Benjamin Britten (train)

The Benjamin Britten was an international train service linking Amsterdam with London.

Benjamin Britten
BR Class 86209 "City of Coventry" at Crewe, 31 July 1986.
Overview
Service typeEuroCity (EC)
(1987–1988)
InterCity (IC)
(1988–?)
LocaleNetherlands
United Kingdom
PredecessorHook Continental
First service31 May 1987 (1987-05-31)
Former operator(s)Nederlandse Spoorwegen
British Rail
Route
StartAmsterdam CS
EndLondon Liverpool Street
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification1500 V DC (Netherlands)
25 kVAC (United Kingdom)

The train was named after the English composer, conductor and pianist Benjamin Britten.

History

The Benjamin Britten was one of the initial services of the 1987 EuroCity network.[1] It was operated as a boat train, the first part Amsterdam – Hook of Holland by train, the second Hook of Holland – Harwich by boat and the final part, Harwich – London, by train.

The eastbound EC Benjamin Britten and the westbound EC Admiraal de Ruijter had timed connections with the day boats. The return services had timed connections with the night boats.

Each of these trains lost its EuroCity label after one year of service because it did not meet the EuroCity criteria for service quality;[2] sometimes other rolling stock was used and the on-board catering was minimal from the start. However, both trains also remained in the timetable, as InterCity services.[3]

Formation (consist)

The Nederlandse Spoorwegen used three coupled Koplopers between Amsterdam and Hook of Holland.[4] Ferries of Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland (the MS Koningin Beatrix) or Sealink (the MS St Nicholas) provided the shipping. British Rail used its most modern InterCity coaches hauled by Class 86 locomotives on the Harwich – London portion.

gollark: Basically.
gollark: Tabletty things like yours.
gollark: * now
gollark: If you mean phones, they used to but don't really know.
gollark: ... obviously, what did you think was in your laptop?

References
  1. Spoorwegen 88 p. 8
  2. "EuroCity-Net Gewijzigd". De Kampioen (in Dutch). The Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB): 61. July–August 1988. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  3. "Table 11". British Rail Passenger Timetable. Summer 1989.
  4. Spoorwegen 88 p. 37

Works cited
  • Nieuwenhuis, Gerrit (1987). Spoorwegen 88 (in Dutch). Alkmaar: Uitgeverij de Alk. ISBN 90-6013839-2.

Further reading
  • Behrend, George (1987). "The "Benjamin Britten"". The Railway Magazine. IPC Business Press. 133: 360–361.
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