Even as the BB12000, 13000 , CC14000 and CC14100 were being delivered, the SNCF decided to acquire two new types of locomotives, a mixed traffic loco for freight and passengers the BB 16500 and a high speed locomotive, the BB 16000. The BB9200 was derived from the BB9003 and 9004 and was very reliable, hence the BB16000 was built with the same bodyshell and Jacquemin bogies. The first units with ignitrons were delivered in1958 and were assigned to Strasbourg depot and used to haul express trains between Metz and Strasbourg as well as international trains coming from the north of Europe replacing the BB13000. The subsequent locos were based at Lens depot and dealt with express trains between Paris and Lille with the DEV stainless steel carriages. As the 25kV electrification advanced hence the operating range of the BB16000 extended gradually and in the 1960’s they connected Strasbourg and Metz to Paris allowing the elimination of the last steam locos on this major axis. BB 16028 was converted into the prototype BB20005 loco in order to allow the development of dual voltage BB25100’s and 25200’s which were built to operate on AC and DC across the network. From 1964 the majority of the international trains connecting Paris with Brussels and Amsterdam were entrusted to the new CC40100 , but the arrival of 25kV overhead line in the North-West of France made it possible for the BB16000 to go to Le Havre. From the early 1970’s they hauled the prestigious named trains of the Klébert and the Stanislas alongside the CC40100’s with the TEE Grand-Confort coaches until the arrival of the new BB15000 which took over in 1971. As the BB15000’s gradually took over haulage of all the passenger trains in the east of France, all the locos machines were transferred to La Chapelle depot and were seen on many of the express trains around the north of France. A few locos were modified to operate in Push-Pull mode with the Corail coaches between Paris and Le Havre and wore a special matching livery. The arrival of the TGV Network in 1993 allowed the withdrawal of the first CC40100 and the BB16000 lost a good part of their workload. In the same year V 2N were delivered and this allowed some of the BB16000’s to undergo major conversion to become BB16100 which were specifically designed to operate with the new coaches. The electrification of the line between Paris, Caen and Cherbourg in 1996 saw the progressive relocation of the BB16000 to Achères where they consequently shared the haulage of passenger trains alongside the BB26000 replacing the RTG’s . In spite of their age, their good performance and their power still guarantees them a few years of life at the head of passenger trains in the north and the west of France before their withdrawal.

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BB16008 (centre) in company with BB12025 and BB16502

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