Railroads of Herault

• all revolving bridges and all turntables of the network having been deposited,
• connections constituting of the triangles of reversal having disappeared,
• the 040T Schneider of the series D still in service having their axles sanded for the two directions of walk,

1939 - the decision to close the whole of the network, except for the line of Montpellier in Palavas, is made but the Second world war and the gasoline shortage save, temporarily, the local Interest.

Night from March 17th to 18th 1940 - a fire destroys a span of the handing-over with machines of the Chaptal deposit. It will be rebuilt rather quickly. The disaster does not cause a major damage with rolling stock thanks to the intervention of the night watchman and the workmen of the living deposit in the vicinity who move the two machines present in the span.

May 25th, 1940 - the turntable of Montagnac, a diameter of 6,20 meters and a weight of approximately 20 tons, used to turn the 050T Borsig H-501 series to 503, is sold with the network of the the Gironde.

June 3rd, 1940 - Closing with the service travellers of the line of Mèze to Agde.

1941 - Adoption of the system Westinghouse of continuous brake with modularity. The assembly will be done gradually on the whole of rolling stock in affected operating condition to the deposit of Montpellier-Chaptal.

June 1944 - Sète is bombarded by the allied aviation which aims at the German troop trains. Ways of the Bordeaux line - Marseilles are intercepted and the convoys cannot circulate any more between the stations of the Montpellier-SNCF and Béziers-Midday. Special trains are then started by the local Interest between Montpellier-Chaptal and Béziers-North in order to ensure the passenger transport of the SNCF between the two cities. With this occasion the railway contest of four transport companies is requested:

• the SNCF,
• the Company of the Railroads of Herault,
• the Company of the electric Trams of Montpellier which ensure the correspondence between the stations of the Montpellier-SNCF and Montpellier-Chaptal,
• the Compagnie of the electric Trams of Béziers which ensure the correspondence between the stations of Béziers-Midday and Béziers-North.

1945 - TIA, integral Treatment Armand, is assembled gradually on the engines 040T Schneider D-61 series to 82 and 050T Borsig H-101 and H-102 in operating condition.

1946,1947 & 1952 - Herault acquires of four rail-cars diesels of occasion Verney, numbered ZZ-CC-1002 at 1005, coming from the Norman Railroads. These apparatuses circulate on Béziers - Saint-Chinian, Montpellier - Béziers then, until 1966, on the line of Montpellier with Palavas in coupling by two. One-way and propelled by a diesel engine Berliet of 125 ch, the four Verney rail-cars are equipped in the beginning with a hydraulic actuating cylinder installed in the center of gravity allowing their reversal without using revolving bridge. Become useless, this equipment is deposited at the time of the change of the apparatuses on the line of Montpellier with Palavas where they circulate by coupling of two in reversed position.

1947 - Herault buys a new diesel rail-car Of Dion-Button, numbered Z-101, and its trailer-pilot ZR-101. This coupling circulates on Montpellier - Rabieux and Lodève of 1947 to 1949 then on Montpellier - Palavas until 1966.

The engine 040T Schneider D-77 is reinforced. With 379.827 km, it holds the record of the weakest distance covered by the twenty-two machines of this series.

The engine 050T Borsig H-503 is reinforced. With 266.090 km, it holds the record of the weakest distance covered by the three machines of this series.

August 24th, 1947: the accident of Bridge-of-Saline the - If one regrets only little of accidents on the network of Herault, it is one whose consequences blame the perenniality of its exploitation. Beyond the 4 dead ones followed by a tipcart of coal balls of 21 tons, of four cars and a van. At the beginning of Béziers-North, the 258 is ensured by the 040T Schneider D-70 provided with the brake Westinghouse which tows only two cars and a van. It is thus the lightest train which has the most powerful braking. In spite of its weak load, he shows a light delay with the approach of Make-March.

Concerning the crossing, the payment of exploitation envisages:

• the obligatory stopping of the first train which arrives at Make-March;
• obligation for the conductor to announce by telephone, in Mèze or Montagnac according to the direction of circulation, the presence of its convoy in order to obtain the authorization, or not, to set out again of Make-March.

At Make-March, the conductor of the 258 supposes a probable delay of the heaviest train coming from Montpellier. Not respecting the payment of exploitation, he neglects to inform himself near the station of Mèze of reality of the situation and orders to the mechanic of D-70 to immediately set out again. This one is not agreement, it objects, but the conductor gave an order, it carries out it. The 258 thus sets out again at once towards Mèze. Conscious of the risk, the mechanic redoubles vigilance and permanently scans the way in order to see, as soon as possible, a possible appearance of a train opposite.

In Mèze, the 257 is per hour and everyone is quiet: Montagnac announced a light delay of the 258 and as no call still arrived from it Make-March is that the crossing will be done as envisaged. The departure is given. The heavy convoy benefits from the descent which follows the station of Mèze before theSaline ones to take the dash necessary to the crossing of the 800 meters of the slope of 25 mm/m which precedes Make-March. D-64 gives all its power, the train approaches the curve on the right at the speed of 60 km/h, one is serene in cabin, the slope will be swallowed without difficulty.

The 258 quickly descends in free wheel the slope from 25 mm/m which follows Make-March. A certain tension reigns on board D-70, this history starting without authorization aggravates. Leant outside, the mechanic always observes the way with attention. The train will approach the curve on the left and it is necessary to give again power to cross the slope which precedes the station of Mèze right after theSaline ones. The driver opens the door of the hearth and charges two coal shovelfuls while the mechanic returns to open the regulator. He is on the right in his cabin when the train between at the speed of 60 km/h in the curve on the left, i.e. that he is outside the curve and cannot see the way any more.

In opposed situation, the mechanic of D-64, on the right in his cabin, is inside the curve, it has any visibility on the way. Amazed, he discovers the train opposite which comes on him to any pace. He beats at once reversed steam and the driver tightens the screw brake. Opposite, it is only after the curve and theSaline ones, on the beginning of the straight line, that the mechanic sees the train so much dreaded. It tightens the Westinghouse at once. The two trains telescope at the speed of a little less than 60 km/h each one. The shock is of such a violence that the heaviest train pushes back lightest of 25 meters behind. The 258 coming from Béziers is immobilized on theSaline ones crossed two seconds before, van and cars embedded one in another. The human account is heavy: 4 died, of which the mechanic of D-64, and 25 wounded. The material assessment is also: 2 engines, 6 cars and 2 vans destroyed or very damaged. Only the tipcart of balls does not suffer large damage.

the responsibilities

the consequences (Paragraphs to be supplemented)

1947-1966 - the machines of the local Interest ensure of the daily services (except Sundays and bank holidays) on behalf of the SNCF:

• operations with Montpellier-Arena sortings, Montpellier-Rondelet, Béziers-Capiscol, Sète-Midday and the Sète-Mediterranean,
• online services for the goods between Dovecotes and Quarante-Cruzy and Montpellier and Saint-Genius-of-Mourgues the (line of Montpellier with Sommières).

1949 - the service of the travellers is removed on the line of Montpellier with Rabieux and Lodève.

January 1950 - Fine of the exploitation of the Marseillan section - Agde of the line of Mèze to Agde.

End of the exploitation of the goods on the line of Montpellier in Palavas.

The operating deficit of the exercise of the year rises with 60.000.000 Francs of 1950.

1951 - Herault buys with the railway and naval Company constructions of the west (Coferna), installed with the Sand-with Olonne, six diesel-electric locomotives new BB of 62 tons, numbered DE-1 with 6. They circulate on all the lines of the local Interest and, under certain conditions, on the lines of the SNCF. Life of the Rail title in one of cover: the railroads of Herault are modernized . One reads, on interior pages, of the rather eulogistic articles on the revival of the exploitation thanks to the news and powerful machines diesels. Maurice Mallet, collaborator of the review, write there a complete history of the network and a significant description, quasi poetic, line of Palavas; it evokes with respect and empathy its users and its railwaymen. One is well far from the outrageous caricatures of the draftsman Albert Dubout.

Diesel-electric engines BB Coferna series DE-1 to 6

Characteristic principal of diesel-electric engines BB Coferna series DE-1 to 6

• two generators made up of a diesel engine of six cylinders of a power of 260 ch with 1.100 rpm coupled with a generator Westinghouse providing 650 has under 350 V in D.C. current,
• four engines of traction Westinghouse with D.C. current 305 V, 325 has,
• 520 ch power with the two groups in service, 260 ch with only one group,
• overall lengths 11,70 m, overall width 2,85 m, overall height 4,10 m,
• diameter of the wheels 1,067 m,
• curve of minimum ray 80 m,
• speed maximum 76 km/h,
• tare weight 59 T, weight in functioning order 62 T, charge by axle 15,5 T,
• capacity of the gas oil tanks 1.500 L, capacity of the sand pits 500 kg,
• gauge UIC pass key,
• possibility of traction at power reduced with only one group or full power with the two generators according to the load to be towed,
• cabin with two driver's cabs, on the left in the direction of walk, equipped with a indicator-recorder speed Flaman authorizing the machines to circulate on the ways of the SNCF.

Put in services of May 1950 in February 1951 on the network of Herault, these engines robust and enduring finish their career in the years 1990 on the network CFTA of Franche-Comté, based with the deposit of Gray.

the DE-1 DE-2 & DE-3

the DE-4 the DE-5 the DE-6

March 1951 - Fine of the exploitation of the Saint-Georges section - Aniane of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux.

March 1952 - Fine of the exploitation of the Marseillan section - Make-March of the line of Mèze to Agde from now on closed at any traffic and end of the exploitation of the Celleneuve section - Saint-Georges of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux.

July 1952 - Demounting of the way enters Farmhouse-to-Fourques and Saint-Georges on the line of Montpellier in Rabieux. The recovered rails will be rested on the line of Palavas to replace those of origin.

A indicator-recorder speed, type Midday system Hausshaelter, is assembled on the engines 040T Schneider D-63, D-70 and D-73 which have to operate with the Montpellier-SNCF and to circulate in service of road on the line of Montpellier with Sommières until Saint-Genius-of-Mourgues the.

January 1953 - Fine of the exploitation of the Aniane section - Ceyras of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux and end of the exploitation of the Celleneuve section - Montbazin (IT) of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

The service of the travellers is removed on the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

The exploitation of the goods ceases on the section Celleneuve - Lavérune - Pignan-Murviel - Cournonterral-Coulazou - Montbazin (IT). Between Montpellier and Béziers, the goods trains again borrow the initial route by Prés-d' Arenas and Montbazin-Gigean.

January 1954 - Fine of the service of the travellers on the whole of the line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian and on the Servian section - Béziers of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

March 1954 - Fine of the exploitation of the Montagnac section - Béziers of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

July 1954 - Demounting of the way between Make-March and Agde of the old line of Mèze to Agde and between Saint-Georges and Aniane of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux.

1955 - Study of a project of electrification of the line of Montpellier in Palavas.

An agreement is signed with the SNCF so that the machines of Herault carry out the operations in Montpellier-Arena stations, Montpellier-Rondelet, Béziers-Capiscol and Sète.

The summer service of the line of Montpellier in Palavas comprises nine daily outward journeys and returns in week and seventeen outward journeys and return Sundays and public holiday. These are 2.953 diesel trains and 5.044 steam trains which are put in circulation on the line during the year.

The manpower of the engines 040T Schneider D-61 series to 82 comprises 13 more machines, that of the cars of fifty specimens is distributed as follows:

• 22 Bf old with flat roof . It failed only a few hundred meters to be built to reach La-Céreirède.

The number of circulations on the line of Montpellier with Palavas during the year 1956 is of 5.100 movements:

• 2.822 rail-cars,
• 2.098 steam trains,
• 180 diesel trains.

The engines 050T Borsig H-501 and H-502 are parked with the deposit of Chaptal. They respectively traversed 477.073 km and 464.938 km.

March 1957 - Demounting of the way between Montagnac and Béziers of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

August 1957 - Demounting of the way between Aniane and Ceyras-Saint-Felix of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux.

At December 31st, 1957 , ninety kilometers of line are exploited:

• the line of Montpellier with Palavas for the travellers;
• the line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian for the goods;
• the sections Chaptal - Celleneuve, Montbazin (IT) - Montagnac and Mèze - Mèze-Maritime of the line of Montpellier with Béziers for the goods,
• the Ceyras-Saint-Felix section - Rabieux of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux for the goods.

• by the convoys of goods in correspondence with the SNCF with Dovecotes;
• by the machines managed by the deposit of Béziers-North which ensure, on behalf of the SNCF, online service of Dovecotes with Quarante-Cruzy, and operations with Béziers-Capiscol and Sète;
• by the machines which forward between the deposits of Béziers-North and Montpellier-Chaptal via the ways of the SNCF.

November 3rd, 1959 - the two engines 050T Borsig H-501 and H-502 are sold. They will be reinforced in the court of the station of Montbazin-Gigean.

The 040T Schneider D-61 series to 82 ensure the traction of the last passenger trains vapor on the line of Montpellier in Palavas which, as from 1960, will not see any more circulating but of the diesels.

With the winter service

• couplings of rail-cars Verney series ZZ-CC-1000 + series ZZ-CC-1000,

• coupling rail-car and trailer Of Dion-Button Z-701 + R-1,

then, of 1966 to 1968:

• couplings of rail-cars Of Dion-Button M-100 series and oar Of Dion-Button rail-car + trailer, M-100 + R-51.

With the summer service

• oars tractor drawn by the 040T Schneider D-61 series to 82 then by the BB Coferna series DE-1 to 6.

With the intersaison

• coupling of rail-cars and trailer Verney series ZZ-CC-1000 + Of Dion-Button Z-101 + R-101 + Verney series ZZ-CC-1000 (heteroclite oar of four cases to curious esthetics associating Verney all in roundness with the angular De Dion Z and with its trailer-pilot as much angular),

then, of 1966 to 1968:

• couplings of rail-cars and trailer Of Dion-Button M-100 series + R-51 + series M-100 (beautiful homogeneous oar of three cases).

1960 - the Montpellier-Chaptal section - Celleneuve is displaced.

The service road of Mèze for the goods is done from Montpellier by using the route:

• Chaptal - Arenas by the ways of Herault,
• Arenas - Montbazin-Gigean by the ways of the SNCF,
• Poussan - Mèze by the ways of Herault.

1961 - February 1961, end of the exploitation of the Mèze sections - Montagnac and Celleneuve - Montbazin (IT) of the line of Montpellier with Béziers. The trains for Mèze borrow the ways of the SNCF (ex Midi) between Montpellier-Arenas and Montbazin-Gigean.

July 1961 - Demounting of the way between Celleneuve and Montbazin (IT) of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

The exploitation of the vapor is definitively stopped at the end of the summer 1961. The machines in operating condition are parked cold with the deposits of Montpellier-Chaptal and Béziers-North.

The diesel-electric BB Coferna series DE-1 to 6 ensure the totality of the services on the local Interest as well as the services on behalf of the SNCF:

• sorting in Montpellier, Béziers and Sète,
• service of the goods on the line of Dovecotes with Quarante-Cruzy and on the Montpellier section - Saint-Genius-of-Mourgues line of Montpellier with Ales by Sommières, Quissac, Lézan and The-Farmhouse-of-Gardies.

The engine 040T Schneider D-63 is reinforced. With 1.677.003 km, it holds the record of distance from all the engines of Herault.

January 1963 - Fine of the exploitation of the Ceyras-Saint-Felix section of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux from now on closed with any traffic, and deposits way between Montpellier and Celleneuve and Mèze and Montagnac of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

June 1963 - Fine of the exploitation of the Montbazin section (IT) - Balaruc (IT) and opening of the connection of Balaruc. This new way of 1,5 km connects the old Midi line of Sète to Montbazin-Gigean with the Balaruc section (IT) - Bouzigues of the local Interest. It allows the direct transport of the goods between Sète and the bauxite building site of Bouzigues, the station of Mèze and the quays of Mèze-Maritime. This new layout shortens considerably the way Sète - Mèze:

• compared to the hypothetical route, partially destroyed during the second world war, via Balaruc Baths, Balaruc-the-Old man, Montbazin-Gigean, Poussan, Balaruc (IT) and Bouzigues;
• compared to the route via Frontignan, Montpellier, Fabrègues, Montbazin-Gigean, Poussan, Balaruc (IT) and Bouzigues exploited respectively by the SNCF and the local Interest.

Following an agreement of transfer of exploitation, the traffic of the new route is managed by the SNCF. This provision puts an end to the exploitation of the line of Montpellier with Béziers.

The armament of the new line is various and heteroclite. The BB 63000 tractor draw bauxite trains whose each bogie coach weighs 80 tons in load. They circulate in turn on rails of the SNCF, Company of the South, recovery (on new connection) and finally of the local Interest. The line will be exploited only during one about thirty years.

July 1964 - Demounting of the way between Ceyras-Saint-Felix and Rabieux of the old line of Montpellier with Rabieux and deposits way between Montbazin (IT) and Balaruc (IT) of the old line of Montpellier with Béziers.

1966 - Herault receives three rail-cars diesels of occasion Of Dion-Button of the type NT, numbered M-101 with 103, and a R-51 trailer. These materials circulate on the line of Montpellier in Palavas until 1968. It is a coupling of two of these apparatuses which ensures the last service of the travellers on October 31st, 1968 19:50 in station of Montpellier-Esplanade.

The project of 1956 planning to directly connect the line of Palavas to the SNCF of topicality, is again supplemented of a construction project of a deposit with La-Céreirède. Exploited by the SNCF, this new line of Montpellier with Palavas would borrow the following route:

• the Montpellier-SNCF - Arena station on the ways the SNCF,
• station of Arenas - Céreirède by a new way to be built;
• Sundays and bank holidays by three tractor drawn oars and four machines and 1 Df with flat roof (maximum capacity: 775 travellers);
• oar n°2: 8 Cfx modern with roof curvature with roof curvature and 1 Df with flat roof (maximum capacity: 757 travellers);
• oar n°3: 6 Cfx modern with convex roof, 3 Afx ex 1st class with roof curvature and 1 Df with flat roof (maximum capacity: 721 travellers).

The closing of the network

October 31st, 1968, the two services still in exploitation are removed:

• travellers on the line of Montpellier in Palavas;
• goods on the Cazouls-les-Béziers section - Saint-Chinian of the line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian.

The network of Herault is closed, the train of Palavas does not exist more, the Railroads of Herault died.

But what occurs it:

• of the Maureilhan section - Cazouls-les-Béziers of the line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian?
• of the line of Maureilhan with Colombiers?
• of the pseudo-news line of Sète with Mèze created in 1963 via Balaruc-the-Old man and Bouzigues?

Exploitation of 1968 to our days

Continuation of the fall

With the closing of the network, infrastructures, installations and rolling stocks which are in place are numerous and, for the majority, in good state of operation:

• the line of Montpellier with Palavas, its stations and its installations,
• the line of Sète with Mèze by Balaruc-the-Old man,
• the line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian,
• the line of Maureilhan with Colombiers,
• the connection of Chaptal with Racanié and with Montpellier-Meadow-Arènes,
• installations of Montpellier-Chaptal and parked and garaged rolling stock,
• installations of Béziers-North and garaged rolling stock.

Line of Montpellier with Palavas

Line of Sète with Mèze

the SNCF continues the railway exploitation between Sète and Bouzigues where the traffic of bauxites is important. The section Bouzigues Mèze is quickly removed iron. Only, will remain a few tens of meters of way of Mèze connection - Mèze-Maritime until the years 2000. It is about the last but one act of the history of the line of Sète with Montbazin-Gigean:

• In 1887, the Compagnie of the South opens the line of Sète with Montbazin-Gigean.
• In 1963, the SNCF creates, in partnership with the department of Herault, the line of Sète with Mèze which uses part of the ways of the old Company of the South, part of the ways of the Company of Herault and the new way of built connection, with the expenses of the general advice, between Balaruc-the-Old man (ex-Midday) and Balaruc (IT). The section Balaruc-the-Old man - Montbazin-Gigean is removed iron.
• In 1968, the SNCF reduces the line to the way of Sète with Bouzigues. The Bouzigues section - Mèze is removed iron.
• In the current of the years 1990, the SNCF cease exploitation. The line is downgraded by RF and is removed iron.

Line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian

The railway activity is maintained on the section Maureilhan - Cazouls-les-Béziers which is amalgamated with the line of Maureilhan with Colombiers to constitute the new line of Dovecotes with Cazouls-les-Béziers.

Line of Maureilhan with Colombiers

The railway activity is maintained there. Its fusion with the Maureilhan section - Cazouls-les-Béziers constitutes the new line of Dovecotes with Cazouls-les-Béziers.

Connection of Montpellier

Installations of Montpellier-Chaptal

Installations of Béziers-North

New line of Dovecotes with Cazouls-les-Béziers

As of the closing of the network, the SNCF takes again the exploitation of the goods there. The presence, in Cazouls, of a repair shop of tank cars of great capacity and the importance of the traffic of bauxites justify this decision.

Locomotive

In November 1968 six engines BB Coferna DE-1 to 6 join Gray by their own means, in two trains of three machines controlled by the Yard master of Chaptal accompanied by an agent of the SNCF, where they ensure the service of the travellers and, until the years 1990, service of the goods on star of Gray of the network CFTA of Franche-Comté. In the beginning of the year 1980, until February 13rd, 1982, the DE-5 and 6 are rented by the Ruvenhorst company & contracting Humbert of the construction of the dam Michelbach on Paring it, in Haut-Rhin. Work requires the transport of 1.300.000 tons materials by old way the SNCF of Cernay with Sentheim downgraded in 1973 and exploited by the tourist railroad of the Train Doller. It will be noted that on this occasion, they circulate on the same way as the old cars Bf with flat roof transferred on the train Doller to closing from the network from Herault… after having towed them during eighteen years on the line of Montpellier with Palavas!

It is decided to preserve three engines 040T Schneider, D-69, D-70 and D-81; it is even planned to give them in operating condition. Only the 69, garaged with the deposit of Béziers-North, is regularly maintained and thus likely to be given without problem under pressure. The 70 and the 81 are parked outside with others 040T series D, without maintenance since 1959, on the unused ways of Montpellier-Chaptal. But these projects of are not carried out: the 69, very damaged in the arson of the deposit of Béziers-North in 1969, is demolished in 1973 and the 70 and 81 are restored only partially, in a state of external presentation correct and exposed in Palavas and Montpellier. To date, no engine with vapor of Herault profited from a complete restoration allowing a restarting.

During the period of anguish on the ways of Chaptal, it happens that exceptionally and for the needs for film turnings, one of them is shown active in a correct state of presentation. The following subterfuge is then used. One chooses the least degraded machine, one masks with black painting the too visible traces of rust and one mounts there the plates and various accessories in correct state, cannibalized on another machine. A Coferna diesel harnesses an oar of cars Bf or Cfx with the machine in order to constitute a steam train of travellers. The diesel is placed then in tail of oar and pushes the unit, the camera is handled so that the diesel always remains except field. To perfect the whole and to give the illusion of a machine under pressure, one makes burn of the old tires in the smoke-box: guaranteed effect. With the screen, which is released from the chimney seems to be indeed the quite black smoke of the engines in full effort. As for the sound, postsynchronization plates on the images the noise of the exhaust of a machine with simple expansion. Even if the specialist is constrained because the image of released smoke is not rythmée with the heard blows of exhaust, the common run of people sees only fire there.

Rail-cars

The rail-cars Of Dion-Button M-101 to 103 join Gray in their turn.

Cars of travellers

Bf the cars, known as old with flat roof , numbered 103,104,105 & 108 join the Train Doller in Alsace. Cfx modern with roof curvature with the Museum of the Train of Palavas-the-Floods. It is classified historic building since September 10th, 1990. | |style=" padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 30px; to border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; " | |}

Vans - No van is preserved in spite of their historical interest since it was about the only towed material having preserved its platforms of origin without vertical bars and with the decorative wrought iron elements supporting the overhang of the roof.

June 22nd, 1969 - the engine 040T Schneider D-69, very carefully maintained, is destroyed by the fire of the handing-over with machines of the deposit of Béziers-North. The investigation of police force reveals an criminal origin of the disaster. This machine had constituted the cold reserve in order to compensate for a possible defection of the BB Coferna OF. It, among the three 040T Schneider was only preserved, with being in operating condition. Its destruction obère possible start-up of an engine with Herault vapor.

During 1969 - Demounting of the way:

• between Béziers and Maureilhan and Cazouls and Saint-Chinian of the old line of Béziers with Saint-Chinian;
• on the whole of the station and the deposit of Béziers-North;
• of the line of Montpellier with Palavas;
• on the whole of the Chaptal station and partially of the Chaptal deposit;
• of the connection of Chaptal towards Racanié; on the other hand, the way connecting the Chaptal deposit to the Arena station is preserved a certain time to allow the routing of the rolling stock of Herault transferred towards other networks.

Running of the years 1990 - the repair shop of the tank cars of Cazouls-les-Béziers closes and the traffic of bauxites disappears from Cazouls like Bouzigues. the SNCF stops the exploitation of the two surviving lines of the local Interest:

• the line of Sète to Bouzigues, which will quickly be removed iron;
• the line of Dovecotes with Cazouls-les-Béziers, which is immediately taken again by the general advice and is integrated in the rail network (makes only one line of it) Sodetrhe (departmental Société of transport of Herault) then of Herault Transport, Mixed trade-union of public transport of Herault, in 2004.

The Railroads of Herault reappear.

Rebirth

• Julien Vine growing in Cazouls, specialized in the wine material, tanks, cisterns, materials of cellar and wine storehouse, for the transport of the food grape harvest, coatings and of ground;
• Trilles SA in Maureilhan (Valley group of Orbieu), specialized in the congestion and the distribution of fruit juice, wines, muscatels, one of most important and powerful of Europe with hundred brig and collar million per annum; create in 1975;
• SLPV (Languedocien Company of the glass products), the mirror manufacture of Montady, taken again in 2006 by the glass Group Riou and which manufactures insulating glazing and carries out joining VEC, shaping and trade;
• SLE (Company Languedocien of storage), specialized in packing and conditionings out of glass.

1995 - the engine 040T Schneider D-81 and the modern car Cfx-218 with roof curvature are exposed in the open air and without any protection with the Round-point-of-Meadows-D' Arenas (ex Rond-point of Mill) in Montpellier, close to the media library Federico Garcia Lorca. Both are classified historic building.

1996 - the engine 040T Schneider D-70 and the car Afx-11 ex 1st class are preserved at the shelter with the Musée of the Train of Palavas-the-Floods.

2001 - the rail-car Of Dion-Button M-104, type NT M-101 series to 105, entirely restored, joined the tourist Train of Guîtres to Marcenais. M-104, like M-105, was officially never transferred on Herault, however the five standard appliances were probably in Chaptal during part of the German occupation.

2004 - BSN-Glasspack (Owens-Illinois group) built a glassmaking on the ZA of Western Béziers being next to the commune of Maureilhan and very near to the line of Dovecotes with Cazouls. With an annual capacity of production of 350 million bottles, the new factory opens prospects for increase in rail traffic considerable; it is planned to establish a particular junction.

May 2005 - the exploitation of the line is ensured in partnership with the departmental Control of transport of the Rhone delta (RDT 13) and the contest of the SNCF for traction. Property of the General advice of Herault, this single line constitutes the departmental rail network integrated into the Mixed trade-union of public transport of Herault, Herault Transport.

2006 - the way is completely renewed between Colombiers and Cazouls. Crossing-junction-double is posed with Maureilhan allowing the connection between the current line, the renewed levels working and an antenna to rest in direction of Maraussan in order to increase the length of way usable for the storage of coaches.

2007 - the Bf-103 cars, 104,105 & 108 always ensure their tourist service between Saint-Andrew and Sentheim on the Train Doller. They are classified historic building. The Cfx-222 cars & 225 and Bf-106 & 115 on the tourist Train of Guîtres to Marcenais always ensure their service, like Cfx-219, 220,227,228,229 & 230 of Ecomusée de Marquèze on the line Sabers - Marquèze. Cfx-218, exposed in the open air in Montpellier near the media library Federico Garcia Lorca, continuous to degrade itself whereas Afx-11, preserved with the Musée of the train of Palavas-the-Floods is in excellent state but always without its external sheets.

Characteristics of the zone montpelliéraine of the Montpellier section - Paulhan of the line of Montauban to Montpellier

Built by the Company of the South, the section Montpellier - Paulhan is one of the elements of the transversal Montauban - Montpellier by Saint-Sulpice, Castres, Mazamet, Saint-Pons, Bédarieux, Faugères and Paulhan. The opening of the various sections is distributed over twenty-three years and the chronology does not seem to take into account the logic of the progression of the layout. Local considerations and the progress of the work of construction of the adjacent lines justify slowness and this apparent inconsistency:

• 1866: opening of Castrate - Mazamet,
• 1869: opening of Montpellier - Paulhan,
• 1875: opening of Paulhan - Roujan,
• 1876: opening of Roujan - Gabian,
• 1877: opening of Gabian - Faugères,
• 1883: opening of Mazamet - Saint-Mercies-Soult,
• 1884: opening of Montauban - Saint-Sulpice,
• 1888: openings of Saint-Sulpice - Castrate and of Saint-Mercies-Soult - Saint-Pons,
• 1889: opening of the entirety of the line with the section Saint-Pons - Bédarieux (the Faugères connection - Bédarieux exists since 1858 with the construction of the line Béziers-Midday - Graissessac-Estréchoux).

From 1869, the section of line which interests us is traversed only by the convoys travellers and goods of the Company of the South.

From 1876 to 1902, the passenger trains and the goods trains Montpellier-Chaptal are added - Béziers-North of the Company of Herault. This juxtaposition generates an intensive traffic from where will of the South, in order not to penalize the regularity of its own trains, not to ensure the correspondence with the convoys of late Herault.

In 1902, the situation slackens with the stop of circulations of the trains of the Interest-room which borrow now the route Celleneuve, Lavérune, Pignan-Murviel, Cournonterral-Coulazou and Montbazin (IT).

However, in 1953, Herault ceases exploiting the section Celleneuve - Montbazin (IT). The trains of the Interest-room thus circulate again on the line (become the SNCF in 1938). The situation despite everything good is tended than between 1876 and 1902 because there is no more service travellers between Montpellier-Chaptal and Béziers-North and the service of the goods on Montpellier - Paulhan was reduced considerably.

In 1963, the traffic of the Interest-room ceases between Montpellier and Béziers, it has there nothing any more but the trains the SNCF travellers and goods which circulate on the line Montpellier - Paulhan.

The service of the travellers is removed in 1970 and the traffic of the goods is reduced considerably during the years 1970-1990.

In the beginning of the year 2000 there are still some convoys of freight which serve the particular junctions between Montpellier and Saint-Jean-of-Védas, then it is not more no traffic although the line remains officially open. Lastly, after the replacement of the way and the ballast and the electrification in 750 V continuous of the section which interests us, the trams of the agglomeration of Montpellier are installed on the line in 2006 at a rate of an oar every approximately 7 minutes (two confused directions).

In a little more than one hundred thirty years of exploitation, this section will have seen circulating in regular service: which it is advisable to add of Pacific of the South, of Pacific of the PLM, of the 141-R and of tractor drawing BB-67000 of the SNCF of the regular trains exceptionally diverted by the interception of the line Marseilles - Bordeaux between Montpellier, Sète or Béziers.

Railway archeology

In Montpellier

There does not remain any more traces of the buildings and dependences of the stations of the Esplanade and Chaptal, deposit and workshops of Chaptal nor of the appendix of Racanié. On the other hand, the old railway platforms all are transformed into streets. Two exceptions however: the stone bridge of the street Turn-Buffel which spans the avenue of Freedom, above single track connecting Chaptal and Celleneuve and the stone bridge of the avenue of the Bridge-Trinquat which spans the platform of the old line of Palavas.

Viaduct of the Esplanade

Influences of the Chaptal station, the deposit and the workshops

Celleneuve

On the line of Montpellier with Palavas

In Montpellier

In Céreirède

With Slats

The platform of the way is transformed, since the summer 2007, in cycle track on the near total of the Lattes course - Palavas.

With the First Huts

On the line of Montpellier with Rabieux and Lodève

In Juvignac

In Saint-Georges d' Orques

Saint-Paul and Valmalle

In Boissière

In Gignac

Crossing Herault in verge of the road on the historical bridge, the way joined then Saint-Andre-of-Sangonis. Today, the road occupies all the width of the bridge of Gignac and the platform transformed into road way is stopped by the passage of the highway has 750/E 11 Montpellier - Clermont-Ferrand.

In Saint-Andrew de Sangonis

In Saint-Felix de Lodez

In Rabieux

On the lines of Montpellier with Béziers and Mèze to Agde

In Juvignac

In Lavérune

Beyond that, the road of origin and the old way transformed into cycle track are side by side to the junction of the road deviation of Pignan.

In Pignan

In Cournonterral

In Montbazin

On the section of Pézenas with Béziers

The platform is arranged in road way of the exit of Pézenas until - beyond Boujan, practically with the entry of Béziers. It is tarred of Pézenas with Bassan and out of beaten ground of Bassan with Boujan. The roadway is not broad, gauge old single track obliges, but the walkers, cyclists and motorists circulate there without difficulty. This way is used in two different spirits:

• it is utility and makes it possible to join Pézenas to Tourbes, Valros or Servian without borrowing the main roads, its important traffic and its congestions at the rush hours;
• it is the object of a pleasant route of walk relatively little used by the cars and, sometimes, one can meet some nostalgic local Interest there who “play train” while circulating there with bicycle or in the car, without precise goal, simply to give pleasure.

At Make-March

(Table under development)

On the lines of Béziers with Saint-Chinian and Dovecotes with Cazouls-les-Béziers

With Dovecotes

In Montady

In Maureilhan

particular junctions in 2007

the station of Maureilhan and the junction enters the lines towards Colombiers and Maraussan

In Cazouls-les-Béziers

A few hundred meters of way of origin at the exit of Cazouls towards Réals

In Réals

Train of Palavas or Small train of Palavas ?

It is only after the closing of the network into 1968 that name small train of Palavas appears. It is reinforced and replaced the initial terms gradually. It quasi-is even officialized by the municipality of Palavas which creates, in 1995, the Musée of the Train curiously called Musée of the Small train on certain folders. Authors do not hesitate to use this new name (Pierre Gaches, Roland Jolivet).

Which direction to give at the end of small train ? - It is indeed a secondary railroad of local interest and not of General interest. Its sinuous layout, the weak armament of its ways and the obsolete aspect of its cars and the oars travellers attest it. The context of presentation of the materials preserved at Montpellier and Palavas confirms it. But a motionless machine and only one car can of nothing translate, for those which did not really know it, which could evoke the same machine tractor drawing an oar of nine cars and a van in the slope of the Esplanade or that of the Four-Channels; the impression was even more seizing when the same oar was towed by one of the massive BB Coferna OF. Moreover, if one takes into account:

• its way with normal spacing,
• its overlap with the lines Midday and PLM, then the SNCF,
• its complementarity with these networks,
• the services which it carries out on behalf of the SNCF on the ways of the latter,
• important quantity of coaches the SNCF which it tractor draws on its own ways,
• density of estival circulations travellers (to 25 daily return tickets in the years more records),
• the number of travellers (1 991.356 travellers for the record year of 1913,1 975.602 per 1929) and tonnages transported (787 492 tons for the record year of 1914,654 414 per 1926 wrote: “ the charm of the train of Palavas - because from this train it emanated a charm - was due to its atmosphere. It was not those of the other trains and if it were not, far from there, a rapid, it was not more a jalopy… Immortal the Albert Dubout caricatured in innumerable drawings the train of Palavas. Its excesses, far from creating a commercial loss, made on the contrary a considerable publicity with this train… There will be still to say and write, as long as there will be people to remember what was formerly the train of Palavas… ” the writer of the railroad, author of the reference book on the local Interest, employs, rightly, the term of train of Palavas. But behind the words it felt there, tenderness, the moved memories. A father, a mother continue to call their large son My small . If all those which maintain the memory the train of Palavas, which they really knew it or not, do it with regard and affection, then yes, and in this precise case, there is nothing pejorative and one can speak affectionately about Petit train of Palavas . But for those which one known and which travelled on its board, there remains the Train of Palavas.

Anecdotes, legends and rumors

Rupture of attachment in La-Boissière

We are in the years 1940, Fernande Martin lives Montpellier with two steps of Chaptal, street Anterrieu. It often takes the local Interest until Aniane to return visit to its family to Rapes-the-Extremely, her village of origin. The schedules enable him to make the outward journey and return in the course of the day. With the train of 10:10 it arrives at Aniane at midday when one comes to seek it to then bring back it to the 17 hour old train which deposits it in Montpellier with 18:40. It is enough for him then five minutes to return to it. All that is appropriate to him very well.

At the beginning of the summer, it awaits the train of the return in station of Aniane. It is late. A little after 5 p.m. it goes up in medium of oar, in one of the three cars travellers, there is a little world, without more, to chatter enough, not too much to be able to settle with its ease, it and its shopping basket filled up of fruits, vegetables, pork-butchery and brought back eggs of Rapes-the-Extremely. It misses only cheese, but Fernande does not eat any. A whistle of the engine and the convoy starts. The windows are opened and them Cfx cars, perched high on their four wheels, have the rather noisy bearing, the crash is worsened by the shocks between plugs and the rattling of the attachments. Moreover the machine often whistles, “ It is whistling which leads us today; there are mechanics whistling than others! ” points out Fernande with her neighbors with very high voice to cover din. Smoke starts to invade the car, one approaches the long tunnel of Gassac, one closes the windows and during long minutes, everyone is in the absolute black - there is no lighting - accompanied by grondement particular by the convoy in a tunnel and odor characteristic of coal mingled with that with hot oil. As of the exit of the tunnel one reopens the windows to breathe while the machine, in full effort spits with smoked profusion, vapor and ashes. It assembles the slope to 25 mm/m driving in La-Boissière, culminating point of the line of Montpellier with Rabieux.

In these years the trains are mixed and not yet braked with the compressed air. The oar of eleven cases is made up of three sections. Just behind the 040T Schneider series D, three goods trucks recovered in Gignac, then three cars travellers followed by four other goods trucks coming from Rabieux and the van of tail. The first greenhouse-brake is installed on the first platform of the first coach of the section added to Gignac, it can thus joke with the team of control of the machine. The second greenhouse-brake is the controller installed in the cars travellers and the third is the conductor in the van of tail. All know the line and know exactly for which places it is necessary to actuate the wheels of braking. However, the whistle of the engine is used like codes by the mechanic to order the tightening or the loosening of the screw brakes by the brake tighteners. There is evil to imagine today an exploitation on this model. In addition, the trains are mixed and take and leave coaches in the various stations of the course. The operations are done with the travellers in the cars. That takes sometimes more time than the schedule allows it, also it happens that the plugs are not compressed and that the attachments are not very tight. In circulation that gives balan to the oar and causes jolts noisy, uncomfortable for the travellers and constraining for the material.

Stop with the halt of The-Boissière-village, practically in the trench, restarting, short stop in station of La-Boissière and departure at once towards Saint-Paul - Montarnaud. The machine redoubles its whistles then is calmed, the train slows down and stops gently in open country before the curves and counter-curves of the bridges of Coulazou. Glance is questioned, then to high voice “does What it occur? ”. The answer comes from one of the brake tightener descended on the way “ One lost the machine! ”

Probably that in Gignac the attachment between the third coach and the first car should not have been rather tight. In slope, as long as there is traction the constraints are strong but regular, the attachment is tended, it does not have there a problem. It is then in the succession of slopes and stages as to the stops that it can occur sufficiently brutal jolts to involve a rupture of attachment. The stop in station of La-Boissière is very short and the immediate restarting, from where forced. Shortly after the mechanic sees a herd of sheep at the edge of the way, it cuts off the supply of the cylinders to slow down the convoy without giving the order of braking with the whistle. Noting that there is no danger it gives again gas because he is late and it is necessary to take dash to climb the slope of Saint-Paul-and-Valmalle. It is probable that the attachment breaks at this moment. In cabin one realizes nothing. It is in the curves and counter-curves of the bridges of Coulazou that the mechanic, automatically throwing a glance with his convoy, discovers amazed that it misses two thirds of them.

The engine and its three coaches set out again in step back to recover the missing part of the train. One réattelle with the second attachment and the security chains and the convoy gains Chaptal without another incident but with step badly of delay. For Fernande this incident remains a pleasant memory from which we profit today. It reports that questioned a little later by the travellers, the mechanic declares by speaking about his engine “ As, I found as it went well extremely! ”

The travellers push the train in the slope of the Esplanade

In 1942, German is stopped with the level crossing of Maraussan

In 1942 the free Zone is occupied. By village in village the rumor precedes the arrival by German. The father of Georges Mouret is mechanic, Peugeot agent in Maraussan. Its garage is located at the entry of the village, just with the level crossing on the road of Béziers. The inhabitants are in agitation. Mr Mouret decides to stop the troops of occupation: he uses his autogenous welding set to weld with the blowtorch the end of each barrier closed onto his support in form of Y.

A first detachment of German soldiers arises, actually blocked by the closed level crossing. Little time occurs so that they realize that the situation is not normal since no train passes. Secret meetings are established in nonsense of French, patois and German between the authorities of the two parts on the spot. The tone goes up. Finally, for against heart, it is necessary to be subjected and it is Mr Mouret who, death in the heart, must lend hacksaws to German who release the barriers!

Mr Mouret stopped well the troops of occupation in Maraussan… during half an hour. It is probably the first act of resistance of the village; until 1945 there will be others well of them.

Young imps of the bridge of the street Turn-Buffel

We are in the beginning of the year 1930. My paternal grandparents live which occurred of Lodève to Montpellier, close to shuntings where the single track of the tram towards Celleneuve is duplicated to allow the crossings and vis-a-vis the outlet of the street Guillaume de Nogaret. The level crossing, of the same name, on the single track of the local Interest towards Celleneuve, Béziers and Rabieux is not far. Thursdays and during school vacations, my father plays with his buddies of district in the streets, where the motor vehicle traffic is quasi-non-existent, but also close to the ways of the tram and the local Interest. At the age of ten, fifteen years, the kids invent all kinds of plays. Some are of an extreme stupidity but so much amusing!

At once left Chaptal, the trains must immediately cross a succession of slopes with 10,25 and 15 mm/m initially in curve and fill then in alignment and sliced until Fontcarrade. They then go down again soft inclined of 5 mm/m towards the station of Celleneuve. This configuration imposes on the machines a large effort as of starting and the spectacle which they offer to the level crossing of the street Guillaume de Nogaret is imposing for a child. It is not the speed which impresses, it is reduced, but the noise, the importance of the plume of smoke, the vaporblasts, the hot oil and coal odor. The 040T Schneider of the series D and the 050T Borsig of the series H are époumonent, they seem that never they will not be able to reach Montagnac, Béziers or Rabieux. This level crossing is called in patois “Josèpina butted to me” (Joséphine pushes me) , one wants to help the train to assemble the slope by pushing it. Why Joséphine? Is this the first name of the gate-keeper? After the level crossing the way begins in the trench of Fontcarrade and passes under three stone bridges: that of the street Turn-Buffel which always exist and those of the way of the Violets and of Beausoleil which disappeared. Concerning the trains at the beginning of Chaptal, the kids are satisfied to look at them passing to “Josèpina butted to me” . It is not question of poster about one of the bridges: the smoke spit by the machines in full effort makes the place unbreathable, one does not see nothing there, one is burned by the ashes and one returns from there with the blackened skin and clothing. On the other hand, all is different for the trains with the return because the machines descend the slope in free wheel. As it is necessary to slow down before entering in Chaptal, the teams of control and the brake tighteners, occupied operating the wheels of screw brake, do not pay any attention to the kids posted on the bridge of the street Turn-Buffel. The play consists in introducing a large stone into the chimney of the engine moving. It is necessary well to aim and estimate correctly the speed of the train and that of the fall of stone so that it reaches the chimney right with the passage of the machine plumb with the bridge. The attempt often fails, the stone misses its goal but leaves traces of impact on sheets. However it happens that succeeds.

When various teams of control discover a large stone in the smoke-box of their machine the incident is announced to the authorities and that ends in the arrival of the gendarmes at the families of the young imps of the bridge of the street Turn-Buffel. The inflicted remonstrances and punishments are judicious to stop the misdeeds. However…

The imagination of the children is unbounded. It is the Compagnie of the electric Trams of Montpellier which succeeds the Company of Herault like victim of our young imps. The avenue of Lodève is strong inclined. The trams, like the trains, go up painfully towards Celleneuve but go down again from there full with energy. The rascals conceal cement with a mason, father of the one of them. The evening, after the descent of the last tram which regains the deposit of Castelnau, they entrebâillent the blades of the first shunting in the rise and deposit cement there. This one has all the night to take and the first tram of the morning which goes up slowly in Celleneuve runs off the line on shunting. They do not even benefit from the spectacle because, at this early hour, they are not raised yet. But it is only about the first act; they will have all the leisure to attend and take part the second act.

The avenue of Lodève is not tarred yet. Like the rain gully the ground, the grooved rails of the tram are not any more levelling compared to the ground roadway. The truck motor coach Brill runs off the line and the wheels of its front axle fall into the rut caused by gullying from the ground. To position it back it is initially necessary to realize, for each one of the wheels, a soft slope between the ground and the rail by piling up ground and boards. Then, one restores the negative polarity of the power supply with an iron bar placed in contact between a rail and a metal mass of the motor coach. The positive polarity remains established by the trolley and the air line. The Wattman order a very slow step back and all the volunteers are requested to push on a side of the motor coach so that it goes back on the rails, the rolls in the throats. All these operations take time and do not succeed with the first test. The service is restored only in end of the afternoon.

During the third act one discovers the reason of the derailment and the gendarmes intervene once again. The inflicted remonstrances and punishments are effective and the history finishes with, as an epilog, the invention of more peaceful plays for the peace of the families and that of the transport companies.

Rails of the station of Palavas

The rail-car Bugatti of Lodève

Local the Interest spirit

Second Sunday of July, Palavas-the-Floods honors Saint-Pierre, the owner of the fishermen, but also all those which disappeared at sea. This semi-crowned festival, semi-pagan gathers every year a many crowd. After the traditional fireworks which encloses the day, it is a true great flood of people which migrates towards the station of the bank-left to borrow the last train towards Montpellier. But it is necessary to go obviously, although the cars are already overloads some, the number of people still remaining on the quay is considerable: “ do not makeany you, we will come to seek you. The local Interest will not drop to you! ” It is on these comforting words of a railwayman of Herault that the immobilized travellers see, not without a certain concern, the train archibondé to leave the station for Montpellier. During the journey time, it is the swing-low on the telephone, Palavas, Lattes, the Esplanade and Chaptal: “ We must organize special for Palavas immediately, we left too many people over there! ” Station masters, guards barriers, mechanics, workmen all of the deposit, answer favorably and, in the night, in a few minutes, the organization is in place: the stations of Slats and the Esplanades remain open, the level crossings of the line of Palavas and of the connection of Montpellier are kept, Chaptal expects to accommodate its last train with more than one hour of delay. Without balking each one is ready, voluntarily, for the service rendered to the users, this local Interest to which they are so attached.

With the Esplanade the last regular train leaves its travellers; the station remains open. The Coferna diesel OF which tractor drew the oar while going up must drive back it until Racanié in step back to replace itself at the head in the other direction. The operation carried out, the empty train sets out again in direction of Palavas. A particular environment reigns in cabin, at the same time merry and good child, but one redoubles vigilance with the not kept level crossings because, in normal weather, there is no railway circulation at these late hours of the night. With Slats, station of general stop, the railwaymen of Herault make a distorsion with the regulation: the train slows down but does not mark the stop under the glance accessory to the station master which comments on the fixed price of jovial “a Allez, roll youth ”.

In does Palavas one find time long, the comments are varied, the optimists believe in it, some doubt “ And if the train does not return, that let us be done? ” Of others calmed down. As if there were thought transference between those which wait and the mechanic, as of before the Bridge of the Four-Channels DE Coferna makes hear its warning signal lengthily deux-tons, identical to that of the rail-cars, modulated on a merry air. A “Ah! ” of relief of crowd “It rises returns, it is there! ” It is under a true thunder of applause that the impromptu special train comes triumphantly in Palavas. Each one goes there from its verse according to its means: the mechanic actuates the powerful warning signal of Coferna, crowd applauds, the young people shout “Ouai! Cheer! ”, the inhabitants of the close villas, awaked by this din, leave on their premises or put themselves at the windows, flabbergasted.

Finally all the travellers regained Montpellier, with delay certainly but satisfied. The train returned in Chaptal with delay and the railwaymen returned on their premises, very late in the night, satisfied them-also, happy to have achieved their work, to have ensured the service due to the users. It was that the Esprit local interest and was a reality. But elsewhere, in another world, although the railwaymen acted voluntarily, somebody put the question to know if the control of the tickets of the travellers of the impromptu special train had been carried out. That also was a reality.

Appendices

• Documents Departmental records of Herault.

• Booklet-Chaix 1929.
• Chart of the railroads French, extracted the collection-Chaix.