3310 is on long term lease to SNCF for French regional services
In addition to the sixty-two ten-car half units for the three capitals service fourteen eight-car units were bought by London & Continental Railways for services from British regional cities through the Channel Tunnel to the continent. Before introduction it was deemed such services were uneconomical and scandalously these very expensive trains languished, unused, at North Pole Depot Acton. Due to a shortage of rolling stock, between May 2000 and December 2005 GNER leased initially four, then a total of six, half units for use on their "White Rose" service between Kings Cross and York, but soon moved them to the Kings Cross to Leeds corridor. Thus some of these fine trains were able to strut their stuff on the East Coast main line. Half units 3301 - 3306 were painted into the smart GNER dark blue livery, though other British Regional units in Eurostar livery were at times substituted. In 2007 SNCF has took a long term lease on thirteen of the half sets for use on French regional services. This lease expires in 2011, with an option of a two year extension.
Late in their period of disuse 3313 and 3314 became the celebrities of the fleet. On 30th July 2003, especially prepared, they captured the UK Railway Speed Record by running at 208mph on HS1 prior to opening. Then on 4th April 2004 they were named "Entente Cordiale" by H.M. the Queen at Waterloo to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the pact. (Some might detect an irony about the location!) The train then conveyed the Queen to France for a highly successful state visit. Driving motor 3733130 appeared at Railfest York - to celebrate 200 years of railways - between 29th May and 6th June 2004. On 6th March 2007 this pair was the first Eurostar train to enter the newly refurbished St. Pancras International station. On 12th June 2007 3313 & 3314 conveyed the IOC Committee from Stratford International to St. Pancras International as part of their inspection visit for the 2012 London Olympics.
Seen here at Railfest on 3rd June 2004, the nose doors (hiding the emergency coupling) carry the Entente Cordiale branding.
The bright sparkly bits are large raindrops. Malheureusement, il a plu fortement!
Events like Railfest are excellent for getting much closer to rolling stock than one normally can. Detail can be inspected and photographed. This is the rear power bogie, complete with raised conductor rail pick-ups.
This is definitely something one does not normally see - the inner end of the driving motor car and its multitude of connections and Scharfenberg (Schaku) coupling. Note also the fire suppression system.
Given the modern, sleek styling of the train the cab of a Eurostar is disappointingly low tech by today's standards and betrays the 1980s origin of the stock.