Regional Eurostar was the name given to plans to operate
Eurostar train services from
Paris and
Brussels to locations in the
United Kingdom beyond
London. The services would have been run using a specially ordered fleet of seven "North of London" (NoL), 14-coach
British Rail Class 373/2 trainsets ordered for the purpose.
Beginnings
When the
Channel Tunnel was first announced in the 1980s it was part of the proposals to operate
high-speed rail services through it on both sides of the
English Channel with a substantial network envisioned. This was gradually reduced to a core service, along dedicated
TGV-style high-speed lines, between the three capital cities, regional daytime services to
Glasgow (via the
East Coast Main Line) and
Manchester (via the
West Coast Main Line), and
Nightstar sleeper services to the same cities as well as the
West Country and
Wales via the
Great Western Main Line.
A depot for the regional Eurostar services was constructed at Longsight in Manchester (
Manchester International Depot). Trial runs were undertaken using the NoL units on both the East and West Coast Main Lines and passenger information signs and Eurostar lounges were installed at stations along the route. As the high-speed rail line between London and the Channel Tunnel,
High Speed 1, was not under construction Eurostar services within the UK were forced to use existing rail lines and connecting junctions were built to allow Regional Eurostars access via the congested
North......
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