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Tuesday 19 October 2010

Mind Yer ‘Arris!

Today featured a brief visit to London, to see the new kid on the blocks. The place was St Pancras International Station, the invitations did not extend to ordinary enthusiasts, and the occasion was the display by German rail operator DB of one of their ICE3 high speed trainsets in the UK.

Along with several others, I had to look on through the screens under the clock, as the specialist press, getting the payoff that comes with wall to wall favourable coverage, were allowed on the platform. Unfortunately, for some time, the view was impaired by a not insubstantial figure sprawled forward over the buffer stop railings.

A helpful Network Rail person identified this presence – doubling as a model for the Michael Foot memorial donkey jacket – as RAIL magazine editor Nigel Harris. For him, the temptation of rubbing onlooking enthusiasts’ noses in it was apparently too much. But eventually he dragged himself upright and found something marginally more useful to occupy himself.

This allowed a clear view of the train, and the assembled snappers could get to work. You can see photos of ICE3 “Schwäbisch Hall” on display at St Pancras HERE. I’ll return to the aspirations of DB for running into London soon.

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