During the mid-1990's the North of London Eurostar sets were being trialled on the WCML and ECML. Part of the problem running with the Faiveley pantograph in the UK was that it was designed for running at high speed on the French equipment and not on the Mk3 lightweight OHLE in UK.
In an attempt to 'tune' the pantograph such that it did not exert such a large uplift in the UK aerodynamic trials were undertaken during the week commencing 8th December 1996 by SNCF using a Eurostar running between Nantes, Angers and Tours in the Loire Valley. Some limited success was achieved but the Eurostars were subsequently limited to 110 mile/h in the UK for the duration of their use by GNER.
This was the same line on which the early tests with the TGV were carried out.
Click on the picture for a bigger image - All photos are the author's.
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A TGV set passes Vouvray, just outside Tours in the Loire valley, on a July evening in 1981 whilst on test - note the compound OHLE and Faiveley pantograph. |
The author was on board for the aero tests at the invitation of Eurostar to observe the trials, which were basically inconclusive.
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Travel courtesy of Eurostar |
A 'duty pass' |
TGV seat reservation |
The adjustment needed to run successfully on BR's OHLE was detrimental to running on SNCF's LGV lines so the Eurostars were limited to 110 mile/h in UK. This dogged the ECML 'White Rose' Eurostar services until recently withdrawn. Some of the NoL sets ended up with SNCF- see photo below
The final solution was to abandon the NoL idea and to build a French railway with French OHLE (CTRL) from the Tunnel to St Pancras - problem solved!
Unfortunately there was little opportunity to take any photographs during the pan tests but here are a few Eurostars in service on ECML, CTRL, SNCF and SNCB.
