Fast and surreal: Ashford to London on the high speed train
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By Chris Denham
It was fast, very fast.
From leaving Ashford to rolling to a halt at London St
Pancras, the train was in motion for exactly 29 minutes and 26
seconds.
As train driver Mick Harding said: "You don't notice how fast
you are going until you see the M20 and M2 and the traffic in the
fast lane is going past at the rate of knots. Then you realise you
are going at an incredible speed."
The high speed train was making its first run from Ashford to
London for the press, and it left at 8.48am on the nose. The
acceleration on to the high speed line was something to behold and
it really took off. Before long we were whipping past drivers on
the M20.
Arriving in St Pancras, north London, was surreal, as a normal
train would only just be leaving Tonbridge at that point.
It was a big day for Southeastern, which is banking on the
services to beat the recession and boost towns around the line. The
press run did not stop at Ebbsfleet so it was unusually quick - an
average speed of about 120mph.
The actual time scheduled time from Ashford to London will
still be a far from snail-like 37 minutes.
Sarah Boundy, from Southeastern, said: "What this does is it
opens up Kent to the rest of the UK. Kent can be a little
isolated but from December people will easily be able to
travel to other parts of the UK by rail. It should also make Kent
more attractive to business."
There have been voices of criticism, after the draft mainline
timetable showed a lack of direct trains to Charing Cross from
Folkestone and Dover.
Ms Boundy said: "There are changes but we have tried to keep
the existing level of services. They will still be able to get to
Charing Cross but with any change it will be better for some but
not all.I think what we can always say is that it is unliely to
change by December but we have taken on board people's views and
timetables are not set in stone and we will continue to look at
it."
So what is the journey like?
There is only one class on the HSTs, or bullet trains
depending on what you prefer, and the seating is typically firm (or
indeed supportive if you prefer) - it is all a long way from
sinking into the cushions of an old British Rail coach.
The design is a gentle blue colour and very restful, hardly
betraying the trains' Japanese origins.
You're not crammed in and there is plenty of space - as there
should be for the premium prices they charge.
Much of the high speed line from the town was built
behind bunds - earthen banks - to keep the sound down, so if it is
views you are after, you have to wait until Rainham Marshes on the
other side of the Thames.
That said, there is a nice moment where you cross the Medway
so close to cars on the M2 you can wave as you leave them in the
dust and it is nice to see traffic jammed ont he QE2 bridge at
Dartford as you fly by at 140mph.
The trains are not quiet at high speed, with some wind noise,
and there is a fair amount of sound in the tunnels. That said, they
are quieter on the classic routes and people will only be spending
a maximum of 37 minutes on the high speed line.
And yes, the woman with the nice voice still tells you where
you are, although my favourite was the computerised voice telling
you which coach you were sitting in: Marvin the Paranoid Android
has obviously found some new employment.
Former Network Rail man and railway journalist Phil Marsh
reckoned the service was a sign that everything was coming together
on the railways. He said: "The journey was under half an hour in
each direction, which is fantastic, and what this is is the train
coming together with the track.
"That may sound silly but in the past the people building the
trains didn't make sure they would work together - it cost £1bn to
upgrade the power supplies when the other Kent trains were brought
in. This is very could and should be applauded. It's a good news
story on the railways."
Thursday, June 18 2009
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