Eurostar Pedantry...

[rhythmaning]

This morning on Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland, they interviewed Simon Calder, the Independent's travel writer, about an article in today's paper on the new St Pancras station, and what it means for travel within Britain.

During the interview, either Calder or the GMS team (I can't remember who) said the fast rail link both "redraws the map of Europe" and "brings [Europe] closer to London".

I am pleased to say that neither of these things happened. The Channel is safe - Paris hasn't suddenly been dumped nearer Kent; and the maps are the same - though I guess someone may need to redraw the OS maps of south east England to include the new rail line. And it will take less time to get to Paris.

I must remember to visit the redeveloped St Pancras - the photos look wonderful.

Comments

[topicaltim.livejournal.com]

I remember Brussels and Paris appearing on the timetables at Coventry station; they looked incongruous and somewhat romantic alongside destinations such as Stourbridge, Dudley, Nuneaton and Wolverhampton. Of course, you quickly realised it was meant to be a sort of pointer to the future rather than a key part of planning your Continental trip; what it said, of course, was "yes, we know these are in fact the times of trains to London Euston; obviously you will need to make your own way from there to Waterloo...and yes, get a Eurostar, but let's all play along and pretend that this unloved corner of the West Midlands really is now connected to the rest of the European rail network."