The Anonymous Widower

Eurostar Orders First Double-Decker Trains

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Eurostar has revealed plans to run double-decker trains through the Channel Tunnel for the first time.

These three paragraphs add more details.

The cross-channel rail operator has confirmed it will order up to 50 trains from manufacturer Alstom, eventually increasing the size of its fleet by nearly a third.

The expansion plans would include investing heavily in a crucial London depot, it said.

But questions remain over whether the facility has enough space for both Eurostar and potential rival operators to use it.

This my solution to the problem outlined in the last paragraph.

Note, that I wrote the software that planned the building of the Channel Tunnel and the rail links to London and was also friends with the project manager of the 1960s attempt to build a Channel Tunnel.

We need more terminal platforms and depot space in the UK to handle Eurostar’s extra trains and the other companies who want to run to London.

We should split services into two groups.

Group 1 would terminate as now in an updated St. Pancras with more passenger handling capacity, which could probably be built over the tracks at the Northern end of the station. Trains would still be stabled at Temple Mills.

Group 2 would terminate at Ebbsfleet International, which would have extra platforms, a new depot, masses of car parking and a coach terminal.

Some trains from both groups could also stop at Ashford International.

To access Ebbsfleet from Central London and also create a Heathrow link to the Channel Tunnel, the Lizzie Line would be extended to Northfleet, where there is space to handle up to eight trains per hour in new platforms built in two disused sidings.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the location of Northfleet and Ebbsfleet stations.

Note.

1. Ebbsfleet International station at the bottom of the map.
2. The red tracks are High Speed One.
3. The orange tracks are third-rail electrified lines.
4. The orange tracks going across the map is the North Kent Line.
5. Northfleet station is at the right edge of the map on the North Kent Line.
6. Northfleet and Ebbsfleet stations are less than a kilometer apart.
7. Ebbsfleet has a lot of car parking spaces.

I believe a spectacular cable-car or other link would connect Northfleet and Ebbsfleet stations.

These are some other thoughts.

Ebbsfleet International Station Has Good Motorway Access

This Google Map shows the location of Ebbsfleet International station in relation to the motorways.

Note.

1. The A2/M2 road runs across the bottom half of the map.
2. The red arrow marks the position of Ebbsfleet International station.
3. The Dartford Crossing is a few miles West of the station.

In my last few years, as an Ipswich season ticket holder, I regularly had a lift to Ebbsfleet International from a friend and the route to the station from the M25 and the A2/M2 wasn’t bad.

But it will be getting better.

This map from the Government’s consultation on the Lower Thames Crossing, shows the road layout in a few years.

Note.

1. The Lower Thames Crossing is shown in red.
2. Ebbsfleet International station is about a mile South of Northfleet
3. The new crossing will connect to the A2, a few miles East of the link road to the station.

Travellers from much of the East of  and Middle England could use the new crossing to get to Ebbsfleet International station.

These are current times from Google.

• Birmingham – 2 hours and 41 minutes
• Cambridge – 1 hour and 17 minutes
• Edinburgh – 7 hours and 44 minutes
• Fishguard – 5 hours and 29 minutes
• Glasgow – 7 hours and 6 minutes
• Holyhead – 5 hours and 29 minutes
• Hull – 4 hours and 1 minute
• Ipswich – 1 hour and 29 minutes
• Leeds – 3 hours and 55 minutes
• Liverpool – 4 hours and 40 minutes
• Manchester – 4 hours and 28 minutes
• Milton Keynes – 1 hour and 37 minutes
• Newcastle 5 hours and 25 minutes
• Norwich – 2 hours 23 minutes
• Nottingham – 2 hours and 55 minutes
• Peterborough – 1 hour and 54 minutes
• Sheffield – 3 hours and 35 minutes
• Stoke-on-Trent – 3 hours and 25 minutes
• York – 4 hours and 16 minutes

Note.

1. I would suspect that the opening of the Lower Thames Crossing will knock 10-15 minutes off these times.
2. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Peterborough, Sheffield and York would probably be quicker to Europe with a change to Continental train services at St. Pancras, rather than Ebbsfleet International.
3. With improvements to rail services, more of these journeys will be quicker by train.
4. High Speed Two should connect Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent to London, by the mid 2030s.

But there are some, who always feel their car is safer in a car park!

Ebbsfleet International Station Has A Large Amount Of Car Parking

This map shows the car parks at Ebbsfleet International station.

Note.

1. Some of the parking areas are marked with a P.
2. It is easy to pick-up and drop passengers.
3. The car parks could be double-decked to add more spaces if needed.
4. According to the Ebbsfleet International web site, the station currently has 5225 parking spaces, 68 accessible car parking spaces.

For those that have a lot of luggage or a large family, taking the car to Ebbsfleet International may be the best option.

Ebbsfleet International Station Should Have A Coach Station

Consider.

• In the next few years, hydrogen-powered coaches with a thousand kilometre range will come to dominate the long distance coach market.
• Mercedes and Wrightbus are know to be developing long-distance hydrogen-powered coaches.
• Hydrogen-powered coaches will be able to reach all of England and Wales and a large part of Scotland from Ebbsfleet International.
• Ebbsfleet International is closely connected to the UK motorway network.
• Continental coaches using the Channel Tunnel, could use Ebbsfleet as a coach interchange with the UK.
• Ebbsfleet International could also handle customs services for Continental coach services, which would take the pressure off the Channel Tunnel and the ferries.
• Ebbsfleet International could also have a coach link to Gatwick Airport.

These and other reasons make me feel, that a coach terminal at Ebbsfleet International is essential.

A Green Connection Between The Two Halves Of The European Union For the Gretas Of This World

Consider.

• There is no zero-carbon route between the island of Ireland and Continental Europe.
• Eurostar is all-electric between London and Continental Europe, but only serves a limited number of destinations.
• Low- or zero-carbon ferries are being designed, that run on hydrogen.
• Trains between London and the Irish ferries are diesel-powered.
• The simplest solution would surely be to run hydrogen-powered coaches between Ebbsfleet International and Fishguard and/or Holyhead. Both journeys would take three and a half hours.

Hydrogen-powered coaches are under development by Wrightbus.

I also asked Google AI if anybody is planning zero-carbon ferries between the UK and ireland and received this answer.

Yes, there are plans for zero-carbon ferries between the UK and Ireland, with a specific “Green Corridor” feasibility study underway for the Holyhead to Dublin route, and a separate, separate commuter service project planned between Belfast and Bangor. The Belfast Maritime Consortium is developing the zero-carbon commuter service, and a separate “Green Corridor” feasibility study is assessing potential low-carbon pathways between Holyhead and Dublin

I believe the green connection is feasible, provided the following happens.

• Ebbsfleet International is reopened and developed as a station for Continental Europe.
• The zero-carbon ferries are developed.
• The busmasters from Ballymena deliver the ultimate hydrogen-powered coach.
• Hydrogen and other fuels are made available, where they is needed.

This could do wonders for the economy of the island of Ireland.

Out of curiosity, I did ask Google AI, what is the longest coach route in the UK and received this answer.

The longest scheduled coach journey in the UK is the Scottish Citylink route from Glasgow to Uig on the Isle of Skye (route 915 or 916), which is about 230 miles and takes around 7 hours and 50 minutes. Historically, there have been much longer international bus routes, such as the Penn Overland tour from London to Ceylon, but these were not regular, scheduled services.

So my proposal at five hours and 29 minutes is only a short hop.

 

I also believe that with good project management that the additional infrastructure could be built by 2030, with little or no disruption to existing services.

 

October 22, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Ashford Station, Channel Tunnel, Coaches, Ebbsfleet International Station, European Union, Eurostar, Ferry, fishguard, Gatwick Airport, Green Route To Ireland, High Speed One, High Speed Rail, Holyhead, Hydrogen-Powered Coaches, Island Of Ireland, Lower Thames Crossing, Northfleet Station, Parking, Republic Of Ireland, St. Pancras Station