), 1954, 1976; note on construction of RER
(in English) with diagrams, 1969?
5. Three RATP published booklets, 1984-85: on Métro, on Transports de surface,
and on Studies and projects first qtr.1984.
6. On Rails under Paris, B.J.Prigmore, 1970; another copy is in the Library.
7. French newspaper cuttings rel. to RATP and rail travel to/around Paris, 1970-90.
R. CIWL
1. Photos in G.P.Keen collection.
2. File of extracts, mostly from British journals, on new vehicles etc., 1920s, 1949-55, with two
letters G.Behrend to Eric Russell, 1989-90; and with
2a. German article 100 Jahre CIWLT, Eisenbahn Magazine 7/76, with drawings to HO scale;
and various loose drawings mainly 1/50 scale and larger.
3. Eric Russell’s journal, with photos, of his trip on the Nostalgie Istanbul Orient Express, Oct
1985.
7 of 9S. (North) Africa
1. A few items donated from the Kalla-Bishop archive held by the Italian Railways Society
include:--
Tunisian Railways—metre-gauge lines: gradient profiles, 1920s; working timetable, 1977
Algerian Railways: map and list of stations (late 1930s?)
Account of the Djibouti—Addis Abeba line (translated).
2. Beyer-Garratt loco (cl. 231-132 B) for Algeria: offprint from Railway Gazette, Mar.27 1936 with
full details. (this and next with other papers in sect. J)
2a. Alsthom paper on diesel locos for African metre-gauge lines, 1953.
T. Other items include:--
1. Géographie des Chemins de Fer Français (et d’Europe) by H. Lartilleux, 1953 edition, in
photocopy.
2. Train Speeds and Services by L. Wiener, International Railway Congress Association, 3 vols.,
1933-39.
3. French Railways in 1944, typescript by W. Dendy ; also letter from R.J.Bayliff—WW2 Railway
Study Group--with list of Dendy’s 1945 photos of trains in NE France and neighbouring areas.
3a. Resistance and Reconstruction, French Railways London, ca.1945.
4. Small pocket diary 1948: title ‘Agenda Ferroviaire 1948’ issued by Les Amis de Notre Metier;
--vade-mecum with info.and moral advice.
5. Booklet on goods sorting and delivery office, Paris St.Anne, 1949/54.
6. NELPG booklet SNCF Steam, 1969.
7. Dépôt de Vénissieux—short history, typescript 1969 by Rasserie;
Dépôt de Dole—its organization (1962).
8. Edmondson tickets of the French main-line companies, 1885-1956, Transport Ticket Society,
1981 (another copy is in the library).
9. C.I.(P).C.E.(European Railways Information Centre): 3 booklets, on general info (multilingual);
on UIC and TEE services, both ca.1960; and on perishable freight, in French, 1955.
10. Dick Hardy: box of letters to him from French enginemen from Calais, notably H. Dutertre,
and A.Duteil (based at La Chapelle), 1958 – 1974, with 4 photos; see Journal 131/2, 2008.
11. French Railways References 1987, by G.Wildish: 900 journal citations for that year;
11a. Railway Researcher ‘1991 Provisional’ by the same, a much more ambitious attempt to give
citations back to 1929 and to 1991 for most nations with railways.
12. Industrial locomotives of Paris and Central Île de France, Birmingham Locomotive Club, 1959.
The successive Industrial Railway Society books are in the Library.
8 of 9More complete listing of the photos and literature are in preparation, as is digitization of many
photos. You, the Members, are always invited to make enquiries and request more specific
information than that given here. Generally speaking, original photo prints or negatives, or original
documents, most of which date to pre-1970, cannot be lent. However, much can be scanned or
photocopied. You are welcome to view original matter by arrangement with me. Please see the
notice in Journal 139, Sept.2010, p.6. For matter to be sent by post, please send an s.a.e. or
stamps.
Francis Carline, Aug.2006, revised and expanded Dec.2010
Acknowledgements
The origins of the Archive are briefly referred to in the introduction. The Society Officers have
been supportive, particularly in being the intermediaries in acquiring material. Originators of
collections are mentioned in the list. Over the last ten or so years I have been grateful to the
following members present or past for donations, or help and advice:--
Roger Allen, Mark Booker, Peter Daley, Walter Dendy, Richard England, Tim Hills, Ian Jowett,
John King, Peter Lemmey, Richard Owen, John Petrie, David Smith-Price, Mike Swinn, David
Thomas, David Thompson, Mike Willis; and beyond the Society, Dick Hardy, David Kelso, Ian
Mackenzie, Adrian Sargent.
These were personal contacts and I trust I have not omitted anyone inadvertently.
Francis Carline
9 of 9You can also read
