HM Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, launched the United Kingdom's first section of high-speed railway and officially opened St Pancras International Station, the restored Victorian train station in the center of London, on Tuesday.
U.K. unveils St Pancras high-speed rail hub
Ten-year, $13.1 billion project built by London & Continental Railways.
November 6, 2007
Photo credit: LCR/Eddie Macdonald
1 min to read
The $13.1 billion, 10-year project, completed on time and within budget, was built by London & Continental Railways.
The ceremony, attended by VIPs and dignitaries, marked the opening of the station building, the launch of High Speed 1 and signaled the final days of preparations to move Eurostar’s entire London operations to begin commercial services from St Pancras on November 14. High Speed 1 will provide Eurostar with a dedicated, 68-mile (109km) high-speed line between central London and the Channel Tunnel.
The new line will enable Eurostar trains to travel at their full speed of 186mph (300km/h), cutting journey times between London and the Continent by at least 20 minutes.
Topics:Rail
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