Nightstar (train)
The Nightstar was a proposed overnight sleeper train service from various parts of the United Kingdom to destinations in mainland Europe, via the Channel Tunnel, in the mid 1990s.
[2] All the cars were air-conditioned with power operated doors and designed to meet the safety standards of each country they would run through, the most stringent of these requirements being for the Channel Tunnel.
These locomotives were built and designed as multipowered electric units for this role as well as hauling Channel Tunnel freight services.
[11][12] The refurbishment included a full overhaul, re-gearing to allow 80 mph running, fitting with multiple working capabilities, and through wiring for electric train supply, (ETS) used for powering services in the coaches such as air conditioning.
The Class 37/6 locomotives do not have ETS generating capability so could not provide the power required by the on-board services of the Nightstar trains.
To produce the ETS there would have been a generator van, containing two 350 kVA Cummins diesel engines, marshalled between the two Class 37/6 locomotives.
The conversion involved a full overhaul, the removal of the interior and the fitment of the generators in a fire-proof acoustic housing.
[10] In July 2009, 96372/3/4/5 were moved to Wolverton Works where they donated their bogies for Direct Rail Services to use on its charter fleet.
In January 2011 96374 was purchased by Wabtec and moved to Doncaster Works where modifications were made to allow it to provide ETS for the Mk4 refurbishment program.
It was sold to Eastern Rail Services in March 2019 and moved to Polmadie TRSMD in 2020 for use a carriage heater with the Caledonian Sleeper.
[15] In December 2021, Eastern Rail Services purchased the three remaining Generator Vans from Motorail, with 96372 moving to Great Yarmouth.
[citation needed] The 139 carriage stock order began construction in 1992 and continued slowly until the whole project was put on hold in 1997, then formally abandoned in 1999.
The reasons for the delay in the start of operations and then the final cancelling of construction are similar to those given for the non-start of Regional Eurostar service: primarily due to rising costs and competition from low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet.
[citation needed] Just before the service was finally abandoned, it was estimated by one expert to The Sunday Times that only one European produced locomotive could have hauled and powered a fully laden Nightstar - and that the locomotive was not due into production for another two years, would not fit the British loading gauge, and would draw too much power from a single section, thus requiring it to have special clearance while operating.
[18] So many trains to various destinations would probably have been poorly used, and security at some stations would have been expensive, because security-cleared international travellers would have needed to be separated from local passengers.
Eurostar also neglected the core routes from London to Paris and Brussels, claiming these were not needed because of the short journey time, but overlooking that morning meetings otherwise require an overnight stay or a very early start.
A late night departure and early morning arrival on the London to Paris/Brussels/Amsterdam/Cologne axis, with internal connections elsewhere, would have had better potential.
After abandonment of the service, in 2002 London and Continental Railways were credited by the UK Government with the lease fees on the carriages.
