The 141-R, conquest of the West, but in France

Auteur : Clive Lamming

The West Region in 1946, unlike the other SNCF regions, did not divide its 141-Rs over a limited number of depots and line services managed by these depots, but ‘spread’ them across all depots in the region and in most cases they went at the head of mixed (freight/passengers) or freight trains.

An important event took place on 5 September 1947: the 1340th and last 141-R was unloaded in France on the quays of the port of Cherbourg, in the western region. The depot in Le Havre deployed its 141-Rs on the line from Le Havre to Achères, while the three Normandy depots in Mezidon, Caen and Cherbourg deployed them on the lines from Paris to Cherbourg, from Serquigny to Rouen (Sottevile) and from Mezidon to Le Mans. In Argentan, the 141-R operated between Paris (Vaugirard) and Trappes up to Granville and Le Mans.

A 141-R from the first tranche, initially on the SNCF's Western network. Note the presence of four driving axles with conventional spoked wheels and a Cole-type rear bissel, characteristic features of the first 141-Rs delivered.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

The 141-Rs from Le Mans operated on the lines to Nantes and Rennes. Those from Rennes were deployed to Brest, Quimper and Le Mans. The 141-Rs from the Auray depot ran from Nantes to Quimper and from Redon to Rennes, while those from the Saint-Brieuc depot ran on the Rennes-Brest line and the Morlaix-Roscoff branch line. The locomotives from the Nantes-Blottereau depot were running to Le Mans, Quimper and Bordeaux. The locomotives at La Rochelle were used for transport to Nantes, Bordeaux or Poitiers.

The 318 141-P locomotives, at the time the SNCF's most modern model since they were designed in 1942, were certainly the 141-R's competitors. But the ‘R's proved to be more powerful and more robust, although less suited to pulling passenger trains and express couriers. Pictured is the 141-P in the SNCF's western region.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

THE QUALITIES OF THE 141-R ARE UNANIMOUSLY RECOGNISED IN THE WEST

This vast region, heir to the former West and State networks, did not have a fleet of heavy, powerful locomotives for its freight trains before World War II and the founding of the SNCF. With the 141-R, a locomotive appeared with a high-performance boiler producing abundant steam. The chassis solid and non-deformable, with automatic adjustment wedges, integrated high-capacity mechanical lubrication and auxiliary equipment that ensured safe, trouble-free operation (boiler, injector, pumps, compressors, etc.).

The ‘R's hauled freight trains of 1,500 to 1,800 tonnes at 60/70 km/h, or 800-tonne mail trains or passenger trains of the same weight at 100 km/h. The 140-A or B, as well as the 141-C, of the former West or State networks were nowhere near such performance. However, the SNCF's 141-Ps, which came into service during the war, offered higher speeds and more power than the 141-Rs. Moreover, they were much more economical in their consumption of coal, and the Western Region made good use of them on the line to Brest, where the SNCF's famous 241-Ps reached 120 km/h at the head of very heavy passenger trains.

The 141-R-431 in its usual, everyday world, i.e. the ‘RO’ (‘regular’) freight train. These trains are still made up of old wagons of an out-dated type, recognisable by their brake calipers.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

A brand new 141-R, tested on the Vitry test bench. These locomotives, with their rapidly recognised sturdiness and power, needed very little testing.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

IN THE WEST, THEY USE FUEL OIL

Another revolution brought about by the 141-Rs in Normandy, Brittany and Vendée is the use of fuel oil, which gives a range of 700 km instead of 400 km for coal. This is how the 141-Rs assigned to Rennes or Saint-Brieuc ‘made’ trains of the normal service rolling slow over long distances like freight trains. But the 141-Rs assigned to the Le Mans and Nantes depots showed their exceptional autonomy on heavy passenger trains running on the South Brittany line, and the 141-Rs replaced the ‘Pacific’ 231-Ds. The 141-Rs will therefore have been superior to the ‘Pacifics’, something that is rarely said!

ELSEWHERE, AT THE SAME TIME

THE 131 S SERIES, THE RUSSIAN BEAUTY FROM SORMOVO

In a powerful autocratic Russia, an imperial decree issued in 1866 made it compulsory for all equipment used on the state railways to be built on Russian territory. This is how the beautiful Russian was born...

Deriving their name from the Sormovo factories where they were built, 3,750 of these beautiful Russian locomotives were produced, a record number that makes them among the most numerous in the world. They contributed to the grandeur of the Tsars and the Soviets with an equal dedication, continuing to be built in the early 1950s.

The very pretty and fine Russian type 131 locomotive, series Su 101, No. 19. The English magazine ‘The Locomotive Magazine’ paid tribute to it. The deck railings are very characteristic of Russian locomotives and allow the driving crews to intervene while the locomotive is in motion. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

THE PROFESSORS' LOCOMOTIVE

On the eve of the First World War, the nation's elite were called upon to design Russian locomotives. This gave rise to a great Russian tradition, both before and after the Bolshevik revolution, of entrusting university professors and researchers with the task of designing locomotives. The professors ‘didn't get their feet wet’ and designed something very classic, with two single-expansion cylinders, a type 131, Walschaërts distribution, superheating and an overflowing firebox. Its low axle load of just 18 tonnes opened up the worst possible tracks, and this load could even be reduced to 16 tonnes by adjusting the suspension to distribute the load more evenly over the two axles. The professors were cautious, which saved them from going to prison.

In the 1950s, Soviet mainline trains still used these small locomotives, whose qualities were recognised, even if it meant using them for double traction. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

AN ERA

No, ‘cycling’ in Paris was not a new trend, as this photograph of thousands of Parisian bicycles piled up at the Gare de Lyon during the 1946-1950 holidays proves: they were taken along because people didn't have a car to do their daily shopping during the holidays.© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming