High Speed 1

High Speed 1
Description	Section 2 of High Speed 1, from Southfleet Junction to London St Pancras International
Country	United Kingdom
Time period	2023
Train Operating Company	Southeastern, Eurostar
Simulation difficulty
Author	Oxalin
Repository	High Speed 1
Website	High Speed 1
Rolling Stock	Class 373 Class 374 Class 395
Route map London St Pancras International North London Line East Coast Main Line Stratford International Temple Mills TMD Ripple Lane Freight Depot Wennington Crossovers Ebbsfleet International North Kent Line Chatham Main Line Ashford International and Channel Tunnel

High Speed 1 is the UK's first "high-speed" rail line. Running from St Pancras station in the north of London to Ashford on the south coast of England, the line was constructed in the 2000s primarily to provide a dedicated route for cross-Channel Eurostar services into the capital.

History

The Channel Tunnel linking England to France initially opened in 1994, however the lack of a dedicated line linking the tunnel to London proved problematic, with Eurostar services having to run along conventional rail routes to London Waterloo International, capped at 100mph and weaving between frequent commuter services. As such, London Continental Railways started construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), built to allow Eurostar to maintain much higher speeds, and using TVM-430 + KVB in-cab signalling as opposed to traditional line-side signals, much like was already present onthe French side of the tunnel.

The CTRL was constructed in two sections. Section one opened in 2003, and connected the Channel Tunnel to the Chatham Main Line at Fawkham Junction. This allowed trains to bypass most of Kent, but still required use of commuter lines to weave through suburban London into Waterloo International. As part of the project, Ashford station received a major overhaul and was rebranded Ashford International. Section two opened in 2007, and continued north from Southfleet Junction (where the line to Fawkham Junction diverged) to a new station at Ebbsfleet International. Here a link was also provided to the North Kent Line, but facing in the other direction (so trains could join heading towards London, but not the Channel Tunnel). The line then tunnels under the River Thames, before emerging at the north side of the Dartford Crossing. It runs at surface level for a distance to allow access to Ripple Lane Freight Depot, before tunneling again to reach another new station at Stratford International. Here, a link line was built to Temple Mills Depot to allow for Eurostar maintenance. Finally, another tunnel brings the line to London St Pancras International. In 2006, the brand name "High Speed 1" was adopted, although much lineside signage still refers to "CTRL".

Upon opening of the second phase, all Eurostar services were transferred to London St Pancras International, and the International platforms at London Waterloo were closed. These have subsequently been refurbished and reopened from 2018 to allow for more frequent suburban services to Windsor and Reading.

From 2009, Southeastern started operating a service from London St Pancras International branded "Southeastern High Speed", using new Class 395 "Javelin" trains. These use HS1 as far as Ebbsfleet International, where some continue to Ashford International and the remaining split off to join the North Kent Line, heading towards the Medway towns. This service was a factor in London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics, due to the quick 7-minute connection provided between London St Pancras and Stratford International, the location of the Olympic Park.

About the Simulation

This simulation includes High Speed 1 from London St Pancras International to Southfleet Junction, thus including the entirety of section 2 and all services that use the line.

Despite the name "Stratford International", no Eurostar services have ever actually called at the station. It is fully equipped with Customs and Border Control facilities, and could potentially be used in the future, but is currently seen as too close to central London to be worth calling at for Eurostar. As such, it has only ever seen domestic services provided by Southeastern. The intention was for the station to be used as the London stop for International services heading to other UK destinations and this may still come into being if, once HS2 is constructed, a link line joining the two high speed lines together is ever built.

Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International did receive a limited service from Eurostar alongside the domestic Southeastern service. This consisted of several trains a day at each station, generally only one of the two. Eurostar services at these stations were withdrawn at the start of the pandemic, and are not planned to return until at least 2025.

Timetable

The timetable included represents a Wednesday in January 2023, with the following services:

High Speed 1 Services
Train Operating Company	Origin	Destination	Frequency (tph)
Southeastern	London St Pancras International	Ramsgate via Faversham	1
		Ramsgate via Dover Priory	1
		Margate	1
Eurostar		Paris Nord	11tpd
		Amsterdam Centraal	4tpd
		Bruxelles Midi	3tpd

Several additional Southeastern services operate during the peak hours, and a limited freight service operates throughout the day.

Operational Tips

• Always try to stick to the platform allocations provided for St Pancras, as this has the best chance of allowing the simultaneous arrivals and departures sometimes required. In particular note that Eurostar services should always use P5-10, as these have border control and customs facilities, while Southeastern services should only use P11-13.
• Southeastern services should always stop at the inside platforms at Stratford International - the outside platforms are those equipped with customs facilities.
• Southeastern services continuing along HS1 to Ashford International should use the inside platforms at Ebbsfleet International - the outside platforms are those equipped with customs facilities.
• Southeastern services diverging from HS1 at Ebbsfleet should use the high level platforms (those at the top in the simulation).
• Where a freight or empty train is scheduled to stop at Ebbsfleet or Stratford, it is generally best to stop it in the platforms reserved for Eurostar services. This means it is out of the way, and wouldn't cause any issues due to the lack of passengers.
• Eurostar services, should, where possible, be routed on the avoiding lines through Stratford and Ebbsfleet, rather than platform lines. While this doesn't appear the most direct route in the simulation, only these lines are at maximum line speed so this is the best way to keep the train to schedule.
• A couple of Southeastern services join at St Pancras in the evening peak - keep an eye out for this.