My first full on bashing trip to Belgium since 1997! A lot had changed since then, big depots had closed, the amount of freight seen nosedived, the rateable diesel 62/63 er’s no longer worked passenger but many survived as Infrastruture locos. However there were still loads of electric power on service trains many top and tail, with the surviving venerable 21xx and 27xx “old electrics” still working a good few of the P trains.
The operational “old electric” fleet during our visit was
2105, 2114, 2124, 2132, 2134, 2135, 2143, 2148, 2153……9
2701, 2705, 2708, 2709, 2711, 2713, 2715, 2722, 2723, 2730, 2734, 2736, 2737, 2738, 2741, 2742, 2746, 2752, 2754, 2759……20
Thanks to “TC” for his expertise on all things SNCB and CFL and good company on a couple of days on a proper rail system.
Monday 17th March 2025
374007+374008 9142 15.05 St. Pancras Intl. – Brussels Midi St. Pancras – Brussels Midi
1822 t&t 1813 IC518 18.42 Oostende – Welkenraedt Brussels Midi – Leuven
1883 at Leuven (1861 was tailing) with a Eupen – Ostende service on March 17th 2025
Tuesday 18th March 2025
390+428 IC2927 06.36 Leuven – Antwerp Central Leuven – Aarschot
Today these 62 er’s are infrastructure locos, 6304 and 6237 are stabled at Aarschot on March 18th 2025
2709 P7305 06.24 Tongeren – Brussels Midi Aarschot – Brussells Noord (via Leuven avoider)
Looking good in the morning sun, 2153 at Brussels Nord with an inbound P train on March 18th 2025
2807 with 2811 leading leave Brussels North with the 0744 Brussels Midi – Rotterdam on March 18th 2025
2742 IC2408 06.57 Tournai – Liege Saint Lambert Brussells Noord – Liege Guillemins (via Namur)
2742 at the impressive Liege Guillemins after a good run on the 0657 Tournai-Leige SL on March 18th 2025
1920 S41 5011 11.07 Liege Saint Lambert – Aachen Hbf Liege Guillemins – Welkenraedt
1880 t&t 1855 IC435 12.39 Welkenraedt – Kortrijk Welkenraedt – Liege Guillemins
1826 IC2435 13.41 Liege Saint Lambert – Tournai Liege Guillemins – Brussels Noord (via Namur)
08015 n 08028 S1 1964 14.54 Nivelles – Antwerp Central Brussels Noord – Schaarbeek
2143 P8006 16.40 Schaarbeek – De Panne Schaarbeek – Gent St. Pieters
2143 at Ghent SP after a good run on the 1640 Schaarbeck – De Panne on March 18th 2025
1854 IC2217 17.39 Gent St. Pieters – Brussels Airport Gent St. Pieters – Brussels Midi
1849 t&t 1852 IC517 17.42 Oostende – Eupen Brussels Midi – Leuven
Wednesday 19th March 2025
1858 t&t 1847 IC528 05.25 Welkenraedt – Oostende Leuven – Brussels Midi
2134 P7801 06.32 Mons – Schaarbeek Brussels Midi – Brussels Noord
1348 IC2107 07.33 Brussels Midi – Luxembourg
Brussels Noord – Luxembourg
1348 at Luxembourg after a fast run over the hills with the 0733 Brussels Midi – Luxembourg on March 19th 2025
4020 RE6811 10.35 Mersch – Rodange Luxembourg – Noertzange
Thrashing nicely CFL’s DE 18 302 passes Noertzange with a heavy load of steel scrap for the local steel works on March 19th 2025
4017 RE460 10.05 Troisverges – Rodange Noertzange – Petange
CFL’s 4015 powers out of Petange with a Luxembourg bound service on March 19th 2025
4005 RB4737 12.05 Athus – Luxembourg Petange – Luxembourg (via Schouweiler)
3014 RB5932 12.53 Luxembourg – Arlon Luxembourg – Arlon
1358 IC2136 13.11 Luxembourg – Brussels Midi Arlon – Brussels Noord
2153 P8008 16.27 Schaarbeek – Poperinge Brussels Noord – Gent St. Pieters
1913 IC2217 17.39 Gent St. Pieters – Brussels Airport Gent St. Pieters – Brussels Midi
1811 t&t 1830 IC517 17.42 Oostende – Eupen Brussels Midi – Leuven
Thursday 20th March 2025
1845 t&t 1854 IC428 05.49 Welkenraedt – Kortrijk Leuven – Brussels Noord
1879 t&t 1844 P7444 06.39 Liege Guillemins – Brussels Midi Brussels Noord – Brussels Midi
2105 IC5106 06.42 Kortrijk – Schaarbeek Brussels Midi – Brussels Noord
Beast! Old electric 2105 arrives at Brussels Midi with the 0642 ex Kortrijk to Schaarbeek on March 20th 2025
2708 P7012 06.59 Gent St. Pieters – Schaarbeek Brussels Noord – Schaarbeek
The 0659 Ghent SP – Schaarbeek P train seen at its destination with 2708 as power included several compo coaches in its consist, here’s compo coach 12605 which we had travelled in on the short run from Brussels Nord on March 20th 2025
08039 n 08200 S2 3779 08.11 Leuven – Braine Le Comte Schaarbeek – Brussels Noord
2869 t&t 2809 EC9223 08.44 Brussels Midi – Rotterdam CS Brussells Noord – Antwerp Central
(2869 is 186119, 2809 is 186201) (via Brussels Airport)
08082+08106 S32 2359 09.36 Purrs – Essen Antwerp Central – Antwerp Nooderdokken
836 S32 2581 10.22 Roosendaal – Purrs Antwerp Nooderdokken – Antwerp Berchem
1887 IC4533 11.54 Antwerp Central – Charleroi Sud Antwerp Berchem – Brussels Midi
1872 IC3733 12.30 Brussels Airport – Mons Brussels Midi – Braine Le Comte
2701 IC3713 13.20 Mons – Brussels Airport Braine Le Comte – Brussels Airport (via North entrance)
2701 IC1936 14.42 Brussels Airport – Tournai Brussels Airport – Brussels Noord
(via South entrance / Zaventem)
A friendly wave from the driver of 2701 at Brussels Nord with the 1442 Brussels Airport – Tournai on March 20th 2025
08179 S2 3764 14.22 Braine Le Comte – Leuven Brussels Noord – Schaarbeek
2124 P8012 15.37 Schaarbeek – Gent St. Pieters Schaarbeek – Brussels Midi
374023+374024 9153 17.56 Brussels Midi – St. Pancras Int. Brussels Midi – St. Pancras
Thanks again to “TC” for his expertise in all things SNCB…
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