The BA was conceived as a standard-gauge cross-country route linking lines of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans (PO). Although the original scheme was abandoned, the PO built the line as a single-track metre-gauge railway, linking Argent with Le Blanc, and running through the departments of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher and Indre.[1]
The line had a total length of 191 kilometres (119 mi), with headquarters at Romorantin. It opened in 1901 and remained intact until 1951, when the first closures took place. All traffic was steam hauled until the early 1930s, when Billard railcars were introduced to handle some of the passenger traffic. Steam locomotives were operated until the 1950s. In 1981, the Centre region and SNCF agreed to rebuild the four Verney railcars, and built two new ones. The timetable was reorganised to give better connections with the SNCF. The BA became part of TER in 1987. Freight traffic on the BA ended in 1989.[1][2]
The lines
The BA was divided into five sections operationally.
Argent – Salbris
Closed to passengers in 1939. Argent - Clemont was the first section to close completely, in 1951. Clémont - Salbris closed to freight in 1973[3]
One 0-6-6-0T locomotive (No. 41); built by Corpet-Louvet in 1912 for CF Centre (No. 103); sold to Tramways de l'Ain; sold to SNCF for B-A as No. 41 in 1938; to PO Corréze in 1946; to Réseau Breton in 1953.[5]
Railcars
X202 as preservedX74504
Four Billard railcars, introduced in the 1950s, ex CFD Charentes et Deux Sèvres.
Four SCF Verney railcars, built 1950. Two more were transferred from the PO Corrèze in 1968.
Two CFD railcars built 1984.
X201–X206De Dion-Bouton OC2 railcars. Transferred from the Réseau Breton in 1967. Only X202 and X205 put in service, the rest were used as spares sources. X202 now preserved in Brittany.
X74501–X74505 CFD-Bagnères twin railcars, entered service in 2001.[1]
Diesel locomotives
11–14 CFD 0-6-0 diesel locotracteur, Nos. 13 and 14 built on the frames of steam locomotives 25 and 28.[4] No. 12 now on the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme, Nos. 13–14 still working on the BA.[1]
Preservation
Part of the line between Lucay-le-Male and Buzançais has been preserved by the Société d'Animation du Blanc-Argent (SABA). The final section, between Argy and Buzançais, has been converted to standard gauge to serve a local agricultural industry so Argy is the southern terminus of the preserved part of the line.[3][7]
Davies, John (November 2003). Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français Locomotive List 1938–1975. Woodbridge, Queensland: Dr. John Davies. ISBN0-9585541-2-9.
