Sad Pictures of a EuroStar set

[TheSeeker]

Found these pictures via an urban exploration site. I've spent so much time on EuroStar between London and Brussels that despite the well known technical reasons for scrapping these trains they make me very sad.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128115436@N05/sets/72157689957147396

 

[Gadget88]

Yes they look sad pictures.

For there time they were very modern trains back in 1994 however now they look quite dated.

Again the new trains look very modern well ahead of there time too.

I read somewhere these trains can’t be used anywhere else in UK so they wouldn’t be any use. They are not very old trains compared to the current 40 year old ones running on the East cost line.

 

[Gadget88]

Also never been on one of the old sets just new ones. I’m taking a holiday on it next year might get a chance to go on one of these before they refurbish around 8 that will remain I think?

I read a twitter post a few weeks back about another one heading for scrapping. I think they are still getting new trains in all ready for the Amsterdam route which will be a new era in Eurostar travel.

 

[duesselmartin]

They still seem State of the Art to me.
My favorite HST. Perfect interior design. Sadly these trains never seen there full potential.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I had thought that Eurostar were keen on avoiding there being photos of their old trains being scrapped or rotting away.

I wondered if this is perhaps a NOL (shorter) set that ended up being in service domestically with SNCF, but that said the few magazines visible in the racks suggest it was last in service with Eurostar.

 

[pdeaves]

I had thought that Eurostar were keen on avoiding there being photos of their old trains being scrapped or rotting away.

I wondered if this is perhaps a NOL (shorter) set that ended up being in service domestically with SNCF, but that said the few magazines visible in the racks suggest it was last in service with Eurostar.

The style of photo suggests to me that this may be an entirely unoffical visit. The SNCF domestic sets lost their yellow ends, I believe.

 

[Joe Paxton]

The style of photo suggests to me that this may be an entirely unoffical visit. The SNCF domestic sets lost their yellow ends, I believe.

Oh of course it was an 'unofficial visit'! I just thought that Eurostar would have done their best to avoid unofficial visitors and so stored their withdrawn trains somewhere a bit more secure.

 

[westcoaster]

From the last picture it says temple Mills on it so does that make it a British unit.


Also looks to be a second set in the distance, plus out of the side of the windows.

 

[duesselmartin]

Oh of course it was an 'unofficial visit'! I just thought that Eurostar would have done their best to avoid unofficial visitors and so stored their withdrawn trains somewhere a bit more secure.

SNCF dies not like pictures of TGV trains being scrapped either. A bit like a state secret.

 

[Gadget88]

It’s a shame they never put one of the carriages in the National rail museum in York. They have lots of carriages but not Euro star but they did recently add one of the engines but not the full carriage.

 

[Groningen]

It is not possible to save everything after being retired. There are lots of trains that you want to be saved, but is there room on the tracks and do you want to maintain to drive it?

https://www.businesstraveller.com/rail-travel/2016/09/26/eurostar-scrap-trainsets/

 

[Howardh]

Still look in first class nick compared with Northern's stock

 

[Ash Bridge]

It’s a shame they never put one of the carriages in the National rail museum in York. They have lots of carriages but not Euro star but they did recently add one of the engines but not the full carriage.

As Eurostar are refurbishing and retaining several 373s for a few years more service there will still be a chance to save a trailer car in the future to add to their existing powercar should they so wish, although it would of course by then have lost its original interior fittings.

 

[mallard]

Again the new trains look very modern well ahead of there time too.

The ICE3/Velaro design is 17 years old and looks a bit dated to my eyes... Although I can see how they might look a little "striking" to someone seeing them for the first time.

 

[duesselmartin]

maybe I am getting old, but somehow I do expect a train to last at least 30 years.

 

[Darandio]

maybe I am getting old, but somehow I do expect a train to last at least 30 years.

It's cropped up repeatedly in the many threads about the trains getting scrapped along with comments comparing them to the age of the HST for example.

But these are complicated, multi-voltage and arguably very old-tech trains that have been pounding the tracks at nearly 200mph for over 20 years. They are worn out.

 

[Marklund]

From the last picture it says temple Mills on it so does that make it a British unit.


Also looks to be a second set in the distance, plus out of the side of the windows.

Yes, interesting the seemingly UK set is dumped abroad. Wonder where the location is!

SNCF dies not like pictures of TGV trains being scrapped either. A bit like a state secret.

There are a few, but not many indeed.

The magazines still in the racks make the set of photos for me.

 

[33Hz]

Hmm, a once shining example of European collaboration neglected and destroyed. Can't but help think this is a metaphor for something...

The magazines still in the racks are unbelievable.

I once saw a Eurostar set (and some TGVs) left in a similar state in sidings near Culoz when my Geneva train was diverted that way. Looks like the same place to me.

 

[duesselmartin]

Hmm, a once shining example of European collaboration neglected and destroyed. Can't but help think this is a metaphor for something...

The magazines still in the racks are unbelievable.

I once saw a Eurostar set (and some TGVs) left in a similar state in sidings near Culoz when my Geneva train was diverted that way. Looks like the same place to me.

Yes the European idea seems Just as shattered

 

[Ash Bridge]

Yes the European idea seems Just as shattered

And that indeed makes it doubly sad

 

[Ploughman]

Looking at the rail fastenings and they do not look like UK practice.
Tried a look at the rail yard at Culoz on Google and similar fastenings in use there plus the yard lamps are similar.
That does not mean it is Culoz but more likely to be in France than in the UK.

 

[BahrainLad]

I had thought that Eurostar were keen on avoiding there being photos of their old trains being scrapped or rotting away.

I wondered if this is perhaps a NOL (shorter) set that ended up being in service domestically with SNCF, but that said the few magazines visible in the racks suggest it was last in service with Eurostar.

Not just the magazines, the posters in the frames at the end of the carriage and the cafe car would indicate this set was in service with Eurostar relatively recently.

 

[33Hz]

The copy of Sphere Magazine in the rack is Jan 2016.

And l'Equipe is Dec 26th 2015.

 

[duesselmartin]

That is amazing research!

 

[westcoaster]

Alexv2016

Believe that is 3017/3018 stored at a secure (?!) location near Valenciennes

Looked up for a few hours the other day, with culoz and other interesting French storage locations found. So I asked elsewhere