The opening of the UK to the operation of regular European sized freight trains on High Speed 1 was celebrated yesterday by the naming of a high speed freight locomotive.
The naming ceremony took place at DB Schenker Rail’s Channel Tunnel depot at Dollands Moor, near Folkestone, where DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd Chief Executive Alain Thauvette invited Brian Simpson MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, to pull a cord and officially name the locomotive ‘Marco Polo’.
The work to introduce rail freight services onto High Speed 1 has seen extensive testing take place over a five month period.
The result is that the larger and higher freight trains that operate across Europe can now be utilised on HS1 from the Channel Tunnel to London, which is the only European sized rail route in the UK
In delivering this project, new markets and new trading opportunities have been opened for businesses using these larger European freight trains, capturing the spirit of what the merchant traveller Marco Polo set out to achieve and record.
Alain Thauvette, Chief Executive of DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd, said:
“Today, with a liberalised rail freight sector, we have been able to truly realise the vision of transporting goods in the larger containers used as standard across Europe direct to the UK using High Speed 1.
“This enables significant growth in cross channel rail freight to occur.”
Mr Thauvette continued: “We expect to introduce the first of a number of regular services with larger European containers this autumn onto High Speed 1.
“With the potential of 15 of freight trains a week travelling across Europe to east London, this will help alleviate congestion on the M20 and M25 motorways as goods are moved from road to rail.”
Brian Simpson MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, said:
“Europe needs goods to move quickly and seamlessly across countries to get to markets, and reliable pan-European rail freight services are a key component to achieving that.
” The delivery of the project to open the UK to the larger freight trains used across Europe, and to introduce freight services onto High Speed 1, has successfully enhanced trading corridors.
“I look forward to this leading to modal shift from road to rail and a reduction in carbon emissions across Europe. I congratulate everyone involved in this significant rail freight project.”
The work to introduce rail freight services onto High Speed 1 has been supported by the European Commission’s Marco Polo programme.
Let’s hope this is the start of a gradual roll-out of european gauge across the UK – allowing us all to benefit from cheaper, standard EU-compatible signalling, locomotives and rolling stock.