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British Rail Class 374
The British Rail Class 374, also referred to as the Eurostar e320, is a type of electric multiple unit passenger train used on Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel to serve destinations beyond the core routes to Paris and Brussels. Passenger services began in November 2015. The trains, owned by Eurostar International Limited, are sixteen-coach versions of the Siemens Velaro. Each train is 400 m (1,300 ft) long. The trains are compliant with the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).
Eurostar International's older fleet of Class 373 "Eurostar e300" trains, introduced in 1994 when the Channel Tunnel opened, could not be used on the 15 kV AC overhead line (OHLE) electrification system used in Germany, and most of the older trains could not be used on the 1.5 kV DC OHLE used in the Netherlands, and the trains did not have sufficient space on board to install ERTMS signalling, which meant that Eurostar could not run services to these countries. The Class 374 was designed and built to overcome these problems and enable Eurostar to run services to these locations. However, on the trains finally ordered, the option of 15 kV AC supply was not included.
When the Class 374 trains are used in Britain, they can only run on High Speed 1, which has been designed to accommodate larger trains from mainland Europe, having a larger loading gauge compared to the domestic British rail network.
The original order for ten sets was increased to seventeen sets in November 2014. As of June 2025, Eurostar operates their Channel Tunnel services with these 17 Class 374 trains and eight refurbished Class 373 trains.
Siemens Velaro high speed EMUs are derived from the ICE 3 first used by Deutsche Bahn (DB) in 2000. Variants include DB Class 407, intended for international services including through the Channel Tunnel.
In 2009, Eurostar announced a £700 million project to update its fleet, with approximately £550 million for new trains able to operate away from the core London-Paris/Brussels network. In October 2010, Eurostar announced that Siemens had been selected, with the Velaro platform to be used. The Velaro e320, named because of plans to operate at 320 km/h (200 mph), would be 16 cars long, to meet the Channel Tunnel safety specifications but would have distributed traction with the traction equipment along the length of the train, not concentrated in power cars at each end.
The nomination of Siemens saw it break into the French high-speed market, as all French and French subsidiary high-speed operators up to that point used TGV derivatives produced by Alstom. Alstom attempted legal action to prevent the contract, claiming that the Siemens sets would breach Channel Tunnel safety rules, but their claim was rejected by the High Court. Alstom said that it would "pursue alternative legal options to uphold its position", and on 4 November 2010 it lodged a complaint with the European Commission over the tendering process, who then asked the British government for "clarification". Alstom then announced it had started legal action against Eurostar in the High Court in London. In July 2011, the High Court rejected Alstom's claim that the tender process was flawed and the resulting contract "ineffective" under the Utilities Contracts Regulations, and in April 2012 Alstom said it would call off pending court actions against Eurostar.
The trains were constructed at the Siemens plant at Krefeld in Germany, with the first rolled out for testing at the Wildenrath test circuit in early 2013 as Class 374, with the first unit bearing this UIC identification mark. The intention was for the first unit to enter service in 2014, but the approval was delayed. As a consequence, Eurostar did receive its first unit in 2014 for presentation but operation could only start a year later.
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British Rail Class 374
The British Rail Class 374, also referred to as the Eurostar e320, is a type of electric multiple unit passenger train used on Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel to serve destinations beyond the core routes to Paris and Brussels. Passenger services began in November 2015. The trains, owned by Eurostar International Limited, are sixteen-coach versions of the Siemens Velaro. Each train is 400 m (1,300 ft) long. The trains are compliant with the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).
Eurostar International's older fleet of Class 373 "Eurostar e300" trains, introduced in 1994 when the Channel Tunnel opened, could not be used on the 15 kV AC overhead line (OHLE) electrification system used in Germany, and most of the older trains could not be used on the 1.5 kV DC OHLE used in the Netherlands, and the trains did not have sufficient space on board to install ERTMS signalling, which meant that Eurostar could not run services to these countries. The Class 374 was designed and built to overcome these problems and enable Eurostar to run services to these locations. However, on the trains finally ordered, the option of 15 kV AC supply was not included.
When the Class 374 trains are used in Britain, they can only run on High Speed 1, which has been designed to accommodate larger trains from mainland Europe, having a larger loading gauge compared to the domestic British rail network.
The original order for ten sets was increased to seventeen sets in November 2014. As of June 2025, Eurostar operates their Channel Tunnel services with these 17 Class 374 trains and eight refurbished Class 373 trains.
Siemens Velaro high speed EMUs are derived from the ICE 3 first used by Deutsche Bahn (DB) in 2000. Variants include DB Class 407, intended for international services including through the Channel Tunnel.
In 2009, Eurostar announced a £700 million project to update its fleet, with approximately £550 million for new trains able to operate away from the core London-Paris/Brussels network. In October 2010, Eurostar announced that Siemens had been selected, with the Velaro platform to be used. The Velaro e320, named because of plans to operate at 320 km/h (200 mph), would be 16 cars long, to meet the Channel Tunnel safety specifications but would have distributed traction with the traction equipment along the length of the train, not concentrated in power cars at each end.
The nomination of Siemens saw it break into the French high-speed market, as all French and French subsidiary high-speed operators up to that point used TGV derivatives produced by Alstom. Alstom attempted legal action to prevent the contract, claiming that the Siemens sets would breach Channel Tunnel safety rules, but their claim was rejected by the High Court. Alstom said that it would "pursue alternative legal options to uphold its position", and on 4 November 2010 it lodged a complaint with the European Commission over the tendering process, who then asked the British government for "clarification". Alstom then announced it had started legal action against Eurostar in the High Court in London. In July 2011, the High Court rejected Alstom's claim that the tender process was flawed and the resulting contract "ineffective" under the Utilities Contracts Regulations, and in April 2012 Alstom said it would call off pending court actions against Eurostar.
The trains were constructed at the Siemens plant at Krefeld in Germany, with the first rolled out for testing at the Wildenrath test circuit in early 2013 as Class 374, with the first unit bearing this UIC identification mark. The intention was for the first unit to enter service in 2014, but the approval was delayed. As a consequence, Eurostar did receive its first unit in 2014 for presentation but operation could only start a year later.