Ramifications of "Brexit" for railways

[george matthews]

Rail commuters 'to be slapped with 4% BREXIT FARE HIKE' as result of fall in pound's value

I have no idea whether this is true or not - after all, it is from the Daily Express.

As the exchange rate has fallen since the "brexit" vote it is probably true - for international trains. But of course for domestic trains it is a pure propaganda lie. I expect Eurostar fares will also have changed. The "Express" is one of the rabid leave at any cost newspapers - though I don't think it is worthy of the term 'news'.

[johnthefireman]

it is a pure propaganda lie. I expect Eurostar fares will also have changed. The "Express" is one of the rabid leave at any cost newspapers - though I don't think it is worthy of the term 'news'.

Yes, I share your view of the Express, but since they are so rabidly pro-Brexit I wonder why they are publishing a story which would seem to be highlighting another of the many negative effects of leaving the EU?

PS: The Brexit vote has already had a big financial impact on me, as my savings are in UK and the pound has fallen around 20% compared to the Kenya shilling, so I am now poorer than I was!

[george matthews]

My thoughts of going out of the country have also declined. I am thinking of going to Scotland soon, when the garden fruit has been picked. I am thinking of taking the Caledonian sleeper.

[johnthefireman]

I am thinking of taking the Caledonian sleeper.

I love sleeper trains, but I haven't taken one in Europe for twenty years or so, and I believe there is another topic somewhere about their decline. I travel fairly regularly (usually at least once a year) on South Africa's Premier Classe sleeper between Jo'burg and Cape Town, which is still a good experience, although the food has now declined from "haute cuisine" to "good but nothing special".

[george matthews]

I have taken a train from Cape Town to Jo'burg at least once. It was a pleasant trip. But that was about 30 years ago. I was on the way to flying to Ghana.

[Gilbert B Norman]

I believe there is another topic somewhere about their decline.

Here you go, John:

viewtopic.php?f=149&t=23509

[David Benton]

No posts on this topic for several months , time to remove its "sticky status", and let it sink or swim on its own.

[george matthews]

No posts on this topic for several months , time to remove its "sticky status", and let it sink or swim on its own.

Negotiations are allegedly continuing but the ultimate result is still extremely uncertain as it is not at all clear how the negotiations will go. Popular support for exit is reported to be declining as the negative effects of exit seep out into the public sphere. There is still nothing of relevance to railways.

[David Benton]

Thanks for the update , George.

[kato]

The only thing that's new is that Eurotunnel renamed itself "Getlink" in November in a move to apparently remain appealing to anglo customers post-Brexit.

Eurotunnel/Getlink is the company that operates the channel tunnel, some freight services and the vehicle ferry trains running through it (from Calais to Folkestone); for the latter the Eurotunnel brand name will be retained. For the freight services Brexit will be interesting with regard to the customs/border issue. Eurotunnel/Getlink e.g. transports about one million Amazon parcels per day from the UK to France.

[george matthews]

The only thing that's new is that Eurotunnel renamed itself "Getlink" in November in a move to apparently remain appealing to anglo customers post-Brexit.

Eurotunnel/Getlink is the company that operates the channel tunnel, some freight services and the vehicle ferry trains running through it (from Calais to Folkestone); for the latter the Eurotunnel brand name will be retained. For the freight services Brexit will be interesting with regard to the customs/border issue. Eurotunnel/Getlink e.g. transports about one million Amazon parcels per day from the UK to France.

If Britain actually leaves the EU the question will arise about border crossing. How extensive will be passenger border checks and where will they occur? Maybe in France but the french may well insist that they be in Britain, thus at Folkestone or St Pancras - and Ashford. Where will freight checks occur? Possible huge backlogs will take place in or near Folkestone. The process of crossing the channel may well take much longer. The potential for disasters of this kind are all too real. And the situation in Ireland is equally obscure. No-one can say what will happen there. There are hundreds of places where the present border can be crossed. None of them have any check at all. Will they all be blocked? How many will have immigration posts? Will the IRA resume atrocities on the border - they have been dormant for several years now but may well start up again.

Not too long ago I crossed the Irish border in a bus between Omagh and Londonderry. That involved two crossings as the normal route passed into a piece of the Irish republic. The bus didn't even slow down. Will that route be blocked? Will there have to be immigration checks between Larne and Stranraer to prevent EU citizens sneaking into Britain? It's the same kind of stupidity as they are experiencing in the US with their current president's thoughts about Mexico.

In the 1960s I took a train from Belfast to Dublin. There was an immigration check at the border and I had to show my passport at a border station - and open my luggage. At least I didn't have to get out of the train. At present the trains don't always stop at the border stations, and if they do it is only an ordinary passenger stop with no immigration check.