Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The central station of Rennes station, built in 1939 and equipped in 1941 by Mors company, was the last mechanical switch of this type in operation in Europe. Located on the west side of the passenger building, it housed on the ground floor a hall and areas for switchboards, while the upper floors housed the relay room and the control cabin with its Mors combinator. Its atypical architecture, aligned along Pier 1 rather than at the centre of the tracks, reflected an ambitious modernisation of the Breton railway network.

In 1941, the station was equipped with an innovative system of horizontal route levers, technology deployed by Mors in only six French stations, of which Rennes was the last. In 1964, in the face of the electrification of the Le Mans-Rennes line, the equipment was dismantled and modernised, from 80 to 138 levers, with the reuse of parts from the Caen station. This renovation, coupled with the addition of control tables for catenaries and signals, allowed its operation until 2018, when it was replaced by a centralized control centre.

Ranked a historic monument in 2020 for its "exceptional character in the history of railway techniques", the building retains intact its original equipment, including bars, cables and Mors combinator. Its exterior, painted in white since 1965, and its interior fittings (such as the partial suppression of the courtyard in 1990) show successive adaptations. Today, the Rails and History Association organises visits during Heritage Days, highlighting its status as the last European vestige of this technology.

The central position illustrates the evolution of switch jobs, from manual levers to automation. Its registration protects both the building and all its technical equipment, offering a unique testimony to the innovations of Mors, the main supplier of French railway companies in the 20th century. The re-use of rooms at Caen Post in 1964 and subsequent renovations (1990, 2010) reflect a constant desire to preserve this functional heritage.

Its final stop in 2018, after 77 years of service, marked the end of an era for mechanical switch stations in France. The transfer of orders to the new centre of Saint-Hélier, linked to the commissioning of the LGV Le Mans-Rennes, sealed its destiny as a heritage monument. Today, its strategic location — between the train station buffet (1913) and the SNCF administrative buildings — makes it a key element of Breton railway history, accessible from Pier 1 or Beaumont Boulevard.

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