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VIDEO: Why’s a Eurostar train been abandoned in a forest in France?

Eurostar passengers have complained of being abandoned in the past, but spare a thought for this train, seemingly left disowned and disavowed in a forest in northern France, but still fairly intact.

It's almost like a scene out of the zombie series The Walking Dead.

The video of the abandoned Eurostar 3018 train which has been viewed more than 1.3 million times, was filmed by a so-called urban explorer named who goes by the name of “AdcaZz”.

“I have never seen anything like that before,” he told France 3. “It's impressive to see. And the inside of the train is almost intact. You get the impression people just left it suddenly.”

He did not reveal the exact location other than to say it's in a forest near Valenciennes in northern France, not far from the Belgium border.

Even if vandals have spent a fair amount of time in the train's company the images show that most of the train has been left fairly untouched, with magazines and newspapers still in their racks and lying on tables as though their readers have just popped to the toilet.

Seats are still in their place and the driver's cabin almost looks as though it's still functional. The train still has its 13 carriages and two buffet cars where there snack bars are located.

The YouTuber behind the video AdcaZz laments the fact that “there are so many things on the train that can be reused”.

For their part Eurostar say the train has been “put in storage” since 2016 and “is in the process of being dismantled”.

The firm says it's not abandoned just “waiting” to be stripped down.

A nearby company is apparently in charge of the train's dismantling but obviously can't find space for the 400 metre long train on their site. According to France 3 they are “overwhelmed” with work.

A situation AdcaZz is not pleased about.

“This train should be dismantled in a warehouse and not abandoned in a forest,” he said, adding that his video was aimed at highlighting the issue.

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Eurostar’s souvenir bomb warning after Paris station evacuated

Passengers on Eurostar have been warned about bringing shells that have been turned into souvenirs onto the trains after Paris' Gare du Nord station had to be evacuated.

Eurostar's souvenir bomb warning after Paris station evacuated
The Eurostar terminal at Gare du Nord was evacuated
The Paris transport hub had to be evacuated early on Monday morning after a World War II shell was found in a passenger's bag.
 

 

The evacuation, which happened at about 5.45am on Monday, was completed by 10am, but has led to longer than usual queues for Eurostar services.

It is the latest in a series of security alerts caused by passengers trying to take souvenir war artillery on to trains.

Eurostar issued a special warning ahead of the First World War commemorations in November 2018, but with just a month to go until memorial events for the D Day landings, there are fears that the problems could recur.
 
“As you're travelling during the commemoration period, please remember that you can't bring any real or replica bombs, shells (complete or partial) or weapons on board – even if you bought them from a gift shop,” Eurostar told passengers last year.
   
“If you bring them with you, they'll be confiscated at security and may result in the need to evacuate the station.”
   
Old World War I shells turned into flower pots have been popular souvenirs in Belgium and France ever since the end of the conflict, but passengers attempting to take them on board trains for Britain have sparked bomb scares in recent years.
 
Some of the alerts, which happen every few months, have also been caused by war memorabilia collectors bringing back disarmed ordnance unearthed by farmers at battle sites in northeast France.
   
Eurostar said even disarmed shells can set off X-ray alarms.
   
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