TGV TMST

Description

Eurostar often indicates in an unsuitable way the trains at high speed derived from TGV assigned to this service, their exact denomination being TGV-TMST (for TransManche SuperTrain), or, in the system of English denomination SIGNALS, British Rail Class 373 . This material exists in two versions differing by their composition: “3 Capitals” (18 framed trailers of 2 motor coaches) or “North of London” (NOL, North Off London) with 14 trailers only. The oars are composed of two half-oars of a driving head and a unit articulated of nine (3 capitals) or seven (NoL) trailers on Jacobs bogies, which are dependant between them by couplers. Couplers bind also the driving heads to the trailers. The first bogie behind the driving head is also motorized.

The material Eurostar , built by Alstom, is derived from TGV French, but presents several characteristics:

the cars are with the gauge British, more reduced than the continental gauge, in height and width (2,80 m broad instead of 2,90), and is prepared for the standard height of 919 mm of the British quays, which gives him an air rather different from the others TGV in relation of the footboards;
the oars are sectile by the medium to be able to be towed out of the tunnel in the event of need (standard imposed by the intergovernmental commission of Safety); to note that each half-oar (carrying a specific number e.g. 3201) with the length of an oar TGV “normal”, for example a Duplex TGV;
they are equipped with wipers to collect the current by a Conductor rail on the ground on part of the British course;
they have motorization of an asynchronous type (preceding TGV being either with continuous engines, or synchronous).

The material is ready to circulate on the following networks:

France (RF) (traditional Lines 25 Kv 50 Hz and LGV),
Belgium (Infrabel) (traditional Lines 3 Kv DC and LGV 1),
United Kingdom (Network Rail) (traditional lines under 750 V DC and 25 Kv 50 Hz, CTRL),
Eurotunnel.

Material TGV TMST is distributed between three owners:

Eurostar UK Limited (EUKL) (subsidiary of London & Continental Railways) is owner of 11 oars “3 capitals” (3001/2 to 3021/22) and of the 7 oars “North off London” 33xx,
SNCB is owner of 4 oars “3 capitals” 3101/2 to 3107/8,
the SNCF /VFE is owner of 16 oars “3 capitals” 3201/2 to 3131/2.

Service

The park of the oars “3 capitals” (i.e. oars with 18 cars) was initially planned for the service roads Paris - London and Brussels - London. It is actually ensured by 11 Belgian oars EUKL and the four oars, but only 13 oars of the SNCF.

The park being slightly oversize, certain oars of the SNCF were withdrawn from the pool “3 capitals” and were assigned to the interior service under the name “TMST-Network”, initially towards the Riviera, and more recently Paris-North and Lille-Flandres. (See below particular Oars.)

Oars “NOL” (Northern of London), become useless after the abandonment of the project of service on international connections towards Birmingham, Manchester or the Scotland, were partially rented with the company GNER which equipped them with one delivered blue particularly esthetic night. The hiring was finished the December 10th 2005. Now some of these oars rented by the SNCF circulate between Paris-North and Lille-Flandres.

Particular oars

Concerning the park the SNCF:

oars 3201/2, 3203/4, 3207/8, 3209/10, 3215/16, 3223/24, 3225/26, 3227/28, 3229/30: modified to be also ready to circulate under 1500 V DC for the winter service roads (Borough-Saint-Maurice) and estival (Avignon centers).
oars 3203/4, 3225/26, 3227/28: assigned to the interior service. The nose of the motor coaches received a Pelliculage taking again the colors of Atlantic TGV containing gray and blue, and carrying logo “TGV”, whereas the logos of the service Eurostar were removed.

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