BBC ON THIS DAY | 6 | 1994: President and Queen open Chunnel About This Site | Text Only 1994: President and Queen open Chunnel The Queen and France's President Francois Mitterrand have formally opened the Channel Tunnel during two elaborate ceremonies in France and Britain. After travelling through the tunnel, which took eight years and billions of pounds to build, the Queen said it was one of the world's great technological achievements. The tunnel is the first land link between Britain and Europe since the last Ice Age about 8,000 years ago. The first leg of the Queen's journey took her from London's Waterloo station through the tunnel by high-speed Eurostar passenger train. She arrived at Calais at the same time as the President Mitterrand's train which had travelled from Paris' Gard du Nord via Lille. Nose to nose encounter The two locomotives met nose to nose - a computer that prevents two trains travelling on the same track was switched off for the occasion. The two heads of state cut red, white and blue ribbons simultaneously to the sound of their respective national anthems played by the band of the French Republican Guard.

They were accompanied by their Prime Ministers John Major and Edouard Balladur and other government ministers to the Eurotunnel terminus. Passengers must wait Eurostar will not start carrying passengers until July at the earliest and private cars will have to wait until October. After lunch, the Queen and President Mitterrand took the royal Rolls-Royce on Le Shuttle for the 35-minute trip to Folkestone. There was a similar ribbon-cutting ceremony on English soil. Among those present were joint Eurotunnel chairmen Sir Alastair Morton and Andr� B�nard as well as Frenchman Philippe Cozette, who drilled the hole that first joined the two ends of the tunnel in December 1990. Behind today's celebrations lies the reality that the tunnel has run up huge debts. It cost �10bn to build, more than double the original forecast in 1987 - and there are serious doubts about its long-term financial viability. The two opening ceremonies In Context At first the Channel Tunnel looked like it was going to be a financial disaster.

A year after the official opening, the tunnel operator Eurotunnel announced a loss of �925m, one of the biggest in UK corporate history at the time. To add to its woes, freight traffic was suspended for six months in 1996 after a fire broke out on a lorry in the tunnel. A scheme in which banks agreed to swap billions of pounds worth of loans for shares saved the tunnel from going under and in 1999, Eurotunnel was able to announce its first net profit - �64m. It still has huge debts - to the tune of �6.4bn in 2004. But it has become an accepted and popular mode of transport, not least among illegal immigrants trying to get into Britain from Europe. Tunnel facts How the Channel Tunnel Was Built and Designed Updated December 04, 2015. What Is the Channel Tunnel? The Channel Tunnel, often called the Chunnel, is a railway tunnel that lies underneath the water of the English Channel and connects the island of Great Britain with mainland France. The Channel Tunnel , completed in 1994, is considered one of the most amazing engineering feats of the 20th century.

Dates: Officially opened on May 6, 1994 Also Known As: The Chunnel, the Euro Tunnel Overview of the Channel Tunnel: For centuries, crossing the English Channel via boat or ferry had been considered a miserable task. The often inclement weather and choppy water could make even the most seasoned traveler seasick. It is perhaps not surprising then that as early as 1802 plans were being made for an alternate route across the English Channel. Early Plans This first plan, made by French engineer Albert Mathieu Favier, called for a tunnel to be dug under the water of the English Channel. This tunnel was to be large enough for horse-drawn carriages to travel through. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Although Favier was able to get the backing of French leader Napoleon Bonaparte , the British rejected Favier's plan. (The British feared, perhaps correctly, that Napoleon wanted to build the tunnel in order to invade England.) Over the next two centuries, others created plans to connect Great Britain with France. Despite progress made on a number of these plans, including actual drilling, they all eventually fell through. Sometimes the reason was political discord, other times is was financial problems.

Still other times it was Britain's fear of invasion. All of these factors had to be solved before the Channel Tunnel could be built. A Contest In 1984, French president Francois Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher jointly agreed that a link across the English Channel would be mutually beneficial. However, both governments realized that although the project would create much needed jobs, neither country's government could fund such a massive project. Thus, they decided to hold a contest. This contest invited companies to submit their plans to create a link across the English Channel. As part of the contest's requirements, the submitting company was to provide a plan to raise the needed funds to build the project, have the ability to operate the proposed Channel link once the project was completed, and the proposed link must be able to endure for at least 120 years. Ten proposals were submitted, including various tunnels and bridges. Some of the proposals were so outlandish in design that they were easily dismissed; others would be so expensive that they were unlikely to ever be completed. The proposal that was accepted was the plan for the Channel Tunnel, submitted by the Balfour Beatty Construction Company (this later became Transmanche Link).

The Design for the Channel Tunnels The Channel Tunnel was to be made up of two, parallel railway tunnels that would be dug under the English Channel. Between these two railway tunnels would run a third, smaller tunnel that would be used for maintenance, including drainage pipes, communication cables, drainage pipes, etc. Each of the trains that would run through the Chunnel would be able to hold cars and trucks. This would enable personal vehicles to go through the Channel Tunnel without having individual drivers face such a long, underground drive. The plan was expected to cost $3.6 billion. Getting Started Just getting started on the Channel Tunnel was a monumental task. Funds had to be raised (over 50 large banks gave loans), experienced engineers had to be found, 13,000 skilled and unskilled workers had to be hired and housed, and special tunnel boring machines had to be designed and built. As these things were getting done, the designers had to determine exactly where the tunnel was to be dug. Specifically, the geology of the bottom of the English Channel had to be carefully examined.

It was determined that although the bottom was made of a thick layer of chalk, the Lower Chalk layer, made up of chalk marl, would be the easiest to bore through. Building the Channel Tunnel The digging of the Channel Tunnel began simultaneously from the British and the French coasts, with the finished tunnel meeting in the middle. On the British side, the digging began near Shakespeare Cliff outside of Dover; the French side began near the village of Sangatte. The digging was done by huge tunnel boring machines, known as TBMs, which cut through the chalk, collected the debris, and transported the debris behind it using conveyor belts. Then this debris, known as spoil, would be would be hauled up to the surface via railroad wagons (British side) or mixed with water and pumped out through a pipeline (French side). As the TBMs bore through the chalk, the sides of the newly dug tunnel had to be lined with concrete. This concrete lining was to help the tunnel withstand the intense pressure from above as well as to help waterproof the tunnel. Connecting the Tunnels One of the most difficult tasks on the Channel Tunnel project was making sure that both the British side of the tunnel and the French side actually met up in the middle.

Special lasers and surveying equipment was used; however, with such a large project, no one was sure it would actually work. Since the service tunnel was the first to be dug, it was the joining of the two sides of this tunnel that caused the most fanfare. On December 1, 1990, the meeting of the two sides was officially celebrated. Two workers, one British (Graham Fagg) and one French (Philippe Cozette), were chosen by lottery to be the first to shake hands through the opening. After them, hundreds of workers crossed to the other side in celebration of this amazing achievement. For the first time in history, Great Britain and France were connected. Finishing the Channel Tunnel Although the meeting of the two sides of the service tunnel was a cause of great celebration, it certainly wasn't the end of the Channel Tunnel building project. Both the British and the French kept digging. The two sides met in the northern running tunnel on May 22, 1991 and then only a month later, the two sides met in the middle of the southern running tunnel on June 28, 1991. That too wasn't the end of the Chunnel construction .

Crossover tunnels, land tunnels from the coast to the terminals, piston relief ducts, electrical systems, fireproof doors, the ventilation system, and train tracks all had to be added. Also, large train terminals had to be built at Folkestone in Great Britain and Coquelles in France. The Channel Tunnel Opens On December 10, 1993, the first test run was completed through the entire Channel Tunnel. After additional fine tuning, the Channel Tunnel officially opened on May 6, 1994. After six years of construction and $15 billion spent (some sources say upwards of $21 billion), the Channel Tunnel was finally complete. Channel Tunnel, England and France | Building the World Channel Tunnel, England and France Channel Tunnel, England and France Path of the Channel Tunnel, from Chunneltrain.org. WHY FRANCE AND ENGLAND? With the Channel Tunnel’s opening in 1994, the environment of La Manche/The English Channel improved greatly. In May 2009, Eurotunnel was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for commitment to managing and reducing its carbon footprint. Greenhouse gas emissions improved by 45% over a two-year period.

Pollution from ferries and airplanes has eased. Passengers ride between city centers of London and Paris, often transferring to Tube or Metro instead of taking a taxi. Commerce increased on both sides of the channel – 10 million tons of freight transit annually. And chic cuisine served on Eurostar during its 2 hour, 20 minute crossing draws passengers to this convenient, pleasant mode of transport. NAPOLEON’S DREAM One of the earliest mentions of a tunnel linking France and England was by Napoleon Bonaparte who is said to have discussed the idea with Charles James Fox, an English statesman who came to Paris for a meeting. Napoleon envisioned an artificial island mid-channel “to rest and breathe the horses.” (Building the World, p. 761) La Manche, as it is known in French, is just a bit more than 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point – the Strait of Dover, or Pas de Calais. The idea of a tunnel may have begun with a proposal presented to Napoleon when he was first consul. But Napoleon was not the only one.

In 1803, Hector Horeau designed an “immersed tube,” a pipeline that could be laid in a dredged trench. Thomé de Gamond proposed a tunnel and alternate plans for a bridge. Subsequent flowering of railway technology gave further impetus to a tunnel. Both the French and the British parliaments authorized preliminary work as early as 1875. In 1876, the goals and agreements were part of the Draft Anglo-French Treaty. Work went as far as sinking shafts on both coasts. But the British War office stopped the project. VIRGO INTACTA The British were skittish about a fixed link. As Lord Palmerston said in 1858, “What!

You pretend to ask us to contribute to a work the object of which is to shorten a distance which we already find too short!” And it was Lord Randolph Churchill who, in his 1889 speech before the House of Commons, famously proclaimed: “The reputation of England has hitherto depended upon her being, as it were, virgo intacta.” LUNCH AT LUCHOW’S Adventure Underground, by Joseph Gies In the prologue to his 1962 book Adventure Underground, Joseph Gies reported on “Lunch at Luchow’s,” a seemingly incidental event that would have major ramifications on the channel tunnel project. It was November 1956 when Cyril C. Means Jr., then arbitration director of the New York Stock Exchange and later a professor of international law, came for lunch with a friend, Frank P. Davidson. In the course of lunch, the subject of a channel tunnel came up. Because both young men were heavily committed to legal work, they decided to employ a research specialist of their acquaintance, Joan Reiter, to prepare a concise history of efforts to date to build a channel tunnel.

When completed, this document was handed to Dean Jay at the 23 Wall Street offices of the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York. Jay introduced the document, and its bearer, Frank Davidson, to Thomas S. Lamont, vice chairman and a leading shareholder of the bank. When Lamont took a personal and constructive interest in the project, what had once seemed a nearly impossible dream became a vision. FIRST FORM A STUDY GROUP The Submarine Tunnel Study Group formed in 1957 included five participants: Channel Tunnel Company, Ltd; Société Concessionnaire du Chemn de Fer Sous-Marin entre la France et l’Angleterre; International Road Federation (Paris office); Suez Canal Company; and Technical Studies, Inc. The papers of Technical Studies may be found at the archives of Baker Library, Harvard Business School, where further American involvement in the English/French project is detailed. On August 29, 1958, the United States became the first nation to approve support for the project. A presidential determination was signed by the International Cooperation Administration authorizing W.O. Smith of the U.S. Geological Survey to join British and French colleagues in observation and analysis of the channel seabed.

– Building the World, p. 763. GO/STOP/GO A treaty for construction of the tunnel with a joint operating British-French authority, and building permissions for four companies (two each), was approved in November 1973. Construction started. A mile of tunnel from the English coast was built and is still in use today. But in 1975 Britain again backed away due to economics. When talks of construction revived a few years later, it was with the understanding that the project must be privately financed. But what to build? There were proposals for bridges, roads, rail options with tunnel and even a bridge/tunnel combo. But the final choice was the design, rendered in 1957-9, by a team headed by Charles Dunn, president of International Engineering Company, a division of Morrison-Knudsen, and supported by Technical Studies. The rail tunnel would consist of three bored, interconnected concrete-lined tubes: two outer tubes, each with a single-track rail line, and a narrower middle tube for use as a service tunnel. Motor vehicles would not drive through but be transported on rail cars thus improving safety. In an additional safety precaution, the service tunnel could be employed as an emergence escape route.

This precaution later proved wise. Schematics of the “Chunnel”, from bbc.co.uk. In February 1986, British Prime Minister Thatcher and French president Mitterrand signed the Treaty of Canterbury. Five French and five British construction companies supported by three French and two British banks formed the core team. But the cost of building continued to rise and by 1989 it had shot up 40% — requiring more banks. Finally there were more than 200 banks in the syndication. And because construction decisions had to be approved by 90% of the syndicate, there were delays even once construction got started. The Chunnel (a term coined by Frank Davidson) officially opened in May 1994. Trains began transporting people in September, and vehicles were allowed by March. It was an immediate success: 28 million people and 12 million tons of freight were carried in the first five years.

LESSONS LEARNED – THE COST OF DELAY If construction of the Channel Tunnel had begun in 1959 when Charles Dunn completed the design later built in 1993 after years of political bickering and delays, the project would have cost US$100 million. But when finally built, the Channel Tunnel cost US$15 billion. Are there ways to prevent cost escalations in great works requiring political debate? LESSONS LEARNED – DIPLOMACY Diplomacy was critical to the success of the process. Sir Ivone Augustine Kirkpatrick of England and Ambassador René Massigli of France were co-presidents of the Channel Tunnel Study Group, and helped attract support of leaders of both countries. In present day multi-country projects involving shared resources and infrastructure, should diplomacy play a stronger role? Document of Authorization No. 25792 France and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Treaty concerning the construction and operation by private concessionaires of a channel fixed link. Signed at Canterbury on 12 February 1986. Authentic texts: French and English Registered by France on March 16 1988.

France et Royaume-Uni de Grande Bretagne et D’Irlande du Nord Traité concernant la construction et l’exploitation par des sociétés privées concessionaires d’une liaison fixe transmanche. Signé a Cantorbéry le 12 février 1986. Textes authentique: français et anglais. Enregistré par la France le 16 mars 1988. Confident that a Channel fixed link will greatly improve communications between the United Kingdom and France and give fresh impetus to relations between the two countries. Desiring to contribute to the development of relations and exchanges between the Member States of the European Communities and more generally between the European States. Desiring also to permit the construction and operation of a Channel fixed link by private enterprise in accordance with the criteria laid down by the Government of the United Kingdom and the French Government… Pour le Président de la Republique française: For the President of the French Republic: Pour Sa Majesté britannique: – See Building the World, pp 771-804.

VOICES OF THE FUTURE: Discussion and Implications Two/Deux: Even down to the detail of “authentic texts” of agreements, how do multi-country, multi-lingual projects give full access to all stakeholders? Economic development, financing, investment and profit-sharing, natural and human resourcing, job training, local business stimulation, environmental considerations, and other aspects affect all parties, but how can all parties be equally included? Education and Innovation: The Channel Tunnel has set an example worth following. China is building maglev trains in partially-vacuumed tubes. France has long been a leader in TGV. Japan opened a new era with Shinkansen . Should the world consider an International Rail Institute Service Corps where engineers, designers, and chefs, could cooperate to produce the fastest – and most entertaining – rail transport of the future? RESOURCES To read the complete chapter, members of the University of Massachusetts Boston may access the e-book through Healey Library Catalog and ABC-CLIO here. Alternatively the volumes can be accessed at WorldCat , or at Amazon for purchase. Further resources are available onsite at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Healey Library , including some of following: (* indicates printed in Notebook series) Abel, Deryck.

Channel Underground: A New Survey of the Channel Tunnel Question. London: Pall Mall Press, 1961. Bechtel Corporation, Brown & Root, Inc., and Morrison-Knudsen Company, Inc. The Channel Tunnel: Design and Construction of a Channel Tunnel Recommended by Three Engineer-Constructors. November 1959. A copy of this is available in the Channel Tunnel archives at the Historical Collections, Baker Library, School of Business Administration, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA. Benard, Andre. “Financial Engineering of Eurotunnel.” In Macro-Engineering: MIT Brunel Lectures on Global Infrastructure, edited by Frank P. Davidson, Ernst G. Frankel, and C. Lawrence Meador. Horwood Series in Engineering Science. Chichester, England: Horwood Publishing, 1997. Bonnaud, Laurent. Le Tunnel sous la Manche: Deux Siècles de Passions. New York: Hachette, 1994. Davidson, Frank P. “An Express of the (Near) Future.” Air and Space, December 1995/January 1996, pp. 22-24.

Further information on the 1910 invention by Robert Goddard. Fetherston, Drew. Chunnel: The Amazing Story of the Undersea Crossing of the English Channel. New York: Random House, 1997. Gies, Joseph. Adventure Underground: The Story of the World’s Greatest Tunnels. New York: Doubleday, 1962. Harding, Sir Harold. Tunneling History and My Own Involvement. Toronto: Golder Associates, 1981. Hunt, Donald. The Tunnel: The Story of the Channel Tunnel, 1802-1994. Malvern, England: Images Publishing, 1994. Lemoine, Bertrand. Le Tunnel sous La Manche. Paris: Le Moniteur, 1994. Litwin, George H., John J. Bray, and Kathleen Lusk Brooke. Mobilizing the Organization: Bringing Strategy to Life. London: Prentice Hall, 1996. See chapter, “Eurotunnel,” pages 106-128. Macaulay, David. Building Big.

New York: Houghton-Mifflin, 2000. Slater, Humphrey, and Correlli Barnett, in collaboration with R.H. Geneau. The Channel Tunnel. London: Allan Wingate, 1957. Whiteside, Thomas. The Tunnel under the Channel. London: Rupert Hart-David, 1962. Internet For Eurotunnel’s environmental aspects: For a summary of the Channel Tunnel, visit http:/ For records relating to planning done in the 1950s and 1960s, see Technical Studies, Inc. Records from 1957-1994, Historical Collections, Baker Library, School of Business Administration, Harvard University: . For the American Society of Civil Engineers list of the wonders of the modern world including the Channel Tunnel, see . Building the World Blog by Kathleen Lusk Brooke and Zoe G Quinn is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License . Leave a Reply How the Channel Tunnel was Built - Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Home > build How the Channel Tunnel was Built The Channel Tunnel is one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken in the UK.

Taking more than five years to complete, with more than 13,000 workers from England and France collaborating to realise the vision, the tunnel has been named one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Today, as thousands of passengers take the Eurotunnel le Shuttle under the Channel every year, it can be easy to take for granted this extraordinary and unique man-made feat. Fare Finder Country of Residence Search and book Are you sure you want your outward journey to start from Folkestone? Are you sure you want your outward journey to start from Calais? Yes Cancel Construction 1802 Ideas for a tunnel connecting England and France have been in existence since at least 1802, when French engineer Albert Mathieu proposed an underground highwayfor horse-drawn carriages, with an island in the middle for changing your steed. 1856 The first serious railway connection proposal came in 1856, again from the French, when surveyor Aimé Thomé de Gamond suggested to Emperor Napoleon III that a tunnel could be mined out, but the scheme was not taken any further.

1980's It wasn't until the 1980s that a coalition of French and British leaders invited private companies to put forward plans for an international link. Ideas mooted included a 4.5km suspension bridge, holding a road encased in a tube, a drive-through tunnel and, of course, today's high-speed rail link. 1988 Once a decision was made construction was able to begin in 1988, with the tunnel being dug simultaneously from France and Britain. It was at the time the most expensive construction project ever proposed and the cost finally came in at £9 billion. Giant boring machines were used to shift tonnes of rock and soil every day. Some of the machines were built especially for the job, with a combination of extremely high pressure water jets and rotating disc cutters used to burrow through the land beneath the Channel. The spoil from tunnelling was used to create a 73 acre hoe on Britain's coast, on the French side their spoil was piled up into a new hill. 1990 On December 1 1990 a Frenchman and an Englishman shook hands in front of the World's media, through a hole connecting the two tunnel ends.

1994 The completed project was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand on May 6 1994. Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Super Structures Episode Connect: The Channel Tunnel - Train Link Between Great Britain and France The Channel Tunnel - A Train Link Between Great Britain and France The Channel Tunnel, also known as the Chunnel, is a 50 km long undersea rail tunnel that connects south-eastern England with northern France. At its lowest point it lies 75 metres under the ocean floor. The tunnel is operated by the Eurotunnel Group, a British – French company. Three types of trains travel through the tunnel. Shuttle trains travel from Folkestone to Calais in about half an hour. Cars , trucks and buses can be loaded onto them. The Eurostar high-speed passenger trains bring people from Paris to London in 2 hours and 15 minutes and passengers from Brussels to London in 1 hour and 50 minutes. freight trains Although the first plans to dig an undersea tunnel between Britain and the Continent came up at the beginning of the 19 th century construction didn’t begin until 1988.

The tunnel was finished and officially opened in 1994. Since its opening there have been some problems. Fires broke out and illegal immigrants have used the tunnel to get to Great Britain. The tunnel consists of two rail tunnels and a smaller service tunnel that lies between them. It is used an escape route and for repairs. It also supplies the two train tunnels with fresh air. Emergency vehicles can get to the scene of an accident quickly. Building the tunnel was a difficult engineering task. During the construction period teams from both sides used special machines to bore through the mostly chalky rock. Some were as long as football fields and could cut through 80 metres of rock a day. At times, almost 15,000 workers were employed by Eurotunnel. As construction progressed Eurotunnel realized that overall costs would explode. The project, which was financed with private money, cost almost 15 billion Euros, more than twice as much as projected. Since its official opening in 1994, about 15 million people have travelled through the tunnel every year. Even though it is a real alternative to air travel, Channel Tunnel trains have not carried as many passengers as its operator, Eurotunnel, expected.

The company lost millions of Euros over the years. Although safety is a top priority for Eurotunnel there have been three big fires that forced the tunnel to close down. The last one occurred in 2008 and lasted for 16 hours. Nobody was killed but many people had to be taken to hospitals. In December 2009 over 2000 passengers were trapped in the tunnel because electricity failed in the cold weather .

Eurostar train arriving in London - Oxyman chalk = soft grey rock formed a long time ago from the shells of sea animals connect = link consist of = is made up of construction = the building of emergency vehicle = cars or trucks that are used when an accident or another disaster happens employ = to work for someone escape = to get away from a dangerous place explode = here: to get much to big fail = to stop working force = to make something happen freight = goods, products, not people high-speed = very, very fast illegal = against the law immigrant = a person who leaves their home country and goes to another country to live or work their low = deep overall = in general, for everything priority = the thing that you think about and care for most progress =to go on safety = security, to be protected form scene of an accident = place where an accident happens service = here: checks and repairs shuttle = a train that makes short trips between two places supply = provide, give chtunfacts Introduction "Linking France and England will meet one of the present-day needs of civilization," wrote French writer, Louis Figuier, in 1888.

He was only restating a conviction that had been expressed from time to time by many of his compatriots for more than 137 years. Britain and France were the world's leading maritime and commercial powers, and they were a mere 34 kilometers apart. Yet, trade between them was an extremely hazardous affair. The shortest route - across the Pas de Calais or Straits of Dover - was also the most difficult. Travelers making the current- and storm- besieged crossing could, with a fair wind and a skillful captain, be at their destination in six or seven hours. They could equally be delayed days or weeks and be extremely seasick by the time they reached the opposite shore. So, early on, quality-of-life issues spurred on engineering imagination. The often-considered idea of constructing a tunnel under the English Channel was revived in 1986 by the United Kingdom and France. A rail tunnel was chosen over proposals for a very long suspension bridge, a bridge-and-tunnel link, and a combined rail-and-road link. Digging began on both sides of the Strait of Dover in 1987-88 and was completed in 1991.

The tunnel was officially opened in May 1994. It was constructed by an Anglo-French consortium of construction companies called Trans Manche Link, or TML for short, for their client EUROTUNNEL. Eurotunnel now own and operate the rail tunnel between England and France that runs beneath the English Channel. It consists of three tunnels: two for rail traffic and a central tunnel for services and security. The tunnel runs between Folkestone, England, and Sangatte (near Calais), France, and is used for both freight and passenger traffic. Passengers can travel either by ordinary rail coach or within their own motor vehicles, which are loaded onto special rail cars. Trains can travel through the tunnel at speeds as high as 100 miles (160 km) per hour; the trip takes about 35 minutes. The next stage of this rail project, the fast rail link between the Channel Tunnel and London, the CTRL (Channel Tunnel Rail Link), is currently under construction . Photographs for this project can be viewed .

The author of this page was consultant geologist to TML, the builder's of the Channel Tunnel and as such has made available articles on the geology of the Channel Tunnel, the geology of Kent and the Boulonnais, and a new detailed sequence stratigraphy of the Chalk Marl, the main tunnelling horizon (links at top of this page). Channel Tunnel Construction Facts The Channel Tunnel is regarded by many people as one of the most remarkable construction achievements ever; indeed some might say as one of the wonders of the world. However, as much of it is underground, with only the two terminals at either end being obviously connected to the project, it is now difficult to visualise the scale of the project. In the final analysis of the construction program and despite some early difficulties and setbacks in tunnelling due to poor ground conditions. the entire civil engineering construction component of the project were completed to an extremely high standard and ahead of schedule; an achievement which even today has not been widely appreciated or acknowledged. Indeed, many construction records were broken in the process including the speed of advance of the TBM's (tunnel boring machines) and the size of the undersea Crossovers. All the contributors to the project can be justly proud.

The following are some of the more important construction facts: In designing the tunnel lining, a total of 18 design development studies were carried out to ensure that no aspect of the system's operation was overlooked. In addition, the lining was also designed for a 120 year life, which meant that no significant deterioration in performance could occur over a period of 120 years. 13,000 engineers, technicians and workers help construct the tunnels. The Channel Tunnel comprises 3 tunnels; two Running Tunnels and a smaller Service Tunnel (Figure) . The undersea tunnels are an average of 50m below the seabed (Figure) . The tunnels were mainly constructed in the Chalk Marl, which is the basal unit of the Chalk. It is a marine deposit that is mainly comprised of small fossils which because of its high clay content is relatively impervious to water, unlike the bulk of the Chalk (Figure) . 85% of the tunnels were constructed in the Chalk Marl. The Chalk is of Cretaceous age. The Chalk Marl is about 100 million years old. Dinosaurs were still wandering the landmasses when the Chalk Marl was deposited.

Between the two terminals at Folkestone and Coquelles, near Calais, the tunnels are 51 Km in length, of which 37.5 Km is undersea. 84Km of tunnels were constructed on the English side and 69Km on the French side. The Running Tunnels have a 8.2m outer, and 7.6m inner diameter while the Service Tunnel has a 5.0m inner diameter. The two main tunnels are 30m apart. 6 tunnel boring machines were used on the English side and 5 on the French side. The English machines were 'open face' while the French were 'earth pressure balance' machines. The TBM's were typically 200m long and telescopic, allowing he construction of the concrete segmental lining. The French undersea tunnels were lined with a water-tight bolted and gasketed segmental concrete lining. The English tunnel lining was a concrete expanded segmental lining. The voids behind the lining were grouted to control water ingress. The tunnel lining rings are 1.5m (1.4m, 1.5m and 1.6m) in length.

The average build time for each ring cycle was 50 mins. On the English side an average of 150m/week tunnel progress was achieved while in France the weekly average was about 110m/week. This difference was due to the different TBM design due to more adverse tunnelling conditions. Best week for a single TBM in the UK saw 426m of tunnel constructed while in France it was 322m. The two Running Tunnels each carry a single track railway and these are connected to the Service Tunnel by Cross Passages every 375m (Figure) . Pressure relief ducts connect the Running Tunnels at 250m intervals. Two caverns were excavated undersea to allow trains to change tunnels if required. These are known as the English and French Crossovers. The tunnel system is kept dry by five pumping stations and sumps, three built under the sea and one on each shore. An unusual feature in the rail tunnels is the installation of a cooling system designed to counteract the buildup of heat produced by fast-moving trains. Chilled water is pumped through cooling pipes so that the tunnel air is maintained at a comfortable temperature.

The service tunnel started on 1st december 1987 and broke through in December 1990. The northern rail tunnel broke through on the 22nd May 1991 and the southern tunnel on the 28th June 1991. Almost 4 million cubic metres of chalk were excavated on the English side. The UK has increased in size by 90 acres due to the tunnel spoil being deposited in the undercliff area at Shakespeare Cliff in a number of lagoons. This area now known as Samphire Hoe has been landscaped and is a popular venue for walks, picnics and fishing. History of the Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel project had one of the longest gestation periods in history - its ideas, plans, and efforts span well over two centuries. And, it may be the best example and most complex one where technology issues were integrated with those related to quality of life. Its challenges included overcoming the technological issues, gaining consensus among the politicians, overcoming the concerns of the British military, and obtaining finance.

The following is a brief summary of this history: 1751 Concept of a first, all weather Channel crossing first suggested, when the Amiens Academy held a competition to find a new means of crossing the Channel. 1752 A tunnel for horse-drawn traffic was proposed by Albert Mathieu, a mining engineer in the Department du Nord following the signing of the Treaty of Amiens. 1833 The first systematic geological and hydrographic survey of the Channel was undertaken by Thome du Gamond. 1833-1856 Du Gamond produced 8 major tube, bridge and tunnel designs. 1866 Du Gamond's last scheme for a tunnel. 1867 W.Low and J. Brunlees proposed a scheme for twin tunnels linked by cross-passages. 1868 Low and Du Gamond worked on a revised scheme which was submitted before a British Channel Tunnel Committee. 1869 The committee gave the go-ahead for two pilot tunnels. 1872 The English Channel Tunnel Company was formed to promote a scheme designed by J.C. Hawkshaw. It was only at this time that the schemes began to be designed considering the available technology of the time.

1876 An Anglo-French commission signed a protocol on the Channel Tunnel. 1881 E.W. Watkin promoted Low's scheme and work began at Abbot's Cliff with the excavation of a 7 foot diameter tunnel under the direction of F. Brady, using an early (Beaumont) tunnelling machine, which completed 840 yards. It was the moved to Shakespeare Cliff where it completed a tunnel of 2020 yards under the sea towards Dover harbour. 1882 Military opposition in England to the construction of the Channel Tunnel became very vocal and construction stopped in 1883. 1890 The first mineable coal in Kent was proven from the Shakespeare cliff site. 1906 The Channel Tunnel Company and l'Association du Chemin le Fer Sous-Marin entre La France et l'Angleterre proposed a new scheme consisting of two 20 foot diameter tunnels for electrical rail traffic following Brady's tunnel alignment. 1919 The Channel Tunnel Company published a new report on the geology and propose that a pilot tunnel be driven. Under the supervision of P. C.

Tempest a new experimental heading using a 12 foot diameter Whitaker tunnelling machine drove a 490 foot long trial heading in the Folkestone Warren. 1929 A British Royal commission was set up to study the matter. Two tunnel schemes from the Channel Tunnel Company and a rival bid from the London and Paris Railway were discussed. The latter included a new rail route from London to Paris via the Channel tunnel. The Channel Tunnel Company proposed a smaller pilot tunnel and two 18 foot 6 inch, 36 mile long tunnels, of which 24 miles would be beneath the sea. Half would be constructed by British and half by French companies, taking an estimated 6.5 years. 1930 The Imperial Defence Committee declared against the project. 1955-56 All of the previous schemes had essentially been halted by British military opposition, however, by 1956 military opposition to the tunnel was minimal. 1956 The Channel Tunnel Study Group was formed. 1958-59 The first comprehensive geological site investigation was undertaken. 1963 A White Paper was published which supported a scheme with twin rail tunnels.

1964-65 Further marine surveys were carried out. 1972-74 A further site investigation was undertaken. 1974 The Channel Tunnel project began at the Shakespeare Cliff site with the excavation of two inclined headings and an erection chamber for a Priestley tunnelling machine. A 250m test section was completed. 1975 The project was again cancelled. 1984 Margaret Thatcher and Francois Mitterrand announced their support for the project. 1987 A Channel Tunnel Bill was given Royal Assent. 1986-88 Further marine and land site investigations were undertaken. 1987 The first tunnelling machine in the marine Service Tunnel began excavation in December and this broke through to the equivalent French tunnel on December 1st 1990. 1991 Breakthrough of the two Running Tunnels. 1994 Photograph 1 The Folkstone terminal showing a loading ramp in the foreground with lorries waiting to board a shuttle. Taken from the top of the N. Downs escarpment.

2016 1802 In 1802, French mining engineer Albert Mathieu-Favier put forward the first ever design for a cross-Channel fixed link based on the principle of a bored two-level tunnel: the top one, paved and lit by oil lamps, to be used by horse-drawn stagecoaches; the bottom one would be used for groundwater flows. 1803 In 1803, the Englishman Henry Mottray unveils another project for a cross-Channel fixed link: a submerged tunnel made of prefabricated iron sections. 1834 From 1830, the advent of steam trains and the construction of the rail network in Britain led to the first proposals for a rail tunnel. By the mid 19th century, French mining engineer, Aimé Thomé de Gamond, spent 30 years working on seven different designs. 1855 25 August During the state visit to France in Versailles, Queen Victoria and Napoléon III approve the proposed undersea tunnel designed by Thomé de Gamond, which was later on presented in the Exposition Universelle of Paris in 1867.

1880 The first attempt of a tunnel excavation began in 1880 when the « Beaumont & English » tunnel boring machine began digging undersea on both sides of the Channel. 1909 25 July Louis Blériot was the first to fly an aeroplane across the Strait of Dover and in 37 minutes. 1955 February Harold Macmillan, British Defence Minister, announced that he no longer opposed a fixed link on military ground. 1957 Louis Armand formed the Channel Tunnel Study Group (GETM). 1960 July The Channel Tunnel Study Group presents to the governments a proposal of railway tunnel, bored of submerged, comprising a twin rail tunnel with a service tunnel. 1973 17 November The project of the construction and the operations of a railway tunnel under the Channel is finally launched in 1973 at Chequers by Edward Heath, British Prime Minister, and Georges Pompidou, French President, when a Franco-British Channel Tunnel Treaty was signed. 1975 20 January Harold Wilson, British Minister, announced that the project is stopped and withdrawn for financial reasons and in particular due to the oil crisis.

1984 30 November The British and French Governments reached an agreement on a consultation process with private promoters for the construction and operation of a cross-Channel fixed link, without public funding. 1985 The British and French governments issued an Invitation to submit schemes. 1985 Four proposals corresponding to the specifications are received for consideration by the Franco-British assessment Committee. The Eurotunnel project: A proposal based on the 1972-1975 scheme: 2 one-way rail tunnels for Shuttle trains (carrying cars and trucks) and high speed trains, with a third service tunnel connected at regular intervals to the main tunnels. The 3 other proposals include the following projects: Eurobridge (a suspension bridge – see image), Euroroute (a set of artificial islands, bridges and a tunnel) and Channel Expressway (rail and road tunnels). 1986 20 January Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterrand announced in Lille that the Eurotunnel bid presented by a Franco-British Consortium « France-Manche-Channel Tunnel Group », has been selected.

12 February In the Canterbury cathedral and in the presence of the British Prime Minister and the French President, the Foreign Affairs Ministers of both countries signed the Franco-British Treaty of Canterbury, which prepared the Concession for the construction and operation of a cross-Channel Fixed Link by private companies. This Treaty set up the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) responsible for monitoring all matters associated with the construction and operation of the Tunnel on behalf of both governments, together with a Safety Authority to advise the IGC. 14 March The Concession Agreement for the construction, the financing and operation of the Channel Tunnel was awarded to the Franco-British Consortium « France- Manche SA / The Channel Tunnel Group Ltd» for a period of 55 years. 19 May Launch of the Eurotunnel logo, representing the holding company comprising the Concessionaires « France-Manche » and « The Channel Tunnel Group Limited ». 13 August Formation of the Eurotunnel group’s companies and signature of the construction contract between Eurotunnel and TransManche Link (TML). 1987 29 July In Paris, Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterrand ratified the Treaty of Canterbury, paving the way for the Channel Tunnel to become a reality.

1987 Boring of the service tunnel starts on the UK side. 1988 Start of the service tunnel boring on the French side. 1990 1st December at 12:12 CET British and French teams achieved the first historic breakthrough under the Channel, in the service tunnel at 22.3 km from the UK and 15.6 from France. 1991 22 May at 12:00 CET Breakthrough in the North rail tunnel. 28 June at 12:50 CET Breakthrough in the South rail tunnel. 1993 System handed over to Eurotunnel by TML. 1994 Equipment installation, completion work and testing on the whole Concession (tunnels, terminals, etc). 1994 Official opening by Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand. 1st June First international freight train in commercial service through the Channel Tunnel. 25 July Start of the commercial Eurotunnel Truck Shuttle service. 14 November Start of the commercial Eurostar service through the Channel Tunnel. 22 December Start of the commercial Eurotunnel Passenger Shuttle service for cars.

1995 Opening ceremony of the commercial centre Cité-Europe, next to the Coquelles Terminal. 26 June Start of the commercial Eurotunnel Shuttle service for coaches. 31 August Start of the commercial Eurotunnel Shuttle service for motorcycles. 29 September Start of the commercial Eurotunnel Shuttle service for camper vans and caravans. 1997 17 July Opening to the public of Samphire Hoe, a nature reserve created by Eurotunnel at the foot of Shakespeare Cliff (Between Folkestone and Dover) during the construction of the Tunnel. 19 December Official agreement from governments to extend the Concession to 2086, consequence of the first financial restructuring. 1998 15 June Opening ceremony of the F46 building, the longest railway workshop in the world, on the Coquelles Terminal (828 m). 1999 Commercial launch of the first new Arbel Truck Shuttle. 23 March Eurotunnel is named Top Construction Achievement of the 20th century for the Channel Tunnel. 1st July End of duty free within the European Union.

30 December Eurotunnel presents a road tunnel project to the two governments, as required by the Concession Agreement. 2000 Start of the Pet Travel Scheme for cats and dogs. 2002 21 October New platforms and tracks are put into service on the Folkestone and Coquelles Terminals, to increase capacity for the Truck Shuttle service. December Implementation of a registration plate recognition system at the Truck Shuttle check-ins, in order to improve the truck tracking system on sites already in place since 1999. 2003 Opening of the first section of the high speed rail link in the UK. 2004 13 February Eurotunnel is the first private company to be granted a rail operator’s licence valid across Europe, following the liberalisation of rail freight. 7 April A group of shareholders renewed the entire Board of directors during the General Meeting. 2005 Conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding, a framework agreement outlining the proposed financial restructuring. 24 May A binding preliminary restructuring agreement on the financial restructuring is signed. 12 July Filing a safeguard procedure to place the company under the protection of the Paris Commercial court.

2007 15 January The Paris Commercial court approves the Safeguard Plan put forward by Eurotunnel, which sets out to reduce the debt by half, from 9.2 down to €4bn. 28 June Implementation of the financial restructuring and settlement of the Groupe Eurotunnel SA Exchange Tender Offer on Eurotunnel SA and Eurotunnel PLC, which will be renamed TNU SA and TNU PLC. 2006 19 April Opening of automatic check-in lanes on Eurotunnel freight Terminals, which allowed a reduction in transit time for trucks. 27 June Transport of the 100 millionth customer on Eurotunnel Passenger Shuttle. September Eurotunnel carries out its first carbon footprint, which highlights its commitment to protecting the environment. 2007 The Tour de France teams travel through the Channel Tunnel. October The power supply for the catenary (25,000 Volts) can now use only French electricity, which allows to reduce operating costs and to further improve the company’s carbon footprint. 23 October Implementation of a new simplified pricing system and reform of the access conditions to the Tunnel, to boost rail freight.

14 November Commercial opening of High Speed 1 and inauguration, by the Queen,of St Pancras International, the new station for Eurostar trains in London. 26 November Europorte 2, the rail freight subsidiary of Eurotunnel, takes over the ground operations at Frethun (Pas-de-Calais) for all cross-Channel rail freight traffic and traction of goods trains between Dollands Moor (Kent) and Frethun via the Tunnel. 2008 11 September In interval 6 of the North Tunnel, a fire broke out on a truck carried on board a Eurotunnel Shuttle. 2009 9 February End of renovation work and reopening of interval 6 to commercial operations, following the end 2008 fire. 14 May Eurotunnel is certified by the Carbon Trust Standard for its environmental policy, its efforts to manage and reduce its carbon footprint. June Implementation of the IRIS system using automated registration plate recognition, in order to further improve traffic flow and speed up the Passenger Shuttles loading process. 30 November Acquisition by Groupe Eurotunnel of 4 subsidiaries of Veolia Cargo in France, specialised in rail freight and logistics services.

Creation of the Europorte entity including Europorte France, Europorte Proximité, Europorte Channel (ex Europorte 2) and Socorail subsidiaries. 16 December 50 million vehicles have crossed the Channel on board Eurotunnel Shuttles since 1994. 2010 Crossing of the 15 millionth truck on board one of the Eurotunnel Truck Shuttles. 10 February Inclusion of Groupe Eurotunnel SA share in the MSCI Global Standard and MSCI Growth indices. 1st March 500,000 dogs and cats have crossed the Channel on board Eurotunnel Passenger Shuttles, since 2000. 20 April Inauguration of the Coquelles wind farm, comprising 3 turbines of 2.4MW total capacity, which confirms Eurotunnel’s commitment to renewable energies. 27 April Opening of a new commercial service for domestic equidae on board Eurotunnel Passenger Shuttles. 28 May Acquisition by Groupe Eurotunnel of GB Railfreight, 3rd largest rail freight operator in the UK, completing the Europorte entity.

21 June Inclusion of Groupe Eurotunnel SA share in the « CAC Next 20 » indice. 21 July 250 million people have already travelled through the Channel Tunnel, a landmark figure and proof of the commercial and operational success of the Fixed Link between the United Kingdom and continental Europe. From 12 to 19 October Crossing of an ICE 3 high-speed train from Deutsche Bahn in the Channel Tunnel and success of the technical and evacuation tests prior to the opening of regular services by the German operator via the Tunnel. 14 December Groupe Eurotunnel is the first cross-Channel operator to launch on its website a carbon counter which enables its Truck Shuttle customers to measure the environmental impact and to compare greenhouse gas emissions for the different means of cross-Channel transport available. 21 December Subsidiary of the Eurotunnel group, Europorte Services takes charge, as contracted infrastructure manager (a first in France), of the operation and maintenance of the rail network at the port of Dunkirk.

2011 1st January The majority of the Truck Shuttles expand to 32 carrying wagons (instead of 30 previously), which leads to an increase in transport capacity at a virtually unchanged operating cost. 10 May Railenium, the future European Institute for Technological research in rail Infrastructure based near Valenciennes (Northern France), of which Eurotunnel is a founding member of the consortium, is allocated funds by the French government as an « investment programme for the future ». 26 May Groupe Eurotunnel establishes with Star Capital Partners ElecLink, a joint venture to develop a 500MW electricity interconnection between Great Britain and France, through the service tunnel. 12 July Groupe Eurotunnel as a global organisation is certified by the independent British agency Carbon Trust Standard for its policy and achievements in carbon footprint reduction. Eurotunnel has reduced its carbon footprint by 44% between 2006 and 2008 and by a further 20% from 2009 to 2010, i.e. a cumulative reduction of 55% since 2006.

16 September Groupe Eurotunnel is listed on the FTSE All-World and FTSE Medium Cap indices, in recognition of the company's performance and its ability to meet the highest standards in the financial sector. 13 November 4 SAFE fire-fighting stations build in the middle of rail tunnels became operational. These stations, accessible within a few minutes by Shuttles, automatically disperse a mist of pressurised micro droplets onto the site of a hotspot which would have been detected. This system, which is unique in the world, contributes to protect the structure of the Channel Tunnel and to guarantee its availability. 2012 2 February Groupe Eurotunnel officially opened the International railway training Centre in Coquelles (CIFFCO), manifesting its desire to contribute to the creation of qualified staff, to play a driving role in developing the rail industry and to continue supporting the economic development of the Calais region. 3 February The Channel Tunnel, outstanding engineering feat and symbol of the Anglo-French partnership, is recognised as one the 4 more important mile stones during the rein of the House of Windsor.

It has been selected as one of the Royal Mail commemorative stamps set as part of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee (June 2012). 21 March First crossing in the Channel Tunnel of a high-speed freight Euro Carex train which connected Lyon airport to London, via Paris-Roissy airport, demonstrating the efficiency, speed and environmental benefits of an intermodal transportation system combining air containers and high-speed rail network. 11 June Groupe Eurotunnel becomes ship owner via its EuroTransmanche subsidiary who leases 3 ferries at market price to an independent operating company (My Ferry Link). 18 July The Olympic Torch travels through the Channel Tunnel and visits the Eurotunnel nature reserve at Samphire Hoe on its relay route to the London Games. 19 July First day of trading for GET share on NYSE Euronext London: Groupe Eurotunnel is the first company to be admitted on this market. 25 July Successful launch of mobile telephone and internet services in the Channel Tunnel (south rail tunnel) with the French mobile telephone operators. 20 August Start of commercial operations for MyFerryLink between the ports of Dover and Calais.

17 September Official opening of the new Eurotunnel Passenger Terminal building in Folkestone, newly refurbished to the highest international airport standards and christened Victor Hugo Terminal to clearly identify it as the gateway to France. 18 October Eurotunnel celebrates the 300th millionth person to travel through the Channel Tunnel since1994, the equivalent to almost 5 times the population of the United Kingdom. 6 November Europorte and Ceravia (the agricultural cooperative) create a Local Railway Operator: Bourgogne Fret Services. 15 November Europorte has won the tender process launched by the Grand port Maritime of La Rochelle to take over the management, operation and maintenance of its railway network. 2013 Ninth Passenger Shuttle brought back into commercial service. 10 June Long- term partnership signed between Eurotunnel Group and the Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, a top French engineering school: creation of a special science chair for railway transport. 11 September 1,100 visitors discovered the behind the scenes of the Channel Tunnel during the European Heritage Days and in particular for the first time, the Eurotunnel terminal and the railway Control Centre (RCC) in Folkestone.

18 September The Channel Tunnel wins the Global engineering century award as the most significant majord building project in the last 100 years, a prize given by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC). 28 October "Best CSR policy for a major group" award received at the first "Nuit de l'Entreprise Responsable et Solidaire" in recognition of all the initiatives undertaken in terms of sustainable development. October Broadcast of the Anglo-French detective series "The Tunnel" by Sky Atlantic and Canal+ in which the Channel Tunnel, the Shuttles and the maintenance workshops are at the centre of the plot. December 20 years after its official opening, the Channel Tunnel, which is part of the national and world heritage, is symbolically on display panels installed close by on the A16 motorway in France. 2014 25 March Crossing of the 20 millionth truck on board one of the Eurotunnel Truck Shuttle between Coquelles and Folkestone. 4 April The Eurotunnel Group, listed in compartment A of the NYSE Euronext, confirms its eligibility for the PEA-PME approach for ETI quoted on Euronext.

6 May Eurotunnel celebrates 20 years of operating success for the Channel Tunnel with many various events organised throughout the year. 5 June To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Channel Tunnel and the launch of international high-speed rail services between the UK and mainland Europe, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveils a plaque at St Pancras International before attending the 70th anniversary commemorations of the Normandy Landings. June Thanks to a collaboration between Eurotunnel, Team Sky et Jaguar, Chris Froome, winner of the Tour de France, cycled across the Channel at an average speed of 55km/h through the service tunnel, 100 metres under the sea, the first time a cyclist has ever done this! 7 July The Terminal 2015 project is launched when the first stone is laid on the Eurotunnel truck terminal in Coquelles. Eurotunnel is investing to provide new services and unbeatable frequency of departure for its ever increasing numbers of customers. This project will allow to increase capacity of the Truck Shuttle service and further improve the management of traffic flows to ensure speed, ease and competitive advantage.

September Eurotunnel’s 4th participation in the European Heritage Days met a huge success : more than 1,200 visitors gathered in Folkestone on 13 September and in Coquelles on 20 September to find out more about the behind-the-scenes activities of the cross-Channel Fixed Link, rail operations know-how and the expertise of the teams that manage the Tunnel every day. 24 November Listed on NYSE Euronext Paris and NYSE Euronext London, Eurotunnel Group is now included in the FTSE4Good index which measures and rewards the performance of companies with remarkable CSR initiatives. 12 December In cooperation with its telecommunications operator partners in France and in the UK, Eurotunnel is investing and innovating by introducing 4G mobile services in the Channel Tunnel, thus offering ultra high speed mobile communications to all passengers travelling through the Tunnel. 26 December As approved during the Combined General Meeting on the 29 April 2014, the Eurotunnel Group becomes a European company which its legal framework is adaptated to the Group’s binational features.

2015 13 January Order for 3 new Truck Shuttles to enable Eurotunnel to transport 2 million trucks per year by 2020. With the new fleet of Shuttles, Eurotunnel will increase its capacity by 20% and be able to run up to 8 Truck Shuttles departures per hour in each direction at peak times, instead of 6 today. 1st April Start of operations for the traction of the Caledonian Sleeper, the fast overnight train between London and Scotland by GB Railfreight (the UK rail freight subsidiary of the Group), as part of the 15-year contract with Serco. 28 May Participation of the Group in the “Jeunes d’Avenir” (Young people of the Future) exhibition in Lille to showcase different jobs available in the railway sector to over 6,000 young people seeking employment or training, which further enhance the Group’s commitment to develop employability.

15 June Eurotunnel and the Railway Networks (including Eurostar) sign a new agreement to implement the Railway Usage Contract (RUC) for a further 5 years (2015-2019), thus extending the contributions to the operating, maintenance and renewal costs of the Fixed Link railway infrastructure. The RUC sets out the conditions for access to the railway network and in particular the pricing framework. 20 August Visit to the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles of the French Interior Minister and the British Home Secretary Theresa May, in order to review the extend of the security measures achieved both by the Eurotunnel Group and the two governments since the first attempted intrusions by migrants. 31 August Visit to the Coquelles Terminal of the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, confirming the full support of the French and British governments towards security and the vital importance of the Fixed Link in terms of international cooperation. September Europorte, the UK rail freight subsidiary of Eurotunnel Group, celebrates 10-year of partnership with Lhoist company: traction of freight trains to deliver lime to the steel furnaces in Saarland (Germany).

October 16 Tesla superchargers and universal charging stations in total are made available on the terminals in Coquelles (30 June) and in Folkestone (8 October) to Eurotunnel’s customers for recharging their electric vehicles, a free complimentary service. 20 October Inauguration of the new Terminal 2015 in Coquelles, which includes a new buffer zone for 150 trucks, two additional toll lanes and an increase in the number of lanes dedicated to trucks inspections: more security, more fluidity for our customers, hauliers and truck drivers. 1st December Celebrations marking the 25th anniversary since the junction the service tunnel under the Channel while the Eurotunnel Group joins the “Low Carbon 100 Europe” index, measuring the performance of the 100 largest European companies emitting the lowest levels of greenhouse gas emissions. 2016 11 January Opening of the first Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) “On the right track to employment”, a free online training dedicated to the rail business created by CIFFCO, a Eurotunnel Group’s subsidiary.

It enable users to plunge into the daily life of train drivers and ground staff through a “serious game” interface, videos, quizzes, 3D locomotive driving simulations, and exchanges with the community: more than 5,000 people registered, 1,000 training attestations and 800 certificates of achievement delivered to participants. 12 February Completion of the Terminal 2015 project with the inauguration of the new Freight Terminal for trucks in Folkestone: 5 new access lanes, a new check-in control building and 5 check-in booth plaza solely dedicated to trucks, enabling traffic flow fluidity around the Eurotunnel site and the full separation of trucks and cars flows at the UK site. Spring Broadcast of the 2nd season of the Anglo-French series “The Tunnel” featuring the cross-Channel Fixed Link, in April on Sky Atlantic in the UK and in March on Canal+ in France. The detective duo, DCI Karl Roebuck (Stephen Dillane) and Commander Elise Wassermann (Clémence Poesy) reunite beneath the waves to investigate an abduction and the crash of an airliner into the English Channel.

20 May Signing of a conditional agreement between the Eurotunnel Group and Star Capital Partners for the purchase by Groupe Eurotunnel of Star Capital’s 51% share of the joint venture ElecLink, the project of building a 1,000MW electrical interconnection between the United Kingdom and France via the Channel Tunnel. BBC ON THIS DAY | 1 | 1990: Tunnel links UK and Europe About This Site | Text Only 1990: Tunnel links UK and Europe Construction workers have drilled through the final wall of rock to join the two halves of the Channel Tunnel and link Britain to France. The momentous breakthrough links the UK to Europe for the first time since the Ice Age, about 8,000 years ago. To a throng of cheers, construction workers celebrated with champagne - the only time alcohol has been allowed underground on the work site. French worker, Philippe Cozette, and his British counterpart, Graham Fagg, waved flags and shook hands as the first men able to walk between the two countries. Passports stamped Only moments earlier at 1100 GMT, a half-metre wall of rock separated Britain from mainland Europe.

The men continued drilling until a hole was created big enough to allow vehicles through. The first Britons walked through the tunnel to have their passports stamped in France. There were similar scenes on the other side as a French party which drove into Folkestone, Kent, headed straight over to customs and immigration officers. Tributes Transport secretary Malcolm Rifkind was among the first through. Speaking to the BBC, he said: "The physical contact that has been achieved between Britain and France today is symptomatic of many changes that we have been experiencing in the last 20 years. "It is all happening and it is continuing to happen at an accelerating pace." Downing Street called the event a "tribute to private enterprise". The Channel Tunnel venture is expected to lead to the construction of a high speed train link across Kent, to match one France has already built. Work on the Channel Tunnel began in 1986 and it is due to be completed by 1993. In Context The Channel Tunnel was first formally proposed in 1963 although the concept had long been under discussion. Its cost ballooned to �12bn - more than double original estimates and construction finished a year late in 1994.

Original expectations of public enthusiasm for the project proved over-optimistic and Eurotunnel, the tunnel operator, unveiled a loss of �925m in 1995 - one of the biggest in UK corporate history. A fire in the tunnel which lead to freight traffic being suspended for more than six months in 1996 added to its woes. It eventually caught on as a mode of transport and Eurotunnel announced its first net profits in 1999. I was there I was editor of a construction magazine, Contract Journal, and invited to be part of the group that went through from the British side. I stood watching Graham Fagg drilling the last few inches of rock that separated us from French engineers and was able to shake hands through the gap that opened up. I was in the first batch, I think about fifth through, and recall thinking what a wonderful moment in history it was. Being pulled through by friendly Frenchmen put in proper perspective all the francophobic comments so many Conservative politicians regularly trotted out over the EU and related matters. The construction teams had done brilliantly - to drill so precisely from both ends and meet exactly where they had planned to years before was impressive and exciting. Andrew Pring, UK

Question: During which year did the Channel Tunnel, between England and France, open?
Answer: 1994