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Eurostar to quit Waterloo
TheOneKEA wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 16 Nov 2004:
Maybe customers in SWT-land. But what about customers on the Central Line? Or customers living in Beckton? Or folks on the District? IMO, whatever custom Eurostar *might* lose by closing Waterloo and forcing folks to go to St. Pancras and Stratford will undoubtedly be reversed by the much larger numbers of people who will be able to get to Stratford far more easily (and cheaply!) than Waterloo. But we don't want not to have Stratford - we want to have Waterloo *as well*!!!! The right to choose, and all that jazz.... Another poster commented about day-trip traffic - people living in the North - my daughter, in York, for instance, or a friend in Hull - simply can't do day-trips anyway, wherever the Eurostar leaves from. They do 3-days to Amsterdam by ferry, not 24 hours in Paris or Brussels! And I can't see that changing. As I've already stated, I feel that whatever traffic Eurostar might lose at Waterloo, it will regain in spades at Stratford. *Especially* if the Stratford International is opened in a timely fashion. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha..... You really reckon it will be? I've got a bridge in Brooklyn.... -- "Mrs Redboots" http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/ Website updated 6 November 2004 with new photos |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In article , M.Whitson
writes Paris/Brussels bound passengers from more than 40 miles north of London will find it far more convenient and less time consuming to use their regional airport - Stanstead, Manchester, Liverpool Newcastle etc. Not so: from Cambridge/Peterborough it is more convenient - even if slightly slower - to use Eurostar than to fly. And that's with the present arrangements; the move to St.Pancras will probably save me an hour. -- Clive D.W. Feather | Home: Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work: Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is: |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In article ,
Clive D. W. Feather wrote: Not so: from Cambridge/Peterborough it is more convenient - even if slightly slower - to use Eurostar than to fly. And that's with the present arrangements; the move to St.Pancras will probably save me an hour. Don't be silly Clive! People from outside the south east have no interest in travelling anywhere by anything other than horse and cart, and couldn't possibly need an interconnection with Eurostar! Or so I have learnt from this newsgroup over the past few days... :) Dave -- Email: MSN Messenger: |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , at 10:42:24 on Tue, 16
Nov 2004, Clive D. W. Feather remarked: In article , M.Whitson writes Paris/Brussels bound passengers from more than 40 miles north of London will find it far more convenient and less time consuming to use their regional airport - Stanstead, Manchester, Liverpool Newcastle etc. Not so: from Cambridge/Peterborough it is more convenient - even if slightly slower - to use Eurostar than to fly. Thanks to CT's pathetic service to Stansted. And that's with the present arrangements; the move to St.Pancras will probably save me an hour. I agree, E* every time. -- Roland Perry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , at 09:33:28 on Tue, 16 Nov
2004, Paul Terry remarked: Customers will inevitably re-evaluate Heathrow, which is usually cheaper and in the future may prove quicker. Maybe customers in SWT-land. Those are the ones we are discussing, yes. I used to live in SWT-land (near Surbiton). I was *extremely* surprised to find that there's no SWT train running in the early morning that would have connected me with the first E* from Waterloo - necessary if you want to make a morning meeting on the Continent. Presumably that first train is entirely for people within a taxi ride of Waterloo (including those forced to overnight in a hotel). But what about customers on the Central Line? Or customers living in Beckton? Or folks on the District? They are likely to have to suffer the appalling interchange planned for Stratford. The last I heard, Union Railways are even resisting putting in a travelator (it is rumoured they want to force people to walk past a quarter of mile of shops to get to the International station). Ah, just like all the airports, then? To a large extent it will depend on whether those needing to go to Brussels and Paris for business meetings, or choosing to go there on leisure breaks, live mainly in SW London or in Beckton etc. I suspect it is mostly the former, and Eurostar are therefore going to be forced to start building a new customer base from scratch instead of building on their existing market. You need to factor in several other variables. For example, as a result of the impossibility of catching the first E* in the morning from anywhere outside central London, the business traveller with a morning meeting has to be funded well enough to either overnight in London, or Paris/Brussels. -- Roland Perry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , Roland
Perry writes I used to live in SWT-land (near Surbiton). I was *extremely* surprised to find that there's no SWT train running in the early morning that would have connected me with the first E* from Waterloo Then think how much worse it is going to be to get from Surbiton to St Pancras in time for a 05:30 departure! - necessary if you want to make a morning meeting on the Continent. Depends - the 06:26 departure arrive in Brussels at 10.01. But I don't know many people who are so keen on their jobs that they would want to get up that early just for a meeting. Presumably that first train is entirely for people within a taxi ride of Waterloo (including those forced to overnight in a hotel). Or who have relatives who can drop them off, or who know how to use a night bus, or who are travelling in a party for which a minibus or coach, has been laid on, or who are Belgian or French and have been staying in a nearby hotel ... But I have to say that the only time I ever travelled on that early service, I was very lonely. It certainly wasn't very popular a few years back. You need to factor in several other variables. For example, as a result of the impossibility of catching the first E* in the morning from anywhere outside central London, the business traveller with a morning meeting has to be funded well enough to either overnight in London, or Paris/Brussels. I should have thought that was pretty normal - the company for which I sometimes do some work (and which has charitable status) will always pay for a hotel if there is a morning start and the travelling time is much more than about an hour. -- Paul Terry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
It would not be difficult to use these platforms for Windsor Line trains,
making it much less likely for any trains to have to queue up outside Waterloo waiting for platforms. But that wonn't make use of the platform length - it would probably be too expensive to extend any Windsor line station to take 12x20m trains, let alone 16- or 20-car. Not to mention the fact that they still can't even run a full complement of 8 car trains of the new stocks on the 3rd rail system because of power supply issues. Leaving aside the power supply issues, which will have to be resolved in any event, why cannot 12-car or 16-car trains be run on the Windsor lines. What law is there that EVERY car has to be accessible to each platform? Why couldn't for example, a Reading train leaving Waterloo specify that only the doors of the first 8 carriages will open at certain stations and the rear 8 carriages at the others? This could not have happened with slam-door trains, but with controlled doors, why can this not happen? Those making the whole joruney could sit anywhere, and others would be directed by signs to the correct part of the train for their station. Marc. |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Alex Terrell" wrote in message om... There is of course Waterloo East to Northfleet (50 min), which could perhaps be Waterloo to Ebsfleet. However, if I remember from the plans, the North Kent line trains will still use Northfleet, which is several hundred metres from Ebbsfleet. When the Crossrail terminus is built .... .....it will be adjacent to Northfleet station, not Ebbsfleet International. Peter |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , at 12:56:09 on Tue, 16 Nov
2004, Paul Terry remarked: I used to live in SWT-land (near Surbiton). I was *extremely* surprised to find that there's no SWT train running in the early morning that would have connected me with the first E* from Waterloo Then think how much worse it is going to be to get from Surbiton to St Pancras in time for a 05:30 departure! If there are no National Rail trains it's a moot point. - necessary if you want to make a morning meeting on the Continent. Depends - the 06:26 departure arrive in Brussels at 10.01. But I don't know many people who are so keen on their jobs that they would want to get up that early just for a meeting. It's not just being keen on the job. I worked for a not-for-profit organisation where funds were very strictly limited. An overnight stay in Brussels was a significant expanse, and there were morning meetings that I needed to be at. the company for which I sometimes do some work (and which has charitable status) will always pay for a hotel if there is a morning start and the travelling time is much more than about an hour. Mine had a fixed annual budget for such things, and no amount of "extenuating circumstances" would produce any more money :-( -- Roland Perry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , at 13:15:07
on Tue, 16 Nov 2004, Mait001 remarked: Leaving aside the power supply issues, which will have to be resolved in any event, why cannot 12-car or 16-car trains be run on the Windsor lines. What law is there that EVERY car has to be accessible to each platform? Why couldn't for example, a Reading train leaving Waterloo specify that only the doors of the first 8 carriages will open at certain stations and the rear 8 carriages at the others? This could not have happened with slam-door trains, but with controlled doors, why can this not happen? It seems that the trains have been incompetently specified or designed, and not all of them will allow this feature. -- Roland Perry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Mait001 wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 16 Nov 2004:
Why couldn't for example, a Reading train leaving Waterloo specify that only the doors of the first 8 carriages will open at certain stations and the rear 8 carriages at the others? At that, why could two stops at certain stations not be planned, with the first 8 carriages, then another brief halt for the rear 8 carriages? -- "Mrs Redboots" http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/ Website updated 6 November 2004 with new photos |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 16:55:21 +0000, "Clive D. W. Feather"
wrote: In article , Roland Perry writes Also, the routes through the terminal will have to be considered - while getting on is relatively straight forward assuming they drop the last-minute-only boarding scheme, getting off currently involves a considerable walk through the bowels of the building. Actually, if you work it out that won't be necessary. snip diagram Remove the security and C&I mess, and you can send everyone through one layer and take over the other layer for other purposes. Even this doesn't seem necessary: just cover over the space between the current barriers and the Eurostar booking office and remove the train indicator board. Since these platforms are at about the same level as the domestic side, there doesn't seem to be a need to go down below at all. Regards, Clive -- Clive R Robertson -- AS/400 Programmer. Webmaster of http://www.osterleypark.org.uk/ -- this describes a beautiful National Trust property in West London. |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Roland Perry" wrote in message
.uk... A year ago I had to plan a trip that involved an international flight into Gatwick early morning, then getting to Brussels by lunchtime. There was only one flight, which was too early. A train to Ashford was too slow to make a useful connection with any of the few trains that stop at Ashford. So I could only make it via Gatwick Express, Victoria and Waterloo. But my inbound flight was very late, and the next best plan was to drive to Ashford and get to Brussels by teatime ahead of the second day of the meeting (at least then I could drive straight home from Ashford on the way back, rather than getting a train to Gatwick then driving home). Integrated transport! Don't make me laugh. You would have done better to use Thameslink and change at London bridge for Waterloo East. Anyway, train from Gatwick to Ashford is not one of the natural routes to follow, especially if you don't live on the airport. -- Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society 75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm E-mail: URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/ |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , at 15:21:05 on Tue, 16
Nov 2004, Terry Harper remarked: A year ago I had to plan a trip that involved an international flight into Gatwick early morning, then getting to Brussels by lunchtime. There was only one flight, which was too early. A train to Ashford was too slow to make a useful connection with any of the few trains that stop at Ashford. So I could only make it via Gatwick Express, Victoria and Waterloo. But my inbound flight was very late, and the next best plan was to drive to Ashford and get to Brussels by teatime ahead of the second day of the meeting (at least then I could drive straight home from Ashford on the way back, rather than getting a train to Gatwick then driving home). Integrated transport! Don't make me laugh. You would have done better to use Thameslink and change at London bridge for Waterloo East. That would have been a possible route to Waterloo, if the plane hadn't been late. (Remembering that several rush-hour Thameslinks don't go via London Bridge). But given the circumstances it was better to drive to Ashford to pick up the next (several hours later) train to Brussels, rather than go via London and therefore have a car marooned at Gatwisk - something which would have been a necessary sacrifice if I was getting to Brussels in time, but not after having missed the afternoon session. Anyway, train from Gatwick to Ashford is not one of the natural routes to follow, especially if you don't live on the airport. It's a direct line between two transport hubs. Like I said "Integrated transport! Don't make me laugh." -- Roland Perry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Roland Perry" wrote in message .uk... It's a direct line between two transport hubs. Like I said "Integrated transport! Don't make me laugh." It always makes me laugh when people talk about the transport system in this country. Since when did transport in the UK ever constitute a system? P C |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Solar Penguin" wrote in message
... --- Terry Harper said: Those from South-East of London find it more convenient to go to Ashford, rather than go into London, transfer to Waterloo, walk down a very long platform, and return whence they came. Gatwick was much more convenient, but nature abhors a vacuum. Some parts of South East London, maybe? But what about those of us in other parts of South London? To get from here to Ashford, I'd probably have to go to Victoria or London Bridge and change for a semi-fast train out to Ashford, taking forever to get there. And again on the way back. There'd be no time left to enjoy my day trip to Paris at all. I didn't say South East London, I said South-East of London, which covers large parts of Surrey, all of Kent and a large part of Sussex. Those who have the misfortune to live in Chairman Ken's domain have to put up with the consequences. -- Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society 75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm E-mail: URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/ |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
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Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Paul Cummins" wrote in message ... In article , (Terry Harper) wrote: I said South-East of London, which covers large parts of Surrey, None of Surrey is south-easy of London. Lingfield is south-east of London and in Surrey. Dave. |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
--- Terry Harper said: I didn't say South East London, I said South-East of London, which covers large parts of Surrey, all of Kent and a large part of Sussex. Those who have the misfortune to live in Chairman Ken's domain have to put up with the consequences. What has Ken got to do with the decision to close Waterloo International? I didn't think TfL's authority covered international services. Or is this just a cheap party political shot that's got nothing to with the discussion...? |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
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Eurostar to quit Waterloo
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 10:07:11 +0000, Mrs Redboots
wrote: Another poster commented about day-trip traffic - people living in the North - my daughter, in York, for instance, or a friend in Hull - simply can't do day-trips anyway, wherever the Eurostar leaves from. They do 3-days to Amsterdam by ferry, not 24 hours in Paris or Brussels! And I can't see that changing. Until Hull Trains came along, it could be cheaper to go to Amsterdam than to London from Hull. A bit like ye olde pre-railway days, when the jouney times were about similar. -- Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , Mrs Redboots
writes Mait001 wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 16 Nov 2004: Why couldn't for example, a Reading train leaving Waterloo specify that only the doors of the first 8 carriages will open at certain stations and the rear 8 carriages at the others? At that, why could two stops at certain stations not be planned, with the first 8 carriages, then another brief halt for the rear 8 carriages? Both ideas need to consider the huge operational problems of the Windsor lines through Barnes and Richmond - successive level crossings in an urban area, stations abutting those crossings, Barnes station abutting the Hounslow loop junction, frequent local stoppers to fit between the fast services. -- Paul Terry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Roland Perry wrote in
.uk: That would have been a possible route to Waterloo, if the plane hadn't been late. (Remembering that several rush-hour Thameslinks don't go via London Bridge). But returning back to the topic (E* and waterloo) the Thameslink trains do go to King X so that would make it easire to get to St Panc |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
In message , at 19:37:46
on Tue, 16 Nov 2004, "Andrew Black (delete obvious bit)" remarked: That would have been a possible route to Waterloo, if the plane hadn't been late. (Remembering that several rush-hour Thameslinks don't go via London Bridge). But returning back to the topic (E* and waterloo) the Thameslink trains do go to King X so that would make it easire to get to St Panc Yes, but half an hour longer. On my original timetable that wouldn't have worked - unless all the departure times at StP are going to be half an hour later (rather than the arrival times in Brussels/Paris being half an hour earlier). -- Roland Perry |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"TheOneKEA" wrote in message
om... You are right about the lack of direct tube services; unfortunately, the obvious choice of changing at Warren Street requires hiking through the station. Too bad that Crossrail 3 will be opened after the sun has burnt out... But it depends what you mean by the "obvious" route by tube. The best one is Bakerloo line to Oxford Circus, then cross-platform to the Victoria. Though I agree that isn't all that apparent from the map. Regards Jonathan |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Graeme Wall" wrote in message
... once you do away with customs, immigration and insecurity. build a mezanine over the current sunken area before the barrier line and have level access to the platforms as per the rest of the station. I suspect customs etc at Waterloo will be mothballed rather than removed, because they will want somewhere to offload Johnny Foreigner if an incident closes the Stratford / St Pancras line. -- John Rowland - Spamtrapped Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood. That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line - It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Paul Clare wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 16 Nov 2004:
"Roland Perry" wrote in message o.uk... It's a direct line between two transport hubs. Like I said "Integrated transport! Don't make me laugh." It always makes me laugh when people talk about the transport system in this country. Since when did transport in the UK ever constitute a system? Quite. Even when I was a girl - and that was rather a long time ago now - the bus used ever-so-carefully to just miss the train, and we longed for "integrated transport". And my father says the same was true when he was a boy, although buses were more frequent then..... -- "Mrs Redboots" http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/ Website updated 6 November 2004 with new photos |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Paul Terry wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 16 Nov 2004:
In message , Mrs Redboots writes Mait001 wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 16 Nov 2004: Why couldn't for example, a Reading train leaving Waterloo specify that only the doors of the first 8 carriages will open at certain stations and the rear 8 carriages at the others? At that, why could two stops at certain stations not be planned, with the first 8 carriages, then another brief halt for the rear 8 carriages? Both ideas need to consider the huge operational problems of the Windsor lines through Barnes and Richmond - successive level crossings in an urban area, stations abutting those crossings, Barnes station abutting the Hounslow loop junction, frequent local stoppers to fit between the fast services. I don't know about Mait001, but I was assuming these trains would not stop everywhere, just at major stations - Richmond perhaps, but not Barnes! And maybe not even Richmond.... first stop Feltham, perhaps, and make the most of the link to Heathrow? -- "Mrs Redboots" http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/ Website updated 6 November 2004 with new photos |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 21:37:06 -0000, "John Rowland"
wrote: I suspect customs etc at Waterloo will be mothballed rather than removed, because they will want somewhere to offload Johnny Foreigner if an incident closes the Stratford / St Pancras line. Kensington Olympia? Neil |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 07:08:03 on Tue, 16 Nov 2004, Paul Terry remarked: For SWT services that stop at Vauxhall, the Victoria line to King's Cross will be a better bet - but the interchange at Vauxhall, with luggage, in the rush hour, is an abomination. The interchange at KX isn't a picnic either. Although I hope they'll do something about all the stairs as part of the St Pancras upgrade. Unfortunately, completely step-free access from the Tube to St Pancras depends on the northern ticket hall being built - which depends on money from government which currently isn't forthcoming. -- Dave Arquati Imperial College, SW7 www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Peter Masson wrote:
"Alex Terrell" wrote in message om... There is of course Waterloo East to Northfleet (50 min), which could perhaps be Waterloo to Ebsfleet. However, if I remember from the plans, the North Kent line trains will still use Northfleet, which is several hundred metres from Ebbsfleet. When the Crossrail terminus is built .... .....it will be adjacent to Northfleet station, not Ebbsfleet International. Peter I believe that depends on the developers at Ebbsfleet. That whole area will be in the middle of a town in about ten years' time. -- Dave Arquati Imperial College, SW7 www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Peter Masson" wrote in message ...
"Alex Terrell" wrote in message om... There is of course Waterloo East to Northfleet (50 min), which could perhaps be Waterloo to Ebsfleet. However, if I remember from the plans, the North Kent line trains will still use Northfleet, which is several hundred metres from Ebbsfleet. When the Crossrail terminus is built .... ....it will be adjacent to Northfleet station, not Ebbsfleet International. Peter that I didn't know, and it seems a rather pointless destination for CrossRail, unless they build some sort of travel system between the two. |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
... I believe that depends on the developers at Ebbsfleet. That whole area will be in the middle of a town in about ten years' time. Isn't it Green Belt? -- John Rowland - Spamtrapped Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood. That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line - It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Roland Perry" wrote in message
.uk... In message , at 15:21:05 on Tue, 16 Nov 2004, Terry Harper remarked: Anyway, train from Gatwick to Ashford is not one of the natural routes to follow, especially if you don't live on the airport. It's a direct line between two transport hubs. Like I said "Integrated transport! Don't make me laugh." I don't think that either the government or the SRA understand the term. And even if they did, the Competition Commission would rule it out of order. Then the Treasury would refuse to make the funds available. Two extra links at Redhill would make all the difference. -- Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society 75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm E-mail: URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/ |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
"Solar Penguin" wrote in message
... --- Terry Harper said: I didn't say South East London, I said South-East of London, which covers large parts of Surrey, all of Kent and a large part of Sussex. Those who have the misfortune to live in Chairman Ken's domain have to put up with the consequences. What has Ken got to do with the decision to close Waterloo International? I didn't think TfL's authority covered international services. Or is this just a cheap party political shot that's got nothing to with the discussion...? No, it's a comment on the consequences of living in Greater London on one's choice of transport. The word, if it exists, is probably centrospective. -- Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society 75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm E-mail: URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/ |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
I suspect customs etc at Waterloo will be mothballed rather than removed,
because they will want somewhere to offload Johnny Foreigner if an incident closes the Stratford / St Pancras line. Kensington Olympia? Neil Is there a direct link from Eurostar to Olympia, without reversing at Waterloo? Marc. |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Alex Terrell wrote:
The Daily Telegraph reports that Eurostar will quit Waterloo in 2007. Who cares? 1. It's a train. 2. It goes to France -- Death to the demoness Allegra Geller |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 18:18:20 -0000, "John Rowland"
said: Maybe a fast train from Reading via Guildford, Redhill Fast? On that line? You've got to be joking! -- David Cantrell | http://www.cantrell.org.uk/david |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
Is there a direct link from Eurostar to Olympia, without reversing at Waterloo? Marc. When the rail link opens, it'll be via the North London Line. |
Eurostar to quit Waterloo
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 09:33:28 +0000, Paul Terry
wrote: To a large extent it will depend on whether those needing to go to Brussels and Paris for business meetings, or choosing to go there on leisure breaks, live mainly in SW London or in Beckton etc. I suspect it is mostly the former, and Eurostar are therefore going to be forced to start building a new customer base from scratch instead of building on their existing market. I think the point is that a lot of Eurostar users don't live in either South West London or in Beckton. From my present address, in North London, St Pancras will be marginally easier than Waterloo but the difference won't affect my decision whether to go by train or air. That's probably true of many Eurostar customers: not just ones who live in London but ones who live in Cheltenham or Philadelphia or Poitiers or wherever. Moreover, I used to live in SW London and Heathrow was very difficult to get to by public transport. If I still lived there, I'd be disappointed to be forced to go via St Pancras but I'd still do that in preference to going to Heathrow. When I lived in SW London I still preferred rail to air as a way of getting to Edinburgh, despite needing to get to Kings Cross (usually via Vauxhall) and a longer journey time overall. I did once (this is going back a fair while - I don't think it's possible these days) get a direct train from Clapham Junction to Manchester to avoid the tube journey to Euston. But to be honest it was usually easier to go to Euston than to arrange my trip to coincide with one of the very few trains that made that run. So I would be surprised if Eurostar will in practice lose much of its existing business through the move to St Pancras. Given that SWT could probably do with the capacity freed up on the lines out of Waterloo, if not necessarily at the station, the commercial case to stop running Eurostars looks compelling. Still, I'll be sad to see no more Eurostars at Waterloo, if only because the international station there is such a fine building and it won't seem the same if it's just used for commuter trains Martin |
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