jon, 4 months ago

Most I can find - peak summertime Friday in 2013

11 Bruxelles-London and 19 Paris-London

Equivalent today
10 Bruxelles-London and 16 Paris-London

So purely in terms of paths, and if all else is equal, there ought to be 4 paths a day at least that rivals could use (but of course all else is not equal)

steely_glint, 4 months ago

@jon I keep feeling that a smart player could do something with Ashord International - but I don't know what.

jon, 4 months ago

@steely_glint Yes I think so too. But I am not (yet) sure how, but I will get there.

cyclotopie, 4 months ago

@jon do you include Disney trains in Paris ones?
Also there were the odd Avignon direct trains once upon a time.

jon, 4 months ago

@cyclotopie Not in those stats. But you might have had 1 of each of those in 2013, yes. So perhaps you have 6 slots, not just 4.

jamesjefferies, 4 months ago

@jon are they now running extra Chunnel services though? ie is the tunnel capacity a tighter constraint than HS1 - just asking, I don’t know!

jon, 4 months ago

@jamesjefferies no they’re not. I’m pretty sure the tunnel has never hit its design capacity.

jamesjefferies, 4 months ago

@jon gosh, what a literal waste of space 😢

jon, 4 months ago

@jamesjefferies it’s a peculiar one. It’s been both a revelation and a disappointment. How for example has it not eliminated Dover-Calais ferries? Makes no sense.

skye, 4 months ago

@jon oooooo? Interesting

jon, 4 months ago

@skye I am quite sure any rivals' plans will fail for other reasons. Sorry!

partim, 4 months ago

@jon @skye I’m still convinced that if Trenitalia decides they really want to, they will make it happen.

jon, 4 months ago

@partim @skye Yes, I think they're the most serious (oddly Renfe could also manage), but I still don't think they’ll try. For reasons I will outline.

bilginveperk, 4 months ago

@jon @partim @skye Heard that the Renfe gave up on this project, but im not sure…

jon, 4 months ago

@bilginveperk I don't know what is wrong with Renfe's class 106. As and when those run properly let's see. @partim @skye

skye, 4 months ago

@partim @jon I mean, that requires the UK government to actually fund the London side at St Pancras Intl properly and make it actually viable for other companies
Under the current govt I do not see that happening, at all

partim, 4 months ago

@skye @jon Dunno. Shouldn’t competition be up their alley?

jon, 4 months ago

@partim @skye 🤷‍♂️ It runs to another country. That's totally NOT up their alley.