 |
| MLW built 060-DP-147 heads north at Menzel Gare on the meter gauge network with train 13-5/72 from Metlaoui to Tunis 25/02/2025. |
 |
| SNTF Algerian Railways class 060-DJ-21 and 07 of the GE U18C family depart Tunis Ville with the international train to Annaba on Friday 28th February 2025. |
For several years myself and a friend had thought that Tunisia may be a country worth visiting for its railways. There are several attractions; good scenery, both standard and meter gauge networks with loco-hauled passenger trains. A particular draw being the MLW '060-DP' class locomotives, cousins of our much loved CP 1960 class which have now numbered just one in traffic for several years in Portugal- in Tunisia they still have booked passenger work!
Some favourable trip reports in the second half of 2024 along with identification of some very reasonably priced and timed flights saw the trip given the go ahead.
Tuesday 25th February:
The first major challenge was to get to Gatwick Airport for the 0915 flight to Enfidha. Simple enough except that when booking I had forgotten I was on a night shift the day before, finishing at 0700, and not particularly near Gatwick!
Fortunately all went well and I made it to the airport for the 0900 flight. The trains were all to time and Gatwick obliged with the usual seamless walk through security. Even Easyjet managed both an on time departure and arrival at Enfidha airport. Passage into Tunisia was painless and achieved in what must be close to record time. By around 1300 we were away in our hire car and looking for the railway.
First stop was to call in to Enfidha station where the station master was very helpful in advising that there were trains in both directions, as we expected, and the likely delay to those services. We were also advised that there was no freight expected during daylight. Armed with this information we set out to look for locations, expecting southbound train 5/73 to appear first. We settled on Menzel Gare which had a reasonable view where the sun would be right for the southbound train. Except of course that its expected time came and went. Eventually it was the northbound train, 13-5/72 which arrived first, and only around 20 minutes late, behind 060-DP-147. There we were. First train of the trip and we had a decently lit shot of a meter gauge DP!
The southbound train was a good 40 minutes longer to wait, being around an hour late when it passed us with the more normal traction in the form of 040-GT-561. Knowing the northbound had already passed allowed us to walk along the line and around the corner to follow the sun angle.
We had already realised our first major mistake in Tunisia- in our excitement to get lineside we had not taken out any cash at the airport, and it turns out this is a very cash heavy society- so of course we couldn't buy anything, or pay for road tolls!
We now had a drive around before ending up back in the same spot for the next pair of trains; Southbound 5-12/79 and Northbound 5/76. The southbound arrived just a few minutes too late to catch the setting sun, but was also a DMU (loco expected). Just a few minutes later it
was 040-GT-562 heading north.
 |
| The 'booked' traction for meter gauge passenger trains, 040-GT-561 approaches Menzel Gare 25/02/2025. |
 |
| 060-DP-147 prepares to work the 21:15 overnight train from Tunis to Gabes. 25/02/2025. |
We now had about 2 hours to drive up to Tunis, after finally finding time to make a stop at an ATM and subsequently pick up some water- the drive was bit of a struggle since neither of us had really had any sleep the night before, and of course having waited until last light, the drive up the Trans Africa Highway would be in the dark.
By the time we had checked in to the basic (but with a station view) Hotel Dar Ali it wasn't far off time to view train 5/97, the 21:15 overnight to Gabes. To our delight it was once again 060-PD-147 trusted to the duty, which we enjoyed photographing and watching before its on time departure.
Now it was time to head into the city for some late dinner. We stumbled upon a lovey restaurant, Bab Tounis where we enjoyed a nice traditional meal (but unfortunately no beer) before they closed.
To finish off our late night we committed to getting up nice and early for the 06:35 train in the morning!
Wednesday 26th February:
 |
| 060-DP-132 approaches Jedeida in the rain. 26/02/2025. |
We knew the weather forecast was poor today so it was not expected to wake up to rain. Still, we had a train to ride so were at the station for the 06:35 to Ghardimaou, however there was a little problem as the hotel door was locked! After trying to push it open and causing a bit of commotion the hotelier appeared with a key to let us out... As expected the train was a DMU. The 2 ar contraption was very full, very slow, had doors which didn't quite shut all of the way and both windscreens with large impact marks. I can't say the ride to Jedeida was particularly enjoyable, but once there we did find something for breakfast before the main event which was the return journey on train 8 the 04:20 inbound from Ghardimaou to Tunis. This train is booked for an 060-DP and indeed it was, in the shape of 060-DP-132. The train loaded to three coaches an was once again rammed, we found a position just about inside the doorway to cling on, with the bonus that we could hear the MLW beautifully through the open door. Unlike the DMU it made good work of the journey and put a reasonable performance. Remarkably the train ran right on time, which was fortunate as the 08:20 arrival into Tunis meant we were able to watch the international train to Annaba in Algeria depart behind SNTF 060-DJ's 21 and 07.
 |
| The scrap line up of 040-DO-283/284/324/281 at Jebel Jeloud. 26/02/2025. |
 |
| DM 272 / DP 132 line up at Tunis Ville. 26/02/2025 |
Without much more to see loco-hauled train wise, we headed down the line on one of the meter gauge EMU's to Jebel Jeloud to follow in the footsteps of probably all the other UK enthusiasts and explore the three demic 040-DO 'Ganz' diesels (040-DO-283/284/324/281). After a good climb over these it was time for a bit of tourism where we headed into the old Medina with a trader who had appointed himself as our 'free' guide. Escaping without having purchased a rug we headed back to the station to watch the 13:05 departure for Ghaudimau- as expected, in the hands of 060-DP-132. Also in the station was 040-DM-372 complete with auto-coupler and attached to one of the meter gauge EMU's looking ready to drag it, presumably to the depot.
It was still raining when we hit the road, but as we approached Beja for 'the' Tunisian shot there were some small signs that the weather might brighten up. We didn't have a lot of hope, and of course, the beautiful view was passed by the DP under cloud- only to brighten up just a few minutes later! Typical!
A horn was heard on our way back to the car which heralded a search for its source, a freight train being shunted in the yard. We parked up next to said yard just in time to see 060-DN-318 departing with a train of grain hoppers. The chase was on, and despite the weather not really playing ball we had an enjoyable time chasing the loco down the line, the driver of the DN seemingly as entertained by this as we were!
 |
| 060-DN-318 is pictured on the viaduct at Beja with its freight working which is heading towards Tunis. 26/02/2025 |
Thursday 27th February:
Another early start which proved entirely unnecessary- with breakfast at 0600 when it opened before hitting the road.
We had an ambitious schedule today as with yesterdays cloud it was now the only way to fit in all the photos we wanted. We would drive to the scenic hilly section of line between Mezzouna and Maknassy to catch the inbound train 13-5/72 from Metaloui before embarking on another circa 5 hour drive back to Beja to have another go at the standard gauge DP! Crazy or what?
A big surprise was that the scene before us was not the golden desert we were expecting, but a lush green landscape of wild flowers! Of course our plan didn't last long as on arrival at our first spot train the Metlaoui to Tunis was not reporting on the live running page of the SNCFT website (we had already learned that while a good 'guide' the accuracy of this information could not be trusted). Fearing that an expected time of '-' might simply mean the train was not running we were about to give up as a bad job and head straight to Beja (sacrificing circa 10 hours of driving) when the train suddenly started reporting 20 minutes late. Which would make it approximately.. now! Of course it wasn't, and by the time the train passed behind 060-DS-658 some 110 minutes late, we had long passed our cut-off to head to Beja. Still while the sun was now off the front we had a very pleasing shot here - we would have been gutted to have left with nothing after all the effort.
 |
| 060-DS-658 is captured in an unusually green scene between Mezzouna and Maknassy with train 13-5/72 from Metlaoui. These EMD GT42 AC locomotives are the newest of the SNCFT fleet being delivered in 2019 for phosphate traffic. 27/02/2025 |
With no sign of any phosphate traffic and no prospect of reaching Beja we needed a new plan for the afternoon. I decided upon driving a further 90 minutes to the junction at Gafsa, which appeared to be a bit of a phosphate hub, after which we could photograph the afternoon train to Metlaoui (already reporting 20 minutes late) assuming it made it before sunset.
 |
| 040-DK-87 from MLW is a welcome sight shunting outside the roundhouse at Gafsa. 27/02/2025 |
The drive to Gafsa was busier than I was expecting and I was rather regretting the whole thing by the time we arrived. This feeling was short lived however as we were greeted by 060-DP-139 approaching the level crossing having just detached from a train of wagons. Our quest to fathom out what it was going to do next led us into the depot area, where fortunately we were very warmly received by the staff, who informed us that the DP was shunting simply shunting wagons (alongside 040-DK-87) and was not about to work a mainline train. While a bit of a shame, the light was perfect and a good selection of photographs were taken until one of the drivers decided that we were not permitted without a permit. As well as the locos active in shunting a further three DS locomotives (651/661/669) as well as another DK (83) were present on the depot. The depot staff mentioned that there might be a phosphate train around 17:00, really we needed to be on the road by then.
 |
| 060-DP-139 is engaged in shunting duties at Gafsa, a major junction for phosphate routes. 27/02/2025. |
With our photography session over at Gafsa, we hit the road back towards Sfax and settled on a nice level crossing near Sened to photograph the afternoon passenger train to Metlaoui - only the second train we had seen on the mainline all day! Fortunately this arrived only around 25 minutes late, again behind the same DS we had seen this morning.
We now really needed to think about driving back to Tunis, but popped into the station at Menzel just in case anyone was able to give us any firm information on a phosphate train. The station was locked up, and shortly after a large band of cloud emerged from seemingly nowhere to tell us that it really was time now to get on the road. We paused along the way for an excellent meal of barbequed lamb (I think!) with all sorts of condiments, which ultimately ended up quite expensive. Both fairly exhausted we decided not to set our alarms for the 06:35 Ghardimaou in the morning!
Friday 28th February:
 |
| SNTF 060-DJ-21 and 060-DJ-07 pass the first viaduct near Beja with the very smart looking international train to Annaba in Algeria which re-started in 2024 after a long absence. 28/02/2025 |
Despite not setting my alarm I was woken early in the morning to the sound of a diesel- dragging myself to the window I made it just in time to see the coaches disappearing around the corner on train 7, the 06:35 to Ghardimaou... Loco vice DMU this morning, even if I hadn't seen what was on the front! Perhaps I should have got up early enough to have a ride on it!?
Anyway, back to bed for a bit before a wander over the station to photograph the Algerian locos which were in the station for the thrice weekly 08:25 to Annaba. Unlike Wednesday morning it was sunny, and since the forecast was still variable it made sense to see the train here while we knew the weather was good before chasing it down on the line.
As well as the pair of 060 DJ's also present in the station was 060-DP-147 on the narrow gauge as well as another unknown loco which arrived over at the back fo the station. Just before the Annaba departure, 060-DP-132 also arrived as expected on the inbound Ghardimaou, almost bowling the DJ's in the process! The connection would not have made this morning, so perhaps best I hadn't gone for the ride.
 |
| 040-DM-272 forms a Ghardimaou to Tunis train running vice DMU. 28/02/2025. |
Having grabbed some breakfast it was now time to get in the car, check out of the hotel and get to Beja ahead of the DJ's. This didn't prove too difficult even with a petrol stop and some initial difficulties negotiating a dirt track. What was more of a concern driving west was the clouds which seemed to be sitting in the hills- this turned out to be patches of dense fog, one of which was well obscuring the view of where Beja should have been. Luckily fortune was on our side just for once, with the fog clearing sufficiently for a nice shot on the 'other' viaduct at Beja. While we were waiting a local woman started bellowing at us- while initially concerned that we were being ejected from her field, it turned out quite to the contrary that she actually wanted to offer us a lovely bowl of some sort of pancake-esque bread! Delicious they were too, though she then disappeared making the return of her bowl somewhat problematic.
We didn't expect to see much else with the day now, though knew there was a good chance we would hang around until the afternoon Ghardimaou train for another chance at 'the' shot, even though it would leave us very very tight for our flight home. We went into the station (which is currently a building site, while a new build station building is erected (for the 8 trains a day) to see if the staff there could give any info on any freight movements. We din't find the station master, but did make acquaintance with a nice chap who turned out to be a driver (currently off-track after his 13th fatality!). His information wasn't particularly great but assured us there was no freight due. A quick trip into town, missing a light engine movement to the freight yard (presumably to shunt the freight that had arrived (!)). It was then time to head to another location to photograph the midday train, the return of the departure that I had seen loco hauled in the morning. Our driver friend assured us this was a DMU (as booked), but we were not so surprised when it appeared hauled by 040-DM-272 (no longer with auto-coupler). Unfortunately though the weather had deteriorated and it even tried to rain (despite the 1% chance in the forecast). This was enough though to sensibly persuade us to give up on the afternoon Beja shot and enjoy a much more relaxed journey back to Enfiha airport (yeah right!). Maybe we might catch one of the evening trains on the meter gauge once we got there.
The journey was quite relaxed until we reached the large junction town of El Fahs, where the road crosses the railway from Tunis to Kalaa Khasba- and the crossing barriers were down. The car was parked and we quickly rushed out to see what was coming. Nothing. Clearly the barriers were faulty (not the first time we had seen that), however it did prompt me to check if anything was due.
Amazingly it was, train 6/65 from Tunis to Dhamani should have recently past, but was running 25 minutes late. That was enough time for us to find a position, catch one last train and still get to the airport comfortably. A favourable spot was found shortly east of the town which involved climbing onto a half built house, the sun was shining and now all we needed was the train.
A nervous wait ensued, the train kept getting later, the clouds kept threatening. We had no choice but to return the car by 18:30, so really needed a cut-off, and when it came, at 15:00, together with a cloud, it was time to accept defeat even though the train couldn't have been far away.
And it wasn't far away- as soon as we were back in the car doing a U-turn I spotted it in the distance. We had get out and run back to our position- and the sun just about returned as well. The loco was totally unfamiliar as 040-DF-353 rounded into view. The size of the loco perhaps suggesting how it had lost 20 minutes in time over the last 20 minutes of the journey. Now we REALLY needed to head for the airport, Google predicting we would arrive right on 18:30. Tight. Unfortunately getting back to El Fahs it became clear we may have made a mistake. The town was gridlocked and we were soon well behind our airport target time. The last possible time we had been told we could return the car.
 |
| This shot of 040-DF-353 was a big surprise of the trip, not just because of the unusual loco, but also through being totally unplanned and almost loosing out both to time and the weather. The loco is seen heading towards El Fahs with a train to Kalaa Khasba. These small GM's are of a similar design to the now withdrawn Irish 121 class. 28/02/2025. |
A bit of off road driving was required to get us out of this mire, around some dubious streets at the back of town. Some ambitious driving followed, which may have resulted in several surprised Sheppards (but fortunately without being pulled over at any police checkpoints). Ask no questions, but arrival at Enfidha airport was almost 15 minutes clear, even with a fuel stop. An thus ended an enjoyable trip with a signature to confirm the car had been returned in good order- something of a miracle!
Just as unlikely- EasyJet got us home 20 early!
Conclusions:
 |
| 060-DS-658 is captured near the town of Sened while working the daily train 5-13/57 from Tunis to Metaloui. The orange livery certainly helps the loco to stand out. 27/02/2025. |
Well, when are we going back? The Beja shot is easy enough to do given some decent weather and feels a little like unfinished business. Given this trip was so cheap and the railways so interesting it is already back on the 'to do' list.
The traction variety was more than we could have hoped for, with all of classes DF, DM, DP, DS, GT and the Algerian DJ class seen on passenger as well as a DN on freight. It seems that the traction shortage is severe enough that anything that works is fair game to chuck out on a train. Managing a ride behind a DP was a key objective which I was glad to tick off, even if we didn't get a chance to ride anything else on this whistlestop tour.
As expected, the one train we saw beyond Sfax re-engined to a DS, one of the modern Progress Rail locos built primarily for phosphate work, and only two GT's were seen working throughout the trip. While reported as being a common loco-substitution the Bizerte train was a DMU on each occasion we saw it.
Freight traffic is few and far between, and getting info on it appears to be difficult. We only saw one freight on the mainline, which was the standard gauge train which left Beja on Wednesday afternoon.
 |
| 060-DN-318 gets underway out of the freight yard at Beja. 26/02/2025. |
Timekeeping was poor throughout, however the standard gauge did seem to be capable of running roughly to time, whereas the meter gauge did not. The fact that all trains ran, and within 2 hours suggests we probably fared quite well! It is also worth noting that the line from Tunis to Sousse and Sfax received a new timetable just before our trip (taking out a train in each direction). This was found through a Facebook group, as the SNCFT website still showed the previous timetable, even though their journey search enquiries no longer tallied with it. The ability to search for station updates is a very useful tool to give a guide as to when a train might come, but should not be relied upon as trains still turned up significantly later than these times. If planning photo locations it is worth considering what they will look like 2 hours after the booked train time!
Thanks to Rob for the company, entertaining the idea of coming to Tunisia and for the 'enthusiastic' driving. Next time I would like to spend a little longer on trains, and a little less time driving!
 |
| Unfinished business for next time- 060-DP-132 doesn't attract the sunshine as it passes the classic location on the outskirts of Beja with the 13:05 train to Ghaudimau. 26/02/2025. |
