"When I was a child, in the 1950s, we still traveled from Paris to Bordeaux in a train pulled by a steam locomotive," remembers Philippe Galland. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the France rail network accelerated the electrification of its lines. A modernization in which Galland actively participated. Read the saga:
1951: founding drawing
Philippe Galland's grandfather designed one of the first section insulators. This former master mechanic in the navy designed his parts based on the model of boat fittings: thin, airy and solid elements that facilitate the work of workers perched 12 m high.
1952: “Paris-Lyon” goes electric
In June 1952, electric traction replaced the steam trailer on the Chalon-Lyon line, then the new system was extended to the entire Paris-Lyon line.
This technical feat is made possible thanks, in particular, to the Galland section insulators. The company has signed a partnership with the SNCF.
1955: speed record in the Landes
March 28 and 29, 1955, marked the history of French railways: on the Bordeaux-Dax line, a train reached 331 km/h for the first time. Guess which company was chosen for the reliability and lightness of its section insulators?
1961: the Bélier foundries
To create his own pieces and respect his quality criteria, Jacques Galland (Philippe's father) created the Bélier foundry and workshops in 1961, in Vérac. The circle is complete: Jacques' father had bought a country house in the region with the money from the patents filed in 1936.
1960: on the road to India
Due to its national success, SNCF was chosen by India to participate in the electrification of the country's lines. Galland, a partner of SNCF, was then part of the adventure. Jacques Galland founded a company on site, co-managed by local partners. These were Galland's first steps internationally...
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