The Compagnie des chemins de fer Bône-Guelma (Bône-Guelma Railway Company) built and operated railway lines in Algeria and Tunisia between 1875 and 1923 during the French colonial period. In 1923 it became the Compagnie fermière des chemins de fer tunisiens.
History
The Bone-Guelma Railway Company was founded in 1875. The concession for construction of the line from Bone to Guelma, between the French government and the Société de Construction des Batignolles, was ceded by the latter in 1876 to the Bône-Guelma Railway Company, which had been founded by Ernest Goüin, with the assistance of the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas, of which Goüin was a director. The Bone-Guelma company contracted with Batignolles to build the line. It developed its network in Algeria and Tunisia with respectively and in each of the two countries. The line had a station at Taya, eight kilometers by mule track from the Djebel Taya antimony mine .
The Algerian network was purchased by the State on 6 June 1914 and operated from 1 April 1915 by Algerian State Railways.
In 1922, the Tunisian government bought the Tunisian part of the network and entrusted operations to the Compagnie fermière des chemins de fer tunisiens by an agreement of 22 June 1922.
On June 8, 1923, a general meeting of shareholders took note of the change in the company's activities by changing its name to the Compagnie fermière des chemins de fer tunisiens.
Lines Algeria The total length of the network in Algeria was in 1913. Bône – Duvivier opened in 1876 Duvivier – Guelma – Kroubs opened from 1877 to 1879 Duvivier – Souk Ahras – Ghardimaou opened from 1881 to 1884 Souk Ahras – Tébessa opened in 1888 (metre gauge)
The company also operated the tramway from Saint-Paul to Randon.
Tunisia
In Tunisia the company operated two networks. The northern network was built at the normal gauge and the southern network used the metre-gauge. The networks included the following lines:
Normal track (Northern network)
Tunis – Djedeida – Tebourba , opened in 1878 Tebourba – Majaz al Bab , opened in 1878 Majaz al Bab – Oued Zarga , opened in 1878 Oued Zarga – Béja – Pont-de-Trajan , opened in 1879 Pont-de-Trajan – Sidi-Ali-Jébini , opened in 1879 Sidi-Ali-Jébini – Jendouba , opened in 1879 Tunis-Nord – Le Bardo , opened in 1873 and surrendered in 1879 by the Tunisian Railway Company Jendouba – Ghardimaou , opened in 1880 Tunis-Marine – Hammam-Lif , opened in 1882 (converted to metre gauge in 1897) Mastouta – Béja , opened in 1885 Djedeida – Mateur – Tinja – Bizerte , branch in 1894 Tinja – Ferryville , branch opened in 1894 Tunis-Jonction (Bab Alioua) – La Goulette-Port , opened in 1909 (Three lines of rails 1000/1435 mm) Mateur – Tamera Mateur – Jefna , opened in 1909 Jefna – Tamera , opened on 1 September 1912 Mateur-Sud – Sidi M'himech – Béja , opened on 1 September 1912 Sidi Smaïl – La Merja – Khereddine , opened on 1 June 1914 Khereddine – Nebeur , opened in 1915 Tamera – Nefza , opened on 1 January 1917
Metre gauge (South) Tunis-Marine – Hammam-Lif , opened in 1882 (converted to metre gauge in 1897) Hammam-Lif – Fondouk Jedid – Grombalia , opened in 1895 Grombalia – Bir Bouregba – Nabeul-Voyageurs , opened in 1895 Fondouk Jedid – Menzel Bouzelfa , branch opened in 1895 Bir Bouregba – Enfidha , opened in 1896 Enfidha – Kalâa Seghira , opened in 1896 Kalâa Seghira – Sousse , opened in 1896 Tunis-Ville – Sminja – Zaghouan , opened in 1897 Sminja – Pont-du-Fahs , opened in 1897 Djebel Jelloud – Hammam-Lif , opened in 1897 (converted to metre gauge) Sousse – Sousse-Port , opened in 1897 Bir El Kassaâ – Radès (south port of La Goulette) , opened in 1897 Bir El Kassaâ – La Laverie , opened in 1899 Sousse – Ouerdanin – Moknine , opened in 1899 Pont-du-Fahs – Bou Arada , opened in 1902 Bou Arada – Gaâfour , opened in 1904 Gaâfour – Les Salines , opened in 1904 Les Salines – Le Kef , embranchement opened in 1904 Les Salines – Fej Tameur – Kalaat es Senam , opened in 1905 Fej Tameur – Slata , branch opened in 1908 Aïn Ghrasésia – Jilma , opened in 1908 Jilma – Sbeitla , opened on 15 June 1908 Sbeitla – Kasserine – Henchir Souatir , opened on 1 December 1909 Ouerdanin – Sfax , opened in 1911 Menzel Bouzelfa – Henchir Lebna , opened in 1918 Henchir Lebna – Oum Douil , opened in 1925 Henchir Lebna – Menzel Temime , opened in 1927 Rhilane Station (Algeria) – Aïn Kerma (Tunisia) , opened on 1 May 1931
Junction stations
Sfax Station with the network of the Compagnie des phosphates et des chemins de fer de Gafsa Henchir Souatir Station with the network of the Compagnie des phosphates et des chemins de fer de Gafsa
Rolling stock
Normal track No.1 to 39, type 030t, delivered between 1876 and 1882 by the Société de construction des BatignollesImage Postcard of train leaving Souk El Arba No.81 to 86, type 130t, delivered in 1899 by Baldwin Locomotive Works No.136 to 155, type 030t, delivered between 1880 and 1883 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.181 to 185, type 231, delivered in 1914 by the Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques (SACM) No.186 to 188, type 231, delivered in 1924 by the SACM No.189 to 192, type 231, delivered in 1930 by the SACMImage Carte postale montrant la No.191 No.221 to 235, type 150, delivered in 1910 by the SACMImage Photo ancienne montrant la No.235 No.501 to 505, type 230, delivered in 1904 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.11 and 12, type 130t, delivered in 1904 by the Société de construction des Batignolles metre track No.1 to 2, type 030t, delivered in 1888 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.3 to 9, type 030t, delivered in 1894 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.201 to 204, type 030t, delivered in 1886 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.211 and 212, type 030t, delivered in 1886 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.281 to 284, type 130t, delivered in 1899 by Baldwin Locomotive WorksLocomotives du Bône-Guelma en Tunisie No.401 to 415, type 130t, delivered between 1897 and 1907 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.681 to 690, type Mallet 030-030t, Baldwin Locomotive Works, delivered in 1920 No.701 to 712, type 230, delivered between 1905 and 1907 by the Société de construction des Batignolles No.801 to 805, type 231, delivered in 1913 by the SACMImage Carte postale montrant la No.805
Notes
Sources