High-speed trains in the UK?!

The Javelin train

Whether or not train bosses will agree, British trains are renown for being unreliable and late, so the fact that a new high-speed train service operating between Kent and London St Pancras has been officially launched has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Featuring Japanese-built Class 395 Javelin trains that can reach speeds of up to 140mph, the new weekday services will be capable of reaching St Pancras 37 minutes after leaving Ashford. The new trains have been running on a limited, "preview service" basis since June, but this week sees the full service starting, providing workers with their first opportunity to take advantage of reduced journey times to many Kent destinations.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis and double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes are joining travellers this morning on one of the services operated by the Southeastern train company.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, hailed the start of the service saying, "This is a great day for St Pancras and for Kent, rail services in this area and for the UK," he said.

"This is also a momentous day in the long and glorious history of British railways."

Speed at a price

Travel times have been greatly reduced with the addition of the new trains; London to Ramsgate times have been reduced by an average of 49 minutes to 81 minutes, while the new London-Dover time of 69 minutes represents a 47 minute saving.

However travellers will have to pay more for the joy of getting home earlier. Commuters taking advantage of the new trains will find that a peak-time Ashford-London return will be £48.70 compared with the normal fare of £40.60, while London-Folkestone will be £52.50 rather than £44.40.

The introduction of the trains coincides with the launch of a new rail timetable for Southeastern - the biggest change in 40 years. The company will provide an extra 200 trains across the region and increase capacity on the network by 5 percent.

Southeastern managing director Charles Horton said it was a "great day for the industry".

"Today marks the most important day in our franchise. We have been working hard since 2006 to achieve this goal," he said to the BBC.

"To be able to bring in the trains six months early as part of a preview service over the summer is testament to the teamwork we have put in with Hitachi, HS1 and Network Rail."

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