British Rail Class 374
As Euro Star 320 ( also Euro Star e320, Euro Star E320 or Class 374) is a planned series of high- speed trains for the Euro Star Group designates that should go at the earliest in 2015 as a supplement to the existing Euro Tunnel trains TGV (designation Class 373) in operation. The ten ordered trains are designed for a maximum speed of 320 km / h and form the fifth version of the Velaro platform manufacturer Siemens Rail Systems.
The trains are being admitted for Belgium, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands. An authorization in Germany is not provided because the German railway intends to offer themselves compounds of Germany through the Euro tunnel.
Design and technology
The 390 meter-long trains are composed of two end and 14 trailers, are made of aluminum car bodies and be continuously passable. They each carry four pantograph for railway power systems 1.5 and 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC for. A kit for use in Germany 15 kV AC, including four additional pantograph is provided as an option.
The trainsets are in accordance with the Velaro platform possess the distributed drive in which several axes are driven distributed throughout the train. This is a special connector for easy separation of the train is attached to the integrated passenger -car connection between the driven carriage 8 and 9. Each half is self-employed, so that disturbances in one half of the other remains operational. However, it is so no rides for eight-part half-moves, as usual, give to other Velaro series. In contrast, the existing tunnel trains TGV (name Class 373) are driven by pure power heads.
Equipment
The trainsets will provide a capacity of 900 seats and a top speed of 320 km / hr. Due to the security requirements of the Channel Tunnel trains must remain ready to drive 30 minutes in the event of a fire, so they are equipped with fire fighting equipment and fire doors.
History
At a press conference on 7 October 2010 Euro Star was known in London, an order for ten new high-speed trains with a top speed of 320 km / h of the manufacturer Siemens forgive. The investment of 700 million British pounds, which includes modernization of the existing fleet, will be financed through own funds and banks. The contract value of the new trains was estimated later with around 700 million euros. In addition, the conversion of the London Temple Mills depot for future maintenance of the Euro Star 320 is part of the contract.
The transport company Euro Star Group, based in London, consisting of a community of French (SNCF with a majority stake of 55%), British and Belgian railway company, operates only so far TGV cars from the French manufacturer Alstom. The announcement that the German Siemens group should receive an order for future moves, beating political waves. Alstom initiated once a legal action against the business.
An application by Alstom for a preliminary injunction against the award before the High Court was dismissed after four days of hearing on October 29, 2010. The company argued that his right to equal treatment, transparency and non-discrimination have been violated. In the process set out by Euro Star, the Siemens was with 98 of a possible 100 points better than that of Alstom ( 74 points ). The Alstom bid it had been lacking in all areas in the necessary detail.
The contract was signed between Euro Star and Siemens delayed because Alstom on 10 November 2010 filed a lawsuit against Euro Stars award procedure before the High Court. At a preliminary hearing the same day, the court ordered the disclosure of the documents to the underlying selection process within three weeks. Directed against this publication requests from Siemens and Euro Star were dismissed. In July 2011, the award to Siemens was confirmed in court. Alstom pursued until April 2012 on actions for damages, ended the legal battle, however, after the company of the French SNCF received a major order for new Euro -duplex features.
The contract for the supply of ten high-speed trains from Euro Star Chef Nicolas Petrovic and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens AG, Peter Loescher, in London was signed on December 3, 2010. Shortly before signing the contract with Siemens were the two representatives of the French State Railways back in the Euro Star Supervisory Board.
To fulfill the contract, it was assumed that the revised rules for the use of distributed traction in the euro tunnel to be adapted in time. On 21 March 2011, the European Railway Agency (ERA) gave a positive opinion on the distributed drive, as it is used in the Velaro. The Anglo-French tunnel Safety Commission IGC (Intergovernmental Commission) agreed in June 2011 to what the ERA in a decision in principle to.
In October 2011, began at the Siemens plant in Krefeld- Uerdingen the production of the first shell parts. In September 2012, the first train set arrived in Wegberg -Wildenrath. Since 20 March 2013, a full 16 -piece train set on test drives in Wegberg -Wildenrath is on the way.
In July 2013, the first multiple unit tests completed in Belgium. Until December 2013 was a trainset to test drive in France.
Operation
The trains were originally supposed to go into operation in 2014, the delivery date, however, has been postponed several times; According to a press report from last February 2013 at the earliest from 2015 to 2016. According to information have Siemens underestimated the complexity of the contract. The company calls a delivery date and made a precautionary provisions for the contract (April 2013).
With the trains, the number of targets to be expanded in the Euro star system. In September 2013 Euro Star announced plans to operate from December 2016, the new e320 trains a connection between London and Amsterdam. The train will run twice daily with intermediate stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam and the airport Schiphol.Vorlage: Future / In 2 years, according to a press release trains will run later also to Frankfurt.