Compagnie du chemin de fer de Caen à la mer

On 9 August 1937, the concession was ended and powers transferred to the Courriers Normands, who signed a contract with the newly created SNCF to have its track maintained by the nationalised railways.

The proximity of the railway to the Juno landing beach offered the opportunity for a supply link inland, if the line could be repaired and provided with rolling stock.

The British 181st Railway Operating Company, Royal Engineers (181 ROC RE) were tasked with putting locomotives and wagons into service which had been landed on the ‘Nan’ sector of Juno beach.

They laid track across the beach to the existing line and soon re-instated a supplies service to Caen in co-operation with local railway staff.

By 1950, rail service only ran during the summer and the decision to close the 28 km (17 mi) long branch line took into effect on 8 December 1950.

Passenger cars were Bidel wooden carriages of which twenty were double decker coaches, identical to those used on Réseau Saint-Lazare.