French national rail operator has emerged as the front runner in the race to operate services on the East Coast Main Line.

SNCF, roughly translated as French National Railway Company, is France’s state-owned rail company operating in France and Monaco.

It employs 180,000 people in 120 countries.

SNCF operates 14,000 trains every day over 20,000 miles of track.

The jewel in the crown is the TGV high-speed service which is the world’s fastest trains network.

The TGV programme began in the 1970s and the first service ran in 1981. It now covers more than 1,100 miles.

During the Second World War the SNCF network was a target for French resistance after it was requisitioned by German forces.