1. The History
Located in Roux, in the region of Charleroi, Belgium, the workshops at Remise Monceau are a former SNCB locomotive traction maintenance depot. Monceau housed a number of different locomotives including diesel Class 73 shunters and Class 52 locomotives and electric Class 22 locos. These were used to service the many heavy industrial sites in the region. A combination of the closure of many of the steel works and coal mines, along with many of the locomotives being downgraded because they no longer met European standards, led to the closure of the depot circa 2000.
A couple of archive pictures. One from 1999 by ©Geert Maes when the depot was in full swing and one by ©Cedric Valance from 2006 before the locos were removed:
Monceau 1999 no.2 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Monceau 2006 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Since then the locos have been gradually sold off and removed. In 2006, two of the depot’s Class 22 locos where moved over to SNCB’s Charleroi depot to be services before being sold-off to a private operator in Poland, along with a Class 52 loco that was bound for Italy. By around 2014, all of the former SNCB’s locos had been cleared from the site, leaving the workshops to slowly be taken over by nature.
2. The Explore
Found out about this place prior to coming to Belgium a year or so ago but never made it there. So, didn’t want to have to pass on it again. Knew that the locos were no longer there but figured it would still be an interesting explore all the same. It was very much a walk in and didn’t see a soul while I was there. Despite the main attractions being long gone the place is still definitely worth an hour of your time. The first explore of five on a very long day but a really nice and relaxed explore.
3. The Photographs
Quite literally, a walk in:
img3994 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3993 by HughieDW, on Flickr
First up, a few admin buildings separate from the main shed:
Trainsheds 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3952 by HughieDW, on Flickr
On to the main sheds:
Trainsheds 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Not too sure what this is:
img3964 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3989 by HughieDW, on Flickr
About the only decent piece of graff in the whole place:
img3967 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And outside the front of the sheds:
Trainsheds 16 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 17 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 18 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 19 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 20 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And finally, the only piece of rolling stock left:
Trainsheds 22 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trainsheds 21 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Located in Roux, in the region of Charleroi, Belgium, the workshops at Remise Monceau are a former SNCB locomotive traction maintenance depot. Monceau housed a number of different locomotives including diesel Class 73 shunters and Class 52 locomotives and electric Class 22 locos. These were used to service the many heavy industrial sites in the region. A combination of the closure of many of the steel works and coal mines, along with many of the locomotives being downgraded because they no longer met European standards, led to the closure of the depot circa 2000.
A couple of archive pictures. One from 1999 by ©Geert Maes when the depot was in full swing and one by ©Cedric Valance from 2006 before the locos were removed:
Since then the locos have been gradually sold off and removed. In 2006, two of the depot’s Class 22 locos where moved over to SNCB’s Charleroi depot to be services before being sold-off to a private operator in Poland, along with a Class 52 loco that was bound for Italy. By around 2014, all of the former SNCB’s locos had been cleared from the site, leaving the workshops to slowly be taken over by nature.
2. The Explore
Found out about this place prior to coming to Belgium a year or so ago but never made it there. So, didn’t want to have to pass on it again. Knew that the locos were no longer there but figured it would still be an interesting explore all the same. It was very much a walk in and didn’t see a soul while I was there. Despite the main attractions being long gone the place is still definitely worth an hour of your time. The first explore of five on a very long day but a really nice and relaxed explore.
3. The Photographs
Quite literally, a walk in:
First up, a few admin buildings separate from the main shed:
On to the main sheds:
Not too sure what this is:
About the only decent piece of graff in the whole place:
And outside the front of the sheds:
And finally, the only piece of rolling stock left:
Another great one from Belgium. Lovely colours. Looks a huge place. As you say its still worth the mooch. The place makes for lovely shots.
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