Full-grip locomotives; type Manche

Three-axle locomotives

Ordered in 1883 from Schneider in Le Creusot, these locomotives, type 101 of the manufacturer, were intended to operate on the Channel network on normal track

Description of the three-axle locomotives type Manche

Their three-tube boiler consisted of a furnace placed in line with the third axle and a cylindrical body of 1.76 m in diameter composed of a bundle of 148 tubes of 0.045 m in diameter.

The bulky dome carrying the balance valves was located on the second ferrule and the sand tank on the first. The smoke box door was double-leafed, but this was replaced by a round door after 1900 as they passed through the G.R.

The distribution was Stephenson type and the power take-off was on the centre axle by means of a double eccentric.

The primitive shelter, reduced to a roof supported by four small columns, was quickly closed by metal sheets pierced by two circular portholes placed at the front and rear of the driver's cabin. The sides were also closed off, leaving free access between the two columns.

The decoration of these machines was identical to the Indre-et-Loire units. The marking consisted of the affixing of rectangular bronze plates on the water boxes. One had the number and the other the initials of the Company.

Delivery and assignment of three-axle locomotives of the Channel type

These locomotives were delivered in three parts:

• Nos. 1 to 3 at the beginning of 1885 to help with ballasting and track laying. They were assigned to the operations department from 10 March 1886.
• No. 4 was ordered at the beginning of 1886, due to the inadequacy of the initial fleet of traction engines. Received on 9 June 1886, it was immediately put into service.
• No. 5, ordered five years later, was delivered on 14 January 1892 and put into service on 7 March of the same year, thus allowing the four machines of the fleet to be successively transferred to the main line.

They gave full satisfaction since they were not reformed until 1950. The n° 1, victim of a bumper sticking during the hostilities, was however parked as of January 31, 1942, and offered for sale on February 10, 1947, after having covered 1.257.700 km.

The 4-axle locomotive

Because of the increase in traffic, the C.F.D. requested, in 1909, the authorization to acquire an additional machine. They proposed a more powerful model, allowing the traction of heavy freight trains. As the French factories were unable to supply such a machine quickly, as their order books were full, the Company offered to approach the Société Belge de Saint-Léonard with whom it was in talks for the supply of metric track machines. Having obtained the agreement of the Channel Department, a 4-axle coupled unit was ordered in December 1909.

Description of the 4-axle locomotive type Manche

The general appearance of this machine was comparable to that of the type 120 (Series 121-124) for the I.G. lines of the Charentes network. The adoption of a 4-axle model had allowed the installation of a longer boiler and, compared to the 1 -5 series, the number of tubes had increased from 148 to 171, thus increasing its steaming power. The dome, placed on the first ferrule, supported valves in direct load. The larger cylinders, the elevation of the stamp to 12 kg and the slightly smaller diameter of the wheels had contributed to the 50% increase in tractive effort compared to the 5 030 machines.

The distribution was Walschaert type and the power take-off was on the second axle Its long wheelbase and four axles limiting the overhang as much as possible gave it excellent track holding.

The shelter, of modern shape with its enveloping curves, made way for a large fuel bunker at the stern. The forward-facing water tanks gave it a more pleasing appearance than that of the previous series...

The decoration and marking were identical to those of the 1-5 machines.

Delivery and assignment of the 4-axle locomotive type Channel

It was put into production in 1910 and delivered to Valognes in January 1911. It was put into service immediately and was used without interruption for the traction of heavy trains because of its power and stability. Only a damage to one of its driving rods caused it to be parked in 1949, less than a year before the line was closed.

It should be noted that the network having been bought by the Department in 1926, these machines were no longer in the C.F.D. fleet and were used in conjunction with the Weidknecht locomotives on the Cherbourg to Barfleur line on the normal track unit of the Channel leased to the Verney Group, under the name of Chemins de Fer Normands (C.F.N.).

source : MTVS 1988-4