Tramway à vapeur d'Ardres à Pont d'Ardres

The Ardres–Pont-d'Ardres steam tram (Tramway à vapeur d'Ardres à Pont-d'Ardres; TvAPA) was a tramway that ran between Ardres and Pont-d'Ardres, Pas-de-Calais, France. It opened in 1902 and closed in 1955. In 1899, Messrs Say's desired that their sucrerie (sugar refinery) at Pont-d'Ardres was connected by rail to the Chemin de fer d'Anvin à Calais (CF AC) at Ardres. The benefit of a rail line would be a reduction in travel time for their workers. It took them an hour and a half to travel by road between Ardres and Pont-d'Ardres. They worked twelve-hour shifts, with changeover at 07:00 and 19:00. Sugar beet was having to be transported via Calais, and was being damaged in transshipment. The line was promoted by Messrs Darras, with Say's providing 99% of the capital to build the line. In June 1901, the line was declared to be dutilité publique (in the public interest). The line opened in September 1902. It was worked by the CF AC from that October. In 1903, Messrs Say were granted permission to operate their metre gauge steam locomotive on the TvAPA within the confines of Pont-d'Ardres. In 1905, Messrs Darras formed the Société des Tramways à vapeur d'Ardres à Pont-d'Ardres. In 1909, an arrêt was opened at La Cense Hébron. In 1913, an 0-6-2T locomotive was borrowed from the Chemins de Fer de Milly à Formerie et de Noyon à Guiscard et Lassigny (CF MF & NGL) in the Oise department pending the arrival of a new locomotive. A bumper sugar beet harvest was forecast that year. No French manufacturer could supply a new locomotive, but Henschel could. Special permission was obtained with assistance from the CF AC to buy the locomotive. It was cleared for use of the TvAPA, CF AC and Chemins de Fer d'Aire à Fruges et de Rimeux-Gournay à Berck (CF du ARB). During World War I, the TvAPA fell within a security zone known as the Reserved Zone. Civilians living within this zone had free travel within the Canton in which they lived. To travel beyond their or Canton, or in and out of the Reserved Zone, a sauf-conduit (identity card) was required.