Inside Eurostar's Temple Mills depot as operators await next steps in access process

RAIL has been given a unique insight into the workings of Temple Mills International Depot (TMI).

The east London depot is one that at least four operators (Evolyn, FS Italiene Group, Gemini Trains and Virgin) want access to in a bid to rival Eurostar (which operates Temple Mills) on international trains.

Eurostar is the designated facility manager of the depot which is owned by the government and leased to the operator through the HS1 concession.

Eurostar has said that there’s no capacity at TMI, even after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) concluded some space can be made available following a report by Ipex.

View of an e300 and two e320 Eurostar trains from the mezzanine inside Temple Mills depot. 

A Eurostar e320 set up on jacks as it undergoes an R exam at Temple Mills.

After the publication of the report, Eurostar said it showed TMI is “effectively almost full for major maintenance work and would require investment to meet the growing demands of international rail”.

It pointed to Ipex’s conclusion that the average latent maintenance shed capacity is 1.6 roads, with Virgin and Evolyn saying they both wanted two.

“The options presented in the report could help create some capacity, but this would not be enough to accommodate the stated ambitions of any single operator. This includes the three organisations who have applied to the regulator and the needs of Eurostar itself,” a statement said.

Two Eurostar e320 units inside Temple Mills International Depot.

Two Eurostar e320 units inside Temple Mills International Depot.

Meanwhile Gemini Trains said: “We are pleased to see that their review has demonstrated that there is capacity available for Gemini's services, both inside the depot, and for stabling outside.”

Its Chief Executive, Adrian Quine, also said: “Gemini’s access request is for one road inside the depot, which the report indicates could be achieved without special investment. Other potential operators have asked for more space inside and outside the depot, which is where capital investment will be required. We stand ready to invest where necessary.”

Inside the new bogie facility at Temple Mills which opened in spring 2025.

The battery unit used to shunt bogies between the maintenance shed and bogie facility at Temple Mills.

Gemini plans to order ten 200-metre-long trains which will “normally be in service as single sets”.

“Subject to further discussions with the IM and Eurostar we are open to coupling two sets at Temple Mills to maximise capacity but stress this is subject to operational practicality. No decision has been taken on this yet however we are flexible adopt a pragmatic approach when working with our industry colleagues,” added Quine.

Evolyn, FS Group, Virgin also intend to order 200-metre-long trains.

Neither Evolyn nor Virgin have published their responses to the Ipex study, however Virgin said in a statement that as TMI is currently the only depot that can accommodate trains for international services, the "immediate focus should be on bringing competition on the cross-channel route to bring passenger benefits as quickly as possible".

"That means opening the door to a new operator at Temple Mills, where the ORR’s recent report has confirmed there is space for a competitor to establish operations. Of course, future expansion to realise the full potential of the cross-channel services into Europe will require investment in depot and stabling capacity by all international passenger operators.”

Temple Mills yard.

The control room at Temple Mills.

Meanwhile Eurostar is also looking to order up to 50 new trains, although these will replace the e300 sets and older TGV sets currently operating on its Eurostar Red (formerly Thalys) routes that run from Paris to destinations in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

Journalists have rarely had a chance to see inside Temple Mills since it was opened in 2007.

More details on the depot access application process are due to be released by ORR this month, along with all responses to Ipex’s capacity study which was published at the end of March.