# Remise Monceau Engine sheds, Charleroi, Belgium, November 2019



## HughieD (Dec 7, 2019)

*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


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## BikinGlynn (Dec 8, 2019)

Thats nice mate, how many places did u do out there!!!


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## HughieD (Dec 9, 2019)

Knocked 10 explores off in 4 days mate...


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## Sam Haltin (Dec 9, 2019)

Image 3964 I think is to do with "Long live the workers". https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/vive-st-eloi.html
I think there should be a symbol or figurine in that space.


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