A brief history of the line and the association
The Blanc-Argent line
The project for a railway line between Gièvres and Le Blanc began in 1868. Initially planned as a standard gauge double track for military reasons, it was taken over by the State after the concessionaire company went bankrupt in 1878. Included in the Freycinet Plan in 1879, the project was finally modified in 1890 to adopt a single metric gauge track in order to reduce costs.
Construction, delegated to the Faugère et Chatelin company in 1896, began in 1899 after the land had been acquired.
The line was gradually brought into service until 1902, and the Compagnie du chemin de fer du Blanc à Argent was created in 1906 to manage it. The track, laid on a bed of sand with light rails, followed a route originally planned for a double track.
In the 1920s and 1930s, services were fragmented, with complete journeys being rare and very long (up to 13 hours). The trains, often mixed, carried both goods and passengers, with some trains only running on market or fair days.
The ends of the Blanc-Argent line were gradually closed between 1939 and 1988, with certain sections being officially decommissioned. Freight traffic ceased in 1988, except for a section between Argy and Buzançais, which was converted to standard gauge to serve a silo.
The Bas-Berry Train and S.A.B.A.
The Bas-Berry Train, operated by S.A.B.A., is a tourist railway that revives a section of the former Blanc-Argent line. This section, listed as a historic monument since 1993, runs between Argy and Valençay, passing through Écueillé, Heugnes, Pellevoisin, and Luçay-le-Mâle.
The line operates mainly during the summer season, offering visitors an authentic experience aboard historic trains, including railcars from the 1950s to the 1980s and restored steam locomotives.
Thanks to the dedication of S.A.B.A. volunteers, the line was restored after its closure in 1988. Since tourist services resumed in 2003, the association has undertaken major restoration work on the railway infrastructure, including replacing sleepers and renovating historic buildings.
It has also built up a collection of rolling stock, including Verney railcars, Deutz diesel locomotives, and vintage draisines.
Thanks to the dedication of S.A.B.A., the Bas-Berry Train offers a unique immersion into the railway history of Berry, allowing visitors to discover the charm of travel in days gone by while contributing to the preservation of a precious heritage.
