“Friche Transpole” might not sound like much. However it is a place with stories etched into its very foundations. We are standing before what remains of the Ancien dépôt de Marcq-en-Barœul.
The Ancien dépôt de Marcq-en-Barœul was built in 1905. It rose alongside the Grand Boulevard. Alfred Mongy an engineer-entrepreneur was the creator. He secured the Grand Boulevard’s concession. He envisioned it as a major thoroughfare. It would feature an electric tramway.
Its inauguration was a grand affair. It happened December 4 1909. Two hundred guests celebrated the Grand Boulevard the tramway and the ELRT headquarters. ELRT was Électricité Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing. Mayors from Marcq-en-Barœul Lille Roubaix and Tourcoing were present. Originally only an administrative building stood to the right of the entrance. It housed services and a hangar-workshop.
A farm one of many in Marcq-en-Barœul stood to the left. It was Lille’s orchard. In 1930 it was razed. A facility for personnel was built. These were wattmen and controllers. This followed the construction of a second hangar-workshop in 1924. A new right wing was added in 1940. More hangar-workshops followed. This mirrored the tram’s growing success.
Initially there were 25 bogie railcars. They belonged to the 400 series. These were from the Franco-Belgian Society.
The ELRT was the first operator. It ran from 1909 to 1968. SNELRT followed from 1960 to 1981. SNELRT stands for Société nouvelle de l’électrique Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing. Cotrali then took over. Cotrali means Compagnie des transports de la Communauté urbaine de Lille. It was a merger of CGIT and SNELRT from 1981. The CUDL created in 1966 became the owner in 1970.
In 1982 the TCC acronym appeared. TCC stands for Transports en commun de la Communauté. Comeli merged with Cotrali in 1989. Comeli managed the metro. They operated under the TCC acronym. In 1994 TCC became Transpole. The depot in Marcq closed in 2012.
The Ancien dépôt de Marcq-en-Barœul covered 20487 square meters. It included administrative buildings railway tracks reserves hangars and workshops. These workshops handled forging mechanics painting and carpentry. They maintained and repaired railcars and wagons. The site became polluted with hydrocarbons. It required remediation. Security measures were put in place. Frequent patrols and concrete blocks at the entrance aimed to prevent intrusion. This was to deter travelers squatters and graffiti artists.
A mixed-use project was planned. It was part of the MEL’s industrial wasteland redevelopment. The Department a co-owner of the site was involved. The project included relocating the Rouges-Barres college. Textile company Toulemonde would expand. There would also be tertiary real estate.
Most of the Ancien dépôt de Marcq-en-Barœul was destroyed in 2018. A large-scale urban development is planned. The story of this place is more than just bricks and mortar. It speaks to the evolution of transportation. It highlights urban development and the changing face of our community. As we move forward remember the echoes of the past. They shape the foundations of our future.