Eurostars First Generation Trains Become Museum Pieces

Image courtesy of Eurostar

Ahead of the launch of the new fleet of cars at the end of this year, Eurostars first fleet of power cars takes centre stage in the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum in York as part of an exhibition of how Eurostar has affected European travel.

The train will be a permanent exhibit in the National Collection, updating the Museums history of railways, seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The car was donated to form part of a fascinating exhibition on Eurostar, focusing on the impact the high-speed line has had on travel between the UK and the continent. The innovative car is an exemplar of modern engineering, with an average operating speed of 300km/h. It was a member of the same generation of trains which holds the UK rail speed record of 334.7km/h.

The car which has been donated is a Eurostar Class 373 that ran as a passenger train between London, Paris and Brussels. It was in use from November 1994. This train was part of a fleet which has transported more than 150million passengers, travelling from London to Paris in 2 hours 15 minutes, and from London to Brussels in two hours.

Interpretation Developer, National Railway Museum, Jane Sparkes, said:

The acquisition of one of Eurostars iconic power cars is hugely exciting for the National Railway Museum. Were delighted to see it displayed alongside the other high-speed record breakers and history makers in our Great Hall. Im sure visitors will enjoy learning more about Eurostars crucial role in modern railway history.

Chief Executive Officer, Eurostar, Nicolas Petrovic, said:

Our new fleet of trains will start to enter service by the end of the year, allowing us to take more passengers further into Europe than ever before. The combination of state-of-the-art design, unparalleled comfort and environmental efficiency of our new fleet means that we are well placed to serve the growing demand as passengers increasingly opt for high-speed rail over plane.
The donation of one of our first generation power cars is a chance to acknowledge the historic role our service has played in connecting the UK and mainland Europe. Eurostar is a true example of collaboration between national railways and the rail industry, providing inspiration for other global high-speed rail projects.