Railway General Knowledge.

[D6130]

Thanks. Next question:

Which was the first Anglo-Scottish cross-border rail route to close....and in which year?

 

[Calthrop]

Assuming that the upper Solway Firth counts as "border": the Solway Junction Railway: line of the Caledonian Railway, Kirtlebridge -- Annan and across the Solway Viaduct to connect with lines in England. Sections south of Annan abandoned in, I think, 1921.

 

[D6130]

Assuming that the upper Solway Firth counts as "border": the Solway Junction Railway: line of the Caledonian Railway, Kirtlebridge -- Annan and across the Solway Viaduct to connect with lines in England. Sections south of Annan abandoned in, I think, 1921.

Correct! Your turn to dismantle a viaduct.

 

[Calthrop]

Thanks.

I like overseas railways; and conundrums involving gauges; if it isn't too boring, I'll put a question a bit similar to one on that general theme, which I did last November.

There is a particular gauge -- fairly widespread in the world -- which (perhaps a little surprisingly) hardly ever featured at all on public railways in Central America or the West Indies. To the best of my knowledge, there was only one venue in that entire section of the world, in which that gauge was to be found in a public-railway context.

What is the gauge concerned? and what is the one-and-only location, as above?

 

[Gloster]

Standard-gauge. Jamaica.

 

[Calthrop]

Standard-gauge. Jamaica.

Sorry, no. I said fairly widespread in the world; and several countries in the relevant area have, or have had, standard gauge.

 

[yoyothehobo]

3 foot 6? (1067mm) Ecuador. ?

 

[Calthrop]

Sorry to be El Pedanto: but area concerned is West Indies, and Central America (Mexico to Panama inclusive) -- Ecuador is very definitely South America.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Sorry to be El Pedanto: but area concerned is West Indies, and Central America (Mexico to Panama inclusive) -- Ecuador is very definitely South America.

Ok.

Erm i will have a guess at 3 foot in St Kitts and Nevis.

 

[Calthrop]

Ok.

Erm i will have a guess at 3 foot in St Kitts and Nevis.

Sorry -- neither gauge, nor venue, are the correct answer. (3 ft. gauge was quite plentiful in the area concerned).

 

[Peterthegreat]

Metre gauge - Puerto Rico.

 

[Calthrop]

Metre gauge - Puerto Rico.

That's it ! P.R.'s metre-gauge -- unique thus, in the area -- public rail system ceased operations in, I believe, the late 1950s.

With your having led the Sharks (as in West Side Story) to victory: the next question is yours to set.

 

[Peterthegreat]

What is the main difference between the Dresden and Leipzig tram systems?

 

[Calthrop]

What is the main difference between the Dresden and Leipig tram systems?

Continuing to indulge my verging-on-obsession: different gauges?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Continuing to indulge my verging-on-obsession: different gauges?

Yes by 8mm (or about a third of an inch). Both use almost unique track widths of 1450 mm (Dresden) and 1458 mm (Leipzig) both fractionally wider than standard gauge (1435 mm).

For you to gauge the next question.

 

[Calthrop]

Cripes ! That was unexpected -- a complete stab in the dark on my part; on the basis that in neighbouring Poland, some city tram networks are standard gauge, others metre ... Thank you, anyway.

France's various "big" railway companies, quasi-independent (there had been from the start, a higher degree of state control, than in Britain) were nationalised as the SNCF in 1938. However: one, originally of their number, had been made over into State ownership / administration much earlier. This is reckoned to have been essentially, because of its being in bad financial straits; but there is a cherished "urban legend" to the effect that the compulsory State takeover was because of the old company's having been clueless: running its system in a highly incompetent and unsafe way (think Percy French and the West Clare on a huge scale).

Which one of the old French rail companies, is being referred to above?

 

[D6130]

Le Chemin de Fer de l'Ouest.

 

[Calthrop]

Le Chemin de Fer de l'Ouest.

That's the one (taken over by State 1909). Your turn !

 

[D6130]

Thanks. Continuing on a similar theme, the Chemin der Fer de l'Ouest/Etat was one of three French main line railway companies which continued to use bull-head rail (known in French as 'double champignon' or 'double mushroom' after its cross-sectional shape) until nationalisation in 1938. Which were the other two?

 

[Calthrop]

Thanks. Continuing on a similar theme, the Chemin der Fer de l'Ouest/Etat was one of three French main line railway companies which continued to use bull-head rail (known in French as 'double champignon' or 'double mushroom' after its cross-sectional shape) until nationalisation in 1938. Which were the other two?

(Not an attempted answer) -- I, a very non-technical type, can't resist the compulsion to ask, "Dear Lord ! -- does anyone -- even in France -- know the answer to this?" Obviously, many people do -- I'm the ashamed ignoramus.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Nord and Est?

 

[Peterthegreat]

It's been over a week since I posted the above. Any updates please?

 

[D6130]

Nord and Est?

Afraid not! Has anyone any further ideas before I knock out the keys?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Midi and PLM?

 

[D6130]

Midi and PLM?

The first is correct, but not the second. Think of the company that merged with the Midi a few years before nationalisation.

 

[Gloster]

État?

 

[D6130]

État?

Non. That company was specified as one of the three in the original question.

A small clue: This company had a vast network of routes covering a large area of France but, right up to nationalisation in 1938 it still kept as its title the names of the two cities at either end of its original, fairly short, line.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Paris Orleans

 

[D6130]

Paris Orleans

C'est juste! Your turn to assist Paul Labiche (Burt Lancaster) to knock out the keys (Finale of the film 'Le Train/The Train, 1964).

 

[Peterthegreat]

Merci.
What do the following stations have in common?
Gilberdyke
Colchester Town
St Helens Central