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Tuesday 12 January 2016

HS1 Captured

Still stuck down in Kent but today I finally got to get close to the bridge I can see from my old bedroom and find out what it's like to have a Eurostar hammering by at close quarters. I was delighted to discover a decent viewing place that afforded a brilliant view. What wasn't good though was the distinct lack of use HS1 gets. I have no idea how much the line cost in total but surely there should be more than 3 trains an hour. Why has no one suggested extending it to Manston airport in Kent, for example and turning that into London's third airport. Got to be cheaper than a third runway at Heathrow. If it doesn't link up with HS2 someone needs shooting.

Anyway despite the coldest wind of the winter blowing straight at me I persevered and waited for the trains to arrive. Firstly a Southeastern Javelin went by at 125mph impressively quietly. I decided to video rather than try photography.



That was fast enough, but I have seen Eurostar trains go over that bridge in a flash and wanted to capture that. I'm quite pleased with the result and knowing trains in East Anglia aren't the fastest in the country thought those of you who haven't witnessed a Eurostar at speed might like to see it. A reminder they are 18 coaches long. No idea of the fleet number for pretty obvious reasons! More on the North Kent scene the longer I'm down here!


3 comments:

  1. Awesome!!! And the whoosh sound is mega top marks that man !

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  2. Andrew Kleissner13 January 2016 at 08:24

    To be fair, the line is busier during peak hours, but there still aren't more than 5 or 6 trains per hour.

    I wonder if the issues are either tailoring the services to demand levels; or, more likely, fitting the trains into the timetable off the HS1 network with enough leeway to avoid delays. For instance, Eurostars have to share the tunnel with Shuttles and freight trains, while Javelins have to get onto the ordinary SE system at Ashford.

    I don't know though. One would have thought the line capacity could be as much as 20 tph.

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