Eurostar
 

I was due to travel to Paris on Eurostar today but suffice to say that my Christmas plans have been somewhat altered thanks to Eurostar - it's too late to arrange affordable travel by any other route. Whatever reason emerges for their astonishing incompetence (I won't express it any more strongly on a family programme such as this) this weekend, they haven't exactly covered themselves in glory. Neither their train personnel, customer service staff nor management seem able or willing to display the slightest initiative.

Does anyone know the process by which Eurostar were awarded a licence to run passenger trains and whether political pressure can be applied to have that licence revoked? There was talk a year or two ago about Deutsche Bahn being allowed to provide some very welcome competition to the Eurostar monopoly. Has anyone heard any more about this?

No, but sounds like a good time to pursue their interest.

I read only last week that DB WILL be allowed to run to oprate high speed trains through the tunnel, but don't know when such services will commence.

Are the platform clearances at St.Pancras suitable for German ICE trains or is it just HS1 that has been constructed to the larger UIC loading gauge?