High speed rail hits the Olympics

Earlier this week, in preparation for the 2012 Olympics Games, executives successfully completed the first trial of a super-express train service linking St Pancreas station with the Olympic Park in East London.

It was the goal of the trial was to reach Stratford International station via a purpose-built high-speed track in less than seven minutes. This is across a distance of 5.6 mile distance and is three years before the opening ceremony.

The trial got off to a nervous start, departing from St Pancreas's rather ominous Platform 13, and cynical journalist boarded the 'Javelin' train, hoping to report on its breakdown somewhere down the line.

However, the train, built by renowned Hitachi and based on Japanese bullet trains, flew through Hackney in Greater London and came out of a tunnel the other side in Stratford only six minutes, 45 seconds later.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell was jubilant at the news, reportedly saying: "We're now confident we can run trains ahead of schedule".

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