I was surprised to find out that the class 395's maximum speed on HS1 is only 140mph. This seems rather low compared to Eurostar's 186mph. Why were the 395s specified for a much lower top speed? It seems a bit silly to invest in a high speed line and then run only one service (Eurostar) at speeds above what the existing mainlines are theoretically capable of (admittedly only in certain stretches, and requiring in cab signalling and maybe tilt capability).
Would journey times be materially improved by using a faster train?
Would using a faster train open more capacity?
Is there ever a problem of Eurostar services getting stuck behind a "slow" southeastern service?
Might we ever see other 140 capable classes (80x, 390, IC225?) running on HS1 if 140mph is all that is expected?
Would journey times be materially improved by using a faster train?
Would using a faster train open more capacity?
Is there ever a problem of Eurostar services getting stuck behind a "slow" southeastern service?
Might we ever see other 140 capable classes (80x, 390, IC225?) running on HS1 if 140mph is all that is expected?