FRANCE, Bonningues-les Ardres (Pas-de-Calais). 18/03/2019: Ancienne voie étroite de Anvin vers Coulogne. Chemin d'accès vers la gare, réaffectée en habitation. 50°47'13.998" N 2°0'46.998" E “The Battle for the Rail”. my contribution to an assignment by MAPS for the “Institut Pour La Photographie” in Lille about abandoned railway stations in the Hauts-de France. In Hauts-de-France as in Europe as a whole, the railways, intimately linked to the indus- trial era and the capitalism of the early 19th century, conveyed coal and the resulting social inequalities and struggles. In the second half of the 20th century, industry and the labour market diversified. The significant investment required to maintain an extensive rail network was no longer justified. The democratisation of the car in the 1960s drained all public investments: roads were tarmacked, countless roundabouts were built and railway stations were abandoned. Then came the 21st century: growth becomes sluggish, the car compounds global warming, petrol prices continue to rise. Driving a car is criticised for ecological reasons, while the yellow vests take over the roundabouts, strategic locations, essential for mobility. Social inequalities related to mobility resurface. Living in small villages becomes difficult. People leave them. Small towns are dying. Today, the railways struggle to perform efficiently and meet current challenges: a modified and environmentally friendly transport map. A money-making rail network is not going to become a railway serving individuals any time soon. As illustrated by the abandoned stations in the Somme, Pas-de-Calais and the Oise. The photographs were taken with a Leica S with a Summarit-S 35, kindly made available by LFI Magazine. #MAPS #MAPSimages #lfimagazine #institutpourlaphotographie https://mapsbase.photoshelter.com/.../C0000LEM2x.zmXCU https://www.instagram.com/p/CFgaqz0py7v/?igshid=9gf7fpgbjhuy