T.E.B Car 44
These two cards of Wimereux (near Boulogne), dating from around 1913, are numbers 13 and 18 in a series produced in France by a photographer with the initials H.C., and who was most likely local to Boulogne. The first, entitled "WIMEREUX - Arrêt des Tramways", shows car 44 of the Companie des Tramways Electriques de Boulogne-sur-Mer (T.E.B.) at Wimereux terminus. To the left of the picture can be seen a tram of the Tramway d'Aubengue à Wimereux (T.A.W.) which is the subject of our second card. This is entitled "WIMEREUX - Le Monument du Ballon et le Tramway du Golf" and shows car 1 of the T.A.W. This card also informs us that it was "Obtenu avec plaques Lumière", whereas the first card was "Obtenu avec plaques Jougla" (these two photographic plate making firms had in fact merged in 1911).
The T.E.B. came into existence in 1896, taking over a previous standard gauge horse tramway (opened on 1st March 1881), converting it to metre gauge and electrifying it between 1897 and 1901. As well as routes in the town of Boulogne, they operated several suburban lines one of which was the 8 km route to Wimereaux, which opened around 1913. The line was a concession granted by the "departement" to the "Société des Tramways du Boulonnais" who leased it to T.E.B. The trams left Boulogne by its Casino route, following the coast and the Calais road to the nearby resort of Wimereux.
At the time of our cards, T.E.B. had 40 motor trams and 36 trailers. The small open-fronted (later enclosed) motor cars had both track brakes and a run-back brake, necessary as in the town there were gradients as steep as ten percent in the Grande-Rue.
The town tramways in Boulogne were heavily damaged by bombing in the second world war, the depot being destroyed on 16th June 1944. The tramway was replaced by motor buses on 9th July 1951.
The T.A.W. was run by a private company who operated a metre gauge tramway from the terminus of the T.E.B., as shown in our first card, to serve a hotel about 2 km distant. The tracks of this tramway were not linked to those of its neighbour. It owned just two trams and ceased service fairly early, probably in 1914.
Go to Postcard Of The Month Index