Thoughts starting to turn towards long-term international depot for Channel Tunnel services

Thoughts are turning towards a long-term maintenance facility for cross-Channel trains, after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) published the next steps of the process to decide if a second operator can use Temple Mills International Depot (TMI).

Evolyn, Gemini Trains, Trenitalia France and Virgin now have until July 3 to provide the regulator with more information about their proposals, while Eurostar can also submit details on its expansion plans. A final decision is expected by October 31.

Making changes at TMI to increase capacity, either solely for Eurostar or for Eurostar and a second operator, is only considered a short-term solution.

Long term, a new facility with capacity for future growth is thought to be needed, to cope with the predicted trebling of passengers from 11 million in 2023-24 to 35 million by 2040.

While HS1 and the Channel Tunnel are currently running at 50% capacity, depot and station capacity is limited.

Speaking in the House of Lords on June 2, Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “I have asked the Department [for Transport] to look urgently at other sites that can be used, to increase depot capacity and therefore the number of passenger trains through the [Channel] Tunnel.”

However, the possibility of a new, larger depot that can accommodate the expected future demand for cross-Channel services is not playing a role in ORR’s decision on whether a challenger to Eurostar can use Temple Mills.

Eurostar has criticised ORR’s process, claiming it is not appropriate for an international depot and not being able to put forward its expansion plans. But RAIL understands the regulator wants to get an idea of the new companies’ ambitions, before exploring everyone’s plans in detail.

ORR now wants to hear exactly how many trains the various operators will need, and their funding for approximately ten years. It is likely that just one applicant (if any) will get approval for Temple Mills use.

In its letter to applicants outlining the next steps of the process, the regulator acknowledged that some responses noted that the level of capacity identified was “unlikely to be sufficient to accommodate all of the aspirations articulated by new applicants and by Eurostar”.

ORR told operators its process “does not preclude the parties working together on alternative and agreeable solutions”.

Eurostar repeated its line that capacity that could be created at TMI is “not sufficient to meet the ambitions of all potential operators plus Eurostar’s own ambitious plans for growth”.

The operator added: “Therefore, we welcome the ORR’s call for more information on future plans and continue to encourage private investment in new depot facilities beyond Temple Mills, of which there are many options.”

RAIL understands ORR had asked London St Pancras Highspeed for a service description at the Ashford depot used by Southeastern’s Class 395 Javelin units, although LSPH is maintaining that it is neither the infrastructure manager nor operator of the site.

However, it has not ruled out supporting anyone that wishes to explore the possibility of using the facility.

A Virgin Group spokeswoman maintained the report “confirms what we already know - that there is the capacity Virgin needs at Temple Mills”.

The company also said: “Future expansion to realise the full potential of the cross-Channel ser-vices into Europe will require investment in depot and stabling capacity by all international passenger operators.”