Oiseau Bleu (train run)
The Oiseau Bleu was an express train that connected the Gare du Nord in Paris with Belgium . It operated from 1929 until the mid-1980s. The name is derived from the play L'Oiseau bleu (German: The Blue Bird ) by the Belgian author Maurice Maeterlinck .
history
The Oiseau Bleu operated between Paris , Brussels and Antwerp since May 16, 1929. The Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits operated the train, which was classified as a luxury train . The train consisted of 1st and 2nd class Pullman cars and was operated by Pulled steam locomotives. The Oiseau Bleu was extended to Amsterdam in 1935, where it shared the route with the Étoile du Nord .
On June 1, 1947, the Oiseau Bleu resumed service after an interruption due to the war. Both Pullman cars and ordinary first and second class cars were used. The connection was initially limited to Paris – Brussels and was no longer run as a luxury train, but as a normal express train.
Trans Europ Express
On June 2, 1957, the Oiseau Bleu was converted into a Trans-Europ-Express . The TEE Oiseau Bleu consisted of SBB RAm TEE / NS DE IV diesel units until May 31, 1964 , which is remarkable in that neither the Dutch nor the Swiss rail network was used. The SNCF , the National Society of Belgian Railways and the NS used diesel locomotives to circumvent the problems caused by the use of different electricity systems. Between May 31, 1964 and August 1, 1964, provisional locomotive-hauled units were used. On August 2, 1964, Inox-PBA wagons were used. From May 23, 1971, the Oiseau Bleu was pulled by a CC 40100 . On June 3, 1984 the Oiseau Bleu was discontinued.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jörg Hajt: The great TEE book , Königswinter, Heel-Verlag, 2001, p. 98
- ↑ Nederlands-Zwitserse TEE , p. 123.
- ↑ Nederlands-Zwitserse TEE , p. 140.
- ↑ La Légende des TEE , p. 179.