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photo: Chris McCandless-Stone / Alstom/Alstom-built Class 373 Eurostar power car 3999 at Temple Mills International Depot
A rare high-speed giant is about to make its public debut. Alstom has confirmed that Eurostar’s Class 373 power car 3999 will lead the lineup at The Greatest Gathering — the largest railway exhibition ever staged, celebrating 200 years of railway history.
Alstom has confirmed that Eurostar’s Class 373 power car 3999 will headline The Greatest Gathering, a three-day festival held from 1–3 August 2025 at the Litchurch Lane site in Derby — Britain’s oldest and largest train manufacturing facility. The showcase is set to become the world’s largest-ever exhibition of historic and modern rolling stock, coinciding with Railway 200, a national celebration of the bicentenary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives.
More than 100 exhibits will be featured, ranging from the pioneering Locomotion No. 1 to modern marvels like the Class 720 Aventra, the Class 390 Pendolino, and the iconic Flying Scotsman. For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Derby factory will open its gates to the public.
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Power Car 3999: A Hidden Star of International Rail
Built in 1996 at Alstom’s Belfort plant in France, Eurostar Class 373 power car 3999 was constructed as a spare unit. It has since logged just 38,000 km, in stark contrast to its sister trains that have surpassed 7 million kilometres in passenger service. Though largely unseen by the public, 3999 has been a crucial behind-the-scenes component of Eurostar’s operations, stepping in during major maintenance on other units.
"We are excited to welcome the Eurostar power car to The Greatest Gathering," said Rob Whyte, Managing Director of Alstom UK & Ireland. "It’s not just a remarkable feat of engineering, it’s a symbol of international cooperation and a reminder of what the railway industry can achieve through ambition and partnership."
Hayley Farrar, Head of Engineering at Eurostar, added: "We’re pleased to support The Greatest Gathering by loaning power car 3999 – offering the public a rare glimpse of a Eurostar unit that’s played a behind-the-scenes role in our operations." She added that the unit reflects three decades of high-speed European rail travel and Eurostar’s continuing investment in sustainable transport.
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An International Icon of Engineering and Connectivity
The Class 373, also known as the Trans Manche Super Train (TMST) and now referred to as the e300, is part of Alstom’s Avelia high-speed family. Since 1994, these 18-carriage articulated trains have connected London, Paris, and Brussels through the Channel Tunnel, travelling at speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph).
What makes these trains unique is their interoperability: the e300 can seamlessly operate across three countries, adapting to four different voltages and utilising seven on-board signalling systems. Power car 3999 will soon undergo upgrades to be fitted with the European Train Control System (ETCS), enabling it to continue service in the digital high-speed era.
To prepare for its public debut, power car 3999 will travel by road from its base in East London to Derby, joining an exclusive lineup that includes a Class 43 HST power car (432159)—the world’s fastest diesel locomotive—and carriages originally built at the same Derby site.
Sources: Alstom; Railway Supply; MarketScreener