Class 395 High-speed Train (UK)

Britain’s high-speed railway line began operations over its full length in November 2007, connecting London with the British end of the tunnel under the channel between the UK and France. The line is known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), or High Speed 1 (HS1). The main purpose for the line was to permit higher speeds for the international high-speed train Eurostar linking the UK with France and Belgium, but at the same time it has permitted faster domestic rail services in southeastern England.
Hitachi, Ltd. manufactured and delivered 174 of the Class 395 high-speed railcars that are able to operate on both the HS1 line and standard track in Britain. The cars are configured in trainsets of six cars each, making 29 trainsets. This was the first time a Japanese rolling stock manufacturer delivered high-speed railcars to Europe. The development drew inspiration from the A-Train concept (which prioritizes lightweight aluminum carbodies and self-supporting interior modular structures), and took lightweight, high-speed technologies developed in Japan and adapted them for Britain’s railway system.