New HSR commuter service starts in the UK

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

On Monday 29/06/09 a new High-speed rail service for commuters starts from Ashford (Kent) to London St. Pancras via Ebbsfleet (Northfleet next to Gravesend).  Using new Pendolino trains on the same track as the Eurostar at speeds of 140mph which is actually slower than the Eurostar trains. It reduces the time taken to travel to 39 and 17 minutes, compared to the current times of Ashford- London Victoria at 1hr20mins and Gravesend/Northfleet to London Charing Cross or Cannon Street at 45-60minutes. Full service to the Ashford and the Kent coast is expected to begin in December.

[krbe 193]

Link to an article, for those who prefer that.

Oh, and the train operated is the Hitachi Javelin.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: krbe

Link to an article, for those who prefer that.

Oh, and the train operated is the Hitachi Javelin.

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The trains have been running trails this week.

Some facts additional to those in the article.

Ebbsfleet Station is built on the site of the Ebbsfleet river, used by the Romans to build their ships which then sailed up the short river into the Thames and away to sea. The river forms the boundaries of the towns of Northfleet and Swanscombe, 1/2 a mile to the east and west respectively. It also forms the boundaries of the boroughs of Gravesham and Dartford. Gravesend is about 2 miles east and Dartford about 5 miles west. Bluewater (one of Europes largest shopping malls) is about 2 miles west of the station. There is also a local station here which will join to the North Kent line, for trains to Gravesend and the Medway Towns (Strood, Rochester (a city), Chatham and Gillingham).

Stratford station (East London) is near to the 2012 Olympic site.

St. Pancras was saved from demolition during the sixties and has been rebuilt in the last few years, reopening about 2 years ago.

The pictures in the article show the Medway bridges (nearest HSR, other two are the M2 Motorway).

A tunnel boring machine (one is now a museum piece near Folkestone).

The inside of one of the Channel Tunnels (there are two train tunnels and an emergency tunnel between).

Ebbsfleet International Station. 

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Todays News Report

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8123798.stm