Another day free resulted in visiting Kent’s recently opened Ebbsfleet International. The trip was more succesful than my earlier attempt late last month (i was given road directions). I couldn’t get to the platforms at the station but the concourse had me interested and one thing in particular had my attention for most of the time spent there. There is a full scale class 395 ‘Javelin’ EMU end coach mock-up on display which shows roughly what the yet-to-be introduced bullet trains will look like. The mock-up is in the older South Eastern trains livery minus the grey skirt at the bottom and the interior looks quite similar to the class 375′s. Cant wait until they get introduced in December 2009.
Ebbsfleet International is not a bad station, very bright and spacious. The first thing anyone who walks to the station will notice is the huge amount of parking spaces there are. When i visited the station was very quiet, only people i saw were staff and very few passengers but hopefully when the Javelin units are introduced (along with the new services) more passengers will use Ebbsfleet. I would like to thank the staff at Ebbsfleet International for letting me walk around and taking a few pictures.
On to another subject and this may seem pointless but im gonna write this……..
I managed to travel on a class 376 for the first time and i must say these should be used for the Charing x – Gillingham services than the Dartford and Gravesend. They are much better than the older BREL 465′s which are already showing their age. Hopefully Southeastern will read this and consider using the Electrostar Metro’s on longer services.
And to another subject…….
On the same day i managed to photograph 3 more EWS 66′s two of which i jumped out of the train i was on to catch at Strood. 66146 passed Strood light engine and was unusually heading towards Paddock Wood via the Medway Valley line which hardly see’s anything other than EMU’s. Overall the entire trip was quite a decent one and it will be my last big trip before Christmas.
Below: The class 395 ‘Javelin’ EMU mock up on display at Ebbsfleet International.
Below: The bright and rather empty interior of the concourse at Ebbsfleet International, the rear of the class 395 mock up can be seen to the left.
