Patrick Bennett

Railways of the Medoc Patrick Bennett

The Compagnie du Chemin de Fer du Médoc built its line from Bordeaux to Le Verdon in the 1870s, and remained an independent company until its absorption by the Midi in 1912. As such, it was the longest surviving independent railway in France, and also the longest unconnected to the national network. In the 1880s the Société Générale des Chemins de Fer Economiques built two standard gauge lines on the Médoc peninsular, parts of which survived as late as 1978. The history of these railways in this little-known and fascinating area of France is recounted in this volume. Topics covered include the lines and their construction, stations and depots, motive power and rolling stock, the connections to the ports of the Gironde and the 'trains atlantiques', and much else besides. Illustrated throughout with photographs, postcard views, maps, diagrams and timetables, this book is bound to be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in French railways.