The Jules Verne was an express train that linked Paris and Nantes in France. Operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer français (SNCF), it was the last new Trans Europ Express (TEE) to be introduced, in 1980.
The train was named after the French author Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes. It was replaced by a TGV in 1989.
The train operated on weekdays only. Starting in autumn 1983 the westbound train ran as a TEE on Mondays through Thursdays only and was replaced by a two-class Rapide on Fridays.[1]
Formation (consist)
Initially, Jules Verne was usually hauled by one of SNCF's Class CC 72000 [fr]diesel-electric locomotives. This class was later replaced by SNCF dual voltage, Class BB 22200 electric locomotives. Prior to that change, made in autumn 1983, the Jules Verne had been the last train in the TEE network to be regularly diesel-hauled.[1] However, Belgian diesel locomotives continued to be used occasionally on TEE trains between Brussels and Amsterdam.[1]
The train's original formation of rolling stock was a rake of SNCF Mistral 69-type DEV Inox coaches [fr], being an A4Dtux, two A8u, two A8tu, one A3rtu and one Vru.
On 10 May 1982, the train's rolling stock was replaced by SNCF Grand Confort coaches [fr], which were otherwise in the same formation. The Grand Confort coaches were painted in a distinctive red, orange, light grey and slate grey livery.[2]
Malaspina, Jean-Pierre; Mertens, Maurice (2007). TEE: la légende des Trans-Europ-Express [TEE: The Legend of the Trans Europ Express]. Auray: LR Presse. ISBN978-29-03651-45-9. (in French)
Malaspina, Jean-Pierre; Mertens, Maurice (2008). TEE: la leggenda dei Trans-Europ-Express [TEE: The Legend of the Trans Europ Express]. Salò: ETR – Editrice Trasporti su Rotaie. ISBN978-88-85068-31-5. (in Italian)
Mertens, Maurice; Malaspina, Jean-Pierre; von Mitzlaff, Berndt (2009). TEE - Die Geschichte des Trans-Europ-Express [TEE - The History of the Trans Europ Express]. Düsseldorf: Alba Publikation. ISBN978-3-87094-199-4. (in German)