Construction
How many tunnel boring machines were used?
Eleven tunnel boring machines.
Large influx of water due to the high hydrostatic pressure from the sea in weak ground conditions.
How many passengers were been transported by Eurostar in 1994?
100 000 (actual ticket sales).
How many fires have been in the tunnel and why?
Three, all on the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) shuttles, that were significant enough to close the tunnel, as well as other minor incidents.
When did start tunneling?
1988
What was the objective of tunnelling?
The objective was to construct two 7.6 m-diameter rail tunnels, 30 m apart, 50 km in length.
How many passengers were predicted for Eurostar trains during the first year, and what was the actual?
15.9 million passengers were predicted, but actual was 2,9 million.
What was the first fire?
On 9 December 1994, during an "invitation only" testing phase, a fire broke out in a Ford Escort car while its owner was loading it onto the upper deck of a tourist shuttle. The fire started at about 10:00, with the shuttle train stationary in the Folkestone terminal, and was put out about 40 minutes later with no passenger injuries.
When did start tunnel operating
1994
What experience did the mining workers have?
Experience with excavating through chalk in the mining industry.
What was limited by Eurostar?
The lack of a high-speed connection on the British side. After the completion of High Speed 1 in two stages in 2003 and 2007, traffic increased.
What was the second fire?
On 18 November 1996, a fire broke out on an HGV shuttle wagon in the tunnel, but nobody was hurt seriously. The exact cause is unknown, although it was neither a Eurotunnel equipment nor rolling stock problem; it may have been due to arson of a heavy goods vehicle. It is estimated that the heart of the fire reached 1,000 °C (1,800 °F), with the tunnel severely damaged over 46 m (151 ft), with some 500 m (1,640 ft) affected to some extent. Full operation recommenced six months after the fire
How big were the daily expenditures?
Over £3 million
Where been tunnel boring machines manufactured and designed?
Robbins Company of Kent, Washington, United States; Markham & Co. of Chesterfield, England; and Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan
What were transport services offered by the tunnel?
What was the third fire?
On 21 August 2006, the tunnel was closed for several hours when a truck on an HGV shuttle train caught fire.
How many workers were killed during construction and why?
Ten workers, eight of them british. most in the first few months of boring.
What was the difference between the English and the French tunnelling machines?
In contrast to the English machines, which were given technical names, the French tunnelling machines were all named after women: Brigitte, Europa, Catherine, Virginie, Pascaline, Séverine.
How many passengers were been transported by Eurostar in 2022?
8,295,005 (Actual ticket sales)
What was the fourth fire?
On 29 November 2012, the tunnel was closed for several hours after a truck on an HGV shuttle caught fire.