Nice Ville

[201bhoy]

Just got back from Nice and thought I'd put up a few pics and a bit of info about Nice Ville. There are 7 main platforms as well as a bay platform which serves local services as well as autorail trains. There are extensive sidings on the other side, mostly used for overnight stock, as well as TGVs and local emus. Local services consist of modern double-decker emus and RIB coaches with class 25000s, although the latter are now being phased out. There are regular TGV services to Paris and Lyon, as well as daily services to Lille and Geneva. There are twice daily Corail intercités trains to Bordeaux and Toulouse, and overnight services to Paris, Luxembourg/ Strasbourg and Irun (just inside the Spanish border), and, on Saturdays, Moscow! These services are usually and pulled by 22200 class locos or sometimes by Sybics. There is a daily autorail service to Paris Bercy, but few freight services (I know there are some because caught sight of a class 66 hidden away in a siding).

 

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1. Platforms A-C, with two overnight trains ready to depart

2. and 4. A 26000 "Sybic" class pulls the Nice-Paris Lunea train out of platform A

3. A look at the other side of the station at the carriage sidings

5. A Sybic awaits the green signal to depart with the Paris sleeper train

6. A Y8000 shunts the stock for the Nice-Moscow train into platform D

7. A class 22200 ready to depart; you can see some autorail cars in the bay platform

8. The Nice-Irun train edges out of Voie C

 

Unfortunately I only really went up to the station in the evenings, so most of the photos are of overnight trains.

 

More photos and videos soon!

Edited August 28, 2012 by 201bhoy

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Love the pics it hasn't changed much from when I was there in 1988

[Garfield]

Excellent photos... is that a Spanish coach the locotracteur is hooked up to?

[201bhoy]

Love the pics it hasn't changed much from when I was there in 1988

 

I'm sure there were a lot more sleeper services then though! Sure even 5 years ago there were two separate trains to Luxembourg and Strasbourg, a Lunea to Bordeaux, one to Lille, one to Nantes, one to Bourg St Maurice and a motorail train to Calais! TGVs are killing the overnight trains

[201bhoy]

Excellent photos... is that a Spanish coach the locotracteur is hooked up to?

 

No, that's a Russian railways carriage! I edited the post to show some captions as well

[201bhoy]

In nice at the minute and quite depressed, 6 days and I haven't seen a single sybic! Just 22200s pulling the long distance trains. They seem to be phasing out locotracteurs as well, with the local shunting their own stock into place. The only excitement was a pilgrim train from Lourdes to Reggio Calabria centrale (!) and two container wagons in the sidings which disappeared after a couple of days.

[Glenderg]

Shock horror Vincent! Not a 40' Container in sight!

Great photos though, even if the poor stock is blighted with graffiti. Such is the way in France in my limited experience. Plus ca change.

[201bhoy]

I know, it's a pity. Haha, I'd love nice to see more freight, that's basically the only freight wagon I've ever seen in there, I should be more grateful! I did see a class 66 there last year though over in the carriage sidings. Annoyed that I haven't seen any 26000s though after seeing quite a few last year

[Garfield]

Great shots! Nice to see an unrebuilt RRR set.

 

Enjoy the 22s while you can... they'll become a rarer site around stations before you know it!

 

I doubt the locotracteurs are being phased out, as they're still needed in the freight yards. Probably just Nice catching up with other mainline hubs and using larger locos on pilot duties (or just backing another loco onto the train to take the coaches on their next journey).

[201bhoy]

Great shots! Nice to see an unrebuilt RRR set.

 

Enjoy the 22s while you can... they'll become a rarer site around stations before you know it!

 

I doubt the locotracteurs are being phased out' date=' as they're still needed in the freight yards. Probably just Nice catching up with other mainline hubs and using larger locos on pilot duties (or just backing another loco onto the train to take the coaches on their next journey).[/quote']

 

Thanks Garfield! Yeah, didn't really mean totally phased out, but all the same disappointed, as it added a bit of fun to it all. And I've nothing against the 22s, but I love the sybics and it would be nice to see a bit of variety. Any idea why I haven't seen any?

[201bhoy]

Station in chaos tonight, loads of delays on trains! Strasbourg/ Luxembourg train double headed by two 22200s, but on the down side, still no 26000s

[Garfield]

If you haven't seen Sybics at all, I guess it's possible that there were depot re-allocations and 22ks are being concentrated on the depot serving the Nice region.

 

Edit:

 

Also, the reason for the delays may be due partly to the train with the two 22s up front. They're not working in multiple... one's dead! The pantograph is down...

Edited July 26, 2013 by Garfield

[201bhoy]

If you haven't seen Sybics at all' date=' I guess it's possible that there were depot re-allocations and 22ks are being concentrated on the depot serving the Nice region.[/quote']

 

I was thinking that, but I would have thought marseille depot was the depot serving nice, and I saw sybics in marseille! But yeah you're probably right

[Garfield]

I was thinking that, but I would have thought marseille depot was the depot serving nice, and I saw sybics in marseille! But yeah you're probably right

 

Maybe not depot re-allocations, but maybe route re-allocations. Still strange...

[201bhoy]

 

Maybe not depot re-allocations' date=' but maybe route re-allocations. Still strange...[/quote']

 

It is, yeah. I do remember when I was very small not seeing any until I was about 9, but I thought it was maybe just that I was seeing more of the station. Another thing I was thinking of was that in the last few years I've been to nice, it's always been in August. Could that be anything to do with it?

[201bhoy]

The wait is over!!!! Finally saw a sybic tonight, on the night train to Paris. Also another double headed train to Luxembourg an Strasbourg, and the weekly train to Moscow. Just reflecting there on the demise of the overnight trains, ten years ago you would have seen night trains for Irun, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille, st gervais, Calais, two separate trains for Strasbourg and Luxembourg, and one for Naples. Now there are just 4, two of which only go once a week

[201bhoy]

the reason for the delays may be due partly to the train with the two 22s up front. They're not working in multiple... one's dead! The pantograph is down...

 

I initially thought that, but all 3 times the train has been double headed, the 2nd loco's pantograph went up, just before the train departed!

[Sulzer201]

Thanks for posting great pics and marvellous trains.

[201bhoy]

Thanks sulzer! Some more pics from last night, nothing out of the ordinary, but one of the only two nights where I can see the train to Irun. Also a pilgrim train from lourdes rushed through and caught me unaware, so not very good pictures of that Enjoy!

[Garfield]

Great pics again!

 

Just out of curiosity... Have you had any issues with station staff or the SNCF police when taking photos at the station?

[201bhoy]

Generally, the drivers and shunting staff are dead on, but some of the police and security services are a bit pompous... They didn't mention taking photos, but they said that unless I had a ticket, I shouldn't be on the platform.

[201bhoy]

Also, I wonder was the sybic an exception? Last night tomorrow, would love to see another!

[201bhoy]

Last night in nice was pretty uneventful one thing was I saw the new livery for the old corail coaches with reclining seats on sleeper trains. Quite nice I think!