Eurostar means Europe is just around the corner

Jump to Comments

St. Pancras is a surprise, the place looks like a station film set for some epic movie like Murder on the Orient Express. Even the passengers thronging the platforms look ready to play their part, today there are no steam trains clanging bells, steaming up and the guard shouting ‘all aboard’. Instead we have the quiet hum of nice clean sleek quarter mile long electric Eurostar trains gently humming, ready to depart London’s St. Pancras station  for Paris and Brussels. Its lucky for us passengers that we are still not living in the days of steam when it took nearly all day by steam train and ferry to reach Paris or Brussels. From the 14 November, with the opening of High Speed One a new rail line to connect London to the Channel Tunnel, cuts the journey time for Eurostar trains to just 2hrs 15mins for Paris and for Brussels 1hr 51mins.

Passengers entering the 140 year old recently restored railway terminal were greeted by a brass band and a small orchestra, children joyfully singing and the crowds cheering as we made our way to check-in. It reminded me of just how popular this Eurostar project is to the British.  The incredible £800 million architectural restoration and extension of St. Pancras has created a new stunning landmark location, which will become a familiar setting for many a future film, television productions set in London.

 Even the passengers were caught up in the spirit of the excitement of the event. In the crowd waiting to board I saw a grandmother holding giant balloons celebrating her 80th birthday with her devoted family, off to Paris as a birthday treat. Pascale Lacroix a Frenchman commented: ‘this station is fabulous, it’s better than the dark and dingy Gare du Nord.’ Throughout the station there are pieces of art work including a statute of the pompous English poet Sir John Betjeman and one of a 20-tonne bronze 30ft tall statue of a couple in a loving clinch, called Meeting Place, which is supposed to reflect the romantic nature of train travel, and may remind travellers of a scene from the romantic 1948 film Brief Encounter.

Though, my favourite iconic landmark is the newly reconstructed giant St Pancras clock, which now hangs high at one end of the platforms, welcoming rail passengers to London.

The Station Opens and the Journey begins

 At 11.00 the station opened officially and the first gleaming Eurostars pulled out of St. Pancras to their destinations in Belgium and France leaving the excited crowds, international press and politicians behind. As for us journalists on the first train to Brussels, being greeted with glasses of champagne as we boarded, helped put many of us in the party mood. The train picked up speed reaching 300kph, as we were plunged into darkness as the Eurostar made its way through eight miles of tunnels under east London, emerging on the Kent side of the Thames.

This new £5.2bn high speed line to the Channel Tunnel, at last puts an end to President Mitterrand’s taunt (made a year before the Tunnel opened in 1994) about the then British government failure in 1993 to even start construction of a high speed rail line linking London with the Channel Tunnel. He remarked that France had fulfilled its word to build a high speed rail link from Paris, yet the British government at the time had reneged on its promise to build a new rail line between London and the Tunnel. This meant until 14th November Eurostar trains had to crawl through the Kent countryside and London suburbs to reach the heart of London, often delayed by London bound commuter trains.

 The opening of the new line meant Eurostar faced none of these problems, the train dashed through Kent at 300 kph, giving a smooth ride, while the scene outside slipped past in a blur. Lunch was served, I had a delicious salmon fish pie and a bottle of Bordeaux, and with my companions we discussed the new service.

Nicholas Kingsley of Railway Gazette International thought the new service made it increasingly likely London commuters will now seek homes in Flanders and Northern France, where house prices are significantly cheaper than in here in England. Railway photographer Ken Brunt thought the new service gave more time for Londoner’s to spend more time shopping on their day trips to Lillie, Paris or Brussels. Pascale Lacroix, a smartly dressed French businessman remarked that with so many French national working in London: the new train service will make it easier for me to commute between London and Paris.’

 James Abbott Editor of Modern Railways magazine  noted that what was missing was a train service linking the small towns on both sides of the Channel, to help local cross Channel commuters. As for the prospect of rival rail companies operating services to St. Pancras, already Deutsche Bahn and SNCF are looking into the matter, railway photographer Colin Marsden informed us. And Ken added ‘that much of the building materials for constructing London’s 2012 Olympics will be supplied by train from France.’

Meanwhile, many of the world’s press and passengers were enjoying the champagne; the atmosphere felt we were on a train full of fans celebrating the success of their football team as we dashed out of the Tunnel, through the depressing French countryside of Nord de pays de Calais heading for Lille. One America commented: ‘We have nothing like this in Kansas!’ Lille station was a strange site, no lights on and French rail workers picketing the station. That was the only sign of activity, we saw on the strike bound French rail network as we passed through at speed.

 After Lille, we discussed our plans, I had been invited to a party in the European Quarter, Nicholas, Ken, Colin and James was destined for their favourite pub near the Grande Place, noted for its excellent food and fine selections of beers.

Arriving in Brussels

 We arrived in gloomy Brussels, on a time just under 1hr 50mins.I observed: ‘Brussels is now just around the corner for me. We passed through ticket control, and were surprised by the sight of glamorous dancers dressed in the uniform of British Army guardsmen, accompanied by a jazz band. This was followed by a Christmas carol concert by the Brussels Choral Society. It was certainly a notable reception for the train on this historic day! At this point I bid adieu to my companions and headed for the metro to catch the train to the party.

 Walking to the Metro station I passed giant Eurostar advertising hoardings, one poster (photo left) showed look-alikes of Tony Blair, John Major and Margaret Thatcher pictured holding knitting needles which they were about to use to burst the Union flag balloons they were holding. Each poster had the slogan: “Attention! London is around the corner.” At last London is joined to Europe by a high speed train service. A great day for Europe – as well as a most exciting and enjoyable journey! Vive ‘L’ Europe!

SUGGESTED LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

• Read also: Eurostar
• St Pancras International Station http://www.stpancras.com/about-stpancras/
• EUROSTAR  http://www.eurostar.com
• Brussels Choral Society http://www.brusselschoralsociety.com/
• Railteam to book high speed rail tickets to anywhere in Europe http://www.railteam.eu/

7 Comments

Filed under BBC, Bicester, Birmingham, Burford, CHILTERN RAILWAYS, Eurostar, Film, First Great Western, Foreign Travel, INTERREG IVC, London, London Events, Maison Francaise, News, Rail, Thame, Wantage, Witney, european transport policy, transport, travel

Tags: Brussels, London, Londres, RAILTEAM, TRAINS