Tag Archives: Tende

The Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 9 – The Short Golden Age

A. Steam Operation Alone (1928-1930)

The First Months of Operation

The commercial service on the line began on 31st October 1928.

The line between Nice and Breil-sur-Roya was served by the PLM with five passenger services in each direction daily. From Nice to Breil, three were stopping/local trains which Barnardo etc al refer to as ‘omnibus’ services. These took about 1 hr 30 mins to cover the 44km journey. Two were ‘express’ services which stopped only at Nice-Saint-Roch, L’Escarène and Sospel. They covered the distance in about 1 hr 14 mins run in 1 hr 13 or 14 mins. All five trains included direct carriages to destinations beyond Breil.

In the opposite direction, a similar schedule was followed, with three ‘omnibus’ services and two express services.

On the Italian Cuneo-Ventimiglia route, the service was almost the same with five journeys from Cuneo to San Dalmazzo, six between San Dalmazzo and Breil, and then five again between Breil and Ventimiglia. Journey times varied from 3 hrs 15 mins for ‘direct’ services to 3 hrs 50 mins for both ‘omnibus’ and ‘express’ services which included a stop of 10 to 12 mins for customs control and refueling at San Dalmazzo, 17 to 20 minutes at Breil, and 2 to 4 minutes at Piena. [1: p7]

In the opposite direction, the best times were between 3 hrs 45 mins for ‘direct’ trains and 4 hrs 15 mins for ‘omnibus’ services. The longer journey times were because of a longer gradient and a stop of at least 20 minutes in Breil to wait for connections from Nice. From morning to evening, six trains ran in this direction. ‘Direct’ trains ran with only four commercial stops (at Cuneo, San Dalmazzo, Breil, and Piena), but they made at least one stop at Tende, or at Vievola to allow the single line ahead to clear. Refueling also took place at Limone station, even though no commercial stop was shown on the timetable. Isolated between Breil and the northern border, Fontan-Saorge station was served in each direction by four ‘omnibus’ and ‘express’ services, and by the morning northbound ‘direct’ service. [1: p7]

Italian services had an additional class of train to services provided by the French. These were known as ‘accelerato’ services. “The term ‘accelerato’ (accelerated) appeared in Italian railway terminology in 1889 to refer to a train that briefly stopped at every stop, running slightly faster than ordinary ‘omnibus’ services. This term gave way in 1967 to the term ‘local’ trains, which are now known as ‘regional’ trains.” [1: p14]

A post card view showing Breil-sur-Roya Railway Station in the early 1930s, © Public Domain. [27]

Banaudo et al tell us that, “In the years following the opening, services were slightly modified to accommodate new needs, particularly in the tourism sector.” [1: p9]

Changes were made to international services on 15th May 1930, and the following summer, the ‘direct’ southbound evening service made a commercial stop at Tende station from 1st July to 30th September, but this trial was not repeated.

Banaudo et all tell us that, “On the French side, the Nice-Breil service was increased to six daily services, plus a seventh service running on Sundays and summer holidays. Fontan-Saorge station continued to be served by Italian trains, supplemented seasonally by one or two Breil-San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda shuttles.” [1: p14]

From 1928, a daily goods train was “operated by the PLM on the French branch of the line. It left Nice-Saint-Roch station at 9:46am and arrived in Breil at 1:45pm, after serving all stations open to ‘low-speed’ traffic: La Trinité-Victor, Drap-Cantaron, Peille, L’Escarène, and Sospel. Depending on the weight of the train, a second engine was used to bank the train at the rear on the way to Sospel [from Breil-sur-Roya], from where it descended steeply to Nice. The lead locomotive and its driving crew handled shunting operations in Breil. … Another engine and its crew, taking over in Breil, took the return train, departing at 4:48pm, arriving in Nice-Saint-Roch at 9:31pm.” [1: p26-27]

The FS operated a daily goods train from “Cuneo to Ventimiglia. Depending on needs, additional trains were put on to San Dalmazzo or Breil.” [1: p27]

The station approach, Breil-sur-Roya in the early 1930s,© Public Domain. [27]

Most of the trade on the two lines “included agricultural products: corn, straw, wheat, vegetables, and wine imported from Italy; [with] timber and bagged potash fertilizers (sylvinite) exported. Manufactured goods and construction materials also arrived in the towns along the line.” [1: p27] The route was also used to convey empty wagons to Liguria to relieve the congested Giovi and Cadibona routes. Livestock from Central Europe, such as pigs from Czechoslovakia, was brought via Cuneo.

In the autumn of 1928, the transhumance of the Roya herds made relatively little use of the railway. (Transhumance is the seasonal movement of livestock between fixed pastures, typically moving from lower valleys in winter to higher mountain pastures in summer). Apparently, this was because of the impracticability of the ‘ low-speed’ train timetable for local farmers. In the spring of 1929, the timetable was adapted to significantly reduce shunting time in the stations. However, the shepherds of Tende and Briga found the complex administrative formalities for crossing the border by train too difficult. They “preferred to reach Breil on foot with their flocks, only loading them onto the train for the final leg to the traditional wintering grounds of the Paillon Valley and the Nice region.” [1: p28]

The new railway was unable to take much advantage of local mineral resources, which were mainly exhausted by 1927, the year before the line opened. [1: p28]

A cable car was installed to transport ore “from Lake Mesce to San Dalmazzo, where Europe’s first electrolytic processing plant was established to produce zinc. In the year of closure, 40,000 tons of zinc concentrates and 5,000 tons of lead were produced, and the metal … was shipped by rail to Italian industries. However, the sudden collapse in metal prices made operations unprofitable and led to the closure of the mine and plant.” [1: p28] A few short years after opening to traffic, tonnages of freight transported by the two lines suffered from the global economic crisis that preceded the beginning of the Fascist government’s protectionist policies. Banaudo et al comment that “the tonnages transported were far from reaching the level hoped for by the promoters of the line. In 1931, they represent 300 gross ton-kilometres compared to 3500 on the Fréjus line and 6000 on the Saint-Gothard line.” [1: p28]

B. Two-Phases of Electrification (1931-1935)

Electric Traction in Italy

Despite the steam locomotives used on the line being designed for mountainous terrain, the use of steam power posed significant problems. Passing through so many tunnels meant that the locomotive drivers and firemen experienced exhaustion, if not more. Smoke and steam together made conditions dirty for both workers and passengers. Train speeds were inevitably low due to the limited power of the engines and the steep gradients.

Banaudo et al say that “In 1930, the two direct trains covered the 100 km from Cuneo to Ventimiglia in 3 hours 10 minutes with three intermediate stops, an average of 31.6 km/h. In the opposite direction, where the climb is almost continuous for 62 km, it takes them 3 hours 35 to 40 minutes to reach Cuneo, an average of between 27 and 28 km/h. Added to this are very high operating costs, due to the absence of a coal basin in continental Italy, which meant that all the coal used as fuel for the FS locomotives had to be imported. … For all these reasons, Italy began to electrify many of its highly-trafficked mountain lines even before the First World War. Following the successful experiments carried out … in the Lombardy valley of Valtellina from 1901, the system chosen as the standard for future Italian electrification was three-phase current of 3400 volts and a frequency of 16 and two-thirds hertz, distributed by a two-wire overhead line. … Electrification was applied in stages from 1911 to 1914 to the Genova – Torino and Milan lines crossing the Ligurian mountains via the Giovi Pass. Next, from 1912 to 1915 on the international Torino – Modane line via the Frejus tunnel. In the post-war years, the number of electrified lines increased until Italy had the largest electrified network in the world in 1926, with 504 locomotives in service and the longest continuous line with electric traction, 450 km from Modane to Livorno.” [1: p34]

Electrification in Italy before the end of 1920, © Marco Chitti. [11]

From 1920 – 1933 – Three-phase AC reached maturity, and experiments with 3 000v DC began. “3000v DC was first rolled out in 1927 between Benevento and Foggia (part of the Naples-Bari line), and in a few local railways in the following years: Naples’s Cumana, Milan’s FNM, and the newly opened Aosta – Pré Saint-Didier and Rome-Viterbo. After this successful experiment, 3Kv DC was adopted as the blueprint for the big roll-out that happened in the following period.” [11]

The spread of electric traction in Italy up to 1933, © Marco Chitti. [11]

The new line across the Col de Tende was ideal for electrification given expected high traffic demand and the proximity of significant hydroelectric resources of the Roya basin. “As early as 27th April 1927, even before the line was put into operation, the Italian Ministry of Public Works expressed its desire to electrify the line to its French counterpart. The French authorities were not opposed, provided that Italy covered all the costs incurred by the operation on French territory.” [1: p34]

“The FS Board of Directors decided to electrify the sections located on Italian territory, namely Cuneo-San Dalmazzo-di-Tenda and Piena-Ventimiglia, as a first step. … Construction began in 1929 with major civil engineering work to adapt … structures … for electrification, the layout of certain curves was straightened, and the original rails, already around forty years old, were replaced north of Limone. The station installations were modified. Those whose track plan included double turnouts (points providing three directions) had these devices replaced by a pair of single turnouts to avoid the inextricable tangle of the contact line wires, which required special insulation measures when crossing the track equipment. At Limone, the track was reworked and the small locomotive shed demolished to make way for a substation. In San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda, the construction of the substation required major earthworks between the Rioro spiral tunnel and the viaduct, including 3,400 m³ of excavation.” [1: p34]

“The excavated material was “reused to widen the station plateau and expand the goods yard. At Piena, an additional retaining wall was built and a traverser installed to facilitate engine change manoeuvres. This allowed the electric locomotive arriving from Ventimiglia to be released from its train making way for a steam engine, for which, the FS obtained authorization from the French government to extend the overhead line by a few dozen metres beyond the Riou viaduct.” [1: p40]

“The power stations of San-Dalmazzo, Piena and Bevera of the Compagnia Imprese Elettriche Liguri (CIELI) were equipped with new alternators producing three-phase current at the specific frequency of 16 & two thirds hertz (i.e. one third of 50 hertz) adopted at that time by several European railway networks. High-voltage lines of 60,000 volts, connected to the Busca Ceva and San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda Lavagnola lines, carried the current to five substations built by the FS at Robilante, Limone, San-Dalmazzo, Piena and Ventimiglia. These each had four transformers … except for the San-Dalmazzo substation which was equipped with six transformers. … The voltage was lowered to 4000 volts to be distributed to the railway overhead lines. The substations themselves were connected by a triangular ‘feeder’ at the Arma-di-Taggia substation, on the Ligurian Riviera, to allow mutual reinforcements of power supply between the electrified lines of Liguria and Piedmont.” [1: p40]

Overhead lines were installed at night, avoiding disruption to traffic on the line. Metal poles were provided generally with brackets used In tunnels and suspended 5.5 metres above the track except in stations where a 6 metre clearance was provided.

The current was drawn by the locomotives at an average voltage of 3400 to 3600 volts. To limit voltage drops on the long gradients of the southern section where the power supply was heavily used, the contact wires were doubled, two pairs of wires were used. In the helical loops, additional conductor wires were stretched over pylons between the lower and upper levels of the loop, without following the track layout.

In 1931, the FS powered up a total of 184 km of line. “Operation of the northern branch was entrusted to four E 554 group locomotives based at the Cuneo depot, while to the south, Ventimiglia had two E 550 locomotives, sometimes supplemented by E 551s, for service to Piena.” [1: p41]

In 1935 electric traction was far more widespread in Italy. The line between Cuneo and Nice is shown as complete in 1935, © Marco Chitti. [11]

The line operated with steam over the central section until the French were in a position to open an electrified line in the Roya Valley on French territory.

Italian Electric Locomotives and Autorails

Banaudo et al’s book includes copious photographs and plans associated with this first phase of the electrification and provides details of the 3-phase electric locomotives employed on the line. Common to all of these locomotives were side panels in the bodywork “housing a liquid rheostat, an oil-filled reversing switch, various auxiliaries, and, on some units, a vertical oil-fired boiler for heating steam trains. Cooling the rheostat and powering the boiler create the astonishing spectacle of an electric locomotive emitting plumes of steam and refueling at stations!” [1: p46]

Banaudo et al continue: “On freight locomotives, connecting the [two] motors in series or parallel allowed for speeds of 25 or 50 km/h. On passenger locomotives, parallel coupling and pole switching achieved speeds of 37.5, 50, 75, or 100 km/h. Each motor was connected to both ends of a Von Kando triangular connecting rod or a Bianchi articulated link system, which transmits power to one of the axles. These are rigidly mounted on the chassis and connected to each other by coupling rods, similar to a steam locomotive. On passenger locomotives, the coupled axle set is flanked by two pony trucks or carrying bogies.” [1: p46]

From 1931 onward, the line over the Col de Tende was primarily operated by five-axle locomotives. “The FS has three series built from 1908 to 1931. The E 554.001 to 183 based in Cuneo initially served the Cuneo San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda section, while the E 550.001 to 186 and E 551.001 to 183 based in Ventimiglia operated the shuttle to Piena. From 1935, with the electrification in French territory, the E 554s ran the entire line. They developed a power of 2,000 kW and handled trains of approximately 500 [tons] with single traction and 900 [tons] with reinforcement, at a fixed speed of 50 km/h.” [1: p46]

The Class E550 locomotives had five axles connected to the two electric motors through an articulated coupling rod. The three center axles were rigidly mounted to the frame and the center axle’s wheels were without flanges. The outer axles were mounted in a manner that allowed them to turn into curves. The wheels were small, and thus adapted to heavy freight or slow passenger services at low speed. The locomotive had two cabs, one at each end of the central compartment. The motors were asynchronous three-phase, which could be connected in series at low speed and in parallel at higher speeds. The connections were enabled through a drum switch using a liquid-cooled rheostat. Feeding was provided by paired trolley poles at each end, each pair carrying two bow collectors for the two wires of the three phase system. Braking was provided by an automatic continuous brake and a regulated, hand-operated brake, © Public Domain. [12]

The Class E551 locomotives (this is E550-001) were rated 2000 kW and had a 50 km/h maximum velocity. The series was used on the three-phase AC network in Northern Italy, particularly for freight trains. The locomotives were used on all lines of the three-phase network in Northern Italy. They were equipped with a boiler for use in passenger train service. 183 of this series were built and all were withdrawn by 1965, © Georg Trub. [13]

The Class E554 locomotives (this is E554-174) were also used on the line, © EmmeBi Photos and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY 2.0). [14]

“Later, around 1942, type 1D1 passenger train engines, series E 432.001 to 040, handled the direct Torino – Ventimiglia trains. Depending on the tonnage, an E 550, 551, or 554 were used as bankers on the north section between Cuneo and Limone.” [1: p46]

1D1 locomotive of Class FS432, No. 011 seen in preservation in 2008. Forty of these 1D1 locomotives with 4 powered axles were built in 1928 by Società Ernesto Breda and two have been preserved. © Sandro Baldi and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [15]

Banaudo et al have a series of drawings of these locomotives. These include line drawings and the different liveries that the locomotives carried during their working lives. [1: p47-50]

The electrification of the two lengths of the Cuneo-Ventimiglia line, left the portion of the line between the two Italian border stations of San-Dalmazzo and Piena needing dedicated steam locomotives. The role was undertaken by a series of nine FS940 141T locos built in 1922 and 1923. These locos were able to haul a load of 160 tons at 50 km/h on a 25 mm/m gradient.

FS940-002 141T in preservation in Piazza al Serchio, © MPW57, Public Domain. [20]

Banaudo et al comment that the operation of the line markedly improved with partial electrical operation. A constant speed of 50 km/h could be maintained even on steep gradients. “The time savings compared to steam traction were impressive: in the north-south direction, direct trains connected Cuneo to Ventimiglia in 2 hours 35 to 40 minutes, and in the uphill, more rugged, direction, in 3 hours 00 to 05 minutes.” [1: p53] This represented at least a 30 minute improvement in journey times! As a result, the timetable was overhauled with effect from 15th May 1931.

Banaudo et al tell us that, with two pairs of goods trains daily on each line, the number of trains each day at Breil-sur-Roya was thirty-six, plus a few excursion trains.

During the winter of 1934/35 a railcar service was trialed between Ventimiglia and Oulx. Fiat designed these vehicles used. The Fiat automotrici were modern, efficient and beautifully designed. “‘The Littorina’ can be regarded as a co-production of Mussolini and Fiat president Agnelli. The new train type helped achieve Mussolini’s political goals, proudly carrying the symbol of his fascist party on its front.” [16]

Agnelli “acquired pastureland between 1928 and 1931 in the municipalities of Cesana and Pragelato, between Val Cenisio and Val Chisone, not far from the Montgenèvre Pass. There he built hotels, ski lifts, and a resort named Sestriere, which was granted the title of commune by decree of 18th October 1934. For the launch of the first season of “his” resort, Agnelli decided to make a big splash: a fast rail link named ‘Riviera Sestriere’ was opened from 21st December 1934, to 30th March 1935, to transport Ligurian customers to the ski slopes in just a few hours.” [1: p59]

More can be found out about the Fiat Littorina autorail/railcars here. [19]

The ALb 80.04 railcar specially adapted for the Ventimiglia – Oulx route seen at Torino Porta-Nuova station, © Public Domain. [17]

Another view of an ALb 80 autorail/railcar, © Public Domain. [18] “These streamlined machines had at each end a driver’s cabin and a luggage area, on either side of passenger areas, a toilet and a postal room. Two 120 hp six-cylinder Fiat petrol engines drive one axle of each bogie by a mechanical transmission. The ALb 80.04 chosen to provide this service sees its capacity reduced from 80 to 48 seats to accommodate a bar, radio sound system and ski areas. A special decoration is affixed over the classic brown isabella livery, with Riviera – Sestriere and Littorina Fiat markings, not forgetting small metal emblems of the [fascist] regime, on the radiators at each end of the vehicle.” [1: p64]]

“The ALb 80.04 railcar, specially refurbished with comfortable seats, sound system, bar and ski storage, ran three times a week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday in [a northerly] direction: Ventimiglia 14:55, Cuneo 16:53 54, Torino-PN 17:53 / 57, Oulx-Claviere-Sestrieres 19:00. From there, a coach leaves at 19:10 for Sestriere, arriving at 19:55. The return journey took place Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Sestriere 18:45 / 50, Torino-PN 20:10 / 17 according to the timetable Sestriere 18:00, Oulx-Claviere-Cuneo 21:14 / 16, Ventimiglia 23:15. From this station, connections were provided to and from the resorts of the Riviera dei Fiori.” [1: p60]

Banaudo et al continue: “Despite the interest it provoked, the ‘Riviera Sestriere’ was not renewed during the winter of 1935-36: this must be seen as an effect of the international crisis caused by the Ethiopian War, but also the development of the winter sports resort of Limone, served directly by train, which attracted a large proportion of Ligurian customers.” [1: p61]

Banaudo et al take time to look at the brief association between autorails and the Col de Tende line. [1: p64-67]

In September 1933, the arrival in Nice of the first two-axle railcars … gave hope of seeing this equipment appear on the Fontan-Saorge shuttles, but from November 1933 the PLM assigned these four vehicles to the Nice-Menton service. The local press then speculated on the possible use of a 36-seater Micheline Type 15 Express, which ran for two days between Nice and Breil in November 1933. However, this was a demonstration of a pre-production prototype that would never provide regular service on the Côte d’Azur or surrounding areas.

A year later, Italy introduced the Littorina service mentioned above which we have already seen was not to be used in the following winter season. It appears that some charters made use of similar Breda autorails in the winter of 1937-38.

The year 1939 saw the short-lived creation of a Torino San Remo express train, which ran from 15th May to 31st August 1939. A Fiat railcar of the ALn 40 series 1001 to 1025, delivered in 1936-37, was assigned to this prestigious service. These vehicles offered 40 seats in comfortable armchairs, and a small kitchen allowed for the preparation of meals served at the seats. Two 145 hp Fiat six-cylinder diesel engines powered one axle of each bogie via mechanical transmission. This railcar beat the record of the ALb 80 from Riviera to Sestriere by a few minutes four years earlier, covering the distance in a time that has since remained unmatched, as shown in the table on the following page.

A final series of railcars appeared on the Col de Tende line “in 1939, when Fiat tested two ALn 772s 1001 to 1100. These new-generation railcars, which stood out from the classic ‘Littorine’ units previously used by the FS, offered 72 seats and were powered by two 150 hp Saurer six-cylinder diesel engines, with Ljungströms hydraulic transmission and the possibility of coupling into multiple units. This equipment was assigned to Turin in May 1940, but it was not until well after the war that it was seen in regular service between Cuneo and Limone.” [1: p65]

Electrification in France

The FS sustained pressure on France to electrify the length of the line between San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda and Piena. It submitted a preliminary design to the PLM which was modified to meet French legal issues and PLM company policy. Banaudo et al tell us that to establish the conditions for the electrification of the French section, “two meetings were held between representatives of the two countries, on 20th February 1934, in Breil and on 21st February in Nice. On 18th July, the Franco-Italian agreement was signed. It passed through all the necessary legal hoops by the Autumn. … The entire electrification costs were to be borne by the FS … [with] commissioning of Italian locomotives running on the section of line in question … subject to authorization from the PLM.” [1: 74]

Construction began in mid-January 1935. The work was completed by 17th April 1935. The full cost was covered by the Italians. The new service began on 21st April 1935 although the formal opening did not take place until 28th April.

Full electrification allowed a further acceleration of service in the Roya Valley with the journey towards Cuneo taking a little over 2 hrs 30 mins and the return journey taking 2 hrs 50 mins.

Meanwhile four trains ran each way on the Nice to Breil line with a journey time of less than 1 hr 30 mins for the local service which called at all stations and around 1 hr 10 mins for the fast service which only stopped at Nice-Saint-Roch and L’Escarene.

Steam traction disappeared from the Italian line and traffic through Breil-sur-Roya on that line was almost exclusively handled by Class E554 locomotives. Banaudo et al tell us that the line was serviced by self-propelled vehicles which were stationed as follows:

Cuneo: draisines (railcars) 614.29950 and 508.41462 and auto-echelle (ladder-car) 508.826.

Limone: auto-echelle 508.839.
San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda: draisine 618.36178, and auto-echelle 509.519.
Breil-sur-Roya: auto-echelle 508.858.
Piena: motorised quadricycle Puch 1119.

At San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda, electrification removed the need for banking engines and as a result such engines were not available to work the goods yard. Banaudo et al tell us that “A shunting locomotive No. 4120 (later numbered in the 207 series) was therefore assigned to the San-Dalmazzo station upon leaving the factory. It would later be replaced by No. 4146 (renumbered in the 206 series). The latter would be destroyed at Tende station during the war.” [1: p84]

Embed from Getty Images

The signal box at Breil-sur-Roya Station, in 1936, © Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho embedded from Getty Images.

C. A Time of Discord (1936-1939)

The Crisis of the Ethiopian War

In the period from 1928 to 1936 the Col de Tende line played an important international role. Mussolini’s expansionist, imperialist policies gradually but inexorably saw relations between Italy and France deteriorated. After Mussolini’s Ethiopian campaign between October 1935 to May 1936, the League of Nations imposed sanctions against Italy. Border crossings in the Roya Valley became difficult, the export of Italian and French products across the border was prohibited.

The autumn and spring movement of livestock (transhumance) were particularly affected by border problems.

Some traders found ways to circumvent the embargo to export Italian products to France, under the provisions of earlier laws. When Nice was annexed to France in 1860, the municipalities of Tenda and Briga, remained within the new Kingdom of Italy, secured free entry for their products into France to compensate for the loss of their traditional markets and the difficulties of communication with Piedmont in winter. Products from elsewhere in Italy were labelled as products from the Tenda and Briga area to circumvent the prohibition.

“Despite the political crisis, the international service schedule was maintained without significant changes. Only the Torino San Dalmazzo and return dining car disappeared from the composition of direct trains … starting with the summer timetable of 15th May 1936. That year was marked by the rise of the Limone winter sports resort, which began to attract a middle-class clientele from the towns of the Ligurian Riviera. From December 1936 to March 1937, two “snow trains” ran every weekend: a Torino-Limone on Saturday evening and a Ventimiglia-Limone on Sunday morning with a return working in the evening. For athletes wishing to extend their stay on the slopes, the San-Dalmazzo – Ventimiglia morning service departed from Limone on Monday mornings. These seasonal services would continue for the following two winters.” [1: p90-91]

“During 1933-34, the Lavina bridge, at the southern entrance to Breil station, suffered significant deformations due to the subsidence of the embankment undermined by a vein of gypsum. The structure had to be partially rebuilt: the two main tracks towards Nice and Ventimiglia were placed on a metal span coated in concrete, while the head shunt for the goods sidings remained in place on the original arch.” [1: p91]

During this time fortifications were enhanced by both the French and the Italians along the line. Banaudo et al focus on these works in a dedicated section within their book. Pages 92 to 99 cover the work on fortifications.

“As the months passed, the military headquarters of both countries accelerated the fortification of the border peaks and valleys. Alpine troop maneuvers increased on both sides, involving the stations of L’Escarène and Sospel in France, as well as those of Limone, Vievola, and San-Dalmazzo in Italy. In 1937, as [Mussolini] drew closer to Germany and extended his territorial claims to Tunisia, Corsica, and Djibouti, while eyeing up Savoie and the County of Nice, trade was at its lowest: freight traffic at Breil station that year only accounted for 172 wagons of imports and 232 of exports.” [1: p100]

Also within this timeframe, remodelling of the railways around Cuneo was completed. This work was launched in 1913, interrupted by WWI, progressed slowly because budgets were small, and slowed further because of an economic crisis. The construction work was reactivated by the Fascist regime.

The station building was practically completed by the end of the 1920s, and the stationmaster was appointed in 1932. The premises remained empty and unfinished. Tracks had not yet been definitively laid, and the vast premises remained empty.

The present passenger station building in Cuneo, seen from the East, © Neq00 and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence,(CC BY-SA 4.0). This railway station was built in the 1939s and opened in 1937 by the Communications Minister, Antonio Stefano Benni. At the same time the new Madonna Olmo–Plateau Cuneo–Borgo San Dalmazzo line was opened. It replaced the old Cuneo Gesso–Boves–Borgo San Dalmazzo line. [21]

The square/forecourt of Cuneo station just completed in 1938 with an imposing lighting tower for the lighting of the square and its gardens. The photo was taken on a particularly clear day, allowing a view across the railway station and sidings to the mountains beyond. The way in which the piazza sits above the height of the rails can easily be seen and the additional lower floor of the station building can also be seen. This image was shared on the Torino Piemonte Antiche Immagini Facebook Page on 12th November 2019, © Public Domain. [22]

Banaudo et al tell us that “the monumental passenger building, in the Piedmontese neo-Baroque style, shares similarities with the one erected at the same time in San Dalmazzo di Tenda. It combines brick, stone, and artificial stone; it is decorated with false columns, and triangular and arched pediments. The central pavilion with three doors, overlooking the ticket hall, is framed by two wings with five doors and two side pavilions with three doors. The premises on the ground floor house a buffet, waiting rooms, a royal lounge, numerous offices, while the upper floors are divided into staff accommodation. Since the station forecourt sits above the level of the tracks, the building has three floors on the courtyard side and four on the track side. Two staircases provide access to the platform, a second flight of steps leads to an underground passageway which connects to two other platforms and passing beneath 6 tracks, five of which have platform faces with a sixth providing a central through road. There are also seven shunting and storage through-tracks for freight trains and six sidings on the South side which serve goods sheds and the freight yard.” [1: p102]

At the southern end of the station, a double track led to a site overlooking the Stura River where the new engine shed was located. The depot included an administrative block with a foyer and canteen, two sheds for storing steam and electric locomotives, a workshop with hoist, fifteen tracks, and an 18-metre turntable powered by a compressed air.

MFP 640.2 (ex 640 122) + 640 008 in reverse on the climb from the Locomotive Depot in Cuneo to the station on the occasion of the implementation of a train from Cuneo to Ventimiglia, 10 years since the reopening of the line itself. October 1989. The exact location of this photograph is not clear. The presence of a high embankment and an over bridge suggests that the loco is closer to Stazione Gesso rather than the present railway station which sits on higher ground. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza by Notifica Dell’account on 25th June 2025. [23]

On 12th January 1995, on tracks closed to the turntable at Cuneo’s Locomotive Depot, various vehicles are stored. On the left, the nearest vehicle is a steam heater carriage/wagon Vrz.808. In the centre, the “Pendolino” ETR.401 which on the following days would be moved to the workshops of Metalmeccanica Milanesio in Moretta for repairs and painting in the new livery. It returned to service in July 1995. On the right, the steam locomotive 640.105 and a “Centoporte” carriage with a metal bodywork are stabled. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Andrea Richermo 30th March 2020. [24]

More photographs of the Locomotive Depot at Cuneo can be found by scrolling down the results of a search on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group using this search term: ‘Cuneo Stazione Deposito Locomotive‘. It appears not to be possible to provide this search as a link. One further photograph of the ‘Deposito’ from that Facebook Group is below.

Cuneo Station’s Locomotive Depot, date unknown. This photograph was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Francesco Bongioanni on 17th July 2013, © Public Domain. [25]

The next article in this series will look at the war years (1939-1945)

References

Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 2: 1929-1974; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 3: 1975-1986; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/22/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-1.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/26/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-2.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/06/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-3-vievola-to-st-dalmas-de-tende.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/16/the-railway-between-nice-tende-and-cuneo-part-4-st-dalmas-de-tende-to-breil-sur-roya.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/25/the-railway-between-nice-tende-and-cuneo-part-5-breil-sur-roya-to-ventimiglia.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/29/the-railway-between-nice-tende-and-cuneo-part-6-breil-sur-roya-to-lescarene.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/09/26/the-railway-between-nice-tende-and-cuneo-part-7-lescarene-to-drap-cantaron-railway-station.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/10/07/the-railway-between-nice-tende-and-cuneo-part-8-drap-cantaron-railway-station-to-nice.
Marco Chitti; A brief visual history of rail electrification in Italy; 2022; via Substack, https://share.google/OLnbh9pPCydeu15W2, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Class_E.550, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/845010, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:FS_E.554, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Class_E.432, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://retours.eu/en/21-la-littorina, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://share.google/images/5AjuS4uUfiehiN4wR, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Littorina_ALb_80.jpg, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Littorina, accessed on 18th October 2025.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FS_940_002_1.jpg, accessed on 19th October 2025.
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stazione_di_Cuneo_(2).jpg, accessed on 18th July 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AGWYfqjNj, accessed on 26th October 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17FmVD7YBu, accessed on 27th October 2025
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1P7g6bB2ip, accessed on 27th October 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Cetzn4vcz, accessed on 27th October 2025.
http://www.lecomtedenice.fr/Visi_nice/val_roya_tende.html#photo_1, accessed on 13th November 2025.
https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=132&t=24479, accessed on 14th November 2025.

The Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 3 – Vievola to St. Dalmas de Tende

6 Replies

The first decade of the 20th century saw the existing roster of locomotives on the line South of Cuneo supplemented by two additional series : 130s (UK, 2-6-0) tender locos of the FS 630 series; and 040T (UK, 0-8-0T) tank locos of the FS 895 series. The featured image for this article is one of the tank locomotives of the FS 895 series. [65]

In the first two articles about the line from Cuneo to the sea we covered the length of the line from Cuneo to Vievola. These articles can be found here [9] and here. [10]

I also want to acknowledge the assistance given to me by David Sousa of the Rail Relaxation YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@RailRelaxation/featured and https://www.railrelaxation.com and particularly his kind permission given to use still images from rail journeys that he has filmed on the Cuneo Ventimiglia railway line. [35][55]

The Line South from Vievola

Our journey South down the line continues from Vievola. …

The station building, seen from the Southwest. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

Vievola Railway Station looking North, © Diego Fernández, November 2024. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The station at Vievola, seen from the Southeast. Excavated material from the tunnel was used to create a platform for the new station. This photograph is taken looking South and shows a water column and water tower a red roofed building and a toilet block as well as the main station building and the goods shed. The three buildings nearest to the camera have gone, as has the water column. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Mario Zauli on 16th June 2014, © Public Domain. [12]

Vievola Railway Station looking South, © Baptiste, July 2023 and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence, (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Google Maps, July 2025][11]

Vievola Railway Station, seen from a north-bound train in the 21st century. [35]

Vievola Railway Station, seen from slightly further South from the cab of a train heading North through the station back in the 1990s. [8]

A postcard view from 1910 of Vievola Railway Station. The image faces South. [66]

Before we can head South from Vievola on the railway, it needs to have been built! This, it turns out, was dependent on international agreements and their ratification by national parliaments. This process was fraught with difficulty! It would take until 21st March 1906 for agreements to be ratified!

Banaudo et al tell us that over the final decades of the 19th century, the various interests on the French side of the border sought to persuade the French government that the line from Nice to Cuneo was an important investment which should be made. As a result, the French government “invited the PLM company to undertake a route study from Nice to Sospel in circular dated 30th September 1890, renewed on 28th January 1892, given the lack of response from the railway administration. On 12th May, a prefectural decree authorized the company’s engineers to enter properties to conduct the first surveys.” [1: p57]

Banaudo et al continue: “To meet the requirements of the Ministry of War, the route had to include Lucéram. This resulted in a 15 km extension of the direct route between Nice and Sospel. In 1895, the General Staff showed an initial sign of goodwill by agreeing to the study being extended beyond Sospel towards Italy, subject to certain conditions. On 19th April 1898, Gustave Noblemaire (1832-1924), director of the PLM company, submitted a preliminary proposal for a line from Nice to the border via the Paillon de Contes valley, the Nice pass, L’Escarène, the Braus pass, Sospel, Mount Grazian, Breil and the Roya valley. The Lucéram service was included as a branch line from L’Escarène, other solutions were not technically feasible.” [1: p57-59]

The military response arrived on 27th September 1899, when the principle of the branch line was accepted. It was a few months, 10th January 1900, before the military confirmed their requirements, specifically: “commissioning of the Lucéram branch line at the same time as the L’Escarène – Sospel section; construction of the extension beyond Sospel after reinforcing the installations at Fort du Barbonnet and orientation of the tunnel under Mont Grazian so that it could be held under fire from the fort in the event of war; development of mine devices and defensive casemates at the heads of the main tunnels between L’Escarène and the border; and authorization for Italy to begin laying the track from San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda to Fontan only after the completion of the Nice-Fontan section by France.” [1: p59]

Cross-border discussions took place between the French departmental Bridges and Roads Department and “its counterpart in the civil engineering department of the province of Cuneo to determine the main technical characteristics of the railway line built by the RM between Cuneo and Vievola, in order to adopt equivalent standards for the French section in terms of grades, curves, and gauge.” [1: p59]

Banaudo et al continue: “At the dawn of the 20th century, while the choice of a route from Nice to the Italian border at San-Dalmazzo via the Paillon, Bévéra, and Roya rivers was no longer in doubt in France, the same was not true in Italy. Indeed, although this solution was preferred by Piedmontese business circles, it was opposed by multiple pressure groups weary of twenty years of French policy of opposition and uncertainty. For many localities on the Riviera or in the Ligurian hinterland, as well as for a persistently Francophobic segment of the general staff, the construction of a line entirely within Italian territory appeared to be the best way to avoid diplomatic and strategic complications.” [1: p59]

In Italy, Piedmont and Liguria had differing views about the appropriate railway routes. Piedmont secured a promise, in the Italian parliament, to extend the railway to Tende and a decision to connect it to the coast soon. In Liguria, the desire was to secure a connection to Ventimiglia via either the Roya Valley or the Nervia Valley. Serious consideration was given to a tramway in the Roya Valley, the central section of which would run through French territory but this was rejected by the French military. [14]

A number of alternative schemes were put forward by Italian interests and by the city of Marseille. The city of Turin appointed a commission to look at all the options and after its report “concluded that it preferred the most direct route via the Col de Tende and the Roya, towards Ventimiglia and Nice. Similarly, the French Chamber of Commerce in Milan supported this choice in March 1900, also proposing the construction of a new 47 km line between Mondovi and Santo Stefano Belbo, designed by the engineer Ferdinando Rossi to shorten the journey between Cuneo, Alessandria and Milan.” [1: p60-61]

In 1901, French and Italian diplomats and then the Turin authorities agreed the main principles for an international agreement. On 24th January 1902 the PLM was granted the concession for the railway from Nice to the Italian border via Sospel, Breil-sur-Roya, and Fontan, as well as the beginning of the line from Breil-sur-Roya to Ventimiglia. This was ratified by law on 18th July 1902.

After this a further military inspection led to the strategic Lucéram branch being temporarily left aside with the possibility of a replacement by an electric tramway from Pont-de-Peille to L’Escarène, to be operated by the Compagnie des Tramways de Nice et du Littoral (TNL).

Banaudo et al continue: “On Monday 6th June 1904, delegations from both countries met in Rome to sign the bipartite convention regulating the terms and conditions of operation of the future line and its implementation into international service. … In its broad outline, the agreement provided for the completion of the works within eight years (i.e. by 1912) and the possibility for the Italian railway administration to have its Ventimiglia-Cuneo trains transit French territory, with reciprocal authorization for the French operator to run its own vehicles in Italy on direct Nice-Cuneo trains and to establish a local service between Breil, Fontan and San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda. … Initially, passenger services on the line would be provided by three direct daily connections Nice-Cuneo and Ventimiglia-Cuneo, and vice versa, offering carriages of all three classes.”

Banaudo et el describe the main points of the convention in respect of the transport of people and goods, particularly for transit between the two borders. “Police and customs controls would be simplified as much as possible for nationals of both countries. Nevertheless travelling between two Italian stations via the international section would require a passenger to have a valid passport. Italian postal vehicles would be permitted to travel duty-free on this section, as would goods and baggage in transit, provided they were placed in sealed vehicles and, for livestock, had undergone a prior health inspection at an Italian station. A special clause authorized the passage of Italian military transports of men, equipment, and animals through French territory, while conversely, the French army would be permitted to transit its consignments from Nice to Breil via Ventimiglia. Article 20 of the convention regulated a legal situation that was probably unique in Europe, that of the Mont Grazian tunnel, whose straight route would pass over a distance of 2,305 metres in Italian subsoil, although its two portals would be in France: ‘It is understood that for the part of the Mont Grazian tunnel located under Italian territory, the Italian government delegates to the French government its rights of control over the railway and its police and judicial rights’. This unusual situation resulted from a modification of the route decided at the request of the General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes. … This more direct route passing under Italian soil was finally preferred to the entirely French route under the Brouis pass, which would have been longer and would have moved the Breil station further from the village.” [1: p62-63]

In Italy, the ratification of the agreements made at the convention took three weeks – it was all done by 28th June 1904. In France thins would be quite different. “On 27th March 1905, as the convention was about to be submitted to a parliamentary vote, the Ministry of War decided to abandon the branch line to Lucéram, which was too costly and difficult to implement. Instead, the nearest stations, L’Escarène and Sospel, would need to be equipped with facilities for the rapid disembarkation of troops and equipment. At L’Escarène in particular, the station would need to be able to accommodate ten twenty-car trains per day and would have to include a military platform opening onto a large open area, an engine shed, and several water columns/supplies. In addition, the road from L’Escarène to Lucéram would need to be improved to facilitate access to the defensive sector of L’Authion.” [1: p63]

Banaudo et al comment: “The French Chamber of Deputies finally ratified the agreement on 3rd July 1905, more than a year after its Italian counterpart, but the Senate would continue to procrastinate until 8th March 1906. The senators demanded financial participation from the Alpes-Maritimes department in the land acquisition costs, and the French Consul in Italy, Henri Bryois, made numerous appearances in Paris to convince them. The day after the Senate’s vote, on 9th March 9, a parade, speeches, and demonstrations of sympathy for France enlivened the streets of Cuneo. … On 20th March, a final law officially ratified the agreement. … The municipality of Nice organized a grand celebration to celebrate the culmination of fifty years of effort. On 21st March 1906, Prime Minister Giolitti and Ambassador Barrère exchanged the documents ratified by the parliaments of both countries. Work could finally begin!” [1: p63]

In Italy, the ratification of the international convention led to the money for the completion of the works being set aside (24 million lire for the length South from Vievola to the then border, and 16 million lire for the length North from Ventimiglia to the southern border). In addition, the decision was taken to build the new station in Cuneo to accommodate the increased traffic that would arise from the new line.

A year later, on 1st July 1905, the Italian state brought all nationally significant rail routes/networks under the direct authority of the Ministry of Public Works (the Ferrovie dello Stato (FS)). This had only a limited impact on the Cuneo-Vievola line. “The 3200, 3800, and 4200 series locomotives of the Rete Mediterranea now formed series 215, 310, and 420 of the [FS}. … At that time, the Torino depot had a complement of 128 locomotives, including 20 from the 215 series and 18 from the 310 series deployed in the line, to which were added ten locos from the 320 series. These were also 030s [in UK annotation, 0-6-0s] with three-axle tenders, initially ordered by the RM as series 3601 to 3700 and gradually delivered by five manufacturers between 1904 and 1908.” [1: p64]

The first decade of the 20th century saw the existing roster of locomotives supplemented by two other series:

130s (UK, 2-6-0) tender locos of the FS 630 series; and
040T (UK, 0-8-0T) tank locos of the FS 895 series.

Locomotive No. 6301was a 2-6-0 (130) locomotive in the FS 630 series. [64]

Locomotive No. 8955 was an 0-8-0T (040T) locomotiv3 in the FS 895 series, [65]

In 1906, a subsidised bus service was introduced to complement and replace the various horse-drawn and motor services already in existence on the roads between Vievola, Ventimiglia and Nice. [1: p64][c.f. 14] The connection to Nice was later (in 1912) taken over by the Truchi company of Nice. [1: p64]

Vievola to Tende

Banaudo et al, again: “In August 1907, the first of eleven work packages between Vievola and the [then] border were awarded: package 1 from Vievola to the Gaggeoetlen tunnel, and package 4 of the Cagnolina tunnel to Tenda. In June 1911, it was the turn of package 2, between the Gaggeo and Alimonda tunnels, and the following month, package 3 from Alimonda to Cagnolina. These contracts were signed with the Tuscan companies Sard and Faccanoni and the Ghirardi company, originally from the region of Lake Maggiore. Over 8.2 kilometres, the line crosses Triassic and Permian terrain cut by Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Carboniferous veins. There are ten tunnels covering a distance of 5.90 kilometres, or 72% of the route, as well as seven bridges and viaducts totaling seventeen masonry arches. The section has no level crossings, but seven “caselli” (houses) were built to house the road workers and their families. Some are isolated in the mountains, sometimes between two tunnels, and accessible only by railway.” [1: p64-67]

A schematic representation of the line from Vievola to Tende. [18]

A short video embedded from YouTube, taken at Vievola Railway Station in 2010. [23]

Vievola Railway Station is at the centre of this extract from Google’s satellite imagery. The hamlet is Northeast of the Station just beyond the top of the image. Trains for Tende and beyond set off to the Southwest. The railway bridge can be seen at the bottom left of this image. [Google Maps, July 2025]

From Vievola, the line begins its journey down the valley of La Roya by crossing a single-arch bridge over the Dente valley which suffered some disruption resulting from Storm Alex in October 2020.

A closer focus on the bridge spanning the River Dente. This image appears to be taken after the inundation which occurred with Storm Alex in 2020. [Google Maps, July 2025]

This pair of images are taken from a report into the majority damage caused by Storm Alex. The image on the left is the condition of the area prior to the storm, that on the right shows the situation after the storm. [15]

The bridge that spanned the Dente, in the immediate aftermath of Storm Alex in October 2020. In the view of the engineers checking the line, the bridge was unstable because of erosion. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Osservatorio Ferrovia del Tenda on 3rd Aprilb2924 and credited to Damien Board. [16]

The same bridge after further flooding at Easter 2024. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Gianluca Morelli on 4th May 2024. [17]

A short distance South of the bridge over the river, looking North towards Vievola from the cab of a north-bound train. [35]

Taken from a point a little further to the South, this photograph shows the parapets of a bridge over a small stream to the South of the Dente river. This image is also taken from the cab of a north-bound train in the 2020s. [35]

After crossing the 12 metre span bridge the line enters the 1273 metre long Branego horseshoe tunnel.

This photograph looks North from the mouth of the Branego Tunnel towards Vievola Railway Station. It is taken from the cab of the same North-bound train. [35]

The 1273 metre long Branego Tunnel. The bridge in the Dente valley is top-left and the Vievola (Chapel) Viaduct is middle-right in this image. [19]

The tunnel opens onto the right bank of La Roya about 25 metres above the river. The Vievola Viaduct spanned the river on five 15 metre masonry arches. Banaudo et al tell us that, “this structure would later be called the ‘Chapel viaduct’ due to its proximity to the Sanctuary of the Visitation or Madonna of Vievola.” [1: p67]

The East Portal of Branego Tunnel taken from the cab of a train approaching Vievola Railway Station from the South. [35]

The Vievola (Chapel) Viaduct seen from the cab of a train approaching it from Tende. [35]

I believe that the viaduct was fatally damaged by the German forces retreating at the end of WW2. It has been rebuilt in concrete as a 5-span concrete viaduct.

Looking South along the E74/D6204 under the railway viaduct. [Google Streetview, April 2008]

Looking North along the E74/D6204 torads the railway viaduct. [Google Streetview, April 2008]

The same location on Google satellite imagery shows a denuded valley floor after Storm Alex. [Google Earth 3D, July 2025]

Now on the left bank of La Roya, the line passes through a series of tunnels with very brief open lengths spanning narrow valleys or slight depressions. The first tunnel on the Left bank is shown below. …

After crossing the Chapel Viaduct trains heading for Tende ran straight into Gaggio Tunnel (373 metres long) which curves towards the Southeast. [20]

The Southeast Portal of Gaggio Tunnel seen from the cab of a Northbound train at the mouth of Devenzo Tunnel. The parapets of the 12-metre span arched bridge over the San Pancrazio valley can be seen between the two tunnels. [35]

The Bridge over the Vallon Pancrasio (the San Pancrazio valley) is a 12 metre span arch bridge. [21]

The San Pancrazio valley as it appears on Google’s satellite imagery after the damage from Storm Alex. [Google Earth 3D, July 2025]

A closer look at the railway bridge spanning the San Pancrazio valley. [Google Earth 3D, July 2025]

The tunnel portals are generally made of local stone as are the arched bridges. The next tunnel is the Devenzo tunnel, shown below. …

The Devenzo Tunnel (732 metres long) extends Southeast from the San Pancrazio valley to the Mezzora Valley which seems little more than an ‘indentation’ in the valley side. A shorter tunnel is beyond the opening (the Mezzora Tunnel – 351 metres long) which opens out onto the Alimonda Valley at the bottom-right of this map extract. [22]

This photograph is another still from a video taken from the cab of a train travelling North from Tende. It shows the short length of open line mentioned above. The parapets are those of the viaduct of two 6 metre arches. [35]

This Google Earth satellite image shows the railway line breaking cover to cross the Alimonda valley near the top of the image. The E74/D6204 is at the bottom-left of the image. [Google Earth, July 2025]

The same location as it appears on OpenStreetMap. The bridge over the Alimonda valley is at the top-right of the image and the E74/D6204 is in the bottom-left. [24]

The Southeast portal of the Mezzora Tunnel can be seen in this image taken from the tunnel mouth of the Alimonda Tunnel. It is possible to see along the full length of this tunnel to the short opening mentioned above. In the course of travelling this short length of open line the railway crosses the Alimonda Valley. [35]

The next tunnel, the Alimonda Tunnel begins immediately the Alimonda valley has been crossed. The tunnel is 380 m long.

The Alimonda Tunnel: the bridge over the Alimonda Valley is top-left in this map extract, the bridge over the Scara Valley is bottom-right. [25]

The bridge over the Scara Valley is on the right of this map extract. There is very little of the railway open to the elements at this location. [26]

The short length of track and bridge in the Scara Valley between the Alimonda Tunnel and the Frera Tunnel, seen from the cab of a service which has just left the Frera Tunnel heading for Vievola and on to Cuneo. [35]

Before entering the Frera Tunnel, it is worth pulling back a little to see the route of the line ahead. This is the first ‘spiral’ on the line down towards Ventimiglia and Nice. A large section of the spiral is within one tunnel but the engineers made use of the Valley of the Refrei to avoid having to put the entire spiral in tunnel. [36]

The Frera Tunnel (498 m long) runs North-northwest to South-southeast passing over the line ahead which is at a lower level – both are tunneled out of the rock. There is an open length of the line and a bridge at the bottom-right. [27]

The short length of track and the bridge between the Frera and the Rio Freddo tunnels. [35]

After crossing the bridge noted above the line soon disappears into the Rio Freddo Tunnel (376 m long). The bridge is top-left. The tunnel opens out for a short length at the right of this map extract. [28]

A short length of line is open to the elements to the North of the valley of the Refrei and between the Rio Freddo and Morga Tunnels. [29]

The short length of line between the Rio Freddo and the Morga Tunnels, seen from the cab of a train just leaving Morga Tunnel. The Rio Freddo tunnel mouth is ahead. Between the two tunnel mouths is the Morga Bridge (two 8-metre arches). [35]

Banaudo et al tell us that “from the exit of the Rio-Freddo tunnel [on the North flank of the Refrei valley], the village of Tenda (Tende) appears below and the railway describes a helical loop which ends at [the lower end of] the Cagnolina tunnel. … This loop loses about sixty metres of altitude in less than 3 km of travel.” [1: p70]

After the very short open length of line to the East of the Rio Freddo Tunnel, another short tunnel ensues – the Morga Tunnel (160 m long). [30]

Another short open length of line sits between the Morga and Gerbo Tunnels. [31]

The short open length of track between Morga and Gerbo tunnels, seen from the cab of a Cuneo-bound service and framed by the Southwest mouth of Gerbo Tunnel. [35]

Pulling back a little enables the full length of Gerbo Tunnel (279 m long) to be seen, together with the open length of line and viaduct to the East – Gerbo Viaduct. [32]

The Northeast Portal of Gerbo Tunnel seen from the cab of a Cuneo-bound train in the 2020s. [35]

A short distance further along the line, the Bazara Viaduct (of five 8 m arches) is seen here, with the Gerbo Tunnel beyond – these are seen from the cab of a Cuneo-bound service in the 21st century. [35]

After a short length of line to the Northeast or Gerbo Viaduct the line enter Cagnolina Tunnel and under many tons of rock swings round to travel West while on a downward grade. [33]

Here the Cuneo-bound train is just leaving the South Portal of Cagnolina Tunnel (at the right of the above map extract) and crossing a small bridge close to the tunnel mouth. [35]

Still in tunnel, the line passes under the line we have just travelled before breaking out into the valley of La Roya. It then bridges the river and heads down the the valley side on the left bank of La Roya to Tende Railway Station. [34]

The lower (West) portal of the Cagnolina Tunnel and the bridge over La Roya. Taken from the cab of a train heading North from Tende. The bridge over La Roya has a 12 metre span. [35]

A significant retaining wall to the West of the line, above which runs the E74/D6204. [35]

A short tunnel (Tende Galleria) part way along the length that the E74/D6402 run parallel and in close proximity to each other. The view looks North-northwest along the line. [35]

A train from Cuneo arrives at Tende Railway Station in February 2023. [37]

The Tende Railway Station today has a passenger building and two platform faces. In the past, it had three platform faces and a goods shed of classic Italian design, “the station had a number of goods tracks, two reinforced concrete water tanks supplying two hydraulic cranes, as well as an 8.50 metre turntable which was probably transferred from Vievola when the line was extended.” [1: p70]

Tende Railway Station looking Northwest, © George Ringler and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [38]

Wikipedia tells us that Tende Railway Station “opened on 7th September 1913. [40: p146] … Tende remained the temporary terminus for almost two years, until the opening of the Tende – Briga Marittima – San Dalmazzo di Tende section, which took place on 1st June 1915.” [39][40: p149]

The station and yard were electrified along with the line in 1931. [40: p171-172]

Tende “became isolated from the railway network after the destruction of bridges and tunnels by the retreating Germans between 15th and 26th April 1945.” [39][41: p15] .

“It remained under the jurisdiction of the Italian State Railways (FS) until 15th September 1947 and was passed into the hands of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF) the following day, when the upper Roja valley was separated from the province of Cuneo and became French territory by virtue of the peace treaty with France.” [39]

“After thirty-four years of inactivity, it was reopened on 6th October 1979 , the day of the inauguration of the rebuilt Cuneo-Ventimiglia line.” [39][40: p243]

The station yard was originally of a significant size. [42: p81] For the reopening of the Limone-Ventimiglia line to traffic … it was initially planned that the Tende station would be transformed into a stop equipped with only a single track, but it was subsequently decided to build a loop [43: p34] with a useful length of 560 metres and a single track serving the loading platform and the goods warehouse. [43: p29]

The Goods Shed and Passenger building at Tende seen from Avenue du 16 Septembre 1947 and looking Southeast. [Google Streetview, July 2014]

A French and an Italian train pass at Tende in 2022. The train on the right is, I believe, an ALe501 trainset commissioned by Trenitalia in the early 2000s and produced by Alstom Ferroviaria, (c) Tomas Votava. [Google Maps, August 2025]

TER No. 76671 on the Train des Merveilles service from Nice stands at Tende Station, (c) Kenta Yumoto. [Google Maps, August 2025]

We have travelled as far as Tende Railway Station and noted that the line reached the village in 1913 and remained the terminus of the line from Cuneo until 2015. While the line as far as Tende was still under construction, Banaudo et al tells us that there were continued contacts “between the Italian and French authorities to resolve the remaining issues concerning the connection between the two networks in the Roya Valley. On 3rd January 1910, the Ministers of Public Works of both countries … met to discuss the problems of Franco-Italian communications. On 15th May 1910, the Cuneo Chamber of Commerce approached the government to request the acceleration of work between Vievola and Tenda. … During the same period, … efforts were being made to produce [hydroelectric power]. … The first plants were installed in Airole and Bevera in 1906, and later in San-Dalmazzo between 1909 and 1914.” [1: p70-74]

“The Roya hydroelectric power plants were intended to supply the Vallauria Mining Company and its ore processing facilities, public lighting, industries and the tramways of the Ligurian Riviera as far as Savona and Genoa.” [1: p74]

In France, two small power plants were built at the beginning of the century at Pont d’Ambo, downstream from Fontan, and in Breil. Between 1912 and 1914, a larger power plant was built opposite the village of Fontan.

Banaudo et al tell us that “In both France and Italy, the simultaneous construction of the railway and power plants turned the Roya Valley into a huge construction site for a dozen years. The companies had to house, feed, and entertain several hundred workers, most of them from other regions of Italy.” [1: p74]

After the opening of Tende Railway Station in September 1913, “the FS improved the service which had remained unchanged for a quarter of a century. Four Cuneo – Tenda return trips would now run every day, including a mixed goods-passenger one. From July to September, a fifth return trip was added. The 50 km journey took an average of 1 hour 50 minutes.” [1: p75]

Meanwhile, the project to divert the railway line and build a new station on the Altipiano in Cuneo which we noted in the first of these articles, [9] was being developed. Work began in September 1913 [1: p80] but it was to be 7th November 1937 before the new station opened! [44]

“While the line was creeping southwards from Cuneo to Tenda, work had begun in Ventimiglia on the northbound line up the Roya Valley. However, by the outbreak of World War I it had only covered 20 kilometres to Airole. Meanwhile, and again interrupted by the war, another line was being built northeast from Nice to join the Cuneo-Ventimiglia line at Breil sur Roya.” [39] Progress on these two lines is covered in other posts in this series of articles. [45][46][47][48]

From Tende to St. Dalmas de Tende (San Dalmazzo di Tenda)

“In the first half of 1912, calls for tenders were issued for six lots of the section between Tenda, Briga, San-Dalmazzo, and the northern border of the Paganin Valley, followed in April 1913 by the award of the seventh and final lot. Here again, the tunnels, fifteen in number, account for more than two-thirds of the route, or 8,576 metres out of 12,335 metres. There are also seven bridges and viaducts, comprising a total of thirty-five masonry arches, about ten short-span structures, and there were ten roadside houses.” [1: p127]

The length of the line from Tende to San Dalmazzo di Tenda (San Dalmas de Tende). [51]

Schematic plan of the line from Tende South to the former Italian border via La Brigue and Saint Dalmas de Tende. [18]

Tende Railway Station in the 21st century, seen from the Southeast, from the cab of a northbound train. [35]

Tende Railway Station seen from the cab of a South-bound service. [55]

Leaving Tende Railway Station, the line soon passes onto the curved viaduct spanning the Roya River opposite the village. The viaduct has one 20-metre arch and eleven 15-metre arches.

The southern end of the station site and the viaduct which crosses the valley of La Roya. [53]

A South-bound service crosses Tende Viaduct. This is the view from the cab. [55]

An old Italian postcard view of the village of Tende, seen from the South. The viaduct features to the right of the centre of the image. [52]

The curve of the viaduct at Tender shows up well in this photograph, © Public Domain. [68]

Tende Viaduct seen from the access road to the village cemetery. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

The first of two views of Tende Viaduct from Rue General Doyen showing the northern half of the viaduct. [Google Streetview, July 2014]

The second of two views of Tende Viaduct from Rue General Doyen showing the more southerly portion of the viaduct. [Google Streetview, July 2014]

The viaduct, seen from Avenue Maurice Barucchi. [Google Streetview, July 2014]

We were in Tende in November 2023 so saw something of the major work being undertaken after Storm Alex hit the area in October 2020 and took these photographs of the viaduct

The northern half of the viaduct. [My photograph, Wednesday 22nd November 2023}

The larger viaduct arch span over La Roya. [My photograph, Wednesday 22nd November 2023]

The southern length of the viaduct. [My photograph, Wednesday 22nd November 2023]

Tende Viaduct seen from the South from the cab of a train heading for Tende Railway Station. [35]

Once across the viaduct, trains heading South ran on through three tunnels on the left bank of La Roya on a falling grade of 25mm/m. These were:

Borgonuovo Tunnel (200 metres long) …

The approach to Borgonuovo Tunnel, seen from the cab of a South-bound train. [55]

Looking North from the mouth of Borgonuovo Tunnel, from the cab of a North-bound train. [35]

The view South from the mouth of Borgonuevo Tunnel., [55]

The southern portal of Borgonuovo Tunnel, seen from the cab of an approaching train. [35]

The view from above the South portal of Borgonuovo Tunnel, (c) Tito Casquinha, June 2019. [Google Maps, August 2025]

The same length of line seen from across the valley. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

Bijorin Tunnel (248 metres long) …

The North portal of the Bijorin Tunnel. [55]

The view from the northern portal of Bijorin Tunnel. [35]

The view South from the mouth of Bijorin Tunnel. Colombera tunnel is just visible ahead. [55]

The length of line between Bijorin and Colombera tunnels, seen from the far side of the valley of La Roya. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

The South portal of Bijorin Tunnel is ahead in this still from a video taken from the cab of a North-bound train. This image also shows avalanche warning wires above the line. [35]

Colombera Tunnel (212 metres long) …

The North portal of Colombera Tunnel. [55]

The view North towards Bijorin Tunnel from the mouth of Colombera Tunnel. [35]

An over exposed view South from the South Portal of Colombera Tunnel. [55]

The South Portal of Colombera Tunnel seen from the cab of a Northbound train. [35]

This OpenStreetMap extract shows the three tunnels named above, and the lengths of open railway line between. [54]

A short distance further South the railway bridges a minor road. These are the bridge parapets seen from the cab of a South-bound train. The minor road is just visible to the left of the image. [55]

The next tunnel is Bosseglia Tunnel. The railway and the main road separate as the line heads into the tunnel which is S-shaped and 1585 metres in length. The southern portal of the tunnel opens out into the Levenza valley, a short distance to the East of La Brigue Railway Station. Banaudo et all refer to the station as Briga-Marittima station, which appears to be the name of the station in Italian. [1: p127]

The Bosselgia Tunnel (which is over 1.5 km long) and the railway station at La Brigue as they appear on OpenStreetMap. [56]

Looking South, this is the northern portal of the Bosseglia Tunnel. [55]

Looking North from the mouth of Bosseglia Tunnel. [35]

Looking West from the southern portal of Bosseglia Tunnel towards La Brigue Railway Station. [55]

Turning through 180 degrees, this is the southern portal of the Bosseglia Tunnel seen from a North-bound train. [35]

La Brigue Railway Station once comprised a passenger building, two platform faces (a third would be built during electrification), three freight tracks with a good shed and a raised platform. The modern station is situated to the East of the old station. [1: p127]

Looking West along La Brigue Railway Station platform, © Remontees, and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [57]

A similar view with an ALn501+502 train set in the station, © Georgio Stagni, June 2014 and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [57]

Looking East along the station platform, © JpChevreau and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [57]

Looking West from the modern La Brigue Station through the site of the original station. [55]

Further through the site of the old railway station and continuing to face West down the Levenza valley. The old goods shed is on the left. [55]

The site of the two La Brigue Railway Stations. The modern station is on the right of this map extract, the old station and goods shed are left of centre. [58]

The station at La Brigue is a short distance to the West of the village. [Google Maps, August 2025]

The original station building at La Brigue, seen from the cab of a train heading for Ventimiglia. [55]

The bridge over the D43 and the River Levenza. [59]

The bridge over the D43 and the River Levenza. [55]

The bridge which carries the railway over the D43 and the River Levenza, seen from the East. [Google Streetview, August 2016]

The bridge which carries the railway over the D43 and the River Levenza, seen from the West. [Google Streetview, August 2016]

The view back across the bridge over the River Levenza towards La Brigue Railway Station. The D43 can just be made out to the right of the bridge. [35]

Leaving La Brigue Railway Station the line resumes following a falling grade of 25 mm/m. This continues through the Levenza viaduct, which, as we have seen consists of three 8-metre arches abutting a single span road bridge. Beyond this is the Levenza tunnel (418 m long). …

The Northeastern portal of the Levenza tunnel. [55]

The view back along the line from the Northeast portal of the Levenza tunnel. [35]

This overexposed view looks Southwest from the Southwest tunnel mouth of the Levenza tunnel. [55]

The Southwest portal of the Levenza tunnel seen from the cab of a North-bound service. [35]

Beyond the Levenza Tunnels is and an unnamed viaduct of three 8-metre arches) and the line then enters the Rioro Spiral Tunnel.

The Rioro Tunnel forms a loop which describes a circle of 300-metre radius and accommodates a 30-metre drop.

Banaudo et al tell us that the tunnel “is officially divided into two sections: Rioro I (282 m) and Rioro II (1527 m), connected by an artificial tunnel with a lateral opening closed by a gate. At this opening, a ‘casello’ (a ‘hut’) was built into the mountainside to house a road worker and his family.” [1: p127]

Looking Northeast from the mouth of the Rioro spiral tunnel. [35]

The Northeastern portal of the Rioro sprial tunnel. [55]

The Rioro Spiral Tunnel between La Brigue and St. Dalmas de Tende is 1828 metres in length. [60]

Trains are within the tunnel for some minutes as they cover nearly two kilometres of turning track within the tunnel. This view comes from the cab of a South-bound train. [55]

Facing Southwest along the line at the mouth of the Rioro Spiral Tunnel. The picture is overexposed as the camera is reacting to daylight after running through the tunnel. [55]

The Southwest Portal of the Rioro Spiral Tunnel, seen from the cab of a North-bound train. [35]

The Rioro Spiral Tunnel opens onto the left bank of the Levenza River, just before its confluence with the Roya River.

To the Southwest of the tunnel, the line is carried alongside the River Levenza on a retaining wall. The parapet of this wall, protected by railings, can be seen on the right of this image. [55]

The River Roya is crossed by the San-Dalmazzo I viaduct. Banaudo et al tell us that “the seven 15-metre masonry arches of this structure were widened to carry three tracks to accommodate the approach to the station, built on a vast embankment. An underpass beneath it provides a route for the [E74/D6204].” [1: p127]

The line is retained above the Levenza River and then crosses La Roya on a viaduct of seven 15-metre masonry arches. A short tunnel under the wide embankment to the Southwest of the river allows the D6204 to pass under the railway. [61]

A postcard view of the viaduct and station at the centre of St. Dalmas de Tende. The station building is to the right of this image, the viaduct in the centre. The photograph was taken on the hillside to the North of the village. This image was shared on the Ferrovia internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Luisa Grosso on 1st November 2021. [63]

The bridge over La Roya on the approach to St. Dalmas de Tende. [55]

The bridge over the Avenue de France (the D6204/E74) seen from the North. The road is in tunnel as a large area was dedicated to the station complex at St. Dalmas de Tende as it was originally a border station in Italy. [Google Streetview, August 2016]

The same bridge/tunnel seen from the South on the Avenue de France. [Google Streetview, August 2016]

A long double-track section of the line runs through the station at St. Dalmas de Tende. A small yard remains on the North side of the line entered vis the point seen in this image. [55]

The final approach to St. Dalmas Railway Station from the Northeast. [55]

St. Dalmas de Tende Railway Station seen, looking Southwest, from the cab of a South-bound train. [55]

St. Dalmas de Tende Railway Station as show on OpenStreetMap. [62]

A postcard image overlooking the station site at St. Dalmas de Tende prior to the construction of the large station building. [5]

The station during construction work. There is scaffolding on the main station building, which appears to have been built in sections with a completed length nearest to the water tower. The engine shed is under construction, centre-right. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Mauro Tosello on 12th June 2022. [6]

A postcard view of the Railway Station at St. Dalmas de Tende, taken from the East. The tunnel at the Southwest end of the station site can be seen on the left of the photograph. This image was shared on the Ferrovia internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Luisa Grosso on 1st November 2021. [63]

The locomotive Depot at St. Dalmas de Tende. The depot was on the Southeast side of the running lines opposite the railway Station and close to the Biogna River. The road shown on the OpenStreetMap plan of the modern station to the Southeast of the site is the road shown at the top of this plan. This drawing comes from From the December 1929 Technical Magazine of Italiane Ferrovie. It was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group on 13th February 2024 by Francesco Ciarlini Koerner. [4]

St. Dalmas de Tende Railway Station seen, looking Northeast, from the cab of a North-bound service. [35]

St. Dalmas de Tende (San-Dalmazzo-di-Tenda in Italian) was “the last station on Italian territory, before the northern border. This is where the French Forces would install a large-scale border station that will handle customs clearance operations in addition to the French facilities at Breil. In the first phase, a temporary passenger building and a small freight shed were built on the vast embankment created from the spoil from the tunnels upstream of the confluence of the Roya and Biogna rivers. The original layout includes four through tracks, one of which is at the platform, five sidings, three storage tracks, a temporary engine shed, a 9.50 m turntable, and a hydraulic power supply for the locomotives.” [1: p127]

It is here, at St. Dalmas de Tende, that we finish this third part of our journey from Cuneo to the coast.

Located at the confluence of the Roya River with the side valleys of the Levenza and Biogna, San-Dalmazzo-di-Tende “was built around a former Augustinian convent that became offices of the Vallauria mining company and then a spa. Since the border was established in 1860 a few kilometers downstream in the Paganin Gorges, first a few dozen, then hundreds of workers, employees, and civil servants gradually settled in San-Dalmazzo with their families. Jobs were plentiful, with the development of mining in the neighboring Val d’Inferno, the creation of a sawmill, the construction of dams and hydroelectric power plants, the emergence of tourism, and the permanent presence of a large number of police, customs, and tax guards. This influx … was reinforced during the railway works, which attracted many workers: earthmovers, masons, stonemasons, miners, carpenters, etc. These newcomers, who mostly came from other regions, sometimes far away, slowly integrated into the local population.” [1: p130]

The line to San-Dalmazzo-di-Tende was opened on 1st June 1915. The three of the four daily services were connected to the Southern arm of the line which by this time had reached Airole, by a coach shuttle. [1: p131]

A temporary station was provided as a terminus of the line from Cuneo. It was sited to the Northeast of the present large station building which was not built until 1928.

The next length of the line can be found here. [67]

References

Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 1: 1858-1928; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 2: 1929-1974; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 3: 1975-1986; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
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TBA
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A Tramway in the Valley of the River Roya? (Early 20th Century)

References

Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 1: 1858-1928; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/26/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-2
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/26/miscellaneous-steam-powered-road-vehicles-scotte-steam-road-vehicles
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2017/11/23/monaco-to-la-turbie-rack-railway-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-15
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/02/23/the-sospel-to-menton-tramway-revisited-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-51
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/06/08/the-menton-to-sospel-tramway-revisited-again-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-61
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Miscellaneous Steam-Powered Road Vehicles – Scotte Steam Road Vehicles

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Société des Chaudières et Voitures à Vapeur système Scotte was a French manufacturer of steam-powered trucks, tractors, and omnibuses in Paris from 1893 to circa. 1914. The company also built the Train Scotte, an early road train for passenger or freight transport. [1]

I first encountered the Train Scotte when reading about the Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nice international railway line in a book by Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 1: 1858-1928. [2] The partial opening of the that railway from Cuneo to Vievola in October 1900 left travellers heading for the Mediterranean in the middle of nowhere!

An experimental steam road train was trialled on the roads from Vievola to Ventimiglia. It was supplied by Société des Chaudières et Voitures à Vapeur système Scotte.

At this time, Vievola was a railway terminal for traffic to and from Piedmont and a hub for road connections onwards to Nice and Liguria. Banaudo et al point us to a magazine published in 1899, which mentions a trial of a steam-powered road vehicle which it was hoped would provide a service to Nice and the coast until such time as a railway was built. [1: p40][37] The service was a trial organised by the House of Ascenso et Cie, and ran from Vievola to Ventimiglia. The journey, lasted a total of six hours, including a 43-kilometre climb. The vehicles used were Scotte trains. The car wagon carried a 27-horsepower engine and seated 16 passengers; it also towed a second 24-seater wagon. [2: p40]

La Locomotion Automobile, 1899, p467, included the paragraph below, quoted/translated above, © Public Domain. [3]

Industrialist Joanny Scotte, [10] originally from Epernay in the Marne department, began his business in the mid-1880s producing steam-powered cars. From 1897, he offered road trains consisting of a tractor or a steam-powered car, pulling one or more trailers designed for the transport of passengers or goods. These vehicles travelled on roads using solid tires. They never really went beyond the experimental stage due to their slowness, the difficulties of driving the vehicles on the narrow roads of the time and the damage caused to the cobbled and cylindered roads. [2: p40] Scotte road train services were reported in the last decade of the 19th century in the Île-de-France region (Fontainebleau, Pont-de-Neuilly, Courbevoie), in the Aube region (Arcis-sur-Aube – Brienne-le-Château), in the Manche region (Pont-l’Abbé-Picauville – Chef-du-Pont), in the Drôme region (Valence – Crest), and for military use. Scotte partnered with the Lyon-based car manufacturers Buire and Audibert-Lavirotte to produce some of its vehicles. [2: p41]

An invitation to a road test of a ‘Train Scotte’ in circa 1895, © Public Domain. [6]

A French pamphlet advertising the ‘Train Scotte’. The wording inside the pamphlet translates as: Scotte trains are made available to buyers after undergoing track and road tests to assess their power, which makes them capable of climbing 7% grades with full load without difficulty, their speed, their rapid stopping and starting, and finally the admirable flexibility of their steering, which allows them to be operated with absolute safety on the busiest and most congested tracks. These preliminary tests are carried out in Paris, before delivery, in the presence of the buyers. Scotte trains have obtained operating authorizations from the various competent authorities. ………. The Scotte passenger train consists of:

1. A power car (steam omnibus) capable of carrying fourteen passengers and the two engine crew;
Weight of the empty car with all equipment: Motor: approximately 3,500 kg; Total length: 5m 20 cm; Width at the waist: 1 m 80 cm; and

2. An unpowered car capable of holding 24 passengers. Weight of the empty car: 1,500 kg; Total length: 4m 65 cm; Width at the waist: 1,080 cm, © Public Domain. [5]

Le ‘Train Scotte’ à voyageurs (Le Génie civil 1897) – in Histoire de l’automobile, Pierre Souvestre, éd. H. Dunod et E. Pinat, 1907. …………………… **An English Translation**: The ‘Train Scotte’ passenger version (Le Génie civil 1897) – in History of the automobile, Pierre Souvestre, ed. H. Dunod and E. Pinat, 1907, © Public Domain. [1]

Scott steam train in motion at Contrexéville (Vosges). A handwritten note in the margin of the glass plate reads: “Contrexéville. Test of the Scott train.” The newspaper “Le Nouvelliste des Vosges” provides valuable information on the first experiments: “The passenger train, composed of a steam omnibus and a towed car, capable of carrying together forty people at a speed of 12 to 15 kilometers (…) The route adopted for the Scotte train tests is as follows: Châtenois, Aulnois-Bulgnéville, Saint-Ouen-les-Parey, Bulgnéville, Contrexéville, Vittel, Ville-sur-Illon, Épinal via Darnieulles, Thaon, Épinal, Remiremont, Gérardmer via Le Tholy, La Schlucht, Gérardmer, Saint-Dié, Raon-l’Étape, the Celles valley, Rambervillers, Épinal, Xertigny, Bains, Fontenoy-le-Château, Allevillers, Plombières, Remiremont, Val-d’Ajol, Fougerolles, Luxeuil. This journey takes ten to twelve days. We will stay a day or two in Épinal for tests. Later from Giromagny to Saint-Maurice… (Le Nouvelliste des Vosges, Sunday, August 2 to Sunday, August 9, 1896), © Public Domain. [7]

Also at Contrexéville (Vosges) with a crowd of curious onlookers gathered around the Scotte steam train. [8]

The ‘Train Scotte’ in 1897 at Poids, Lourds In trials of early commercial vehicles. The Train Scotte’s motor wagon is loaded with 2 tons and the trailer with 3.5 tons. A series of competing steam road tractors were assessed by a delegation from Liverpool, UK. The delegation formed the opinion that of a range of manufacturers submissions (Scotte, Weidknecht, Le Blant, Do Dietrich, Panhard and Levassor, De Dion-Bouton, De Ellen and Maison Parisienne) to the trials, only the Scotte and De Ellen vehicles were capable of dealing with loads such as Liverpool required to move, © Public Domain. [4]

The wikipedia webpage relating to the ‘Train Scotte’ provides a series of photographs and drawings of the company’s products, including one advertising poster. All are in the public domain and are shown below:

Le train Scotte n°10 au Paris-Rouen 1894 (omnibus de M. J. Scotte, Epernay 51), Voitures sans chevaux. Concours organisé par le Petit Journal, 22 juillet 1894, coll. R.Girard BNF/Gallica – Premier omnibus à traction mécanique – Société des Chaudières et Voitures à Vapeur système Scotte et Buffaud & Robatel. ……………….. **An English translation**: Scotte train No. 10 on the Paris-Rouen route in 1894 (Mr. J. Scotte’s omnibus, Epernay 51), Horseless Carriages. Competition organized by the Petit Journal, July 22, 1894, R. Girard collection, BNF/Gallica – First mechanically powered omnibus – Scotte and Buffaud & Robatel Boiler and Steam Carriage Company, © Public Domain. [1]

A drawing of the same vehicle, based on the photograph above and carried in the same journal, © Public Domain. [1]

[Collection Jules Beau. Photographie sportive] : T. 12. Années 1899 et 1900 / Jules Beau : F. 48v. [Transsibérien, décembre 1900]; Entre 1899 et 1900. ……………………………… **An English Translation**: [Jules Beau Collection. Sports Photography]: Vol. 12. Years 1899 and 1900 / Jules Beau: F. 48v. [Trans-Siberian, December 1900]; Dated between 1899 and 1900, © Public Domain. [1]

[Collection Jules Beau. Photographie sportive] : T. 7. Année 1898 / Jules Beau : F. 14v. Train Scotte ; Laszewski; 1898. ……………………………. **An English Translation**: [Jules Beau Collection. Sports Photography]: Vol. 7. Year 1898 / Jules Beau: F. 14v. Scotte Train; Laszewski; Date 1898, © Public Domain. [1]

Le Train Scotte et son attelage, en 1900; Le Sport universel illustré, 29 septembre 1900, p.618. ……………….. **An English Translation**: The Scotte train and its train of wagons, in 1900. Source: Le Sport universel Train , September 29, 1900, p. 618, © Public Domain. [1]

Affiche par Henri Gray (1858-1924) pour le transport en commun à vapeur : le Train Scotte [1897];
Source gallica.bnf.fr/Bibliothèque nationale de France. An English Translation: Poster by Henri Gray (1858-1924) for steam-powered public transport: the Scotte Train [1897]. Source: gallica.bnf.fr/Bibliothèque nationale de France, © Public Domain. [1]

The tractor was equipped with a vertical Field system boiler, 600 litres of water for which were stored under the passenger seats, and a 14 horsepower, 2-cylinder engine. Coke or coal was its fuel (200 kg for 4 hours of operation). The movement was transmitted to the rear axle by a chain. The trailer was coupled to the tractor by a pivoting front axle. To stop, the steam omnibus had a quick brake operated by a pedal, a screw brake operated by a flywheel and, in an emergency, could work on the gear change. Steering was provided by a steering wheel. [9]

The Train Scotte train ran on wooden spoked wheels with iron tires. The seats were also made of wood, passengers needed to bring a cushion. The machine was quite noisy. It could be heard coming from afar and some houses shook as it passed. Its speed wasn’t very high, 12 to 15 km/h, so there was time to admire the scenery.

When carrying only goods, up to 5 to 6 tons, its speed was reduced to 6 to 7 km/h.

The experiment failed. The attempt to use the ‘Train Scotte’ between Vievola and Ventimiglia was abandoned quite quickly, probably no more than a few weeks after it commenced: driving was difficult, damage to road surfaces occurred, the road gradients were steep. [2: p41]

Elsewhere, experimental journeys had mixed success. Steam road vehicles were slow and they faced serious competition from similar vehicles with internal combustion engines. For a very short time around the turn of the 20th century, these vehicles seemed to have a future but ultimately the experiment failed!

References

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Scotte_vehicles, accessed on 25th July 2025.
Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 1: 1858-1928; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
La Locomotion Automobile, 1899, p467; via https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bd6t53333638/f5.item, accessed on 25th July 2025.
What is France Doing: Fully Illustrated Account of Trails Now in Progress; in Commercial Motor; August 1905, p8-15. The report seems to relate, at least in part, to trials in 1897.
https://www.livre-rare-book.com/book/5472786/AUTO477, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://ebay.us/m/d270lw, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://www.image-est.fr/fiche-documentaire-train-scotte-contrexeville-1284-15027-2-0.html, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://www.image-est.fr/fiche-documentaire-train-scotte-contrexeville-1442-15028-2-0.html, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://www.archigny.net/spip.php?article=617, accessed on 26th July 2025.
Contrary to what one might think, the name Scotte is not of English origin, but entirely French. Mr. Scotte was previously called Mr. Crotte. Tired of the dubious jokes, he had an S added before the C, then removed the R from the patronymic spelling of his name. [9]

The Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 2 – Vernante to Vievola

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The featured image above is a 0-6-0 RM Locomotive No. 3375 ‘Pracchia’, with three driven axles and a tender, built in 1883 by Vulcan of Stettin. In 1905, it joined the FS fleet as Class 215, known as a Bourbonnais, along with 400 other locomotives with similar characteristics. It ended its career with the Porretta in 1927, © Public Domain. [26][27][1: p87] This class of locomotive was the predominant Class of engine used on the line between Cuneo and Limone in the early years of the line.

In the first article about the line from Cuneo to the sea we covered the length from Cuneo to Vernante. The article can be found here. [9]

The Line South from Vernante to Limone

A schematic drawing showing the main locations on the line from Vernante to Limone. [17]

Banaudo et al write that “It was only in 1886, after the creation of the Rete Mediterranea, that the work on the fourth tranche from Vernante to Limone was awarded. It was 8,831 m long and had a gradient of 203 m, which was to be compensated for by a continuous ramp of up to 26 mm/m. This value would not be exceeded at any other point on the line. On this section, the rail remained constantly on a ledge on the steep slope on the right bank of the Vermenagna, where it was anchored by eleven bridges and viaducts totaling sixty-three masonry arches, as well as nine tunnels with a combined length of 4,416 m, or just over half the route:” [1: p28]

the Tetti-Chiesa tunnel which is 122 m long;
the Elicoidale tunnel (the Vernante Spiral tunnel) is 1,502 m long;
the Rivoira viaduct has fourteen 15 m arches and one 23 m arch;
the Rivoira tunnel is 251 m long;
the Santa Lucia viaduct has three 12 m arches;
a short span masonry arch over a minor road;
the Santa Lucia-Noceto tunnel is 348 m long with two openings;
the Noceto viaduct has six 8 m arches;
the Marino viaduct has two 8 m arches and two 12.50 m arches;
the Marino tunnel is 202 m long;
the Mezzavia viaduct, three 11 m arches;
the Mezzavia tunnel is 444 m long;
the bridge over the Ceresole valley has two 10 m arches;
the Boglia tunnel is 1,086 m long;
the San Bernardo viaduct over the Sottana valley has two 6 m arches and three 10 m arches;
the Cresta-Molino tunnel is 335 m long;
the Boschiera viaduct has twelve 10 m arches;

the Rocciaia tunnel is 126 m long;
the Rocciaia bridge is a single arch;
the first Rocciaia viaduct has four 8 m arches;
the second Rocciaia viaduct has eight 8 m arches.

We start this next length of the journey at Vernante Railway Station and head Southeast.

A plan of Vernante Railway Station. [10]

Vernante Railway Station: the route to Limone leaves at the bottom-right of this image. [Google Streetview, July 2025]

The view Southeast from the station car park, after demolition of the old goods shed. The main station building features at the centre of the image. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

The main station building at Vernante seen from the West. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

Photographs showing the station building and the goods shed prior to its demolition can be seen here. [58] “Inaugurated in 1889, the station served as the terminus for the Cuneo-Ventimiglia line for nearly two years, until it was extended to Limone Piemonte. The passenger building features classic Italian architecture, with two levels. It is square, medium-sized, and well-maintained. Its distinctive feature is the two murals depicting scenes from the Pinocchio fairy tale, adorning its façade. The lower level houses the waiting room and self-service ticket machine, while the upper level is closed.” [58]

A photograph from the cab of a Cuneo-bound train arriving at Vernante. The passenger building is on the left with the goods shed beyond. [8]

The view from Via Frederi Mistral which passes over the tunnel mouth at the Southeast end of Vernante Railway Station. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

The very short tunnel (Tette-Chiesa, 122 metres in length) at the Southeast end of Vernante Railway Station. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The southern portal of the Tette-Chiesa Tunnel seen from a Cuneo-bound train. Immediately beyond the far portal trains would have to stop to manually engage a point for the running line or the train would end up on the safety siding provided for runaways on the steep downward gradient. [8]

The large retaining wall on the left of this image supports the railway as it runs immediately adjacent to the E74/SS20 but at a higher level. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

The height of the retaining wall decreases as the E74/SS20 gains height. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

Banaudo et al comment: “Leaving Vernante, the track describes a complete spiral loop at Rivoira, which allows it to rise about fifty metres over a circular length of two kilometres. This loop includes the 1,502 m long ‘Elicoidale’ tunnel, which was completed on 30th December 1889, and the imposing viaduct over the Salet torrent. With its fifteen arches, from the top of which the rail dominates the lower level of the loop by 45 m, this structure can be considered by its proportions as the most imposing of the whole of line. [25] It is built entirely of cut stone, with the exception of the intrados of the arches which are of brick, and its seven central arches are reinforced at their base by a series of arcades forming an additional level, following a technique very popular in the 19th century.” [1: p30] The lower arcades are seen clearly in the 1929 postcard below.

This photograph is taken from the road at the point that the E74/SS20 begins to turn away from the lower railway (which can be glimpsed through the undergrowth) the viaduct high above both the road and the railway comes into view. This view looks North from the E74/SS20. A spiral tunnel allows the railway to gain height at this location. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

This satellite image shows the portals of the Spiral tunnel to the East of Vernante. The line leaves Vernante Station and passes through a short tunnel before running alongside the E74 ‘Corso Torino’ to another tunnel mouth to the West of the side road. The line then climbs as it circles under that road twice and reappears high above the first length of line towards the top-left of this image. The height gained then means that the line needs to pass over a high viaduct before once again entering a tunnel (the Rivoira Tunnel) and then, at the bottom-right of the image, crossing another side valley on a bridge. [Google Maps, July 2025]

OpenStreetMap shows the same location and illustrates the spiral tunnel quite well. [44]

The lower portal of the spiral tunnel with the high viaduct (Rivoira Viaduct) visible to the left. [11]

The portal of the spiral tunnel at the top-left of the satellite image above, seen from a Cuneo,-bound train. Trains heading for Tende and beyond gained height while turning through 360 from the tunnel portal shown in the image immediately above. [8]

A 1929 postcard view of the Rivoira Viaduct in winter. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Nonna Nuccia on 6th March 2023. [15]

This photograph of the Rivoira Viaduct is taken from the road through the hamlet of Tetto Salet. [Google Streetview, 2012]

Closer to the viaduct it is possible to get a good impression of the height difference between the lower and higher arms of the spiral. [Google Streetview, 2012]

Rivoira Viaduct seen from a distance! [12]

A 1946 photograph of Rivoira Viaduct. This is the first train over the viaduct after the war. The fleeing Germans blew up part of the viaduct and the scaffolding which can be seen is a remnant of the repair work undertaken. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Mario Zauli on 11th June 2025, © Public Domain. [13]

A similar modern view of the viaduct. This is a still image from a video shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Luc Gentilli on 14th July 2024. [14]

The Southeast portal of the short tunnel at the bottom-right of the satellite image above. This is the Rivoira Tunnel. [8]

The Santa Lucia viaduct just to the Southwest of Rivoira Tunnel. [8]

Between the Rivoira Tunnel and the Santa Lucia & Noceto Tunnel, the line crosses a minor road serving a few small hamlets. [Google Streetview,

The Santa Lucia & Noceto Tunnel runs diagonally across this extract from Google’s satellite imagery. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The Southeast Portal of the Santa Lucia & Noceto Tunnel seen from the cab of a Cuneo-bound train. [8]

The Noceto Viaduct to the Southeast of the Santa Lucia & Noceto Tunnel spans a local stream. [8]

This bridge is a short distance further Southeast. [8]

The Marino Viaduct further to the Southeast. All these views look towards Vernante and are taken from the cab o a Cuneo-bound train. [8]

The Southeast portal of the Marino Tunnel. [8]

Another viaduct over a short side valley to the Southeast of the Marino Tunnel, this is known as the Mezzavia Viaduct. [8]

The East portal of the Mezzavia Tunnel. [8]

Immediately to the East of the Mezzavia Tunnel the line bridges a stream before entering the Boglia Tunnel. The bridge spans the Ceresole valley. [8]

The view of the line looking West from Frazione Ceresole, above the West portal of the Boglia Tunnel. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

The Boglia Tunnel carries the line around a significant curve. This is the South-southwest portal of the tunnel from the cab of a train which has recently left Limone. Trains from Cuneo enter the tunnel traveling East and leave in a south-southwesterly direction. Just beyond the South-southwest portal the line bridges another side road serving a number of hamlets. It is the San Bernardo viaduct over the Sottana valley. [8]

The bridge shown in the image immediately above is at the centre of this satellite image. The tunnel to the North-northeast is Boglia Tunnel, that to the South-southwest is Cresta Molino Tunnel. [Google Maps, July 2025]

Looking East along the Sottana Valley, it is difficult to believe that the San Bernardo Viaduct has two 6 m arches and three 10 m arches, it is so well camouflaged by vegetation. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

Looking West along the road through the structure, it is possible to see three of the five arches. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

The Cresta Molino Tunnel curves throughout its length (see below). Towards the South portal, it has an open gallery facing out into the valley. [8]

The Cresta Molino Tunnel curves form a South-southwest bearing to just to the East of South along its length. The gallery shown above is at its southern end. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The South portal of the Cresta Molino Tunnel is the South end of the gallery. [8]

After a very short length of track open to the elements, the line enters another short tunnel, the Rocciaia Tunnel. This tunnel is also on a curve with the line leaving the tunnel heading Southeast. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The Southeast portal of the Rocciaia Tunnel. After this tunnel the line crosses a bridge and two viaduct on its way into the station at Limone. [8]

The length of the line from Rocciaia Tunnel to the station throat at Limone is shown on the satellite image below. The parapet railings associated with the Rocciaia Bridge can be seen on the image of the South portal of the tunnel above. There are then two viaducts, as shown on the satellite image below. They cast shadows onto the valley side to the east of the line.

The bridge mentioned above, seen Looking Northwest from the cab of a Cuneo-bound train. [8]

The viaduct immediately to the North of Limone Railway Station, also seen looking Northwest. [8]

Limone Piemonte as shown on OpenStreetMap. Note the bridge at the South end of the station site and the tunnel that trains enter soon after crossing that bridge. [18]

The good shed at Limone Station with the passenger facilities beyond. This image is a still from a video taken from a train heading for Breil-sur-Roya. [31]

Limone Railway Station as it appears on Google’s satellite imagery. [Google Maps, July 2025]

Looking North from the end of Via Colonello Domenico Rosetto.The goods shed is close to the centre of this image. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

Limone Railway Station building and forecourt. [Google Streetview, June 2025]

A very early view of Limone Railway Station which shows the civil engineering work necessary to make room for the station, © Public Domain. [6]

Limone Railway Station, seen from the East. This image was shared on the Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook on 24th July 2024, © Public Domain. [20]

Steam at Limone! © Unknown Photographer. [7]

Limone Railway Station in 1980: this image comes from the cover of the March 1980 edition of La Vie du Rail. It was shared on the Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Internazionale Facebook Group by Limone Piemonte in Foto Color Vintage on 15th July 2024. [21]

The station of Limone Piemonte (Italy), seen from the South with all of its four tracks occupied, April 1989. Left to right, on Track 1 the Espresso 981 Torino-Nice/Imperia (formed by four ALn 663 DMUs, which were separated at Breil-sur-Roya), on Track 2 the Locale 4396 Cuneo-Ventimiglia (two ALn 663), on Track 3 some more ALn 663 parked, and on Track 4 the car shuttle for Tende (since the road tunnel was closed for a few months), with a D.345 Diesel locomotive at its head. … An interesting detail is the shape of the supports for the overhead line, still the adapted AC three-phase 3.6kV ones that had been adjusted for DC working (basically removing a wire and placing the other in the middle) in 1974, when the line was converted. Under it, it was mandated for locos and EMUs to keep both pantographs up, © Mauro Tosello. [19]

A few more photographs of Limone Railway Station can be found here, [22] here, [23] and here. [24]

Express services took 1 hour 30 minutes to travel from Cuneo to Limone, mixed goods and passenger trains were scheduled to take 2 hours. Services from Limone to Cuneo were scheduled for 1 hour 20 minutes and 1 hour 50 minutes respectively [1: p31]

Banaudo et al tell us that a single third class ticket between Cuneo and Limone cost 1.65 lire. The service was deemed to be a local service and as a result the RM allocated older stock to the line, “consisting mainly of single-axle coaches, side door stock, and brake vans acquired from other companies. Traction was provided by 030 [in the UK these would be 0-6-0] locomotives coupled to two- or three-axle tenders, from the RM 3201 to 3550 series (future 215 FS Class),” [1: p31] out-stationed to the Cuneo shed by the Turin Shed. These locos had a range of different manufacturers in Italy, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Austria and Germany. [1: p31]

The construction costs for the length of line from Cuneo to Limone “did not exceed 10 million lire, a remarkable figure given the difficulty of the work and the number of engineering structures completed over nine years: nineteen bridges and viaducts, fourteen tunnels, and a large number of culverts, aqueducts, road overpasses and underpasses, and level crossings. The buildings of the seven stations are of classical design, conforming to the standard plans with hipped roofs used in Italy, as are the twenty-four ‘caselli’, roadside houses, distributed along the line near the level crossings and the main underpasses to house the track maintenance workers and their families. The bridges and viaducts, with the exception of two brick structures, are made of stone masonry with brick arch vaults and metal angle railings. The single track tunnels are lined with brick vaults and dressed stone portals, except where the solidity of the ground allows the exposed natural rock to be preserved.” [1: p32]

Banaudo et al note that “the first years of operation were not easy, … snow and falling rocks sometimes hampered train traffic. On 2nd October 1898, following torrential rains in the high valleys of Piedmont, the Gesso overflowed and the bridge between Boves and Borgo-San-Dalmazzo was destroyed. By December, the installation of a temporary wooden bridge by contractor Salvatore Vignolo of Genova-Sampierdarena allowed service to be restored. A permanent structure would be rebuilt the following year in the form of a single-span 74-metre steel truss bridge.” [1: p32]

Limone to Vievola: Crossing the Col de Tende

The next length/tranche running South from Limone was 10.5 kilometres long and extended the line from Limone to Vievola(in the valley of the River Roya).

Looking into Limone Railway Station from the tunnel mouth South of the Station. A short two-span bridge

At the South end of the Limone Station site the railway bridged Piazza Risorgimento/Viale Valleggia at the East end of Piazza Risorgimento and the River San Giovanni (Valleggia Torrent) on two adjoining bridges. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The two bridges carrying the railway over both the road and the river. [Google Streetview, August 2011]

Omitting mention of the section of the bridge over the road, Banaudo et al tell us that, leaving Limone Station, “the line crosses the San Giovanni valley … on a 13-metre masonry single-arch bridge, then enters the 423-metre-long Limone Tunnel which passes under the San Secondo hill. A 26 mm/m gradient leads to the tunnel under the ‘Colle do Tenda’ … where the gradient eases to 2 mm/m as far as the highest point on the line, 1040 [metres above sea level, in the tunnel]. From this point a 14mm/m gradient extends to the South portal of the tunnel … at 990 [metres above sea level]. At the Southern end of the tunnel, … a single-span 19.90 m steel truss bridge crosses the Roya River. … A short 25 mm/m slope then leads to Vievola Station.” [1: p34]

The North Portal of Limone Tunnel seen from the station platform on 10th July 2019, © Eugenio Merzagora and licenced by Structurae for non-commercial use. [28]

Limone Piemonte Tunnel: the tunnel mouths are marked by red flags. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The railway is protected by two galleries at the South end of Limone Tunnel. The first effectively extends Limone Tunnel southwards. This is the South portal seen from a train approaching Limone Railway Station. [8]

Also seen from the South from the cab of the same train, this is the South portal of the Short second gallery. The gallery entrance to the tunnel above can be seen only a very short distance beyond this gallery to the North. [8]

A level-crossing on the line just to the South of the galleries illustrated above and also seen from a Limone-bound train. [8]

The line continues South climbing towards the tunnel under the Col de Tende, © Franco Papalia, July 2017 [Google Maps]

An early postcard image of the North portal of the tunnel under the Col de Tende. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Mario Zauli on 10th June 2014. [45]

The northern approach to the tunnel under the Col de Tende as it appears on Google’s satellite imagery. Sadly, the tunnel mouth, in the top-left quadrant of this image, is in shade. [Google Earth 3D, July 2025]

Open Streetmap shows the line heading South into the tunnel. [32]

This image shows the North Portal of the tunnel under the Col de Tende. It is taken from the cab of a train heading for Breil-sur-Roya in the late 20th century. [31]

Interestingly, the two tunnels on this length of the line are large enough to accommodate two tracks – this facilitates ventilation but also allows room for expansion should traffic levels later require it. [1: p34]

Another schematic drawing which this time shows the main locations on the line from Limone to Vievola. [17]

While all the previous construction tranches ended up in populated locations, Vievola was just a place name in the commune of Tende with a few farms and a chapel dedicated to the Visitation of the Madonna scattered in a small green area at the confluence of the Roya and the Dente rivers. Nowhere was available to house workers on the railway. So before works began at the southern end of the tunnel under the Col de Tende, the contractor had to construct a temporary village.

After initial surveys were completed late in 1889, tunneling under the Col de Tende began at both ends. Banaudo et al explain that the 8.1 kilometre tunnel passed through various different strata: “Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous limestone, Permian quartz, Liassic marly schists and Eocene sandstone. The work progressed normally until September 1893, when the works reached a dislocated gneiss bed interspersed with clayey layers made fluid by the infiltration of water from the Roya, whose bed passes three times above the axis of the tunnel. Soon, mud floods invaded the approach tunnel with each attempt to advance over the course of ten months. The working face advanced only a dozen meters, while some forty flows of various materials obstructed the tunnel, sometimes over a length of 40 metres, while the vault suffered as much as 1.7 metres subsidence in places.” [1: p32][33]

The works from the South were suspended in July 1894 about 1.6 km from the tunnel mouth. Attempts were made to divert ground water from the route of the tunnel with little success and a further collapse occurred in October 1894. [33]

Meanwhile, work progressed from the North until at about 2.7 km from the tunnel mouth ground water started entering the tunnel at a rate of 60,000 litres/minute. The bed of the River Royal above the tunnel began to collapse. The contractor admitted defeat and refused to continue work on the line. [1: p34][33]

After a few months delay and with the work now being undertaken by the state a renewed effort was made to take the work-faces forward. The solution was to bore the tunnel using compressed air drills inside a metal shield and with water being removed by a parallel collector channel. It took 470 days to progress the works beyond the difficult strata. Banaudo et al say that once work was 43 metres beyond the critical zone, the contract was handed back to the original contractor on 31st March 1896. The total delay was 34 months at a cost of 300,000 lire! [1: p34][33]

On 15th February 1898 at 1pm, the team working from the North end of the tunnel broke through the remaining rock to meet the team working from the South.Remaining contract works would mean that opening of the line between Limone and Vievola would not take place until 1st October 1900. [33][34: p116][1: p35]

When trains left the confines of the 8 kilometre tunnel their crews were probably grateful for the fresh air. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for the crews of steam engines on the line. Electrification could not come soon enough. “The tunnel was equipped with a two-wire contact line when the electrification of Cuneo Gesso – San Dalmazzo di Tenda line in three-phase alternating current 3.6 kV – 16⅔ Hz took place with electric traction starting from 15th May 1931.” [33][35: p171-172]

The South Portal of the tunnel under the Col de Tende, © Eugenio Merzagora and licenced by Structurae for non-commercial use. [30]

In the 1960s, this was the view South from the South portal of the tunnel. This image was shared on the Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Mauro Tosello on 21st April 2018. [36]

South of the tunnel, the railway crosses the River Roya before entering Vievola Railway Station.

This satellite image shows the line leaving the tunnel (at the very top of the image) and crossing La Roya (towards the bottom of the image). [Google Maps, July 2025]

It is not possible to see the tunnel mouth in this panoramic photograph taken from the E74 (D6204), nor is it possible to see the railway bridge over La Roya. The railway can be seen, as can the buildings close to the tunnel mouth on the East side of the line. The railway bridge over the river is behind the trees in blossom one a line from the camera to the red-roofed buildings. [Google Streetview, April 2008]

As the E74 (D6204) descends along the valley of the Rya, the railway bridges it, adjacent to a road (off to the right of the picture) which serves Vievola Railway Station. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

The completion of the fifth contract still required the development of Vievola station. It was to be built on a large platform created using spoil from the tunnel works on a vast embankment formed from the tunnel spoil, with an underpass provided for the then SS20 (now E74/D6204) and shown above.

Vievola Railway Station seen from the North on the minor road which links the station to the E74(D6204). The goods shed fronts onto the road and the passenger building is beyond. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

An early postcard view of the road side of the station building with horse drawn transport seating the arrival of a train from Cuneo. [4]

The station building, seen from the Southwest – a similar view to the postcard above. [Google Streetview, October 2008]

Two early postcard views of Vievola Railway Station, © Public Domain. [4]

Vievola Railway Station, a similar view to the view on the two postcard images above, © Baptiste, July 2023 and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence, (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Google Maps, July 2025][5]

Vievola Railway Station, © Diego Fernández, November 2024. [Google Maps, July 2025]

The station at Vievola, excavated material from the tunnel was used to create a platform for the new station. This photograph is taken looking South and shows a water column and water tower a red roofed building and a toilet block as well as the main station building and the goods shed. The three buildings nearest to the camera have gone, as has the water column. This image was shared on the Ferrovia Internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza Facebook Group by Mario Zauli on 16th June 2014, © Public Domain. [29]

The approach to Vievola Railway Station from the South, as seen from the cab of a Northbound train. [8]

Banaudo et al tell us that, at the station, “The two platform tracks for passenger service were supplemented by two sidings and a dead-end track running alongside the goods shed and the military platform. At the western end of this section, a small wooden shed, an 8.50 m temporary turntable, a water tower, and two hydraulic cranes allowed locomotives to use this temporary terminus as they would at any terminus. In the same area, a wooden buffet building was built, which a shrewd manager, no doubt hoping to take advantage of the cosmopolitan movement of connecting passengers, dubbed a ‘restaurant’ in French.” [1: p40]

Vievola was a railway terminal for traffic to and from Piedmont and a hub for road connections onwards to Nice and Liguria. Banaudo et al point us to a magazine published in 1899, which mentions a trial of a steam-powered road vehicle which it was hoped would provide a service to Nice and the coast until such time as a railway was built. [1: p40][37] The service was a trial organised by the House of Ascenso et Cie, and ran from Vievola to Ventimiglia. The journey, lasted a total of six hours, including a 43-kilometre climb. The vehicles used were Scotte trains. The car wagon carries a 27-horsepower engine and seated 14 passengers; it also towed a second 24-seater wagon. [1: p40][38]

“Due to their slowness, the difficulties of driving cars on the narrow roads of the time and the damage caused to the cobbled and cylindered roads,” [1: p40] the ‘Trains Scotte’ were not a success, they probably did not circulate for more than a few months or weeks. ….

The next length of the line can be found here. [46]

RM 3201-3519 (FS 215) Locomotives

Banaudo et al tell us that throughout the 19th century and on into the 20th century passenger stock and freight wagons were unchanged. Improved 0-6-0 tender locomotives came available as they were delivered by the Breda and Mavag companies, these were more powerful and faster locomotives than the RM Nos. 3201 to 3519 (which became group 215.001 to 215.398 at the FS). They were given RM Nos. 3801-3868 (which became the FS 310 series).

An ex-works photograph of 0-6-0 Tender Locomotive No. 3804,© Public Domain. [40]

RM 4201-4487 (FS 420) Locomotives

Banaudo et al also comment that “genuine mountain locomotives made occasional appearances: these were 040s [ in UK annotation 0-8-0s] with a three-axle separate tender, series RM 4201 to 4487 (future series 420 FS), built from 1873 to 1905 based on an Austrian model by a dozen Italian, Belgian, German and Austro-Hungarian firms. These machines, reserved primarily for the main lines of the Alps and the Apennines, occasionally intervened on the Col de Tende line, during bridge tests for example. At this time, Cuneo still had no allocation of machines and those going up to Limone and Vievola were attached to the Torino depot and the Moretta shed, on the Cuneo Airasca line.” [1: p41]

“In the early 1870s, the SFAI needed a locomotive suitable for heavy work on the most important mountain lines, such as the Giovi railway and the Turin-Modane railway, for which the 0-6-0 locomotives were becoming increasingly inadequate. The Ufficio d’Arte di Torino chose a 0-8-0 locomotive of the Wiener Neustädter Lokomotivfabrik (then known as “Sigl”), very similar to the Südbahn Class 35 a that it already produced.” [41][42: p190][43: p31]]

“The Class 420 was a typical long-boiler, inside-frame 0-8-0 locomotive of the era, that showed its Austrian derivation with its two-shutters smokebox door, and its outside Stephenson valve gear. The locomotives built before 1884 had the distinction of having curved foot plating over the wheels, while later units had straight foot plating and small splashers. Some of the locomotives were given a replacement boiler before 1914, but their performance remained mostly unchanged.” [41][43: p31]

“The first 60 locomotives were built by Sigl (from which they derived the nickname with which they were known for their whole career) for the SFAI. Production continued until 1890, from both foreign (such as Maffei) and Italian firms (such as Ansaldo and Breda), for a total of 189 locomotives; all these were divided in 1885 between the Rete Adriatica and the Rete Mediterranea. Building of further locomotives for the RM resumed in 1897, and continued until 1905, bringing the total of the Class to 293.” [41][42: p190-192]

References

Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 1: 1858-1928; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 2: 1929-1974; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
Jose Banaudo, Michel Braun and Gerard de Santos; Les Trains du Col de Tende Volume 3: 1975-1986; FACS Patrimoine Ferroviaire, Les Editions du Cabri, 2018.
https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=105633, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vievola_staz_ferr_ALn_663.jpg, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://ebay.us/m/nYrstv, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://ebay.us/m/FMXiiC, accessed on 26th July 2025.
https://youtu.be/2Xq7_b4MfmU?si=1sOymKkFjSpxMkcR, accessed on 20th July 2025.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/22/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-1
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A6hv4xBsJ, accessed on 20th July 2025.
https://structurae.net/en/structures/rivoira-viaduct, accessed on 22nd July 2025.
https://pin.it/zVWOhZKBn, accessed on Pinterest on 22nd July 2025.
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https://trainconsultant.com/2020/10/09/nice-coni-incroyable-derniere-nee-des-grandes-lignes-internationales, accessed on 17th July 2025.
https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%A9ma_de_la_ligne_de_Coni_%C3%A0_Vintimille, accessed on 22nd July 2025.
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/44.20109/7.57505, accessed on 23rd July 2025.
https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/1hu18cw/the_station_of_limone_piemonte_italy_with_all_of, accessed on 24th July 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CDh61WrHV, accessed on 24th July 2025.
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Structures on the french side of the border would, when built, compete with the dimensions of the Rivoira Viaduct. The Eboulis Viaduct is 270 metres long and the bridge at Saorge is 60 metres high. However, the combination of these two dimensions (length and height) makes Rivoira Viaduct the most imposing on the line.
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/151308-%E2%80%9Cbeyond-dover%E2%80%9D/page/2, accessed on 22nd July 2025.
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Franco Collidà; 1845-1979: the Cuneo-Nice line year by year; in Rassegna – Quarterly magazine of the Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo , No. 7, September 1979; p12-18.
Franco Collidà, Max Gallo & Aldo A. Mola; “Cuneo-Nizza: History of a Railway; , Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo, Cuneo (CN), July 1982.
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La Locomotion Automobile, 1899, p467; via https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bd6t53333638/f5.item, accessed on 25th July 2025.
Industrialist Joanny Scotte, originally from Epernay in the Marne department, began his business in the mid-1880s producing steam-powered cars. From 1897, he offered road trains consisting of a tractor or a steam-powered car, pulling one or more trailers designed for the transport of passengers or goods. These vehicles travelled on roads using solid tyres. They never really went beyond the experimental stage due to their slowness, the difficulties of driving the vehicles on the narrow roads of the time and the damage caused to the cobbled and cylindered roads. [1: p40] Scotte road train services were reported in the last decade of the 19th century in the Île-de-France region (Fontainebleau, Pont-de-Neuilly, Courbevoie), in the Aube region (Arcis-sur-Aube – Brienne-le-Château), in the Manche region (Pont-l’Abbé-Picauville – Chef-du-Pont), in the Drôme region (Valence – Crest), and for military use. Scotte partnered with the Lyon-based car manufacturers Buire and Audibert-Lavirotte to produce some of its vehicles. [1: p41]
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Giovanni Cornolò; Locomotive a vapore; in TuttoTreno (in Italian), May 2014.
P. M. Kalla-Bishop; Italian state railways steam locomotives: together with low-voltage direct current and three-phase motive power; Tourret, Abingdon, 1986.
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https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/06/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-3-vievola-to-st-dalmas-de-tende/

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Tag Archives: Tende

The Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 9 – The Short Golden Age

A. Steam Operation Alone (1928-1930)

B. Two-Phases of Electrification (1931-1935)

C. A Time of Discord (1936-1939)

References

The Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 3 – Vievola to St. Dalmas de Tende

References

A Tramway in the Valley of the River Roya? (Early 20th Century)

References

Miscellaneous Steam-Powered Road Vehicles – Scotte Steam Road Vehicles

References

The Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 2 – Vernante to Vievola

References