SNCF_GC_in1.jpg (72902 bytes)

Interior of a 1st class Grand Confort TEE car of the SNCF, with wide chairs and electric venetian blinds in the double windows. (1991) Photo: tobias b köhler

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Interior of a 2nd class Grand Confort car of the SNCF. Some of the ex-TEE coaches were rebuilt with more seats, so that trains such as «Le Capitôle» could also offer the 2nd class. (1991) Photo: tobias b köhler

TEE-GC_A3rtu_z1.jpg (39002 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". Bar/1st-class car (A3rtu): Bar area, with very friendly staff, as was usually the case... 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A3rtu_z2.jpg (37281 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". Bar/1st-class car (A3rtu): Bar area, designed to the highest standards of the late-60s, with a great deal of copper. The gueridon in the foreground was regarded as of the finest taste back then... 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

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TEE "Grand Confort". Bar/1st-class car (A3rtu): Bar area, with the 7-m counter well in evidence... 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A3rtu_z4.jpg (30504 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": Evening peak in the Bar/1st-class car (A3rtu) of Rapide (à supplément) 77 "Capitole du Soir" (Paris Austerlitz--->Toulouse Matabiau). Bar accommodation was very popular on board of that train, with people looking to relax after a busy day in Paris and to enjoy their 6-hr journey. LGV Atlantique had just opened in full (30th September 1990), but the final countdown for this flagship service had hardly begun, as only 1 daily TGV service would run on Paris-Toulouse via Bordeaux at that time... November 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

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TEE "Grand Confort". Bar/1st-class car (A3rtu): (smoking) 1st-class saloon (18 facing seats). 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z1.jpg (32023 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu): vestibule, looking towards the saloon. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z2.jpg (42868 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu), seen in the consist of Rapide 180 (à supplément) "Aquitaine" (Bordeaux St Jean--->Paris Austerlitz). 1989. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z3.jpg (30111 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu), seen in the consist of Rapide 180 (à supplément) "Aquitaine" (Bordeaux St Jean--->Paris Austerlitz). 1989. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z4.jpg (36531 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu), seen in the consist of Rapide 76 (à supplément) "Capitole du Soir" (Toulouse Matabiau--->Paris Austerlitz). Loadings were usually rather low in the Summer holiday. 22nd August 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z5.jpg (37509 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu), seen in the consist of Rapide 76 (à supplément) "Capitole du Soir" (Toulouse Matabiau--->Paris Austerlitz). One can notice that some of the anti-macassars still featured the "TEE" logo, although this service had been downgraded from "TEE" to a dual-class "Rapide" (à supplément) on 23rd May 1982. 22nd August 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z6.jpg (37675 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu), seen in the consist of Rapide 74 (à supplément) "Capitole du Matin" (Toulouse Matabiau--->Paris Austerlitz). This pic was taken at Lunchtime, somewhere between Châteauroux and Paris. The at-seat lunch service was quite popular, in spite of being definitely not cheap, and coming on top of an already inflated ticket fare (TCV+Supplement+Compulsory booking fee)... October 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z7.jpg (39195 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu), seen in the consist of Rapide 77 (à supplément) "Capitole du Soir" (Paris Austerlitz--->Toulouse Matabiau). This pic was taken at Dinner time, somewhere between Orléans and Limoges. The at-seat dinner service was very popular, in spite of being definitely not cheap, and coming on top of an already inflated ticket rate (TCV+Supplement+Compulsory booking fee)... Doubtless a nice way to relax after a busy day in Paris and to make your 6-hr journey a very privileged experience... November 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8tu_z8.jpg (41632 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class, Open-room car (A8tu). As any French top-tier rolling-stock designed in the 50s and the 60s, "Grand Confort" cars would feature various engravings. In this respect, the Strasburg Cathedral was quite common place... 22nd August 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8u_z1.jpg (22631 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class Compartment-car (A8u): side-corridor, not so roomy, owing to the carbody profile, which was to allow for subsequent tilting-operation (never occurred). 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8u_z2.jpg (38838 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class Compartment-car (A8u). 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8u_z3.jpg (37413 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class Compartment-car (A8u). One can spot a "TEE" label in one of the anti-macassars. 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_A8u_z4.jpg (31661 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 1st-class Compartment-car (A8u). 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_B8u_z1.jpg (19175 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". 2nd-class Compartment-car (B8u, ex-A8u): side-corridor. When this car was rebuilt into 2nd-class accommodation (1982/1983), compartments were enlarged at the expense of this corridor, so as to make room for 2x4 seats (instead of 2x3 hitherto). In an attempt to make the side-corridor not too cramped, compartments lost their doors, and thence became semi-open. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_B8u_z2.jpg (42225 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 2nd-class Compartment-car (B8u, ex-A8u): 8 seats per compartment, in line with SNCF standards in domestic traffic. Original ambience had largely remained, notwithstanding the declassification (1982/1983). Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_B8u_z3.jpg (38780 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 2nd-class Compartment-car (B8u, ex-A8u): 8 seats per compartment, in line with SNCF standards in domestic traffic. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_B9_5tu_z1.jpg (36270 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": 2nd-class open-room car (B9½tu, ex-A8tu): saloon. When this car was rebuilt into 2nd-class accommodation (1982/1983), 3 extra rows were added, thence increasing capacity from 46 to 76 seats... That remodelling had largely preserved the original ambience, designed to the standards of the late-60s... 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_Dtux_z1.jpg (38189 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". Generator/Luggage-van/1st-class car (B3Dtux): Passenger saloon (22 seats), still in original condition, yet marketed as 2nd-class accommodation since the late-80s. 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_Dtux_z2.jpg (28639 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". Generator/Luggage-van/1st-class car (B3Dtux): Generator, fitted with a Poyaud engine (480kW), designed to supply up to 14 cars at the same time. 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_Vru_z1.jpg (53929 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". Restaurant-car (Vru): entry to the dining-room. 1990. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_Vru_z2.jpg (46309 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort". Restaurant-car (Vru): dining-room, at Lunchtime. This pic was taken on Rapide 75 "Capitole du Matin" (Paris Austerlitz--->Toulouse Matabiau), somewhere between Cahors and Toulouse. 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_Vru_z3.jpg (44592 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": Restaurant-car (Vru), diagrammed on a Rapide (à supplément) "Capitole" (Paris Austerlitz<--->Toulouse Matabiau). Some members of the crew: the guard in its old uniform, the Chef and the Restaurant waiter. All smacking of a remote past and of defunct yet special way of travelling... 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).

TEE-GC_Vru_z4.jpg (15669 bytes)

TEE "Grand Confort": Menu served at the Restaurant-car, and also in some 1st-class, open-room cars (A8tu): • Hors d'Oeuvre: Rabbit in Jelly • Main course: Lamb navarin or Beef tenderloin in butter sauce, both served with vegetables in jardinière • Season Salad • Cheese • Desserts • Fruit • Coffee. All that definitely smacked of a typical, long French meal, commensurate with the price: 225 FRF at that time, viz. some EUR 40-45 in 2005... 13th April 1991. Photo by Arnaud Grandclaude (Acknowledgements). Posting and comment by P.L.Guillemin (plguillemin@yahoo.fr).