Text 5. The Chunnel and Eurostar services

In 1888, Louis Figuier proclaimed that "linking France and England will meet one of the present day needs of civilization." On May 6, 1994, England's Queen Elizabeth II and France's President Francois Mitterrand brought Figuier's words to life and inaugurated a new era in European train travel—the linking of England and France via a tunnel that runs underground and under the English Channel. More than 17 million tons of earth were moved to build the two rail tunnels (one for northbound and one for southbound traffic) and one service tunnel.

Plagued by delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns, the Chunnel has proven to be one of the world's largest undertakings. The project cost more than $13 billion and took seven years to complete. Napoleon's engineer, Albert Mathieu, planned the first tunnel in 1802, incorporating an underground passage with ventilation chimneys above the waves. For obvious reasons the British were nervous. Later, in 1880, the first real attempt at a tunnel was undertaken by Colonel Beaumont, who bored 2,000 meters into the earth before abandoning the project. When work on another tunnel began in 1974, the Beaumont tunnel was found to be in good condition. Construction of the current tunnels, which are 38 kilometers in length undersea and have an average depth of 40meters under the seabed, began in 1987.

The Channel Tunnel consists of three parallel tunnels: two primary rail tunnels, which carry trains north and south, and a smaller access tunnel. The access tunnel, which is served by narrow rubber-tyred vehicles, is connected by transverse passages to the main tunnels at regular intervals 375 metres. It allows maintenance workers access to the tunnel complex and provides a safe route for escape during emergencies. This tunnel is for emergency use, engineering access, and ventilation.

Operated by British Rail, the French (SNCF), and Belgium (SNCB) railways, the tunnel is built for four types of trains: passenger shuttles for cars and buses, freight shuttles for trucks, high­speed inter-city passenger trains, and freight trains. The tunnel has the capacity to take more than 400 train movements per day in each direction.

A journey through the tunnel lasts about 20 minutes; from start to stop, including a large loop to turn the train round, a shuttle train journey totals about 35 minutes. Eurostar trains travel considerably more slowly than their top speed while going through the tunnel, in part to fit in with the shuttle trains.

The American Society of Civil Engineershave declared the tunnel to be one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World.

Although Eurostar trains travel at high speeds in France (where the tracks modern and custom-made for the standard TGV cruising speed of 300 km/h, and within thetunnel at up to 160 km/h (100 mph), their speed in Kent is limited by the relatively low-speed tracks over which they must run. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link project, a partly government-funded scheme to build a dedicated high-speed line from London to the tunnel entrance, is expected to be completed in 2007. The first stage of the link, running from the tunnel to North Kent, was opened in 2003.

Eurostar service is offered from London's new Waterloo -International Eurostar -Terminal (incidentally, named for the Napoleonic battle between the UK and France) to Paris' Gare du Nord or Brussels Midi station, in either direction. Travel times from London to Paris are reduced from more than five hours to three hours; Brussels is only two hours and forty minute away, thus making a European Capitals tour nothing more than a day excursion. BritRail pass holders receive a discount on Eurostar tickets.

In the future service will be expanded to include Eurostar originations from Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, Manchester, Birmingham, and cities in between that link them to Paris and Brussels in either direction. These direct daytime Eurostar Regional Services will reduce travel times from Edinburgh to Paris, for example, from more than twelve hours to just over nine hours. European Night Services will also be added for those wishing to arrive in Paris or Brussels in time for breakfast. Night services will include departures from London to Amsterdam, Dortmund and Frankfurt, Germany. Both seated and sleeper accommodations will be offered for overnight departures, featuring onboard catering and luggage storage compartments.

The Eurostar Trains

The sleek Eurostar trains {Trans Mache Super Trains) each carry 794 passengers (210 in first class and 584 in second class) and reach speeds of 300 km/h in France, with speeds through the Chunnel of 80 miles per hour. The train is based primarily on the TGV but was redesigned to accommodate the three different voltage types encountered en-route. The trains are accessible to handicapped passengers and provide sufficient storage for luggage.

Those taking advantage of a trip from Paris or Brussels to London on a Eurostar train are in for a treat. The trains offer the comfort and amenities comparable to few trains in the world. From departure you're in store for a smooth, quiet, ride, and even when you enter the tunnel the only noticeable change is the sudden darkness. Those concerned with changes in air pressure needn't worry. Air flow through the tunnel is regulated to minimize changes in pressure.

Eurostar staff are multilingual and are available to provide assistance the minute you enter the terminal to the minute you exit the platform. You'll notice them right away, with their navy blue uniforms with accented yellow scarves or ties. If you have any questions, don't be shy—they're there to serve you, and serve you they do.

Passengers traveling first-class are treated to an on-board meal ranging from breakfast to dinner depending upon the time of day. Second-class passengers won't starve either, as a buffet car and roving refreshment cart services are available at nominal costs. Whichever service you choose, sit back and enjoy!

Asylum seekers

The tunnel has become a popular means by which asylum seekers, hoping that their chances of receiving asylum are better in the UK than in France, illegally enter the UK. A few attempt to walk through the tunnel or to cling to the trains themselves, but most try to hide in freight containers or trucks using the tunnel. In 2002, British immigration authorities added sophisticated listening and imaging equipment to their post in Kent, hoping to hear the heartbeats or sense the breathing of such stowaways. In early 2003 the British government persuaded French authorities to close the controversial centre for asylum seekers at Sangatte, which they felt encouraged such clandestine travel. In an unusual move, the British and Frenchgovernments agreed to provide immigration staff at opposite ends of the tunnel; thus the French immigration control posts are located in England while the British ones are in France.

Environmental

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link has been designed to high environmental standards, with about 85% of the route in tunnel or within existing transport corridors (next to existing motorways, major roads or railways). The environmental standards adopted in the design are at the forefront of those commonly applied to major infrastructure projects. Account is taken of environmental impacts during construction as well as operation.

During design development detailed discussions continue with local authorities on an individual basis with respect to mitigation of environmental effects. Design changes which result from this process are incorporated in the consents process for the new railway. Similar discussions are also held with the Environment Agency, English Nature, English Heritage and the Highways Agency when there are significant environmental issues to resolve.

At a strategic level, regular meetings (approx. every 2 months) are held with the local authorities at the Planning Forum and with the environmental statutory consultees at the Environment Forum.

Fire

The Channel Tunnel's only serious operational incident as of 2005 was the 1996fire aboard a shuttle train carrying truck trailers. With rescue crews already alerted, the Folkestone-bound train came to an emergency stop halfway through the tunnel. Amid acrid smoke, truck drivers were evacuated to a train headed the other way. Fire crews managed to extinguish the superheated fire in a number of hours, battling low water pressure, high-velocity wind from the emergency actions of the ventilation fans, and intense heat. 200 m of the tunnel lining were seriously damaged, and another 200 m was significantly damaged. In some areas the concrete liner was thinned due to spalling from the heat to only 50 mm of its original 450 mm thickness. The rear wagons and rear locomotive of the train were destroyed. No lives were lost, due in large part to the safety of the tunnel design and the response of safety crews from both France and the UK.

The tunnel was re-opened for limited use on 21 November 1996, only three days after the fire. With only one main tunnel in operation, safety rules prohibited passenger services from using the tunnel. Freight services operated in half-duplex fashion until the tunnel was repaired. Passenger services resumed on 4 December 1996, and full service was restored on 6 January 1997.

The Tunnel's operators faced criticism for mishandling the incident. The train had been observed to be on fire when entering the tunnel, and much of the incident's complexity could have been avoided if the train had stayed above ground. Once it was decided to have the train proceed to Folkestone, much of the trouble could again have been avoided if this plan had been completed. (The train driver decided to stop in the tunnel due to concern about a possible derailment.) There were also miscommunications in the fire-fighting response.

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