2. Florence SMN-01.09.17

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2017 > 56. Holiday in Florence-31.08-06.09.17 > 2. Florence SMN-01.09.17

My first visit to explore the delights of the busy Florence SNM station. The SMN refers to the station's location just opposite the church of Santa Maria Novello. When originally built, the station was even closer to the church but it was expanded and rebuilt at it present spot in the 1930s.

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Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.

464.777, 14.38 Florence SMN-Pistoia (3066), Florence SMN station
464.777 waits at the rear of the 14.38 Florence SNN to Pistoria 3066 working. This is one of the modified class 464s for use with the new Vivalto two floor coaches.
Keywords: 464.777 14.38 Florence SMN-Pistoia 3066 Florence SMN station

464.652, 14.12 Pistola-Florence SMN (3059), Florence SMN station
464.652 enters Florence SMN station with the 14.12 from Pistoria. Pistoria is a popular tourist destination some 19 miles north west of Florence. A regular shuttle service using these new double-deck coaches and modified class 464s operates between the two places. Despite the fair weather cloud, this was a belting hot day!
Keywords: 464.652 14.12 Pistola-Florence SMN 3059 Florence SMN station

464.381, 13.53 Florence SMN-Pisa Central (23361), Florence SMN station
464.381 leaves platform one of Florence SMN station with the 13.53 Florence to Pisa Central , train number 23361. The class 464s were introduced in the 1990s and there are over 700 of them in service with the Italian operator Trenitalia.
Keywords: 464.381 13.53 Florence SMN-Pisa Central 23361 Florence SMN station

445.1089, 14.10 Florence SMN-Siena (11779), Florence SMN station
445.1089 is one of the third generation of Fiat built class of diesels that are operated by Ferrovie dello Stato (FS). There are around 170 of the class in service that were built between 1974 and 1988. It is seen here waiting at Florence SMN station to leave with the 11779 service, the 14.10 to Siena.
Keywords: 445.1089 14.10 Florence SMN-Siena 11779 Florence SMN station

500.018, 13.20 Milan Central-Naples Central (9533), Florence SMN station
ETR 500.018 sits at Florence SMN waiting to leave with the 13.20 Milan Central to Naples Central. These class 500s were introduced in the early 1990s for use on Italy's newly constructed high-speed network.
Keywords: 500.018 13.20 Milan Central-Naples Central 9533 Florence SMN station

501.018, 15.49 Florence SMN-Faenza (21473), Florence SMN station
The Italian's refer to these electric units as Minuetto elettrico's. They were constructed by Alstom and are part of the the Cordia family that are similar to a number of units in the UK. Here at Florence SMN 501.018 waits to leave with the 15.49 21473 train to Faenza.
Keywords: 501.018, 15.49 Florence SMN-Faenza (21473), Florence SMN station

668.3171, ECS, Florence SMN station
Veteran railcar 668.3171 arrives at Florence SMN station with ECS working that had come in from the depot just outside the station throat. These units were built between 1956 and 1983 with virtually all of them still in service today.
Keywords: 668.3171 ECS Florence SMN station

Concourse, Florence SMN station
The grand concourse of Florence SMN station, or in Italian 'Firenze Santa Maria Novella'.The vast glass skylights span the passenger concourse without any supporting columns, giving a feeling of openness and vast space. It is a busy station with 19 platforms. Unfortunately, during my visit there was evidence of a gate line being built the entire length of the station thus making access more difficult.
Keywords: Concourse Florence SMN station

Frontage, Florence SMN station
The rather brutalist but functional frontage of Florence Santa Maria Novella station. It was rebuilt in 1934 being moved further away from the church from which it gets its name. It is built to the Italian Modernism model being designed by a number of architects known as the Gruppo Toscano (Tuscan Group). Unfortunately, I cannot help feeling a little uncomfortable praising the station given that it was conceived and built under the orders of the facist dictator Mussolini. This was a dark time in Italy's past and one I don't like celebrating even if it is through its architecture.
Keywords: Frontage Florence SMN station

Florence SMN control tower (Closed)
Florence SMN control tower (signal box to you and I) is simply huge! It is attached to the heating plant that is behind it that provided heat to the nearby station. The control tower is now closed but remains standing but spoilt by the scourge of the graffiti 'artists' as they are so wrongly described.
Keywords: Florence SMN control tower

Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.