History of the Chunnel
The Chunnel is the nickname for the "channel tunnel" running under the English Channel between Folkestone, England and Sangatte, France. Thanks to the Chunnel, train travel between London and Paris now takes two and a half hours, with 35 minutes of that in the Chunnel itself.
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Plans for the Chunnel
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On February 20, 1986, Britain and France announced plans to build the Chunnel, an idea that had been around at least since Napoleon announced the concept in 1802. Ground was broken for construction in December 1987. Tunnels from either set met in the middle on October 20, 1990.
The Opening of the Chunnel
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Queen Elizabeth of England and President François Mitterand of France opened the Chunnel on May 6, 1994. The Chunnel cost more than twice the original estimate.
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The Chunnel in Operation
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About 16 million passengers a year ride the Chunnel. Debilitating fires in November 1996 and September 2008 shut the tunnel down for several months each time, and a massive snowstorm in December 2009 caused thousands of passengers to be stranded in the Chunnel.
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References
- Photo Credit Light of the entrance of train tunnel image by SURABKY from Fotolia.com
Comments
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Where is the 'history' of the SURVEY done in 1964/5? Companies such as E.G.&G a Worldwide survey company sent its top engineers and equipment to test the sea bed prior to the building of the Chunnell in 1964. If you would like to know more, read my book" All At Sea " recently published in which I write about my adventures as a skipper during that survey and many other adventures. For more information; www.peter-a-morris.com.
