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Remember that the northern part of the ECML serves York and Newcastle, whereas the northern part of the WCML serves Preston and Carlisle. I'm sure the difference in size between those cities is part of the answer.

There is now a dedicated Caledonian Sleeper lounge, but I think it is rather more than a kiosk: https://www.sleeper.scot/euston-guest-lounge/ I hope that your trip is a happy one.

The £36bn redistribution won't, I am sure, be on top of the existing normal capital spends. What will happen is that every bit of capital spend on transport from now on (whether it might have happened otherwise or not) will be treated as an HS2 dividend.

Am I right in thinking we will now have "classic compatible" trains only on HS2 (and if they have to tilt on the WCML, possibly even smaller than some UK stock)? That would mean that we have seriously overengineered the loading gauge on HS2.

Slough probably suffers the most as a result of the timetable change - no GWR at peak times, just Elizabeth line stoppers.

So, just out of curiosity, what would the driver be doing in that time? Is he/she allowed to take a nap?

Some peak trains skip Slough and are fast to/from Maidenhead or Twyford. Looks like Slough has lost its off-peak advantage over Maidenhead, whilst Maidenhead has kept its peak advantage over Slough.

The local MP is suggesting that the Bexleyheath line will receive off-peak Charing Cross services again: https://www.louiefrench.org.uk/news/bexley-conservative-mps-achieve-reinstatement-peak-bexleyheath-line-charing-cross-services

Yes, that's the problem. Because the London Bridge boards use the "next fastest service to..." format, the Gravesend stopping service along the North Kent line is only advertised for Woolwich Dockyard, Belvedere and Erith. For all other stations along the line, the Thameslink service which...

I'd query whether it's now really "turn up and go" even at London Bridge. If you come off a Charing Cross, Thameslink or Southern train at London Bridge and want to switch to a Cannon Street service, you might be waiting 15 mins. (E.g. next service after the 0952 is the 1007)

Salfords might be affected by a ticketing quirk which depresses the numbers. For instance, I think it's no more expensive to get a season ticket to Gatwick, which would allow you to get a fast train and double back.

There is not, and will not be for the foreseeable future, any appetite to lower the age of consent below 16. Society just isn't anywhere near that mindset.

Ah. Gotcha, thanks. Doesn't work today, though, as all core trains terminate at Paddington.

Coming in from the Abbey Wood branch today, the train's onboard displays suggested I change at Whitechapel for a Reading train. Must be a bug.

It's an interesting one this. I would say that over recent decades 16 and 17 year olds have become "younger" in the public eye. We now expect people of this age to remain in education or training. It is now less likely that a person of this age would now be making their own way in the world...

Gravesend terminators might not be new but they're new to the North Kent and thus were a chance (albeit by industry generally rather than just Southeastern) to sort out a good semi-fast service for Medway rather than the odd mix. I don't think the loop has previously been particularly well...

Whatever the economics, it just seems incompetently done. On the North Kent line: - Trains from London Bridge via Lewisham are overtaken by later trains via Greenwich - The Rainham service is a slow all stations crawl from Dartford whilst the shorter Gravesend service calls only at Greenhithe...

I've always been amazed by Charlton Lane crossing - presumably there's some reason why it still needs a person continuously staffing a small box when so many other crossings are CCTV controlled?

As I feared, changing Charing Cross services to stopping Cannon Street services means that there are 'useless' departures from London Bridge to the North Kent Line stations. The xx:16 and xx:46 departures from London Bridge (via New Cross) arrive at Charlton and subsequent stations after the...

The Southeastern service via Greenwich is indeed dropping to 2tph, but remember there is also a 2tph Thameslink service. The overall service seems to be: - 4tph at Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill, Westcombe Park, Woolwich Dockyard, Belvedere and Erith - 6tph at Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal...