Ussel

[ RURAL RAILWAYS IN FRANCE ][ CHEMINS DE FER RURAUX DE FRANCE ]

Gare d'Ussel ( Corrèze)

Ussel is a sous-préfecture of 11,000 inhabitants in the department of Corrèze, situated at 631 metres( 2,000ft) altitude on the Plateau des Millevaches. It is located 92km(57 miles) from Brive-la-Gaillarde which is on the Paris-Toulouse main line and 105km ( 65 miles) from Clermont-Ferrand. The first railway line to reach Ussel came from the west, from Tulle, opened in 1880. This opened acces to the main line at Brive. But, quickly, new opportunities were created which would result in Ussel becoming the main railway centre in the area.

In 1881, the line was opened to Clermont-Ferrand, in 1882 the line from Eygurandes-Merlines to Bort-les-Orgues was opened, and in 1883 the line from Limoges was extended to Meymac, a few kilometres to the west. In 1887, Montlucon to Eygurandes-Merlines was completed and by this time Ussel was comprehensively linked to the main railway network at Brive, Limoges, Montlucon and at Clermont-Ferrand. Through trains to and from Paris were provided. The railways were the dominant transport system, since road vehicles did not yet exist. A large locomotive depot was built at Ussel, half a round house with 24 tracks. In the mid 1920's, Ussel depot was responsible for 90 steam locomotives.

In 1905, a new line was completed northwards from Ussel to Busseau-sur-Creuse via La Courtine, Felletin and Aubusson. The section from Ussel to Felletin was closed in 1979 and the remainder of this rural line remains open principally for the logging traffic.

In 1913, a metre gauge line from Tulle reached Ussel. This was the Tramways de la Corrèze, a delightful country roadside railway which survived, somehow, until December 1959.

Ussel SNCF. The station building is functional rather than attractive. Its size however reflects a certain importance. TER bus services operate from the left hand end of the building.

The station is some 15-20 minutes walk from the centre of the small town.

This is the one remaining engine shed at Ussel, used to house railcars overnight in the winter.

However it is likely to be demolished in 2008.

A general view of Ussel SNCF in November 2003.

There were two island platforms and many sidings. The steam roundhouse has been demolished but the turntable, storage shed, two signal boxes and mechanical signals remain from the illustrious past of this isolated rail junction.

However in 2008 the site will be re-organised and much of the land will be sold for housing projects.

The station layout will be simplified and the mechanical signals and signal boxes will be replaced by a modern system of train control.

X2883 has just arrived with the afternoon service from Montlucon.

The railcar will shunt to join with an XR trailor to form the 18.05 TER to Limoges.

Nov 7th 2003

At this time in November the sun sets at 17.15 and so it is in the light from the moon that X2883 will depart from Ussel for Limoges at 18.05 this Friday evening.

Nov 7th 2003

Early Saturday morning in Ussel SNCF., in November 2003.

Overnighters X2883 and X2852 were aligned next to the 67400 loco in FRET livery which had brought in the through Corail train from Paris the previous evening.

X2883 will depart for Limoges at 08.53.

X2917 has been detached from an early morning Brive-Clermont service and will wait until the end of the morning before joining the 12.51 TER to Limoges with X2852.

Sat Nov 8th 2003

X2883 plus trailor departs for Limoges under the giant signal gantry

The gantry will be demolished in 2008.

This is signal box "B" at Ussel, at the east end.

The bridge carries N89 main road.

The days of this box are numbered.

Arrival of the Clermont - Brive TER some fifty minutes late with an X2200 railcar in red Poitou-Charente regional livery, out of place here in Auvergne region.

References:

Les Chemins de Fer Paris-Orléans, by Jean-Pierre Vergez-Larrouy, ( La Vie du Rail/La Régordane, 1997)

Sur les rails du LIMOUSIN, by José Banaudo and Fabrice Lanoue, ( Les Editions du Cabri, 2003 )

Le Triangle du Cantal - I Bort-les-Orgues - Neussargues, by Patrick Garinot ( Presses et Editions Ferroviaires, 2001)

Rail Passion No 43, November 2000.Article about Brive - Ussel - Clermont-Ferrand by Bernard Collardey

The railway site at Ussel is to be drastically changed in 2008, with a simplification of the track layout, and a new signalling system with suppression of the mechanical signals and signal boxes.

Page revised in March 2007