On 22 Feb, 15:06, "Paul Scott" wrote:

"Mizter T" wrote:

On 22 Feb, 13:11, "Paul Scott" wrote:

Still a lot closer to town than 'London' Stansted, Luton, or Gatwick
airports - indeed closer to central London than Heathrow airport.

Is there really a possibility that Stratford could be a terminus
though - I can't see why there would be any need? Because DB, when
they introduce their new mythical London - Berlin express (if only
they would!), wouldn't want to pay the extra to go to St. Pancras?
(Though being serious I can't see that whoever owns the CTRL/HS1 by
then would really offer a discounted rate for stopping short!)

I'm thinking of a situation where Eurostar are claiming that that there
isn't any space in 'their' terminus, due to their turnround requirements.
Because the Stratford platforms are on loops, another operator could stop
there and platforming at St Pancras wouldn't be an issue.

I recall similar arguments between GNER and NR re open access to Kings
Cross...


But by the looks of things sooner or later Eurostar isn't going to be
the owner of and hence be in charge of St Pancras station. It does of
course depend on how LCR is split up - will St Pancras be vested in
the owner of HS1/CTRL, or with Eurostar UK Ltd (EUKL)?

There are arguments both ways - the train operator (EUKL) being in
charge makes some sense, with regards to the fact that they are the
ones who are using it every day, unless of course there are other new
operators on the scene when having an impartial station owner starts
to make a lot more sense.

Indeed how LCR is broken up could be taken as an indicator as to how
likely TPTB consider a new international operator is to come on to the
scene. Likewise, depending on how LCR is broken up, it could provide
the necessary incentive for a new operator, or indeed provide enough
of an obstacle so as to prevent a new operator considering it
worthwhile.

I think the argument for vesting the stations in the ownership of the
HS1/CTRL company is stronger, and of course a lot less messy, than the
counter arrangement. EUKL presence at St Pancras, along with any
potential future operators, would thus be like an airline at an
airport terminal.

All that said, it seems likely that DB is keen on working with
Eurostar as opposed to running competing services, so much of this
talk is probably just hypothetical.