Gare d'Abancourt
Encyclopedia
The Gare d'Abancourt is a railway station located in the commune of Abancourt
in the Oise department, in Picardy, France
. It is primarily served by TER Picardie
trains.
of:
built the line between Amiens and Rouen. The station was built approximately 1 km from the town, in the hamlet
of Hennicourt. Following test runs, the line entered service on 18 April 1867, with general service trains taking 3 hours 50 minutes to complete the run from Amiens to Rouen, at an average speed of 35 km/h.
The station was enlarged in 1873 when the stretch of line to Longroy-Gamaches
(towards Le Tréport-Mers) was opened, and again in 1875 for the Abancourt - Beauvais stretch.
Because of its location at the junction of two lines, as well as arrangements put in place during World War I
, the station has approximately ten sidings, in addition to facilities for serving an agricultural silo.
, Paris
and Le Havre
), the German army made use of the Abancourt station. Anti-aircraft
railcars were used to protect convoys. The station was bombed multiple times by squadrons of the Royal Air Force
.
Reinforced concrete shelters remain in place today beside the sidings.
trains on the lines between Beauvais
and Le Tréport-Mers
and between Rouen and Amiens
and Lille.
The line was electrified with 25 kV 50 Hz alternating current on 27 August 1984 (freight lines and branch line
s continuing to use diesel), and the restrained permissivity automatic blocking system was installed on the line, offering increasingly less satisfactory service with respect to the growing mixed passenger-goods traffic on the line since the 1990s.
The station is one of the few on the 139 km long line which are still important; according to the SNCF it averaged 95 passengers per operating day in 2003. One of the peculiarities of this line is that goods traffic is far more important than passenger traffic. In 1992-93 8,000 tonnes of freight were transported daily on the line, 60% in the Amiens-Rouen direction. This is explained by the industrial importance of the two regions linked by the line and by the ports of Rouen and Le Havre
at the Rouen end. On the other hand, passenger demand is weak but tends to be focussed by the express TER
Rouen - Amiens - Arras
- Douai
- Lille
axis.
In 2008 the station underwent renovations as part of a programme of increasing accessibility
on the Beauvais - Abancourt stretch of line. The platforms were enhanced and passenger use and information facilities (lighting, signage, shelters, clocks, and ticket machines) were replaced. An audiovisual information system was to be installed in addition. The station approaches and parking facilities were to be modernised.
A TER demand responsive transport
service has been put in place to enable residents of Moliens
to use the station.
Abancourt, Oise
Abancourt is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-Geography:The commune of Abancourt is situated in the western extremity of the Oise department, on the border of the Seine-Maritime department.The Bresle River flows...
in the Oise department, in Picardy, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is primarily served by TER Picardie
TER Picardie
TER Picardie is the regional rail network serving the Picardy region of France. It is based at the Gare d'Amiens in the town of Amiens.- Rail :- Road :- Multiple units:* SNCF Class Z 26500* SNCF Class X 4630* SNCF Class X 72500...
trains.
Lines
The station is located at the intersectionJunction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
of:
- the Rouen - AmiensGare d'AmiensGare d'Amiens is the main station for the Northern French city of Amiens.The station opened on 15 March 1847 when the line to Abbeville opened to passengers. The station building was subsequently replaced by the present structure following the allied bombardment and was built in 1955 by Auguste...
cross-country main line, electrified in 1984 at 25,000 volts and equipped with the restrained permissivity automatic blocking system - the radial single-track Paris - BeauvaisGare de BeauvaisGare de Beauvais is a railway station located in Beauvais in the Oise department, France. TER Picardie trains connect the station to Le Tréport-Mers, Creil and Paris-Nord. The Neo-medieval station building was constructed by Compagnie du Nord in brick and concrete in 1860. The line to Paris is...
- Le Tréport-MersGare du Tréport-MersThe Gare du Tréport-Mers is a railway station located in the commune of Le Tréport in the Seine-Maritime department, France. It is only a few metres from Mers-les-Bains, which is in the Somme department.-Railway service:...
line, using diesel locomotives
History
The railway reached Abancourt in 1867 when the Nord companyChemin de Fer du Nord
Chemin de Fer du Nord , often referred to simply as the Nord company, was a rail transport company created in September 1845, in Paris, France. It was owned by among others de Rothschild Frères of France, N M Rothschild & Sons of London, England, Hottinger, Laffitte and Blount...
built the line between Amiens and Rouen. The station was built approximately 1 km from the town, in the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Hennicourt. Following test runs, the line entered service on 18 April 1867, with general service trains taking 3 hours 50 minutes to complete the run from Amiens to Rouen, at an average speed of 35 km/h.
The station was enlarged in 1873 when the stretch of line to Longroy-Gamaches
Gare de Longroy-Gamaches
The Gare de Longroy-Gamaches is a French train station located in the commune of Longroy in the Seine-Maritime department near Gamaches in the Somme department....
(towards Le Tréport-Mers) was opened, and again in 1875 for the Abancourt - Beauvais stretch.
Because of its location at the junction of two lines, as well as arrangements put in place during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the station has approximately ten sidings, in addition to facilities for serving an agricultural silo.
During the Second World War
Because of its key position in the rail network (between Nord, PicardyPicardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
), the German army made use of the Abancourt station. Anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
railcars were used to protect convoys. The station was bombed multiple times by squadrons of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
Reinforced concrete shelters remain in place today beside the sidings.
Today
The station is served by TER Haute-Normandie and TER PicardieTER Picardie
TER Picardie is the regional rail network serving the Picardy region of France. It is based at the Gare d'Amiens in the town of Amiens.- Rail :- Road :- Multiple units:* SNCF Class Z 26500* SNCF Class X 4630* SNCF Class X 72500...
trains on the lines between Beauvais
Gare de Beauvais
Gare de Beauvais is a railway station located in Beauvais in the Oise department, France. TER Picardie trains connect the station to Le Tréport-Mers, Creil and Paris-Nord. The Neo-medieval station building was constructed by Compagnie du Nord in brick and concrete in 1860. The line to Paris is...
and Le Tréport-Mers
Gare du Tréport-Mers
The Gare du Tréport-Mers is a railway station located in the commune of Le Tréport in the Seine-Maritime department, France. It is only a few metres from Mers-les-Bains, which is in the Somme department.-Railway service:...
and between Rouen and Amiens
Gare d'Amiens
Gare d'Amiens is the main station for the Northern French city of Amiens.The station opened on 15 March 1847 when the line to Abbeville opened to passengers. The station building was subsequently replaced by the present structure following the allied bombardment and was built in 1955 by Auguste...
and Lille.
The line was electrified with 25 kV 50 Hz alternating current on 27 August 1984 (freight lines and branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
s continuing to use diesel), and the restrained permissivity automatic blocking system was installed on the line, offering increasingly less satisfactory service with respect to the growing mixed passenger-goods traffic on the line since the 1990s.
The station is one of the few on the 139 km long line which are still important; according to the SNCF it averaged 95 passengers per operating day in 2003. One of the peculiarities of this line is that goods traffic is far more important than passenger traffic. In 1992-93 8,000 tonnes of freight were transported daily on the line, 60% in the Amiens-Rouen direction. This is explained by the industrial importance of the two regions linked by the line and by the ports of Rouen and Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
at the Rouen end. On the other hand, passenger demand is weak but tends to be focussed by the express TER
Ter
Ter is a prefix or suffix designating the third instance of a thing, thus following bis and preceding quater.Ter can also refer to:* River Ter, in Essex;* Ter , the debut album of American rock band Sweet Water...
Rouen - Amiens - Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
- Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
- Lille
Gare de Lille-Flandres
Lille-Flandres is the main station of the city of Lille, France. It is a terminus for SNCF Intercity and regional trains and was named Flandres in 1993 when Lille-Europe station opened....
axis.
In 2008 the station underwent renovations as part of a programme of increasing accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
on the Beauvais - Abancourt stretch of line. The platforms were enhanced and passenger use and information facilities (lighting, signage, shelters, clocks, and ticket machines) were replaced. An audiovisual information system was to be installed in addition. The station approaches and parking facilities were to be modernised.
A TER demand responsive transport
Demand responsive transport
Demand Responsive Transport or Demand-Responsive Transit or Demand Responsive Service or Dial-a-ride or Flexible Transport Services is "an advanced, user-oriented form of public transport characterised by flexible routing and scheduling of small/medium vehicles operating in shared-ride mode...
service has been put in place to enable residents of Moliens
Moliens
Moliens is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise....
to use the station.
Points of interest
The station has a manual system of train signage on the platforms which uses sliding metal panels.See also
- List of SNCF stations
- List of SNCF stations in Picardy