From Norton Hill to Eurostar
A miniature railway owner from West Norfolk joined VIPs on Tuesday's fastest-ever rail journey from Paris to London – despite having no passport.
Mike Schumann swapped the Norton Hill Light Railway at Snettisham for the Eurostar train which trailblazed a new stretch of high-speed track from the Channel Tunnel to St Pancras Station.
Mr Schumann was a member of a party of special guests who were given free seats on the train by Eurostar in return for a 500 donation to the Railway Benefit Fund.
They included his friend and fellow railway buff, construction company magnate Sir William McAlpine, who once owned The Flying Scotsman.
Sir William contacted him about the trip last Friday and Mr Schumann and his wife, Angela, eagerly accepted. "When an opportunity like that comes knocking, you open the door," he said.
It started with champagne and pastries on the platform in Paris and they were served more champagne and quiche on the train. At times, it was not the smoothest ride. "It was a bit bumpy in France, where we did 202 or 203 miles per hour, but not frighteningly uncomfortable," he said.
Across the Channel, it was a different story. "It was such a smooth ride on the new section in the the UK. The landscape just flashed by, we went in and out of tunnels and suddenly we were at St Pancras," he went on.
For Mr Schumann, the highlight of the 2hr 3min trip was being able to make it after discovering on Sunday morning that he had mislaid his passport.
"I wasn't sure if I would. I only managed it on the strength of the courtesy and co-operation of the French and British passport officials.
It was pretty much touch and go," he said.
Mr Schumann has twice before travelled on Eurostar and believes the new connection will make it much more attractive. "It's going to be by far the quickest way to get to Paris, Brussels and Lille and makes going even further afield more convenient. The check-in time is also half an hour compared with the airport minimum of two hours," he said.
The French, he believes, are pleased not to have to terminate the trains at a station called Waterloo – but may need some help to correctly pronounce St Pancras.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
