Le Petit Train De La Mure

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1st man, followed by 1st woman, casts off below 2nd man, crosses up between 2nd couple, casts off below 3rd woman and crosses over to 3rd place own side. 2nd and 3rd couples step up together on bars 7-8. The order is now 2,3,1.
9-12 3rd couple, passing each other left shoulder, dance half a right shoulder diagonal reel of four with their 1st corners. 3rd couple end dancing left shoulder round each other to face their 4th corners.
13-16 3rd couple dance half a diagonal reel of four with their 4th corners and end passing left shoulder to 2nd place opposite sides. The order is now 1,3,2 with all on opposite sides.
17-24 1st and 2nd couples (in 1st and 3rd places) dance the "English Rose":
 1st woman and 2nd man half turn with both hands to face each other, cast away to the opposite corner and then chase half way round clockwise.
 Meanwhile 1st man and 2nd woman chase a quarter round clockwise, then half turn with both hands to face each other, cast away to the opposite corner and chase another quarter clockwise.
All the half turns are on the 1st diagonal and all end where they started the figure.
25-32 All circle six hands round to the left for 2 bars. Then all dance in slightly, release hands, pull back left shoulder and chase round about three quarters anticlockwise to end on their own sides in the order 2,3,1.
2nd man can stay facing out for the repeat.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2024)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

Le Petit Train De La Mure - Full Size And Key To Symbols

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Dance Information

They live south of Grenoble, near the town of La Mure which has a scenic mountain railway.

Jacques and Lisou are involved in SCD groups in Grenoble and also in La Mure.

The "English Rose" figure comes from Bruce Herbold and his English Country Dance "A Bouquet for Mrs. Green". It is a non-progressive variation of the Rose Progression by Rod Downey. In this dance it is done in 1st and 3rd places instead of two adjacent places.

Recommended music: Suggested tune to be decided; suitable recording possibly Kildonan Sands (Ian Robertson and Muriel Johnstone: Full Circle).

(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2024)

The line connects Saint-Georges-de-Commiers with La Mure and was originally constructed to transport anthracite coal from the Matheysine mining district. Construction took place between 1882 and 1886, and the railway was inaugurated on 24 July 1888 before opening to traffic on 1 August 1888.

The railway is approximately 30 kilometres long and passes through mountainous terrain above the Drac valley. The route includes numerous engineering structures, including tunnels and viaducts. Contemporary records state that the line contains more than 140 civil engineering works, including several major viaducts and a series of tunnels with a combined length exceeding four kilometres.

Steam locomotives operated the railway from its opening. In 1903, the line became electrically operated using a direct-current system supplied through twin overhead wires carrying positive and negative 1,200-volt current. The original arrangement was replaced in 1950 by a conventional 2,400-volt direct-current overhead system. The railway carried both passengers and freight, although its principal traffic consisted of coal from the local mines.

Regular public passenger services ended on 2 February 1950. Trains for mine workers continued until 1962. Coal traffic remained in operation until 18 October 1988, after which transport was transferred to road vehicles. The Matheysine coal mines closed permanently in 1997.

Tourist trains began operating on the line in 1968 and expanded after the end of freight operations. In 2010, a landslide damaged part of the route, including the Viaduc de la Clapisse and the entrance to a tunnel, forcing closure of the railway. Repair and reconstruction work followed, and a section of the line reopened to visitors in July 2021.

Tourist services now operate from La Mure to the viewpoint known as the Grand Balcon, overlooking the Monteynard reservoir and surrounding Alpine landscape.

Le Petit Train De La Mure

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