Editing High Speed 1 (section)

== Route ==
[[File:High Speed 1.png|thumb|upright=0.75|HS1 within the United Kingdom, with the Channel Tunnel and LGV Nord also shown]]
[[File:Ctrl-testing-300kmh-Class-373-lab-car.jpg|thumb|right|Train 3313/3314 served as a laboratory train, reaching {{convert|300|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=10}} during Section 1 testing in 2003]]
[[File:Eurostar on CTRL.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.75|A Eurostar train on the CTRL, near [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]]]]
{{See also2|{{osmrelation|2236601|the geographical Route of HS1/CTRL}}.}}
The high-speed railway operates as a "seven-day railway", with full availability on all days. Heavy maintenance is performed overnight.<ref>{{cite report|chapter-url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/strategicbusinessplan/other%20supporting%20documents/seven%20day%20railway%20(final).pdf|title=Seven Day Railway|work=Network Rail October 2007 Strategic Business Plan|chapter-format=Supporting document|last=Roberts|date=29 October 2007|access-date=25 May 2012|chapter=TOC and FOC aspirations for a 7 day railway|quote="7 day railway will operate on new high speed line. Inspections carried out during daytime white period & maintenance done at night.|archive-date=13 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113033645/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/strategicbusinessplan/other%20supporting%20documents/seven%20day%20railway%20(final).pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/index.php/news/news_items/view/94|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612053704/http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/index.php/news/news_items/view/94|archive-date=12 June 2009|title=High speed preview services announced|date=1 June 2009|access-date=25 May 2012|quote=Daylight HS1 track inspection... Currently track engineers inspect high speed infrastructure during daylight hours.}}</ref><ref name="access-charing-consultation">{{cite web |url=http://highspeed1.co.uk/media/5565/second_consultation_on_prospective_levels_and_principles_of_track_access_charging.pdf |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6AKIeOG6w?url=http://highspeed1.co.uk/media/5565/second_consultation_on_prospective_levels_and_principles_of_track_access_charging.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 August 2012 |work=Second Consultation on Prospective Levels and Principles of Track Access Charging for the High Speed 1 Railway |title=Possessions allowance |page=6,21 |date=17 November 2008 |access-date=25 May 2012 |author=sxmarcel |df=dmy-all }}</ref>{{rp|21}} 
{{As of|2008}}, track access charges were capped at approximately £71.35 per minute. In 2008, the cost of running a train along the full length of the line between St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel was £2,244; with lower costs of £2,192 for a domestic service to Ashford International, or £1,044 for St Pancras to Ebbsfleet International.<ref name="access-charing-consultation" />{{rp|6}} A discounted rate of £4.00 per kilometre was made available for night-time-only railfreight operation until 31 March 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://highspeed1.co.uk/media/7307/freight_avoidable_costs_submission_from_europorte.pdf |title=HS1 Ltd Freight Avoidable Costs Review |date=5 July 2011 |format=letter |first=François |last=Coart |access-date=25 May 2012 |page=1 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

=== Section 1 ===
''Section 1'' of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, opened on 28 September 2003, is a {{convert|74|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=in}} section of high-speed track from the Channel Tunnel to Fawkham Junction in north [[Kent]] with a maximum speed of {{convert|300|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=10}}. Its completion cut the London–Paris journey time by around 21{{nbsp}}minutes, to 2{{nbsp}}hours 35{{nbsp}}minutes. The line includes the [[Medway Viaduct]], a {{convert|1.2|km|mi|abbr=in|adj=on}} bridge over the [[River Medway]],<ref name=":0" /> and the [[North Downs Tunnel]], a {{convert|3.2|km|mi|abbr=in|adj=on}} long, {{convert|12|m|abbr=in|adj=on}} diameter [[tunnel]].<ref name=":1" /> In safety testing on the section prior to opening, a new UK [[land speed record for railed vehicles|rail speed record]] of {{convert|334.7|km/h|0|abbr=on}} was set.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eriksrailnews.com/archive/eurostar_ctrl_pr.html |access-date=12 April 2007 |title=Eurostar breaks high speed record |publisher=Erik's Rail News |date=30 July 2003 |archive-date=13 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013043541/http://eriksrailnews.com/archive/eurostar_ctrl_pr.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Much of the new line runs alongside the [[M2 motorway (Great Britain)|M2]] and [[M20 motorway|M20]] motorways through Kent. After its completion, Eurostar trains continued to use suburban lines to enter London, arriving at Waterloo International.

Unlike most [[Lignes à Grande Vitesse|LGV]] stations in France, the through tracks for [[Ashford International railway station|Ashford International station]] are off to one side rather than going through, partly because the station pre-dates the line.<ref name="eurostar.com">{{cite press release | url = http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/about_eurostar/press_release/press_archive_2006/09_01_06_Eurostar_celebrates_10_years.jsp | publisher = Eurostar | title = Eurostar celebrates 10&nbsp;years at Ashford International | date = 9 January 2006 | access-date = 6 February 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120522090109/http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/about_eurostar/press_release/press_archive_2006/09_01_06_Eurostar_celebrates_10_years.jsp | archive-date = 22 May 2012 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref> High Speed 1 approaches Ashford International from the north in a cut-and-cover "box"; the southbound line rises out of this cutting and crosses over the main tracks to enter the station. The main tracks then rise out of the cutting and over a flyover. On leaving Ashford, southbound Eurostars return to the high-speed line by travelling under this flyover and joining from the outside.<ref name=":2" /> The international platforms at Ashford are supplied with both overhead 25{{nbsp}}kV{{nbsp}}[[alternating current|AC]] and third-rail 750{{nbsp}}V{{nbsp}}[[direct current|DC]] power, avoiding the need to switch power supplies. Within Ashford, the speed limit on High Speed 1 is {{convert|270|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=10}}.

=== Section 2 ===
''Section 2'' of the project opened on 14 November 2007, and is a {{convert|39.4|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=off}} stretch of track from the newly built [[Ebbsfleet International railway station|Ebbsfleet]] station in Kent to London St Pancras. Completion of the section cut journey times by a further 20{{nbsp}}minutes (London–Paris in 2{{nbsp}}hours 15{{nbsp}}minutes; London–Brussels in 1{{nbsp}}hour 51{{nbsp}}minutes). The route starts with a {{convert|3.1|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=off}} tunnel which dives under the [[River Thames|Thames]] on the edge of [[Swanscombe]],<ref name=":3" /> then runs alongside the [[London, Tilbury and Southend line]] as far as [[Dagenham]], where it enters two long tunnels to reach St Pancras. The two tunnels (much of which is directly under the [[North London Line]]) are {{convert|10.1|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=off}} and the {{convert|7.5|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=off}} in length, split by a {{convert|1|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=off}} stretch that runs close to the surface to serve Stratford International and the [[Temple Mills Depot]].<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> The new depot, to the north of Stratford, replaced the [[North Pole depot]] in the west of London.<ref>{{cite news |date=31 October 2007 |title=Depot mark 2 promises faster maintenance of faster trains |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//depot-mark-2-promises-faster-maintenance-of-faster-trains.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124140139/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/depot-mark-2-promises-faster-maintenance-of-faster-trains.html |archive-date=24 January 2016 |work=[[Railway Gazette International]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> In testing, the first Eurostar train ran into St Pancras on 6 March 2007.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 March 2007 |title=Railway Herald on-line magazine, Issue 75 |url=http://www.railwayherald.org/magazine/pdf/RHUK/Issue75.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727202806/http://www.railwayherald.org/magazine/pdf/RHUK/Issue75.pdf |archive-date=27 July 2011 |access-date=9 February 2010 |page=3 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> All CTRL connections are fully [[grade separation|grade-separated]].