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British Rail Class 374
| British Rail Class 374 Eurostar e320 | |
|---|---|
 A Eurostar Class 374 in the Savoie Alps | |
 Standard class interior | |
| In service | 20 November 2015 – present |
| Manufacturer | Siemens Mobility |
| Built at | Krefeld, Germany |
| Family name | Velaro |
| Replaced | Class 373 |
| Constructed | 2011–2018 |
| Number built | 17 units |
| Formation | 16 cars per unit |
| Capacity | 902 seats[1] |
| Operators | Eurostar |
| Depots |
|
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium |
| Train length | 390.2 m (1,280 ft 2 in) |
| Car length |
|
| Maximum speed | 320 km/h (200 mph) |
| Traction system | Siemens IGBT-VVVF |
| Traction motors | 32 × Siemens 500 kW (670 hp) 3-phase AC induction motor |
| Power output | 16 MW (21,000 hp) |
| Electric system(s) | |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| UIC classification | Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′ |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The British Rail Class 374, also referred to as the Eurostar e320, is a type of electric multiple unit passenger train used on Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel to serve destinations beyond the core routes to Paris and Brussels. They began to run passenger services in November 2015.[2] The trains, owned by Eurostar International Limited, are sixteen-coach versions of the Siemens Velaro. Each train is 390.2 m (1,280 ft) long. The trains are compliant with the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).
Eurostar International's older fleet of Class 373 "Eurostar e300" trains, introduced in 1994 when the Channel Tunnel opened, could not be used on the 15 kV AC overhead line (OHLE) electrification system used in Germany, and most of the older trains could not be used on the 1.5 kV DC OHLE used in the Netherlands, and the trains did not have sufficient space onboard to install ERTMS signalling. This meant that Eurostar could not run its Class 373 units on services to these countries, and the Class 374 was designed and built to overcome these problems and enable Eurostar to run services to these locations.
When the Class 374 trains are used in Britain, they can only run on High Speed 1, which has been designed to accommodate larger trains from mainland Europe, having a larger loading gauge compared to the domestic British rail network.
The original order for ten sets was increased to seventeen sets in November 2014.[3] As of June 2018, the Class 374 has replaced the majority of Class 373s, with most Class 373 trains having since been withdrawn and scrapped in the UK.
- ^ "Eurostar orders seven more e320s". Railway Gazette. DVV Media Group. 13 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ "Eurostar Velaro e320 enters passenger service". International Railway Journal. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ^ "Eurostar unveils new 200mph Channel Tunnel train". Daily Telegraph. London. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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