An additional Channel Tunnel operator

[whole diary]

[grahame]

from Sky News

Cross-channel rail competitor Evolyn buys 12 trains ahead of 2025 launch
The company says that competition on the route should improve fares and destinations for passengers once its services begin.

[johnneyw]

The Guardian has also got a bit on it.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/12/spanish-rail-firm-evolyn-planning-london-paris-service-rival-eurostar

[stuving]

And now Alstom come along and tip cold water all over Evolyn's announcement:

13 October 2023 –  In reference to the recent Evolyn Press Release issued on October 11, which seemingly confirmed an agreement between Evolyn and Alstom for the acquisition of twelve (12) Very High-Speed Trains, Alstom would like to provide important information, as a means of clarification, and as such wishes to highlight the following items:

Alstom and Evolyn have established a short-term agreement to proceed with initial train system engineering activities with the objective of accelerating activities, should the parties eventually enter into a contract for the purchase and delivery of a certain number of trains, provided that Evolyn is capable of securing project financing.

With regards to potential future delivery dates for new trains, at this time, the final train delivery dates will be confirmed when a firm and final contract will be agreed upon, to be signed at a later date. 

[Ralph Ayres]

Shades of Go-op here possibly?  Evolyn have a large number of hoops to jump through before any trains run.

If it does go ahead there might even be a risk of it actually increasing fares rather than reducing them. There will be more competition for a limited number of train paths through the tunnel so the tunnel owners might manage to push up the fees they charge.

[Clan Line]

What's the difference between Evolyn saying.............

an agreement between Evolyn and Alstom

..........and Alstom saying........

Alstom and Evolyn have established a short-term agreement

............answers please, on the back of an HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) Advance ticket to Leeds.

[stuving]

You wait thirty years for a competitor to Eurostar to come along, and then threefive of them come along at once! Some time ago there was talk of RENFE^▸ (Spanish National Railways (Red Nacional de Ferrocarriles Espanoles)) running trains to Paris and on to London, then there was Mobico (backed by National Express) and this Evolyn lot. Now there are two more.

You may have heard Richard Branson's name being mentioned a few days ago (from RailTech):

Sir Richard Branson, the British entrepreneur and founder of the Virgin Group, is reportedly gearing up for a bid to break Eurostar’s long-held monopoly on Channel Tunnel rail services. The news, according to sources cited by The Telegraph newspaper in London, proposes that there may be a red liveried train in the Channel Tunnel to rival the familiar grey of Eurostar. The move, if confirmed, marks Branson’s return to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail sector. It is four years after his Virgin Trains operation was controversially ousted from its West Coast franchise...

Finally, a Dutch contender called Heuro thinks it can run 16 trains a day to Paris and 15 to London. That seems a huge number, though really it's one an hour which is not entirely unfeasible - just wildly implausible. From RailTech again:

The brand-newly established railway company Heuro aims to be the alternative to Eurostar between Amsterdam, Paris and London from 2028. RailTech spoke to Dutch founder Roemer van den Biggelaar. “We just want lower prices and more people off planes and on trains”.

The core team behind Heuro is currently a trio, including father and son van den Biggelaar. Father Maarten, an established entrepreneur in the Netherlands, was already in talks with French railways SNCF^▸ (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais - French National Railways) a decade ago, to set up a new international carrier. “The SNCF gave up on that then, they were still in a partnership with NS and did not want to get in their way,” says Roemer van den Biggelaar.

That was the end of the story back then, but as the rail market is opening up more and more, father and son see chances of it succeeding now. Van den Biggelaar: “I’ve been interested in it ever since I was little. Now we are trying again, but together”...

[IndustryInsider]

Competition on HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) and to the continent would be great.  Let’s hope these potential start-ups don’t all put themselves off by creating business models that take all of the others into account!

[Electric train]

The limiting factor is the boarder controls, this needs resolving to make more than one addition operator viable.

The London end capacity could be increased with some operators terminating / starting at Ebbs Fleet or Stratford, just the issue of reversing the stock.  Not sure how the boarder check capacity could be increased at Paris without major investment ...................

or we join Schengen ................... cannot see that happening

I'm sure there is a technology answer its whether the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Government and the EU^» (European Union - about) could ever agree

[grahame]

Not sure how the boarder check capacity could be increased at Paris without major investment ...................

err ... another destination county.  Frankfurt has been suggested before

[CyclingSid]

I'm sure there is a technology answer ...

And with our Government's success in IT projects you can probably forget the whole idea?

[Electric train]

Not sure how the boarder check capacity could be increased at Paris without major investment ...................

err ... another destination county.  Frankfurt has been suggested before

The money earner is London - Paris

[grahame]

The money earner is London - Paris

Mind - the RyanAir model of London (South Greenford) to Paris (Cergy St-Christophe) gets over the St Pancras and Gare du Nord congestion issue

[Bob_Blakey]

The limiting factor is the boarder controls, .....or we join Schengen.....

I doubt the EU^» (European Union - about) would be interested...the bosses from somewhere like Eton or Cheltenham Ladies Colleges might be a better bet. 

[Electric train]

The money earner is London - Paris

Mind - the RyanAir model of London (South Greenford) to Paris (Cergy St-Christophe) gets over the St Pancras and Gare du Nord congestion issue

London Stratford International - Paris North (Lille) International perhaps 

The limiting factor is the boarder controls, .....or we join Schengen.....

I doubt the EU^» (European Union - about) would be interested...the bosses from somewhere like Eton or Cheltenham Ladies Colleges might be a better bet. 

bosses from Eton and Cheltenham Ladies Colleges only if it makes it easy to get to the Chateau at the weekend

[rogerpatenall]

The money earner is London - Paris

Mind - the RyanAir model of London (South Greenford) to Paris (Cergy St-Christophe) gets over the St Pancras and Gare du Nord congestion issue

South Greenford? Why not move it a couple of miles and, entering into the realms of absolute, mad, stupid fantasy, to Old Oak Common. . .