Eurostar operations to possibly stop after Brexit

[rue_d_etropal]

No, sorry, I'll say it again. Nothing major went wrong on Y2K because of all the effort and good work done over several years in advance of 2000 to make sure nothing major went wrong. As to not knowing whether or not there was an actual problem - in 1995, we had a failure in a predictive system which looked five years ahead because it did not handle the two-digit date '00' properly. That was one of the events that persuaded those in charge of budgets and resources to listen to those of us who had already been talking about a Y2K problem for a couple of years.

I agree absolutely. Was working in IT at the time. It tends to be those outside the world of IT who cast doubt, but there were potential problems and there are still others which are date related.

From my point of view it did result in less work afterwards.

[Vistisen]

I think his point is a bit like mutually assured destruction. Don’t ###### it up for me or I’ll ###### it up for you . Seems like a mature approach to negotiation to me.

not if you're the one pulling the pin out of the grenade

[Junctionmad]

It’s hard to reply without straying Into politics

 

But to an outsider , one would think that a slow and easy parting of the ways would ensure continuity of most things with little impact on day to day systems , systems that have been constructed over 40 years

 

Then over time ( many years ) each situation can get handled individually and protocols established to suit everyone

 

It’s the rush to the door that confounds me

Edited September 14, 2018 by Junctionmad

[Colin_McLeod]

When Ireland left the UK all of the laws of "England and Wales" were adopted lock, stock and barrel thus ensuring continuity of a legal system in independence. Over time the Irish changed the laws to suit.

 

I would suspect something similar could happen upon Brexit.

 

The railways wholly in Northern Ireland were nationalised as were the railways wholly in Ireland. The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) which operated in both jurisdictions continued to operate as a separate railway for a few years before it was split in two and the two parts nationalised.

[hayfield]

 

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.[/size]Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines[/size]Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way[/size]The time is gone, the song is over,[/size]Thought I'd something more to say.[/size]

 

Brit15

 

According to an Astrophysicist on the BBC yesterday the days are getting longer as the moon is slowly moving away from the earth. A few million years ago days were hours shorter

[Neil]

Returning to the practicalities, I've noticed changes at St Pancras since the referendum. I'm not a frequent Eurostar passenger but I regularly travel a couple of times a year to the continent with them. Before the referendum it was a fairly leisurely process with little in the way of queueing, the main pinch point being the security checks. Since the referendum I've noticed more passport control infrastructure being put in place; despite this it seems that passport control has become the new pinch point with longer queues than ever before. The station seems more crowded than before too.

 

I assume that there is some connection going on here. Looking at the positive side it would seem as though Eurostar have been planning and preparing for a different border control regime being put in place. They obviously intend to keep running post Brexit. The negative would be that if there's a toughening up of passport procedures the queueing and delays going through the border procedures will become worse. There is already disquiet amongst those at the sharp end at St Pancras; I can only see this getting worse if there are greater delays, overcrowding and disgruntlement amongst passengers.

[Pacific231G]

In the immortal words of Sir Humphrey Appleby, finally having no choice but to be blunt with Jim Hacker.  "Minister. If you insist on doing this damn fool thing , please don't do it in this damn fool way"

 

Without straying into specific politics, the thing that Britain has long been well regarded for by many of its friends, of whom there are far more in Europe than we seem to think, is a preference for pragmatism over ideology. We depart from that at our peril.

 

I do fear that we may have made it very difficult for people of moderate views (on all sides) to engage in political activity without being crushed by the minority driven by ideology, and those who seek personal advancement from embracing them.  

[Vistisen]

In the immortal words of Sir Humphrey Appleby, finally having no choice but to be blunt with Jim Hacker.  "Minister. If you insist on doing this damn fool thing , please don't do it in this damn fool way"

 

Without straying into specific politics, the thing that Britain has long been well regarded for by many of its friends, of whom there are far more in Europe than we seem to think, is a preference for pragmatism over ideology. We depart from that at our peril.

 

I do fear that we may have made it very difficult for people of moderate views (on all sides) to engage in political activity without being crushed by the minority driven by ideology, and those who seek personal advancement from embracing them.  

 

The new irregular 'verb' 

 

I am moderate

Your are wrong

He is an idiot!

 

Seriously though, how many people describe themselves as fanatical? I defend my strongly held position forthrightly. If a person agree with me they would probably consider me a 'moderate'. If they don't, then they'll think I'm an extremist. For me the important thing is to consider whether a counter opinion to my own has some value before replying. Perhaps there should be some sort of time lock on comments in the more argumentative threads. By that I mean that having posted a reply to a contentious topic, you cannot post again in the same thread for an hour. This would enforce a period for contemplation :-)

[Junctionmad]

In the immortal words of Sir Humphrey Appleby, finally having no choice but to be blunt with Jim Hacker.  "Minister. If you insist on doing this damn fool thing , please don't do it in this damn fool way"

 

Without straying into specific politics, the thing that Britain has long been well regarded for by many of its friends, of whom there are far more in Europe than we seem to think, is a preference for pragmatism over ideology. We depart from that at our peril.

 

I do fear that we may have made it very difficult for people of moderate views (on all sides) to engage in political activity without being crushed by the minority driven by ideology, and those who seek personal advancement from embracing them.

 

It does seem we are in a world , or certainly in the Anglo sphere , where the Centre is being drowned out and “ moderate “ seems a bad word

 

There will be a very painful lesson in this for many many groups of people , the sad thing is it’s likely to lead to more politicsl radicalism as gradually our politics is being turned into a faith religion , with chants of believe my truth not his . I blame social media of course

[hayfield]

Interesting subject for another thread and website

 

I fall into the group that believes that there are too many vested interests in trade, travel and finance who will bring sanity to the situation. The politicians paymasters will bang their heads together and instruct them to sort things out

 

It will be the normal EU fudge still the same but called something different

[Junctionmad]

Interesting subject for another thread and website

I fall into the group that believes that there are too many vested interests in trade, travel and finance who will bring sanity to the situation. The politicians paymasters will bang their heads together and instruct them to sort things out

It will be the normal EU fudge still the same but called something different

Maybe , I hope so , it’s not looking promising , when Ireland has just announced its hiring 250 new customs officials , gulp

[Nimbus]

It will be the normal EU fudge still the same but called something different

 

Nougat?

 

The Nim.

[Edwin_m]

Nougat?

 

The Nim.

But is that pronounced Nugget or Noo-gah? 

[jcm@gwr]

I prefer Scottish Tablet!

[John M]

Maybe , I hope so , it’s not looking promising , when Ireland has just announced its hiring 250 new customs officials , gul

A bit like the Yes Minister "Great British Sausage" sketch politicians have to be seen to carry out a certain degree of posturing to appeal to their constituents and appease the media.  The officials on both sides have to come up with the solutions and present them as a victory to their minister. 

 

Despite the "Common Travel Area" between the UK and Ireland, the Irish and British Governments  appear to have already introduced immigration controls between the Republic of Ireland and UK mainland.

 

Immigration Officers and Police carried out passport and identity checks on foot passengers at both Dublin Port and Holyhead during a family visit to the UK mainland in July.

 

At both ports Immigration Officers checked the non-EU passports, and the police checked Irish Passports/ID within our party. We were a very mixed bunch with a combination of Irish, Australian and New Zealand Passports

Edited September 16, 2018 by John M

[GoingUnderground]

It kept spinning because IMHO Y2k was the con of the century. If nothing happened on 01/01/2000 was it because there never was a problem or because of all the work done to prevent it?

 

We will probably never know.

Y2K was a real threat, not a con. It was the work that was done in the background to prevent it becoming a problem that meant everything went on as normal.

 

I still use a DOS spreadsheet program from the 1980s, mainly because i like it, which wasn't Y2K proof, and wasn't updated for Y2K. When I use any formulae that needs the spreadsheet to know today's date using the @Today function, i have to amend the formula to add 36525 to the date returned by the @Today function otherwise it is 100 years out. For example it returns today's date as 16/9/1918, 100 years ago. So there's an example for you of a real world Y2K glitch.

[Oldddudders]

I clearly have a vested interest in travel to and from France remaining viable. It is my understanding that people made such journeys in times past. Indeed several Pre-Grouping Companies operated ferry services, long before the Treaty of Rome was even dreamed of.

 

It is my simple belief that such travel will continue to be possible in future, because it is in no-one’s interest for it to stop. I already very often have my photo taken before being allowed to catch a Eurostar. Other than also demanding my fingerprints, or maybe hand-searching my luggage (usually a half-empty 35 litre rucksack), it is hard to imagine what other impediments might be devised. We didn’t need a Visa to enter France years ago, so why would one be needed now?

[hayfield]

Maybe , I hope so , it’s not looking promising , when Ireland has just announced its hiring 250 new customs officials , gulp

Famous quote

 

Turkeys do not vote for Christmas

 

Those who keep politicians in power want access to each other’s markets. I am of the opinion there is still a lot more hot air to be let off. At the last minute there will be a so called breakthrough which satisfies both parties. Usual EU fudge whatever flavour

[D9020 Nimbus]

I clearly have a vested interest in travel to and from France remaining viable. It is my understanding that people made such journeys in times past. Indeed several Pre-Grouping Companies operated ferry services, long before the Treaty of Rome was even dreamed of.

I always thought passports weren't introduced until after (the start of?) WW1, so not an issue for pre-grouping companies—not that most people could afford to travel very far in those days...

[Vistisen]

Famous quote

 

Turkeys do not vote for Christmas

 

Those who keep politicians in power want access to each other’s markets. I am of the opinion there is still a lot more hot air to be let off. At the last minute there will be a so called breakthrough which satisfies both parties. Usual EU fudge whatever flavour

 

are these the same sort of paymasters who thought that Putin was someone they could control, or that Trump wasn't a threat in the republican primaries?

[Nearholmer]

"I am of the opinion there is still a lot more hot air to be let off. At the last minute there will be a so called breakthrough which satisfies both parties." I share that opinion.

 

And, yes, I thought passports as controls on movement, rather than what they still purport to be if you read the fancy words in the front, guarantees of protection by the home state, were a relatively recent thing. I've got a feeling that if you wanted to travel or emigrate in Victorian times you just got on with it, for instance quite large numbers of Germans coming to settle in Britain in the 1850s/60s.

[pete_mcfarlane]

Y2K was a real threat, not a con. It was the work that was done in the background to prevent it becoming a problem that meant everything went on as normal.

Quite a lot of things did break - I remembering helping to fix a broken hospital booking system on 01/01/2000. Things just broke in subtle ways, often well before the actual date (for example stock control systems rejecting food with best before dates at 01/01/2000).

 

The idea that Y2K was a 'con' comes from the journalists who predicted exploding nuclear reactors and crashing airliners. When their dire predictions didn't come true, they started claiming it was all a con. No doubt they'll be doing the same next year when post-Brexit Britain doesn't revert to the Dark Ages.

[Nearholmer]

Or, worse still, the early 1970s!

[Mark Saunders]

Will the remaining cast of  Monty Python now do " What has the EU done for Britain " ?

[hayfield]

are these the same sort of paymasters who thought that Putin was someone they could control, or that Trump wasn't a threat in the republican primaries?

Putin clearly has his own paymasters, that’s why sanctions are on them and not him. Now it is being reported unrest between the various Russian security services. As soon as he is a liability he will either be dropped from power of have a serious illness

 

I am surprised Trump is still there, certainly we are learning his so called aids are controlling most of his worst excesses and I think legal action against him is being held in the wings as the ultimate threat. He is serving the Democrats ends of being both in power and popular eith the voters. Baby on the reigns comes to mind