The Sarthe type locomotives

The origin of Sarthe locomotives

Their name "SARTHE" came from Mr. FALIES, who used them for the first time in the SARTHE on the steam tramway network of this department. From then on, this name was commonly used on all the group's networks.

These machines, intended for towing departmental railway or tramway trains, were created by the company "LA MÉTALLURGIQUE" of TUBIZE (Belgium) and assembled by its French branch "LES ATELIERS DU NORD DE LA FRANCE", in BLANC-MISSERON (Nord). These two manufacturers of railway equipment were known by the simplified names of "TUBIZE" and "ANF" or "BM".

If the very first models were assembled by Tubize and delivered directly from 1880 to 1885, it was not the same for the specimens built from 1886 onwards, which passed through BLANC-MISSERON. The first locomotive benefiting from this procedure was precisely a "SARTHE" locomotive which carried the N° 15 on this network and of course the N° 1 built by B.M. (N° Tubize 626).

The first French tram dealer who placed the initial order with B.M. was Mr. FALIES, Director of the "CAREL et FOUCHÉ" group located in Le MANS as it should be. This important group was composed of the following networks:

• TRAMS OF THE SARTHE (T.S.).
• LOIR-ET-CHER TRAMS (T.L.C.).
• ILE-ET-VILAINE TRAMS (T.I.V.).
• NORTHWAY RAILWAYS (C.F.), LOIRE-INFÉRIEURE Network.

In order to equip the first of his steam tramway networks, Mr FALIES placed several orders with B.M. We summarise them below, leaving aside of course the four machines built entirely by TUBIZE.

• 1st series : 5 units TUBIZE 626 to 630 BM 1 to 5 from 1886 for T.S.
• 2nd series: 12 units TUBIZE 679 to 690 BM 17 to 28 from 1887-88 for T.L.C.
• 3rd series: 2 TUBIZE 933 to 934 BM 95 and 96 units from 1894 for T.L.C.
• 4th series: 13 TUBIZE units 1049 to 1061 BM 175 to 187 from 1897 for T.S.
• 5th series: 12 TUBIZE 1093 to 1104 BM 206 to 217 units from 1897-98 for T.I.V.
• 6th series: 1 TUBIZE 1366 BM 297 unit from 1903 for T.L.C.

A total of 45 practically identical machines, varying for each series only for their respective weights.

The different networks of Mr FALIES were created at practically the same time. As a result, the locomotives were not assigned to their original network, but were distributed according to the most pressing needs. Indeed, the locomotives were particularly used during the construction of the tracks and especially for ballasting. It is therefore not surprising to see a certain mix in the allocation of machines in the most important construction series. Despite this, the model was commonly referred to as the "SARTHE TYPE" on all the company's networks.

Special features :

• Locomotive TS N° 62 (BM 214) had a DOCTEUR boiler.
• The TIV locomotive No. 12 (BM 217) CHANTEPIE was sold to TLC where it took the No. TL 4 and the name of INGRE on 01-01-03. It was based at the depot of ORLÉANS and as its sisters ensured the traffic of the LOIRET line of TLC ORLÉANS - OUZOUER-LE-MAR- CHÉ.
• The locomotive TLC N° 5 (BM 21) BINAS was detached from 21-10-93 to 01-09-94 on the line from NANTES to LÉGÉ of the CF Loire-Inférieure.

General characteristics and use of Sarthe locomotives

These light locomotives with three coupled axles were very well suited to the traffic of our small French departmental lines. They could tow a 55 to 60 T train at a speed of 45 km/h in level. The maximum composition of a train varied from seven to eight vehicles and generally consisted of a van, two cars, one of which was mixed, and a few freight cars. Most of the time, they provided a RE on their home line, a maximum of about 100 km per day.

Their square silhouette often made them listed as bicabins; whereas they had only one. In fact, there was only one set of controls in the normal place behind the firebox. The front platform was mainly used by the operating officer, who could safely monitor every movement.

In order not to frighten the horses and to preserve the movement of the dust from the roads, which they followed most of the time, these machines were equipped with movement covers. However, because of the lack of air, these had to be opened at each stop. Often they drove with the doors up despite the prohibition of the management.

Towards the end of their career they served in the service of station and reserve machine maneuvers. The TIVs soon got rid of them, but on the other hand the TLCs and the TSs used them until closing.

The TS 51 FOULLETOURTE, currently kept in the Le Mans Auto Museum, was the last one to run for the train service of the CHAP- PÉE Foundry in MONTBIZOT in the 1950s.

Two other examples are currently being restored at the Musée des Transports de la Vallée du Sausseron, in VALMONDOIS: these are the BM 19 and BM 213.

source : MTVS N°4 1977