HJ4205 SNCF, 4-unit set of TEE "Mistral 69" coaches "Jules Verne", no. 1/2, ep. IV

The TEE "Jules Verne" operated in the morning from Nantes to Paris under the number TEE 30 and in the late afternoon from Paris to Nantes under the number TEE 31, with a single intermediate stop in Angers. When it was launched on September 28, 1980, it was hauled by a CC 72000, even on the electrified section between Le Mans and Paris. Its operating hours were similar to those of the “Maine Océan”, and the journey time was 3 hours and 17 minutes each way.

The carriages of the new Jouef HJ4205 and HJ4206HM models are equipped with the innovative contact lighting system, which operates in both analogue and digital modes. This system is activated simply by touching a specific point on the upper roof of each car with a fingertip.

Additionally, the pack HJ4206HM comes with a Hornby BLE sound decoder that reproduces the original diesel engine sound of the generator car. This decoder can be controlled via Bluetooth using your mobile phone or tablet, without the need for an existing digital system, or via DCC, of ​​course.

History:

Almost 10 years ago, we developed a new set of CIWL coaches. These models are very popular, but after many years on the market, we were looking for something new to make them even more attractive. That’s how we first equipped some items with interior lighting. Inspired by the success of these models, we began looking for ways to satisfy both DC and DCC customers—without installing expensive decoders in the models.

The solution we found was the CLS (Contact Light System) with its memory function, an idea later adopted by several competitors. At shows, many modellers asked us to extend the use of CLS to all our Jouef items, including the Mistral ’69 coaches.

Around the same time, one of our collaborators provided us with a recording of the diesel generator inside the A4Dtux coaches. Combined with the CLS concept and the new Hornby Bluetooth decoders of the HM7000 system, the idea for the TEE “Jules Verne” (HJ4205 and HJ4206HM) was born.

Both the interior lighting and the sound decoder inside the generator van can be used on DC and DCC layouts. Just as on the real train, the generator primarily serves as a stable power supply when the train is not coupled to a locomotive capable of providing electricity for the air conditioning and the restaurant car.

With that in mind—and considering that the sound decoder can operate with any type of track power and connects directly to the HM|DCC app on your mobile phone or tablet via Bluetooth—the generator can also be started on a DC layout. Of course, the DC supply must be stable for this. On a digitally controlled layout, naturally, there are no such limitations, and the generator sound can be activated at any time, either under DCC control or via Bluetooth. The red taillights are also functional under digital control.