First high speed passenger train hurtles through Kent
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The first High Speed Javelin train with passengers on board
is doing a return trip from London St Pancras to Ashford
International today.
It left London at around 7.45am and will hurtle at around 140mph
through the Kent countryside. The journey each way takes about 35
minutes.
KM Group business editor Trevor Sturgess is on board this
morning. He said: "We have always been a railway backwater, now at
long last this is going to transform the image of Kent.
"It will make it very attractive for businesses, commuters and
we may get people travelling from London to jobs in the
county."
My high-speed train thriller: read
reporter Chris Denham's first-hand account of a ride on the new
bullet train
Paul Clark, MP for Gillingham and Rainham and Transport
Minister, is also one of the passengers.
Audio: MP Paul Clark
spoke to kmfm's Jo Sword from on board the train
He said: "The train is extremely smooth, quite spacious and
state-of-the-art.
"Clearly a major investment has gone on in terms of making sure
the train is comfortable for the travelling public."
On the journey from Ashford international back to St Pancras,
the train made it in 29.26 minutes, traveling at 142.2mph.
Commuters will be able to try out the service themselves from
June 29 - five months ahead of the full service launch in
December.
Thursday, June 18 2009
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