Eurostar: use of original 'classic line'

[williamn]

Likewise. Stopped a Lille. They said we’d be there for twenty minutes but was less than ten. Arrived 5 mins ahead of schedule I think.

Definitely was not advertised as these times when I booked!

 

[martin2345uk]

Whether it's a delay depends on the timetable you were presented at the time you booked.

Fair point

 

[Starmill]

Whether it's a delay depends on the timetable you were presented at the time you booked.

And, of course, if the customer made their train or not, according to the amended schedules.

Likewise. Stopped a Lille. They said we’d be there for twenty minutes but was less than ten. Arrived 5 mins ahead of schedule I think.

Definitely was not advertised as these times when I booked!

Imagine how you'd feel if you missed your booked service by a couple of minutes and the reason its departure was advanced was in fact... just to sit and wait time not in a station.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Are Eurostar being routed via classic lines on Sunday 08.06? They're taking nearly 2.5 hours from London to Paris yet seemingly no intermediate stops.

 

[30907]

Are Eurostar being routed via classic lines on Sunday 08.06? They're taking nearly 2.5 hours from London to Paris yet seemingly no intermediate stops.

Only 10min longer than normal, and it applies all summer. I suspect it's speed restrictions on the LGV.

 

[Bald Rick]

Only 10min longer than normal, and it applies all summer. I suspect it's speed restrictions on the LGV.

Almost certsinly, snd not unusual.

Can you imagine a summer long speed restriction that put 10 minutes into any long distance route in this country?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Only 10min longer than normal, and it applies all summer. I suspect it's speed restrictions on the LGV.

Thanks, can't Eurostar do Paris in exactly 2 hours on a clear run under normal circumstances?

 

[Bald Rick]

Thanks, can't Eurostar do Paris in exactly 2 hours on a clear run under normal circumstances?

No. 2h18 is the usual time.

It’s 307 miles, with a the 31 miles of the tunnel max 100mph (takes 19 mins), to do the other 267 miles in 1h41 implies an average of 164mph, which is rather heroic given that the first 22 miles from London are 140 max, and the run in to Paris much less, and you need to allow for pathing through the tunnel etc.

 

[RT4038]

Thanks, can't Eurostar do Paris in exactly 2 hours on a clear run under normal circumstances?

I think you are confusing Paris with Brussels....

 

[rvdborgt]

Thanks, can't Eurostar do Paris in exactly 2 hours on a clear run under normal circumstances?

I think you are confusing Paris with Brussels....

IIRC London-Brussels was scheduled in 1h51' non-stop the first years after completion of HS1.

 

[RT4038]

IIRC London-Brussels was scheduled in 1h51' non-stop the first years after completion of HS1.

So presumably this timing was not robust as 'a clear run in normal circumstances' wasn't happening sufficiently often enough, so the time has been widened out to about two hours.

 

[Starmill]

There's quite a lot more traffic around now in the form especially of Southeastern, but also Shuttles, Ouigo GV, TGV Belgium, Eurostar Continental, Brussels area and so on.

 

[30907]

So presumably this timing was not robust as 'a clear run in normal circumstances' wasn't happening sufficiently often enough, so the time has been widened out to about two hours.

2hr 1 with a Lille stop these days.

 

[rvdborgt]

2hr 1 with a Lille stop these days.

1h57' without the stop (6:16 departure). The stop in Lille itself is already 4 minutes, so the non-stop train certainly has extra margin.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I think you are confusing Paris with Brussels....

No. Brussels can be done in 110min on a clear run. I used to go there often.

 

[zwk500]

Thanks, can't Eurostar do Paris in exactly 2 hours on a clear run under normal circumstances?

No. Brussels can be done in 110min on a clear run. I used to go there often.

The London-Paris outright record is 2h03, and IIRC that was achieved in extremely favourable traffic circumstances.

From Wikipedia:

On 4 September 2007, a record-breaking train left Paris Nord at 10:44 (09:44 BST) and reached London St Pancras International in 2 hours 3 minutes 39 seconds,[20] carrying journalists and railway workers. This record trip was also the first passenger-carrying arrival at the new London St Pancras International station.[21] On 20 September 2007, Eurostar broke another record when it completed the journey from Brussels to London in 1 hour 43 minutes.[22]

 

[BahrainLad]

Wasn’t there a temporary speed restriction on that record París run (IIRC they were aiming for 2h dead)?

 

[route101]

I took Amsterdam Eurostar on Sunday and we came in to Brussels Midi from the West and reversed to head out towards Lille. How common is this route into Brussels from Amsterdam?

 

[DanielB]

Not very common AFAIK, though routing via Brussels West isn't that much of a detour and convenient should the Eurostar through tracks (within the secure zone) not be available for some reason.

 

[route101]

Not very common AFAIK, though routing via Brussels West isn't that much of a detour and convenient should the Eurostar through tracks (within the secure zone) not be available for some reason.

Wasn't expected to reverse, I think we came in on a through platform with two Eurostars behind gates to the left of us. Perhaps it was down to the strikes in Belgium .

 

[leshuttle]

Been on a heavily delayed Eurostar from Amsterdam before in 2022 that got routed round the west side of Brussels and then in to the fully gated platforms before reversing out.

 

[30907]

Wasn't expected to reverse, I think we came in on a through platform with two Eurostars behind gates to the left of us. Perhaps it was down to the strikes in Belgium .

Or possibly due to engineering works - I have been that way on an ICE.