The opening of the UK to the operation of regular European sized freight trains on High Speed 1 was celebrated by the naming of a high speed freight locomotive at DB Schenker Rail's Channel Tunnel depot at Dollands Moor, near Folkestone, where DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd Chief Executive Alain Thauvette invited Brian Simpson MEP, Chair of the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee, to pull a cord and officially name 92009 'Marco Polo'.

The work to introduce rail freight services onto High Speed 1 has seen extensive testing take place over a five month period. The result is that the larger and higher freight trains that operate across Europe can now be utilised on HS1 from the Channel Tunnel to London, which is the only European sized rail route in the UK. At the event Mr Thauvette said: "We expect to introduce the first of a number of regular services with larger European containers this autumn onto High Speed 1. With the potential of 15 of freight trains a week travelling across Europe to east London, this will help alleviate congestion on the M20 and M25 motorways as goods are moved from road to rail."


Brian Simpson MEP, Chair of the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee, said: "Europe needs goods to move quickly and seamlessly across countries to get to markets, and reliable pan-European rail freight services are a key component to achieving that. The delivery of the project to open the UK to the larger freight trains used across Europe, and to introduce freight services onto High Speed 1, has successfully enhanced trading corridors. I look forward to this leading to modal shift from road to rail and a reduction in carbon emissions across Europe. I congratulate everyone involved in this significant rail freight project."

The work to introduce rail freight services onto High Speed 1 has been supported by the European Commission's Marco Polo programme.