EUROSTAR staff, who between them boast 863 years' experience on Britain's railways, gathered at York's National Railway Museum to celebrate an important anniversary.

The 33 staff, who have worked for Eurostar since its formation as the European Passenger Services division of British Rail in November 1991, toasted their ten years with the company at the special lunch.

Jamie Lester, who was the fireman on the steam locomotive hauling Winston Churchill's funeral train from Waterloo in 1965, was reunited with that same locomotive, named the Winston Churchill, at the museum.

Nigel Brown made history by driving the first Eurostar train conveying the Queen at the inauguration of the Channel Tunnel in 1994.

Mr Brown said: "The royal occasion is one that I will always remember, but since then it's been great to be part of the revolution in travel which Eurostar has made possible."

Eurostar is a patron of the National Railway Museum, which became European Museum of the Year in 2001.

The party was hosted by Gordon Bye, managing director of Eurostar.

He said: "At Eurostar we attach great importance to the loyalty of our staff. The experience which these people possess is invaluable to the company."

Updated: 10:24 Monday, January 21, 2002