I remember once after a radio test run on a TMST, as it was still called then, before going into service that we stopped at Sandling so we could get off. The passengers waiting for their slam-door train were very confused!

We were asked by a film crew to take a lower path near Dartford Rifle Range so we would not be in their shot 🤣. The sound of gunfire was disconcerting!
@riverthamessoc.bsky.social

Lack of a bridge when we needed to negotiate the Darent river where it meets the Thames meant we had to walk 5 miles just to end up 50 yards further down stream! The Crayford Marshes are very bleak as you would expect, but views of a Marsh Harrier were some consolation.
@thamespathnt.bsky.social

We were delighted to spot a couple of seals. They didn't seem to mind the murky water

Today was from Woolwich to Slade Green near Erith which we chose purely to balance the distances with the next two days.
Lovely autumn weather for walking. Met a nice chap who had just bought a carbon bike in Maidstone and was riding it back home to the South Bank.
@riverthamessoc.bsky.social

Hope you had a dram to compensate🥃

Hope you had something with it!

When it first entered service the passport checks for the destination country were down once the train was en route. In case of problem passengers each train included two "lock-ups" complete with shackles to stop you escaping!

The driver's cab interior was designed in Manchester which is where I visited it in 1991. At that time it had the traditional French "steering wheel" type of power/brake controller which was later changed to the arrangement seen here being driven by me on the training simulator at Waterloo!

It was rumoured that because of the problems in Ireland at the time that the coaches had secret hatches in the bottom so that the SAS could storm the train in the event of a hijack!

A Eurostar parked up somewhere in France before the tunnel had opened - notice it is plugged in by a mains cable at the front! This might have been pre-series 2, the first full rake. Other photo is the original Business Class seating.

The Cab Radio for the TMST/Eurostar also had to automatically switch between the 4 different ground systems on the route, although the ET system was largely the same as in the UK. All used VHF radio in the same frequency band but were very different at a technical level.

Siemens in Poole in the UK designed and supplied the Cab Radio for the TMST/Eurostar. I was fortunate to be the lead engineer on the project for Siemens. Learnt the French for all sorts of technical things!

As the Terminator said "We'll be back!" Intending to carry on to Gravesend, the town where Lesley was born.

Great to reach our target of the #thamesbarrier. The weather was much cooler than yesterday (dare I say cold?) so we just kept going before finally stopping at Woolwich Arsenal.
@thamespathnt.bsky.social @riverthamessoc.bsky.social

Passed through lots of delightful areas of old warehousing before arriving opposite Canary Wharf. #cuttysark soon followed and then the college at Greenwich. Surprisingly we then reached another view of Canary Wharf but this time from the opposite side with all the buildings in the reverse order.