From: mdb@csc.liv.ac.uk (Martin Beer)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Channel Tunnel status?
Date: 25 Aug 92 11:23:11 GMT
Organization: Computer Science, Liverpool University
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Danny O'Bedlam (dfl@panix.com) wrote:
> In <1992Aug23.023033.28441@ecsvax.uncecs.edu> ehr@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Ernest H. Robl) writes:
> >I haven't seen or heard anything on the status of the Channel Tunnel
> >lately and wouldn't mind getting some updated information on the
> >tunnel itself and related work in England and France.  What's the
> >latest projected date for the formal opening?  Have any plans for
> >opening ceremonies been announced yet?
> >So, those of you in Europe, what's the latest word?  Thanks.
> >-- Ernest
> 
The tunnels have now been completed, and track laying and fitting out are 
going on apace.  I was in Folkstone and Sangatte (Calais) last month and
the terminal facilities are well on their way to completion on
both sides of the Channel (the French seemed further ahead, but they have a more
open site.

> 	There hasnt been a LOT about the CHUNNEL because the tunnels
> themselves are completed.  Currently (aside from the continuous
> financing crises that EUROTUNNEL keeps finding themselves in AND 
> the continuous contract & threats of lawsuit they keep finding 
> themselves in with TML (the tunnel's BUILDER), the Chunnel is 
> being outfitted with equipment... hardware.  Right of way is
> being laid on both sides, as well as terminals.  There was an
> update  in the most recent issue of IRJ (august) with some
> good photographs.  I understand that some of the specially-built
> rolling stock for the Chunnel will not be delivered on time, but
> when the Chunnel opens freight traffic will be going through.
>

There are regular updates in the UK quality press and the various
railway magazines (Modern Railways (published by Ian Allan)
is always a useful source of information
as it is read by many profesional railway managers as well as
enthusiasts).

The problem seems to be that the contractors (who originally set up Eurotunnel)
are running slightly behind schedule, and considerably over budget.
There are also additional safety measures required in the
light of the Kings X fire, all of which have to be paid for.
The original cosy relationship has broken down, with everyone
blaming everyone else.  It has not however stopped the contractors
from getting on with the building to an extremely tight
schedule, which they are overshooting mainly because of
external provarication. 

Trains are however another problem.

The shuttles and Three Capitals sets are well into production, although
there will not be sufficient sets available until 1994 because of
ordering delays.  The EEC has just relented and allowed the Railways to order
the Night Sleeper sets which will travel beyond London to be ordered,
and it is anyone's guess as to when they may be available for service.

TGV Nord is well under way, but the High Speed Link to London
has slipped even further into the distance.  The Kings X bill
should get the Royal Assent this Summer, but whether there
is any money to build the station is another matter.

Waterloo remains a massive building site, but should be ready by the
time the trains roll.  It looked as if the depot at Old Oak Common
was almost complete last time I went out on the Great Western Main Line
from Paddington and electrification and resignalling of
the West London Line via Kensington(Olympia) is also well under way.
I believe the flyover at Stewarts Lane (taking the Channel International
trains from the South Western main line into Waterloo to the
South Eastern main line out of Victoria towards the coast) is now complete.

As you see a lot is now coming together, but there are few spectacular
picture opportunities so it is mostly unreported in all but the specialist press.

> 	Last I heard (and our net.friends on the other side can
> correct me if this has changed) the opening date had been pushed
> back to October 1993.
> 

Before the end of 1993 is the current best guess.

There is still an awful lot of commissioning work to do,
especially on the signalling.

The traction manufacturers are getting the blame, but I suspect
that the signalling engineers are quite relieved.  Many UK resignalling
schemes are currently on back burner because of lack
of trained manpower in this area, and because of increased testing and
inspection following the Clapham crash.

Eurotunnel have just upped their traffic forcasts yet again so there
seems no doubt that the Tunnel will be a success when it eventually opens
(probably about six months late and only 100% over budget which is
pretty good for European infrastructure projects).


> 	Oh yeah, there is a couple pieces bout all this (from the
> British rail side) in this weeks ECONOMIST - re routes to London.
> 

This is good fun.

The Department of Transport are building massive motorways through
Kent to take the traffic that will be kicked of rail at the tunnel
portal because noone can make up their minds what to do with it
otherwise.

Martin Beer


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> * Danny O'Bedlam  = dfl@panix.com = cmcl2!panix!dfl = Danny Lieberman *
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--
Dr. Martin Beer,
Department of Computer Science,		Telephone 051-794-3672
University of Liverpool,		Fax: 051-794-3715
Chadwick Tower, P.O. Box 147,           EMail mdb@uk.ac.liverpool.compsci
LIVERPOOL.  L69 3BX. United Kingdom.