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France St.Mariens: Sited some 40kms north of Bordeaux, St. Mariens was once a junction of some importance with, apart from the Bordeaux-Saintes main line, services to Blaye (line in situ but out of use); Coutras (line in situ, used for freight at each end with the centre section a heritage railway), Libourne (completely gone) and Chateauneuf-sur-Charente (open for military traffic only, to Orignolles). Such a junction was deserving of a locomotive depot and indeed was provided with a half-roundhouse having 12 covered and 9 uncovered roads radiating from the turntable. It was reported to have still been in use in 1970, as a store for steam locomotives withdrawn from Nantes Blottereau depot and assumed since demolished. Not quite so! Here we see a three road section of the former roundhouse at St.Mariens, latterly in use as an aggregate depot, but now lying derelict with, surely, little time left before it disappears. 19 April 2006. Roger Griffiths; jrcs@blueyonder.co.uk

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France St.Mariens Office of Chef: A poignant reminder of the days when this building was a vibrant locomotive depot, providing work for many machines and men. All were under the control of the Chef de Depot and some 36 years after closure, the depot chief’s former office can still clearly be identified. 19 April 2006. Roger Griffiths; jrcs@blueyonder.co.uk

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France St.Mariens Interior: An interior shot of the part-roundhouse at St. Mariens, clearly showing the high roof over the former locomotive repair area. 19 April 2006. Roger Griffiths; jrcs@blueyonder.co.uk

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France St.Mariens Office Block: At the rear of the part-roundhouse at St. Mariens, is the former office block and doorway from the locomotive repair area – the latter clearly indicated by the high roof section to allow installation within of a boiler-lifting gantry. In the doorway were two lines of rail still embedded in the concrete – the only remaining pieces of track in the former engine shed. 19 April 2006. Roger Griffiths; jrcs@blueyonder.co.uk

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France St.Mariens Oil Tank: Doubtless once mounted on a road vehicle, a rusting tank still lies at the rear of St. Mariens depot. The tank’s former importance as a store for locomotive lubricating oil is indicated by the fact that a roof had been specially erected to protect it from the elements. 19 April 2006. Roger Griffiths; jrcs@blueyonder.co.uk