SNCF veteran 'Patrick' left the factory in June 1978 and was used to carry out all the development tests for future TGV trains, leading to the construction of 109 trains in total.
In its first month, it reached a speed of 260km/h during the tests.
This train is different from other TGVs in terms of technology: it does not have the same engines, it does not necessarily have the same electronics and, from the driver's point of view, there is no computer assistance.
