The Atlantic Coast Express

Hertfordshire Rail Tours/EPS - Saturday 16th September 2000

A review by David Clark

This was European Passenger Services first attempt at the charter market and had requested Hertfordshire to do the promoting. At a fare of £65 it was clear that the tour was going to fill up quickly. If the first tour was success there were going to be further tours for the future. The tour was from London Waterloo picking up at Ashford and traversing a mixture of high speed routes and medium speed routes en route to La Rochelle. La Rochelle played an important role in the second world war as a naval base.

The tour tickets arrived with timings (not like many tours....) well before the booked departure date. No coincidence, surely that Railtrack only played a minor role in the timing of the train.

Due to the petrol problems our plans changed and decided to board at Waterloo. Due to a number of uncertainties a midnight drive from Scunthorpe saw us get to Hendon for a Thameslink to Blackfriars from there we walked to Waterloo witnessing the young women walking home. NICE!!!! Check in came at 5.30 and we were soon in the waiting lounge.

The call came at 06.30 and we headed on to the platform with 373201 / 373202 waiting for the journey. It was clear that this was no normal tour. Quite a few of the people were very snobbish which really got up my nose!!! Where were the cranks???

The Eurostar glided away at 7am moving through South London but due to a late departure we had lost our path. We joined the Connex lines at Wandsworth Road and then heading through Herne Hull, Sydenham Hill, Beckenham Jct, Bromley South and on to the South Eastern Main Line at Orpington, Tonbridge and on the approach to Ashford passed the works and got to the station where the train got substantially fuller.

We departed Ashford and passed two 92s on Intermodal. HELLFIRE!!! The Channel Tunnel Rail-link building site was seen, with the carriage sidings moved as a result of this work. We carried on with more CTRL building evident as we passed through Sandling and through a short tunnel before getting under the wires at Dollands Moor. There were plenty of 92s on display but due to them being wrongly placed I was unable to get them. We then came to the tunnel entrance and entered the tunnel.....

GOODBYE ENGLAND BONJOUR FRANCE!!!!!!!!

As we left the tunnel, the yard at Frethun was soon and we picked up speed to 186mph. A crew change was had at Lille, allowing the young ladies to leave. TGVs were seen at Lille in the station and at the nearby sidings. The train kept on the LGV Nord Europe but just before Paris we took one of the connecting lines between the LGV lines and passed Charles de Gaulle Airport and made the other changes to the crew at Euro Disney. We carried on the LGV connecting line around the suburbs passing through Valenton Yard, with which the speed was reduced drastically as we were on a line used by suburban passenger trains.

We passed over Villeneuve freight yard with wagonload traffic evident, and passed through Orly Ville, Massy TGV where we joined the LGV Atlantique for another high speed run deep In to South West France. It was pleasantly clear that many of the French local stations were like many of the stations pre Beeching with freight terminals at every other station with shunting locos for use at each.

At Poitiers we came off the main line for the final trip to La Rochelle. For a secondary branch line the line speed was pretty good with no more than at least 80mph achieved. We were informed that there would be a welcoming party. On the approach to La Rochelle the home of many of the Eurostar coaches was seen. A works as big as the Crewe, Doncaster, Swindon of old. How times have changed!!!!!!

La Rochelle awaited and we found a few TGVs located around the station together with one in the platform. We alighted at 14.40 to find that the locals were awaiting with music and alcohol. They had also put out the Union Jacks for us as well!!!!!!

Anyway, it was sunny, hot and the town was very attractive. With a port, castle, a wide variety of shops, restaurants and cafes available there was plenty for the people to do. Oh, there was a miniature Keadby Bridge as well. It was quite evident that this place was for the rich people due to the large amount of high class shoe shops in the area. I cannot tell you enough how nice the town was though.

We walked around La Rochelle and had a pleasant Pancake with chocolate (Crepe au Chocolat) and wandered back to the station to find customs awaiting. Check in started at 17.10 and by 17.50 we were ready to leave. LA Rochelle played host to some units that were like 153s but provided more thrash and noise than our units ever will!!!!

The return route was the same as the outward route. The train depar ted at 18.00 as we headed through South West France having a crew stop at Euro Disney and at Lille. Again the speeds were impressive. On the outskirts of Paris it was possible to see the Eiffel Tower from quite a distance due to the nature of the lighting of the tower.

Another on-time arrival at Lille, for another Crew change saw the French crew replaced by I presume an English Crew. High Speed running saw us from Lille to Frethun but became average speed in the tunnel and yep.

WELCOME BACK BRITAIN. BONJOUR TO FRANCE

We arrived in to Ashford early. Typical after an early arrival, we had a late departure from Ashford!!! The brochure showed us to take the route to Maidstone but dear old track access people of the railways routed us to Tonbridge. And not just that we were pathed behind a Connex unit!!!!! The unit was passed at Paddock Wood and the journey back to Waterloo was uneventful. We arrived back at 23.45 and everyone rushed to the exits expecting passport control but as everyone ran in to the exits there wasn't any. That was until a single passport officer requested to see the passports. Well he had a small chance!! People just waved past and on to the underground.

We had an eventful journey on the underground to Hendon. It just happened to be leaving time from the clubs as we headed home. Loads of skin was shown..... Anyway we headed up the A1 and after a overnight stop at Lincoln I finally got home in to Scunthorpe at 11.00.

VERDICT :
The tour was excellent. Is there many tours in which you can enjoy over 1,200 miles for £65. For which it seemed quite cheap. The route was interesting, and a lot of it was high speed. If Hertfordshire produce more of these tours there is no doubt there will be a market for them. Paris for £29 was sold out with in two or more days. Do I need to say anymore???

Route & Timings :

David Clark (2000)

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