208Mph: in the tracks of rocket and mallard, eurostar breaks british record

The age of the high-speed train roared into Britain when a Eurostar train shattered the 200mph barrier.

Powering slightly downhill through the north Kent countryside, Train 3134 reached 208mph (334.7 kph) while pulling 14 cars.

About 80 rail managers and engineers on board broke into applause as the speed was verified, easily eclipsing the previous domestic record of 162mph.

Passenger services on the 44-mile Channel Tunnel express link, the country's first new main line for more than a century, will begin at the end of September.

Trains will run at an average pace of 30mph between Waterloo and the start of the express route at Fawkham before accelerating to 186mph (300kph).

The French capital will be two hours 35 minutes away, while travel times to Brussels will drop to two hours 20 minutes.

Eurostar says bookings for trips are 20 per cent higher now.

Britain becomes the fifth European country to join the 300kph club, following France, Germany, Belgium and Spain. The driver of Train 3134, Alan Pears, said it was "very exciting" to set a new standard for the British Railway industry.

The Eurostar train, unlike renowned predecessors such as the Rocket and Mallard, owes more to overseas design than British. It is largely based on the French Trains Grand Vitesse (TGV).

Eurostar executives hope they will be able to offer new direct services to destinations such as Amsterdam — four hours, Frankfurt and Strasbourg - four and a half hours. Meanwhile, commuters from parts of Kent will be able to look forward to time savings of more than 50 per cent.

From 2007, journey times to and from London will improve because local trains will be able to use part of the new rail link.

The Daily Telegraph, August, 2003

Exercise 5. Look at the facts in ex. 1 and 4 and describe how the train speed record fell.

1. 1829 George Stephenson’s Rocket, 30 mph

2. 1854 Bristol& Exeter Railway train, 82mph

3. 1904 Great Western Railway mail train, 102mph

4. 1934 Flying Scotsman (London & North Eastern Railway) first passenger train to reach 100 mph

5. 1935 Silver Link (LNER), 112mph

6. 1938 Mallard (LNER) 126 mph, remains fastest speed for steam locomotive

7. 1973 Inter-City 125, 143mph

8. 1979 BR Advanced Passenger Train, 162mph

9. 2003 Eurostar

Exercise 6. Fill each gap with one suitable word.

BULLET TRAINS ON TRACK FOR CAPITAL

British Rail chiefs are working _____ plans for a 220 mile _____ hour Japanese style "bullet train" to _____ the journey from London to Edinburgh _____ just two hours and twenty minutes and _____ with air shuttle services.

The new track _____ be additional, and possibly parallel, to the current east coast main _____. Work could be completed _____ 2015.

Strategic Rail Authority chairman Richard Bowker hopes that the new project _____ integrate seamlessly with existing intercity and _____ services.

He said: "If a speed link does go ahead, there will obviously be a _____ of benefits to passengers _____ terms of a faster service, reduced journey _____ and it will also offer passengers the chance to go by rail. It will go from city centre to city centre and that will bring benefits in _____ of business, tourism and leisure."

He added that encouraging ____ travel was also important in terms of environmental _____.

Exercise 7. Render into English.

ПАРОВОЗ «ЛЕВ» И ПАРОВОЗ «СЛОН»

В 1836-1837 гг. в России строится первая железная дорога -Царскосельская. Нужны паровозы. Строитель дороги инженер Франц Герстнер едет через Германию и Бельгию в Англию, где оценивает и закупает паровозы, а заодно и знакомится с железными дорогами. В ходе этой поездки он выбрал для русской железной дороги ширину в 6 футов (1829 мм) вместо европейских 4 футов и 8,5 дюйма (1435 мм). В дальнейшем уже в соответствии с опытом Царскосельской дороги ширина колеи была стандартизирована - 5 футов (1524 мм). Тогда же Герстнер заказал для России 7 паровозов (6 - в Англии, 1 - в Бельгии) и вагоны.

Шесть паровозов работавших на первой железной дороге России, как корабли, имели собственные названия: «Стрела», «Проворный», «Богатырь», «Орел», «Лев», «Слон» Это неудивительно, ведь самого слова «паровоз» еще не существовало, оно впервые появилось в отчете Царскосельской дороги только 8 февраля 1837 г. До этого паровозы называли «сухопутными пароходами».

Честь открытия Царскосельской дороги принадлежит паровозу «Проворный». Вел его сам Герстнер, разработчик и строитель дороги. В поезде было 8 вагонов. Паровоз имел в рабочем состоянии вес 17,6т., мощность 146 л.с, развивал максимальную скорость 60 км/час. На следование от Петербурга до Царского Села было затрачено 35 мин., а на обратный путь - 27.

По требованию Герстнера паровозы должны были возить несколько вагонов с 300 пассажирами со скоростью 40 верст. Когда инженер разрабатывал проект дороги, он полагал, что в течение года по ней будет ездить 300 тысяч человек. В действительности уже в 1838 году число пассажиров превысило 460 тысяч

«Проворный» был построен заводом Стефенсона и К в Англии и проработал на дороге 19 лет. Первые отечественные паровозы начали строить в 1845 году на Александровском заводе в Петербурге.

Exercise 8. In the text below there are words and phrases which are repeated and superfluous. Rewrite the text using omissions and ellipses as appropriate. Summarize the text.

HOW SAFE IS RAIL TRAVEL

Unlike air travel, which is regulated internationally, rail travel is in many cases controlled nationally. The degree of safety of rail travel is therefore highly variable from country to country, depending on the degree of regulation and the quality of regulation in the country concerned. In Britain and the United States rail passenger deaths work out at an average of less than 10 rail passenger deaths per year. Unfortunately, the rail passenger deaths per year statistics in the less developed parts of the world are considerably higher than the rail passenger deaths per year statistics are in the western world.

In the UK over the last 25 years, there has been an average of one train accident for every million miles run. Because individual trains carry such a large number of passengers compared with the number of passengers carried in cars, buses and planes, this actually means that the degree of risk is, comparatively, one which is almost non-existent.

By far the greatest cause of railway accidents is human error, either in controlling or responding to signals. Recent improvements in the numbers of accidents are in large measure due to the introduction of automatic and computerised signalling equipment. Radio communication systems between drivers and control centres have also proved influential in reducing accidents. With the continuing development of radio communication systems and automatic signalling systems we can look forward to further reductions in what are already impressively low accident rates.

Discussion points.

1. What is the role of Britain in the history of railway?

2. What can you say about the British rail industry?

3. What do you know about the history of railway in Russia?

4. What types of trains do you know? Explain the difference between them.

5. What types of trains and engines does the future belong to?

6. Do you believe travelling by train is safe?