Less powerful, but longer than the BB 9001 and 9002 of Swiss design, the BB9003 and 9004 locomotives were built by the MTE group (Matériel de Traction Électrique) in 1952. Their innovative aesthetics emphasised their body with their aerodynamic shaped ends which was desirable for high speed running. In spite of their maximum speed limited of 140 km/h (85 mile/h) when hauling passenger and freight trains on the Paris-Lyon route, one of the two locomotives  was destined to propel SNCF to the forefront of the international railway scene. In 1955, the day after CC7107attained the rail world speed record BB9004 took its turn on March 29, on the famous des Landes line and reached the same speed as Alsthom’s CC7100 i.e. 331 km/h.

BB 9003 was the first locomotive in the world to undertake remote-control operation on the line connecting Paris and Le Mans. After the test running, these robust locomotives often appeared in the locomotive roster of Paris Charolais depot and continued to haul passenger and freight trains between Paris and Lyon alongside the CC7100’s, BB8100’s and 2D2 9100’s. Their re-allocation to Montrouge depot was completed in 1958 after which they operated between Paris-Montparnasse and Le Mans. They ended up in the south-east of France following transfer to Villeneuve depot and they hauled slow trains between Laroche and Sens and even some express trains to Dijon or Lyon. Their last depot was Avignon from where they hauled freight transfer trains between the yards at Doors lès Valence and Miramas.