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Chemins de Fer de Provence - CP
Page 2: Stations & Publicity
 
 
This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the Chemins de Fer de Provence (CP), which now runs between Nice and Digne. This page shows photos and postcards of CP stations, plus timetables and other CR publicity. CP- Page 1A and CP- Page 1B cover the rolling stock. CP- Page 3 shows larger images of timetables.
 
 
The Compagnie des Chemins de fer du Sud de la France (SF), built lines Nice-Digne and Nice-Draguignan-Meyrargues, before becoming in 1925, more modestly, the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer de Provence (CP). The Gare du Sud was the Nice terminus for these lines.
Work on the Gare du Sud began in 1890 and finished in 1892 by Prosper Bobin for the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du Sud de la France. The station front is rather monumental and impressive with a high front, with two pavilions to the side. A tall trainshed covered the tracks that went to Grasse and Puget-Théniers. Lines to Digne and Annot opened in 1911. The rooftop was the pavillion of Russia and Austria-Hungary of the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris.
 
After World War II, the line to Meyrargues closed and almost took the entire network with it. The Chemins de Fer de Provence closed the Gare du Sud in December 1991 and moved its terminating services to Nice CP. Ownership of the station building was transferred from l'Etat Français to Nice Municipality. Amidst public outcry, the station was almost dismantled but public demonstrations saved it. Work has finally started on the site, although it appears that only the facade will be retained in the new civic complex, containing the town hall, library etc.
 
 
 
 
Sections on this Page:-
Preserved Steam
Publicity
Publicity - Postcards
Publicity - Timetables
Stations
 
List of Stations:-
Annot
Colomars - La Manda
Digne (CP)
Digne (SNCF)
Draguignan (CP)
Entrevaux
Gambetta
La Madeleine
Lingostière
Nice - CP
Nice (Gare du Sud)
Plan-du-Var
Saint-Martin-sur-Var
Thorame-Haute
Touêt-sur-Var
Villars-du-Var
 
Sections on Page 1A:-
Autorails - Billard
Autorails - Brissonneau-et-Lotz
Autorails - CFD : X-301-X-304
Autorails - CFD: X-305 to X-306
Autorails - Renault Class ABH1
Autorails - Renault Class ABH5
Autorails - Soulé-Garnéro Twin-car Set
 
Sections on Page 1B:-
Autorails - Trailers
Diesel Locomotives - Brissonneau and Lotz
Diesel Locomotive - Henschel
 
Sections on Page 3:-
Nice-Digne Timetable - 2005
Regional Timetable - 2005
Urban Timetable - 2005
 
Associated Pages:-
CP Page 1A - Rolling Stock - Autorails
CP Page 1B - Rolling Stock - Diesel Locos & Trailers
CP Page 2 - Chemins de Fer de Provence Stations & Publicity - this page!
CP Page 3 - larger images of timetables
Chemin de Fer de la Corse - Corsican Narrow gauge (CFC)
Nice - Nice Header Page
Nice Photo Diary - February 2009 - Trams, CP and ferries
Nice Trams - Page 1 - Route T1
Nice Trams - Page 2 - The Trams
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
References:-
Le Siecle du Train des Pignes - Jose Banaudo - Les Editions du Cabri 1992 (Histoires des Chemins de fer de Provence -1))
 
 
 
 
 
Preserved Steam
 
Steam trains are run during the summer between Annot and Puget-Théniers, as the Train des Pignes.
 
 
Postcard at Puget-Théniers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
CP Publicity
 
 
Postcards
 
The four official CP postcards below were available in 2005.
The cards carried no serial numbers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This postcard also enclosed a short 5-minute DVD showing a trip along the line from Nice to Digne.
The DVD face carried the same picture.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Timetables
 
 
2005 CP timetable for the through services from Nice to Digne.
Click on the timetable to see a larger image.
 
 
 
2005 CP timetable for the urban services from Nice.
Click on the timetable to see a larger image.
 
 
 
 
2005 CP Information leaflet on the urban services from Nice.
Note two stations have been blacked out.
 
 
 
2005 CP Information leaflet, with timetable of through trains to Digne.
 
Enlarged image of the timetable from the brochure above.
 
 
 
2005 CP Information leaflet on the winter skiing services.
 
 
 
2005 Regional Timetable showing CP urban services from Nice.
Click on the timetable to see a larger image.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CP Stations
 
The stations are shown in order from Nice to Digne
 
 
Nice - Gare du Sud
 
The Gare du Sud de Nice has been deteriorating in condition since it was closed in 1991, when the tracks cut back to a new adjacent terminus. Recent plans for the protected building involved its use as a facade for a new town hall. Following protests this decision is being reconsidered, with uses for the complete building being reviewed. In February 2005, work was under way to protect the existing structure, whilst the French Ministry deliberate. A radical proposal had been submitted by local architect Mario Basso for use as a gallery, exhibition centre. It would also serve as a walkway from the new Nice Tramway, which passes the front of the old station, to the current station.
 
 
Photos: © Ian Boyle, August 2000.
 
 
 
Work started to preserve the remaining structure of the Gare du Sud.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd February 2005.
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Gare du Sud
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd February 2005.
 
 
Gare du Sud
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th February 2007
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Gare du Sud
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th February 2008
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Gare du Sud
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th February 2008
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Dismantling under way of the train shed at the Gare du Sud
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th February 2008
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The train shed has now been removed from the Gare du Sud
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 17th February 2009
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Nice - CP
 
The new Nice-CP station was opened in 1991 when tracks were cut back a few hundred metres from the original Gare-du-Sud. There is a small shed at the platform end.
 
 
ZZ-22 (ex-ZZ-2) at Nice in August 2000.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
CFD autorail X-304 at Nice in August 2000.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
CFD autorail X-306 at Nice in August 2000.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
CFD autorail X-304 at Nice, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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CFD autorail X-303 arriving at Nice, in February 2003, alongside trailer XR1331.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Nice-CP, 13th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Gambetta
 
Gambetta is only a few hundred metres from the terminus in Nice.
 
 
Trailer XR-1331 at Gambetta, 15th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - looking east
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Trailer XR-1331 at Gambetta, 15th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - looking east
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La Madeleine
 
La Madeleine is the first passing point from Nice.
 
 
Approaching La Madeleine, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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La Madeleine, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Lingostière
8km from Nice
 
BB1200 at Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
CP works in the background
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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T66 (ex-CJ) at Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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T66 (ex-CJ) at Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Ex-CJ driving trailer XR-1376, XR-1372 and T66 leaving Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
This trailer is used with XR-1372 and T-66 on peak period push-pull services
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
CP works in the background
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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CP works at Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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CFD autorail X-305 and X-303 at Lingostière, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Colomars - La Manda
13km from Nice
 
Most Nice suburban services terminate at Colomars (24 minutes from Nice-CP), although about a third continue to Plan-du-Var (40 minutes from Nice-CP). The second CP main line to Grasse, Draguinan and Meyrargues (closed 1949) used to branch off left across the River Var at this point.
 
 
Colomars, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Saint-Martin-du-Var
21km from Nice
 
 
Saint-Martin-du-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Saint-Martin-du-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling east
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Plan-du-Var - La Vesubie
25km from Nice
 
 
CFD autorail X-306 at Plan-du-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Villars-sur-Var
42km from Nice
 
 
J.Chaussard postcard of Billard autorail 211 or 212 on a PW train at Villars.
A more modern CFD autorails is visible in the background.
 
 
Villars-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Villars-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Villars-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Villars-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling east
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Line after Villars-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Touêt-sur-Var
 
 
Touêt-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling east
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Touêt-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling east
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Touêt-sur-Var, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling east
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Puget-Théniers
59km from Nice
 
 
Puget-Théniers, 15th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Puget-Théniers, 15th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Entrevaux
65km from Nice
 
 
Approaching Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Entrevaux citadel, 22nd February 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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CFD autorail X-304 at Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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CFD autorail X-304 at Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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CFD autorail X-305 at Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - view from the citadel
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Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - view from the citadel
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Entrevaux, 14th February 2007.
Photo: © Ian Boyle - travelling west
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Annot
79km from Nice
 
BB1200 at Annot, in February 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thorame-Haute
96km from Nice
 
 
CFD autorail X-301 at Thorame-Haute, in February 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
 
 
 
 
Digne - CP
151km from Nice
 
The original metre-gauge station at Digne is no longer used for passengers, trains using the original standard gauge SNCF station (although the standard gauge branch is now also closed). The old CP station was being used to store Renault ZZ-6, giving the impression in the images that the station was still in use.
 
 
The disused CP station at Digne in February 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
 
 
 
 
Digne - SNCF
 
CP trains now use the old SNCF station at Digne. I am not sure what the shot section of dual-gauge track visible in the pictures below is for.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
XR-1351 at Digne, in February 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
 
 
 
 
Draguignan - CP
 
The CP line to Draguignan was closed in 1949, but the CP station still exists (opposite the SNCF station - also closed but used as a bus station).
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
 
 
 
 
 
CP Page 1A - CP Page 1B - CP Page 2 - CP Page 3
Chemin de Fer de la Corse
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