Evolyn competing with Eurostar

[RussellH]

Back on 11 October there was an announcement here and in many publications about Evolyn planning to start rail services through the Channel Tunnel to Paris.
The company said it had reached an agreement to acquire 12 Avelia high speed trains from Alstom, with options for four more.

Alstom have since issued a clarification:- “Alstom and Evolyn have established a short term agreement to proceed with initial train system engineering activities with the objective of accelerating activities”.
They go on to say “provided that Evolyn is capable of securing project financing” and “final train delivery dates will be confirmed when a firm and final contract will be agreed”.

Also to the point is that Alstom do not currently produce any rolling stock approved for use in the tunnel.

I really do not think that anyone should get excited about this.
Make me think of Global Airways (is that what they are called?)

[davefl]

Back in the 1990s there was a shed built with “eurostar et ici” emblazoned across the side built just outside Manchester Piccadilly and Alstom trains were tested and classified as fit for purpose until the whole idea of Man-Paris was scrapped for economic reasons.

Wonder if it’s those mothballed units.

[RussellH]

davefl wrote:

Back in the 1990s there was a shed built with “eurostar et ici” emblazoned across the side built just outside Manchester Piccadilly and Alstom trains were tested and classified as fit for purpose until the whole idea of Man-Paris was scrapped for economic reasons.

Wonder if it’s those mothballed units.

Those were the Eurostar units built to the UK loading gauge for use north of London – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester etc. Basically TGVs, but narrower and much less headroom.

For a number of years some of those trains were used regularly between London + Leeds, while others were sent to mainland Europe, where they did not find favour with passengers because of the small size of the coaches.
I think that they were all scrapped several years ago.

Evolyn said that they want to buy Avelia trains https://www.alstom.com/solutions/rolling-stock/avelia-high-speed-trains-best-way-travel-fast

[Alex G]

The planned “North of London” Eurostar services were to have been run by standard (for the time) Eurostar trains (Class 373) that were 14 coaches instead of the 18 run on the main London to Paris/Brussels services.

A special set of carriages were built for Nightstar sleeper trains that were meant to run from the North to Paris, but they were never used. They were sold to ViaRail Canada, and now run between Toronto and Quebec.

[davefl]

Rail geeks on an (predominantly) air travel forum…. Who’d have thunk it 🙂

Thanks guys, I’ve always wondered where they went.

[RussellH]

davefl wrote:

Rail geeks on an (predominantly) air travel forum….

Eurostar has always operated as though it were an airline rather than a rail company!

[TooPoorToBeHere]

I remember the NoL eurostar sets painted in GNER blue on Leeds-London. IIRC they couldn’t run anywhere else due to needing too much power and being too big.

[Super Secret Stuff]

As a self certified train nerd, they need extremely deep pockets to certify the proposed trainsets across 2 power systems, 2 signalling systems and eurotunnel safety requirements. That’s at a minimum, if you want to call at Ashford it gets even harder. All current trainsets certified for eurotunnel passenger service are either in service, scrapped or leased / sold by Eurostar to other operators who don’t go through the channel tunnel. They’re never going to sell them to a European company, only scrap.

The likely hood of a competitor launching is low but not impossible. I’d wait and see, as the technical requirements can be met just difficult