Summer 1957-Winter 1957/58
TEE 74 - Saphir
Introduced in the summer of 1957 as an early connection between Dortmund and
the Belgian coast. Stops: Dortmund-Bochum-Essen-Duisburg-Düsseldorf-Köln-
Aachen-Herbesthal-Verviers-Liège-Brussel Noord-Bruxelles Midi-Gent-
Brugge-Oostende. Departure about 8.15, arrival about 14.00. Already in
the summer of 1958 modified and renumbered to TEE 19.
TEE 75 - Saphir
Reversal of TEE 74 but omitting the stop in Herbesthal. Departure about
16.10, arrival about 21.50. Renumbered (and modified) in TEE 20.
Summer 1958-Winter 1970/71
TEE 19 - Saphir
Modification of TEE 74: Frankfurt-Oostende with new route Frankfurt-Mainz-
Koblenz-Bonn-Köln/Köln-Aachen. Departure about 7.15, arrival 14.00.
The first summer and following winter run jointly with
Rhein-Main. In the summer of 1959 route
changed to Frankfurt-Wiesbaden/Wiesbaden-Koblenz-. In the summer of
1966 the stop in Herbesthal was abandoned. Also the route was shortened
to Bruxelles Midi (departure at that time 8.20, arrival 13.15).
Speeded up 10 minutes (departure 10 minutes later) in the summer of
1968. Slowed down again (arrival 10 minutes later) in the winter of
1970/71. Renumbered in TEE 20.
TEE 20 - Saphir
Like TEE 19 a modification of TEE 75: Oostende-Frankfurt (but again no
stop in Herbesthal. Departure about 8.15, arrival about 22.30. Also here
the route changed in 1959, but the stop in Herbesthal was added. In the
summer of 1962 the stops in Verviers and Herbesthal were abandoned, but
Verviers was introduced again in the summer of 1966. That same year the
route was shortened to Bruxelles Midi (departure 16.55, arrival 22.00).
Speeded up 10 minutes (arrival 10 minutes earlier) in the summer of 1968.
Renumbered in TEE 21.
Summer 1971-Winter 1978/79
TEE 20 - Saphir
Renumbering of TEE 19. Route modified (and lengthened) to Nürnberg-
Würzburg-Aschaffenburg-Frankfurt/Frankfurt-Mainz-Koblenz- in the winter
of 1971/72. Departure about 6.25, arrival 13.30; slowed down considerably
in the summer of 1972 with a departure of 6.05 (same arrival). In the
summer of 1975 a stop was added in Bruxelles Central. In the summers of
1977 and 1978 (daylight saving time in Germany but not in Belgium) arrival
was one hour later. In the summer of 1978 shortened to Frankfurt
abandoned in the summer of 1979.
TEE 21 - Saphir
Successor of TEE 21. Running considerably delayed in the winter of 1971/72
(departure about 18.05, arrival 23.05), slowed down by 10 minutes in the
summer of 1972 (arrival 10 minutes later). Speeded up again by 10 minutes
(departure 10 minutes later) in the summer of 1975 with an added stop
in Bruxelles Central. During the summers of 1977 and 1978 (DST in Germany)
the train departed in Brussels one hour later. Abandoned in the summer
of 1979.
Maps:
- Summer 1957 - Winter 1957/58
- Summer 1958 - Winter 1958/59
- Summer 1959 - Winter 1965/66
- Summer 1966 - Summer 1971
- Winter 1971/72 - Winter 1977/78
- Summer 1978 - Winter 1978/79