Spain - Feve - Narrow gauge trains

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Renfe Feve is a division of the Spanish state railways Renfe. Feve (Ferrocarriles Españoles de Vía Estrecha) operates a narrow gauge networks mostly along the northern coast along the Bay of Biscay. The main line runs from Bilbao in the east to Ferrol in west by the Atlantic ocean. Feve was put together from a number of different private railroads, some metre gauge, some normal gauge 1435 mm, some Cape gauge 1067 mm and some even 914 mm or 750 mm gauge. Today the main lines are from Bilbao to León and from Bilbao to Ferrol and they are made with metre gauge. Most of Feve's operations are passenger trains, but there is also a lively narrow gauge cargo transport operation.
This train operates in Bilbao's electrified commuter service, where Feve operates five commuter train lines. It is of the type UTE-3600 (Unidad de Tren Eléctrico 3600). There are 21 units of these trains. Each train has 99 seats and can take 244 passengers. They were built by Babcock & Wilcox 1982-2007. Top speed is 120 km/h and they operate on 1500 V DC on metre gauge tracks.
Picture from Bilbao's Concordia station 4.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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The small narrow gauge steam locomotive "Artola" stands as a commemorative statue at the Concordia station in Bilbao. It was a metre gauge engine used by the Ferrocarril de Sierra Menera, one of those small private railroads which were later incorporated into Feve. The engine was built by Usines Metalúrgiques de Hainault Coulliet in Belgium in 1890 as their machine no. 1002.
Picture from Bilbao's Concordia station 4.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Renfe Feve's electric multiple unit 3808 and diesel railbus 2708. The 3808 belongs to the class UTE-3800 and forms together with one middle coach and a steering cab coach of the class 6800 a fixed three coach train. These are used for example in the traffic from Santander to Lierganes. 16 trains of this type were built by CAF and they entered service in 1992. They operate with DC 1,5 kV overhead. Power rating of the train is 880 kW and up to four three coach trains can be coupled together.
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Renfe Feve's no 6808 is the unmotorised steering cab coach belonging to the electric multiple unit 3808.
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Renfe Feve's train 3802+6802 is a similar three coach electric multiple unit of the class UTE-3800 as seen above.
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Renfe Feve's train 2707+2708 is a two-coach narrow gauge diesel railbus.They were built by the companies CAF and Sunsundegui in 2009-2010. 23 units (=half-trains) were built. It has a 390 kW diesel engine built by MTU giving it a maximum speed of 90 km/h and it has seats for 90 passengers.
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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The same train as above seen from the other side, with unit 2707 first.
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Feve's unit 361 (apparently one number is missing, it should be 361x) belongs to the series 3600, which are heavily rebuilt and modernised very old trains of the class 2300. They were originally built by MAN, Euskalduna, MMC and Ateinsa 1966 to 1974. In 1987 15 of these units were rebuilt and remotorised to become the present day series 2600 which looks very much the same as this one. Remaining old MAN railbuses were rebuilt 2004-2006 by Siemens and Sunsundegui to these trains which are now called series 3600. It is a diesel railbus with two engines per train and space for 99 sitting passengers.
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Passage to the Feve platforms was only possible via ticket gates. Train photographer Sanna Siissalo is waiting outside - to capture a couple of trains it was not necessary to pay for two tickets :-)
Picture from Santander station 1.5.2013 by Ilkka Siissalo.
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