(Incorporating memories of childhood holidays to the South of France by train in the late 60's and early 70's)
Traveling on a ferry from Dover Marine to Calais Maritime, with a blue hull and red funnel with the British Rail insignia. The ferry Invicta.
Walking down a wooden gangplank to the quayside at Calais Maritime, while porters puffing on Gauloises carried our suitcases using leather straps.
Going through customs and watching them chalk your suitcase after it had been checked.
SNCF rolling stock in green, a few feet from the ship, with metal destination signs on the side.
Climbing into our SNCF couchette coach marked Calais - Vintimille, with inward opening doors, with an adjoining FS coach in grey and blue CIWL sleeping car, both signed Calais - Roma.
Walking to the front of the train with my dad during the stop at Amiens, to watch the diesel come off to be replaced by an electric loco.
On arrival at Gare du Nord, watching one of the large blue shunting locos couple onto to the end of the train, and then transport our coach and the two Italian coaches to the Gare de Lyon via the Petite Ceinture, and leaning out of 'open' Windows, as the train screeched through Paris past Parisian apartment blocks, and families eating dinner.
On arrival at the Gare de Lyon, walking with my dad onto the station concourse to get replacement bottles of water and a hot dog served in half a French baguette, while our couchette coach was shunted around to be coupled to le train 'Côte d'Azur', and the two Italian coaches I believe to the Rome Express.
Walking to the platform and walking the length of the train to find our newly coupled couchette car with my mum guarding our belongings, and seeing the all sleeping car Le Train Bleu in the adjoining platform. Our train departed at 20:42, and Le Train Bleu followed us three minutes later at 20:45.
Seeing the classic green SNCF electric locos before the raked nose versions arrived on the network.
Listening to the sound of air brake blocks on the wheels as the train slowed, and lifting the blind a little to see the station names of Dijon Ville, Lyon Perrache, Valence and Avignon on the classic ligne, before the arrival of TGV's and high speed lines.
Again, the pleasure of leaning out of an open window as the train skirted the coast of the Côte d'Azur on a sunny morning, and seeing the sparkling Mediterranean Sea breaking onto the rocks below.
Arriving at our destination of Juan les Pins as the brake blocks screeched again, and then the sound of a real voice on the station tannoy as they announced "Juan les Pins deux minutes arret, Juan les Pins deux minutes arret".
Having to wait on the platform until the train started to slowly creak and move and leave the station, before arriving passengers could cross the wooden crossing to the station exit. No subways in those days.
A station porter, waiting with a barrow to transport your luggage through the streets of Juan les Pins to your hotel or apartment. Not many taxis in those days.
On the main station platform, seeing the 'Compositions des trains' board, featuring the mostly overnight trains leaving the station for destinations such as Roma, Venezia, Hendaye, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Metz, and of course Paris.
Taking day trips to Cannes, Nice and Menton on the classic red and cream diesel rail cars, and hearing their unique squealing brakes.
Watching an express pulling into the station, listening to the sound of brake blocks on wheels, and seeing a 'La Postes' mail coach attached to the front behind the loco, with the mail workers leaning behind a single metal bar where the sliding doors were left open and having a smoke, with no other protection to stop them falling out of the speeding train.
Seeing the stainless steel carriages of the TEE 'Le Mistral' speed through the station on its way from Nice to Paris.
Seeing the cream, red and grey carriages of the FS TEE 'Ligure' from Marseille to Milan.
Strolling down to the station in the evening and watching the departing overnight trains featuring SNCF and FS stock, plus the occasional charter train featuring cream and blue DB carriages and the destination plate stating exotic place names of Cannes - Ventimiglia - Genova - Milano - Basel - Dortmund - Hamburg. When trains ruled before low cost jets.
On departure day, standing on the platform and watching the train approaching at speed, rounding the bend from Antibes, and repeating the whole journey back to London Victoria again.
