Overview
- Virgin won permission to use the Temple Mills depot in east London, with the ORR rejecting rival bids from Evolyn, Gemini Trains and Trenitalia as well as Eurostar’s request for extra capacity.
- The ORR said the decision unlocks about £700 million of private investment and around 400 jobs, calling it a win for passenger choice and economic growth.
- Virgin aims to start services in 2030 between London St Pancras and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, but still needs track access rights, safety clearance and a commercial agreement with Eurostar to use the depot.
- The entrant has an agreement with Alstom for 12 Avelia Stream trains and says funding will come from Equitix and Azzurra Capital.
- Temple Mills is the sole HS1‑accessible maintenance hub, making it a key bottleneck, while Eurostar is pursuing a €2 billion double‑deck fleet order slated to enter service from 2031.