Some interesting facts about HS1..

• When a Eurostar is travelling at 186mph it will take only 38.4 seconds to travel through the North Downs Tunnel.

• Over 500,000 m3 of concrete was used in the creation of the North Downs Tunnel.

• To build the Medway Viaduct over 35,000 m3 of concrete was used.

• The HS1 construction project has created over 8000 jobs!

• With the completion of HS1 in 2007 the London - Paris journey time fell to 2 hr 15 minutes.

• With the completion of HS1 in 2007 the London - Brussels journey time fell to 1 hr 53 minutes.

• With the completion of HS1 in 2007 the London - Lille journey time fell to 1 hr 20 minutes.

• Construction work on HS1 has uncovered a wealth of archaeological remains including an Anglo-Saxon waterwheel and the skeleton of a straight-tusked Stone Age elephant that used to roam north Kent!

• Preservation of archaeological relics exposed by HS1 has led to the exhumation and reburial of the remains of two French bishops who had sought refuge in London during the French revolution.

• The total length of HS1 is 68 miles (109 km).