*FULL RIDE* Aboard 395012 and 395029 from Stratford Int'l to Ebbsfleet Int'l

Aboard the 12:06 1J30 from St Pancras International to Canterbury West and Ashford International, 395012 is leading and 395029 is at the rear, we join the train at Stratford International to Ebbsfleet International, along the way we see, Dagenham Junction, Rainham, Wennington Crossovers, Dartford Bridge, Ebbsfleet West Junction and Ebbsfleet International station. No trains passed the window on the way so don't be holding your breath. Just enjoy the views that is provided.
Class 395 'Javelin' info:
The Class 395 "Javelin" is a dual-voltage electric multiple unit (EMU) built for high-speed commuter services on High Speed 1 and elsewhere on the Integrated Kent Franchise.
The six-car trains were built in Japan by Hitachi and operate at a maximum speed of 140 mph (225 km/h) under 25 kV AC overhead electrification on High Speed 1, and 100 mph (161 km/h) on 750 V DC third rail supply on conventional lines.
The use of the high-speed trains as part of the transport infrastructure for the Olympic Park formed part of the original bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The service was named the Olympic Javelin Shuttle, and was the origin for the nickname "Javelin". The Olympic services began 28 July 2012.
History:
In December 2003, formal approval was given to run domestic services on the planned Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL, now known as High Speed 1, or HS1) in Kent, England. Preliminary consultations for a new franchise including then CTRL, and for rolling stock to operate the 'CTRL Domestic' services were to begin in 2004. In 2005 the proposed high-speed services were combined with those from the former South Eastern rail franchise to form the Integrated Kent franchise (IKF).
In October 2004, Hitachi was announced as the preferred bidder to supply high-speed trains for the CTRL services, and in June 2005 the £250 million contract was signed with Hitachi Europe Ltd as supplier of 28 trainsets, with HSBC Rail acting as the financier (ROSCO), and with an expected service date of 2009. In November 2005 the Department for Transport announced Govia as the new operator of the IKF.
The contract was Hitachi's first rail vehicle sold to a European customer. It had previously worked with HSBC Rail and UK rail authorities between 2002 and 2003 to demonstrate the suitability and conformance of Hitachi's traction system with the UK rail network, including test of the use of AC induction motors, and Electromagnetic compatibility tests.
Construction of the CTRL (High Speed 1) was complete in November 2007. By 2008, the initially planned 'CTRL Domestic' services (2003) from London St Pancras to Gravesend, and Canterbury West and Folkestone Central, via Ashford, had been expanded in scope to include services to Medway Towns, East Kent and Dover.
A twenty-ninth train was added to the order agreement by franchise holder Southeastern to provide additional capacity.
Design:
The 400 Series Mini Shinkansen and Hitachi's A Train design form the basis of the Class 395 design. From the 400 series the class inherits the same 6-car 20 m carriage with doors at one-third and two-thirds along the carriage. Both are designed for operations at high speed on newly built lines as well as at lower speed on conventional legacy lines. Unlike the steel-bodied Series 400, the Class 395 has its carbody (walls, roof, floor) formed from friction stir welded double-walled hollow extruded aluminium body panels, a technology Hitachi considers part of its A-Train train family specification.
The train consists of six-car units, with all axles on the middle four cars powered. The outer cars are unpowered, but mount the pantographs (giving a formation DPT1+MS1+MS2+MS3+MS4+DPT2). The bogies are bolsterless, with both powered and unpowered bogies sharing a common design to simplify maintenance. Each 6-car unit can work in multiple with another, creating 12-car trains. Coupling is automated and is designed to take less than 60 seconds.
For reliability, passenger doors use a relatively simple sliding pneumatic system already in use and development for several decades on Shinkansen trains. The brake system was supplied by Faiveley. Approximately 40% of the train equipment by value was provided by European suppliers.
There are 340 seats per 6-car train, in standard class [2+2] formation, with 12 additional tip up seats in a wheelchair area. There are two toilets per unit, one of which is equipped for disabled access.
The trains meet UK Railway Group Standards (RGS), and European Union Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) standards for crashworthiness, and UK or EU standards for structure-load-bearing behaviour, material strength, aerodynamics, noise and fire resistance.
Each train has a Train Management System (TMS), including equipment monitoring systems, communications, air-conditioning, etc., and equipment-control, including Selective Door Operation (SDO). The SDO system uses GPS and train speed integration to estimate position.