JCCM Jane Cowmeadow Communications and Management

Dame Kelly launches Britain's first high speed trains - the Javelin

Dec 18, 10:47 AM

Rail commuters in the South East of London will be able to travel at 140 miles per hour on domestic routes as weekday services of Japanese-built Javelin trains introduced in time for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were officially unveiled on Monday 14 December by Prime Minister Gordon Brown (pictured) and Dame Kelly Holmes, the double Olympic gold medallist.

The Javelin trains will travel from St Pancras to Stratford the Olympic terminus in just 7 minutes.

Brown was waiting at St Pancras Station in London for the first service, on which Dame Kelly and Lord Adonis arrived.

The train they travelled on was named after Dame Kelly, one of several honouring the achievements of some of Britain’s most famous Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

The others are being named after athletes Steve Backley, Sir Steve Redgrave, Rebecca Adlington, Sir Chris Hoy, Ben Ainslie, Daley Thompson, Duncan Goodhew, Katherine Grainger, Lord Coe, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Jamie Staff.