Summary: The re-opening of the Gare de l'État, Caen's main railway station is marked by the resumption of rail services from Caen to Bayeux by the 181st Railway Operating Company RE.
Description: A jeep fitted with flanged wheels is the first to use the replacement bridge over the Orne built by 926th Bridging Company RE; it is followed by a Wickham railway car carrying a passenger- load of railway signallers and engineers and a 650 hp US - manufactured diesel-electrical locomotive manned jointly by two British and American drivers. The cameraman records the engine's journey from the Orne crossing to the Gare de l'État where sappers are seen at work clearing marshalling yards of debris and wrecked and damaged locomotives and rolling stock. The locomotive is coupled to twenty five waggons loaded with cinders cleared off the tracks. Early the next day, a sapper footplateman awaits the signal to leave; he is seen operating the brake and starting levers which set the engine rolling. On the station platform, notice of the train's departure to Bayeux is put up on a destination indicator board alongside place names such as Le Mans, Alençon, Lisieux and Paris.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Johnson, John Norman1909 (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Royal Engineers, Railway Operating Company RE (regiment/service)
Keywords: buildings, French - institutional: bridge (object name)
ceremonies, French - event-related: reopening of railway station (object name)
transport, United States military - light utility: jeep (adapted for railway) (object name)
transport, British civilian - rail: Wickham rail car & [French] (object name)
transport, French civilian - rail: locomotives and rolling stock (object name)
transport, United States civilian - rail: diesel locomotive & [French] (object name)
Gare de l'Etat Railway Station, Caen, Calvados, France (geography)
