So Eurostar is better for Paris-London?

Keith Anderson wrote:

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:23:41 +0000,
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn) wrote:


If you're asking me? Renationalise the railways, put more money into the
trains, lower fares, have more transport police, deal more severely with
people who vandalise trains, etc., and so on. I think it's worth it. I'd
also introduce congestion charging to most urban areas, but I'd rather
entice people into using piblic transport rather than forcing them.

I'd like to see renationalisation too, but under the current
pro-privatisation régime it seems unlikely.

Indeed. I still remember one of Blair's first comments in his first
cabinet meeting. (I think Claire Short divulged this.)

"Transport is not a priority."

Well, that bit him in the bum, didn't it, after Hatfield? (Rail disaster
which caused severe disruption of the network, after the railtrack
operator, uh, "Railtrack" discovered that much of the track wasn't safe
for the speeds trains were travelling on.)

A lot of time and money seems to be wasted on complicated contracts,
with little or no thought given to running a "joined up" railway where
connectiong services are held for even a few crucial minutes.

Absolutely. Prescott's vision for 'integrated transport' is an appalling
joke as well.

But that's what happens when lawyers, accountants and management
consultants run the show.

Keith in Bristol
(Former employee of British Railways when it was British Railways)

What did you do for them, out of interest?

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"Mike O'Sullivan" wrote in message
...
wrote:
chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:

It's the ferry companies that push this one, and put a very explicit
statement (which you have to tick) when booking on line that you
authorise the surcharge on your CC if you don't make the return trip.


If ever there was an example of a company hammering another nail in its'
corporate coffin, this is it!

The problem here is that they have stupidly cheap (from 1 pound)
day returns that they don't want people using as singles.

If they where stopped from surchaging this usage (either by law
or public opinion) then there wouldn't be a reduction in the normal
fare, but these cheap returns would disappear (or be re-packaged
in a different way)

tim

"Mike O'Sullivan" wrote in message
...
wrote:
chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:

It's the ferry companies that push this one, and put a very explicit
statement (which you have to tick) when booking on line that you
authorise the surcharge on your CC if you don't make the return trip.


If ever there was an example of a company hammering another nail in its'
corporate coffin, this is it!

The problem here is that they have stupidly cheap (from 1 pound)
day returns that they don't want people using as singles.

If they where stopped from surchaging this usage (either by law
or public opinion) then there wouldn't be a reduction in the normal
fare, but these cheap returns would disappear (or be re-packaged
in a different way)

tim

On 27 Feb 2005 09:57:46 -0800, wrote:

It's the ferry companies that push this one, and put a very explicit
statement (which you have to tick) when booking on line that you
authorise the surcharge on your CC if you don't make the return trip.

What would happen if you tried to claim this back from your travel
insurance company on the grounds that you missed the ferry and were
thus out of pocket?

Jim.

On 27 Feb 2005 09:57:46 -0800, wrote:

It's the ferry companies that push this one, and put a very explicit
statement (which you have to tick) when booking on line that you
authorise the surcharge on your CC if you don't make the return trip.

What would happen if you tried to claim this back from your travel
insurance company on the grounds that you missed the ferry and were
thus out of pocket?

Jim.

In article ,
"Sandy Kemsley" wrote:

I took the Eurostar London to Paris in October, and it departed from
Waterloo Station. Great trip, probably the same amount of time end-to-end
and much more relaxing than flying. No delay for passport control in London,
I was through in 2 minutes so ended up sitting in the lounge for extra time,
but that was pleasant enough.

Would non-EU passengers also be exempt from passport control?

How much luggage are you allowed?

In article 1gsna5a.1rrz3w6gy0422N%this_address_is_for_spam@y ahoo.com,
(chancellor of the duchy of besses
o' th' barn) wrote:


The standard open return is a staggering £97 for a journey of 118
miles.

They wonder why so many people will drive!


I vaguely recall reading about dissatisfaction with the health service
and the privatization of the railways in Britain.

Haven't there been some big accidents and the implication was that
maintenance by companies which had taken over operations was inferior to
maintenance done under govt. control?

In article
1gslyk8.15g22jq1ox4d4wN%this_address_is_for_spam@ yahoo.com,
(chancellor of the duchy of besses
o' th' barn) wrote:

I'm not sure how far in advance you can purchase tickets, but buying at
a month's notice, I've always managed to get the cheapest tickets-
recently, I've paid around £60-70 for a return to either Paris or
Brussles.

"Return" as in one-way?

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 19:35:16 -0800, poldy wrote:

In article 1gsna5a.1rrz3w6gy0422N%this_address_is_for_spam@y ahoo.com,
(chancellor of the duchy of besses
o' th' barn) wrote:


The standard open return is a staggering £97 for a journey of 118
miles.

They wonder why so many people will drive!


I vaguely recall reading about dissatisfaction with the health service
and the privatization of the railways in Britain.

Haven't there been some big accidents and the implication was that
maintenance by companies which had taken over operations was inferior to
maintenance done under govt. control?

There are a number of people up before the court on corporate
manslaughter charges after the Hatfield rail crash a year or two
back.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3052591.stm

http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/1/hi/uk/4225877.stm

"Under government control" is slightly misleading - running the system
was devolved to the British Railways Board. However, there was very
much a culture of safety first rather than corporate cost-cutting.

Nevertheless, major projects (such as the
electrification/re-signalling of the East Coast main line from London
to Edinburgh) were completed to deadlines and within cost limitations
in BR days, whereas the upgrading/re-signalling of the West Coast
London-Glasgow line is chaos - costs spiralling out of control,
deadlines missed - and a crazy policy of completely closing the route
at weekends. BR managed to do major work and still keep the service
going with single-line working and diversions, but that seems to be
beyond the capability of the men in suits who are now in charge of
things.

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 19:21:55 +0000,
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn) wrote:

Keith Anderson wrote:

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:23:41 +0000,
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn) wrote:


If you're asking me? Renationalise the railways, put more money into the
trains, lower fares, have more transport police, deal more severely with
people who vandalise trains, etc., and so on. I think it's worth it. I'd
also introduce congestion charging to most urban areas, but I'd rather
entice people into using piblic transport rather than forcing them.

I'd like to see renationalisation too, but under the current
pro-privatisation régime it seems unlikely.

Indeed. I still remember one of Blair's first comments in his first
cabinet meeting. (I think Claire Short divulged this.)

"Transport is not a priority."

Well, that bit him in the bum, didn't it, after Hatfield? (Rail disaster
which caused severe disruption of the network, after the railtrack
operator, uh, "Railtrack" discovered that much of the track wasn't safe
for the speeds trains were travelling on.)

A lot of time and money seems to be wasted on complicated contracts,
with little or no thought given to running a "joined up" railway where
connectiong services are held for even a few crucial minutes.

Absolutely. Prescott's vision for 'integrated transport' is an appalling
joke as well.

But that's what happens when lawyers, accountants and management
consultants run the show.

Keith in Bristol
(Former employee of British Railways when it was British Railways)

What did you do for them, out of interest?

Started off doing clerical work (freight, parcels, even did train
announcing for a while), then to Operations as a traffic controller,
anticipating delays and instructing signalling personnel accordingly
(i.e. shove the Class 8 goods into the refuge, let the Express past,
but keep the goods in the refuge until the following parcels train is
clear) - other duties were ensuring that locomotives were rostered
correctly and that they had their requisite inspections and
maintenance, rostering train crews, and, when the worst came to the
worst and there was a derailment, organising replacement bus services.

Very hands-on - basically the "instant management" of an extensive
geographical area which included a major marshalling yard (switchyard,
I think, for the benefit of US posters) - one main line and about 8
secondary routes.