Paul Steane's Photography Pages

Wednesday 4th October 2023 Today was Day 1 of the two-day Branch Line Society "Sahara Explorer" railtour. Today was supposed to be a run to Jerada power station, a branch line from Guenfouda, but this had been refused on unclear grounds only the previous day, after previously having been approved. So we just covered Oujda - Guenfouda - Naïma - Oujda, so doing all three sides of the triangular layout Beni Oukil / Guenfouda / Naïma. There was plenty of time at Naïma to view the adjacent remains of the platform on the long closed 600 mm gauge railway that ran from Fès to Oujda between 1912 and 1932, when it was replaced by the present standard gauge line. Also time to look around the station and station control room there. With not much else to do I took a ride with a few others on service trains from Oujda to Taourirt and back.
Route: Oujda 07:15 (dep 17 late) (Branch Line Society railtour, ONCF DL DH-411) - Beni Oukil - Guenfouda (arr 08:54; loco run round; dep 09:40) - via Béni Oukil avoiding line - Naïma (arr 10:37; loco run round; dep 11:28) - Oujda 12:23; 13:30 (train 204, ONCF DL DH-422) - Taourirt 15:15; 15:20 (dep 44 late) (train 103; ONCF DL DH-424) - Oujda 16:59 (arr 39 late). Overnight: Hotel Ibis, Oujda (2nd night).