Run-time 1hour and 40 minutes

This programme looks at the classes at work between 1993 and 2004 and brings together video material previously published as part of the ‘European Railway’ series as well as a number of new sequences.

BB12000 - introduced between 1954 and 1961 the class were an icon of the electrified network across northern France, working on all of the 25kv routes that had freight services. We look at the class working on freight around Lille La Delivrance, Somain Yard to Aulnoye and on to the border at Jeumont, as well as around Thionville, Woippy Yard (Metz), Toul, Sarrebourg and Chalindrey in the north-east. Almost all trains are shown in their entirety also making this programme a good source for modellers keen to reproduce consists. The locomotives were withdrawn at the end of 1999 and we see numerous examples in action during their final years, including the unique 12035 with mini-snowploughs and unusual pairings with BB16500 and BB36000 locomotives.

CFL3600 - almost identical to their French cousins the 3600s were introduced between 1958 and 1959 in order to provide traction over Luxembourg;s newly electrified main lines. They were a mixed traffic design equally at home on freight as well as passenger. We follow the class on all manner of workings around the country on the lines up to Troisvierges, to Wasserbillig, Bettembourg and the route out to Longwy in France, via Beval-Usines.

CC14100 - our final section looks at these huge heavy freight locomotives in action around Metz and Thionville in 1996 & 1998.