Now Southeastern actually has services running into St Pancras and beyond (working jointly with First Capital Connect with some services even announced and displayed at St Pancras as South Eastern Trains), it seems thats Southeastern are planning on introducing some limited 395 services in the May 2009 timetable change. These are classed as taster to help with full introduction come the December's timetable changes. the service is planned to be a St Pancras - Stratford International - Ebbsfleet International shuttle service that will run inbetween existing Eurostar services running around every 3omins. Southeastern are also looking into doing peak hour trains from Ashford International into St Pancras as well.
Southeastern have recruited some of the staff needed for their high speed (HS) services and they expect to have all HS staff trained and ready by November this year. St Pancras and Starford staff will operate as one with a joint rota where as Ebbsfleet is being treated seperately.
The HS services are still under wraps as to timings but with nine months to go interest is begining to build as the new 395 140MPH EMU's start daylight testing and the final push in the media starts. I am looking forward to trying out these services as they will likely cut a cross London jounery for me and save me upto two hours when visiting my family in East Kent. However with pricing still to be announced, how popluar these services are actually going to be is still to remain.
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I often see these 395 trains running about. There were some entering St Pancras last Monday, and I spotted another whilst out and about in Kent a couple of weeks earlier, on the SBJ line.
Im yet to see one. Can't wait to use them to Sittingbourne!
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