# Commuter train - 140mph !



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

While looking for info about UK track for Harvey, I found this article:











* 

Britain's fastest commuter train arrives early on maiden journey
* 


29.06.09 (June 29th 2009 to you)


The UK's first commuter high-speed train service arrived a minute early today - reaching London from Ashford in Kent in just 36 minutes.
The journey, which normally takes around one hour 20 minutes, was made possible by operating a 140mph Japanese-built 'javelin' train on a section of the High Speed 1 - the Channel Tunnel rail link 
Here's the fuill article:
*http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...article.do*


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Impressive, although I have a hard time getting my mind around the term "commuter train" and only oner intermediate stop on a normal 1 hour 20 minute run. 
"Commuter trains" I'm familiar with would have at least a half dozen or more stations on a run like that.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

"Commuter trains" I'm familiar with would have at least a half dozen or more stations on a run like that. 

_But then you wouldn't get there in 36 minutes._ 

It's the same principal as the local/express set up on some commuter and subway lines. Why make any more stops - you're selling that it's an 'express'.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd like to see that train do 140MPH through that crossover!


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Dear Mr krs - FYI, Ashford is what we call a 'dormitory town'. By far the larger proportion of the working population live there, but work in London - it's that kind of place. And BTW - 140mph is not that special - here on the East Coast Main line our commuter trains, and they stop a LOT, make 120mph on a daily basis on the run down to London Kings X.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By tacfoley on 17 Aug 2009 01:34 PM 
.......Ashford is what we call a 'dormitory town'. By far the larger proportion of the working population live there, but work in London - it's that kind of place.




I thought it might be something like that.
We call then "Bedroom communities" - same idea. I suppose it's called that here because people spend most of their day in the big city and just go home to sleep.

Still - it's interesting that Ashford is almost an hour and a half by regular train from London with not a number of additional communities between Ashford and London that would warrant additional stops. Great for the people in Ashford to have such a quick connection to London - I assume that would boost real estate prices.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

with not a number of additional communities between Ashford and London that would warrant additional stops. 

There's lots of "additional communities" between the two - and they are all green with envy! 

This train is the first attempt to use the new high-speed Chunnel line for commuter trains. They built it (the track) for the Eurostar so there aren't many stations as far as I know. It wasn't planned as a commuter line. But it's there, so why not?


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