Rail link between England and France
| High Speed 1 | |
|---|---|
 |
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High Speed 1 approaching the Medway Viaducts.
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| Overview | |
| Type |
High-speed rail Heavy rail |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale |
Greater London Essex Kent South East England |
| Termini |
London St Pancras Channel Tunnel (UK portal) |
| Stations | 4 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 2003 (Section 1) 2007 (Section 2) |
| Owner |
UK Government Borealis Infrastructure and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (concession until 2040) |
| Operator(s) | Eurostar, Southeastern, DB Cargo UK |
| Rolling stock | |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 108 km (67 mi) |
| Number of tracks | Double track throughout |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Loading gauge | UIC GC |
| Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz OHLE |
| Operating speed | 300 km/h (186 mph) on section 1, 230 km/h (143 mph) on section 2 |
High Speed 1 (HS1), legally the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), is a 108-kilometre (67 mi) high-speed railway between London and the United Kingdom end of the Channel Tunnel.
The line carries international passenger traffic between the United Kingdom and Continental Europe; it also carries domestic passenger traffic to and from stations in Kent and east London, and Berne gauge freight traffic. The line crosses the River Medway, and under the River Thames, terminating at St Pancras International station on the north side of central London. It cost £5.8 billion to build and opened on 14 November 2007. Trains reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph) on section 1 (Channel Tunnel to Fawkham Junction) and up to 230 kilometres per hour (143 mph) on section 2 (Ebbsfleet International to London St Pancras). Intermediate stations are at Stratford International in London, and Ebbsfleet International Station and Ashford International in Kent.
International passenger services are provided by Eurostar, with journey times of London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2 hours 15 minutes, and St Pancras to Brussels-South in 1 hour 51 minutes. As of November 2015, Eurostar has used a fleet of 27 Class 373/1 multi-system trains capable of 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph) and 320 kilometres per hour (199 mph) Class 374 trains. Domestic high-speed commuter services serving the intermediate stations and beyond began on 13 December 2009. The fleet of 29 Class 395 passenger trains reach speeds of 225 kilometres per hour (140 mph).DB Cargo UK run freight services on High Speed 1 using adapted Class 92 locomotives, enabling flat wagons carrying continental-size swap body containers to reach London for the first time.
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Wikipedia