Will St Pancras International last as long as Waterloo International did?

Although I have used Eurostar a number of times, I have not had occasion to use it since our side has had the high speed link – until today. Rushing back from the European capital through industrial Essex and east London at night is quite a sight.

Funny route to take via Stratford and ending up at St Pancras but that’s British planning for you. I hope the new plans avoid further Ebbsfleet type stations – designed for motorway users. Building stations in city centres is the best long-term policy. No more parkway stations.

When the the first extension is built to Birmingham it should be just that and the trains should travel directly from Birmingham to Brussels and Paris via a through station in London. I do not think St Pancras fits the bill.

I cannot wait until the line is extended to the other big cites of Britain and beyond. I wonder when the Dublin Belfast Glasgow Edinburgh line will be completed.

Beats flying.