The idea of connecting Great Britain with the continental part of Europe with the help of a single engineering structure has visited the best minds on both sides of the strait for several centuries. Even calculations were carried out for what is preferable: a bridge or a tunnel. Napoleon Bonaparte intended to begin construction, but some historical circumstances prevented this. The real tunnel under Lamans was not launched into operation until the end of the twentieth century. Apart from preliminary preparation, the construction work itself took about seven years.
Tunnel under the Lamans. Characteristic
There were many construction projects. The one that was ultimately chosen turned out to be optimal both technically and economically. The length of the tunnel under the Lamans is 51 kilometers, 39 of them are located directly under the strait itself. A railway tunnel operating in both directions at the same time. Provides the passage of both freight and passenger trains. A significant part of the turnover is passenger car traffic on open platforms. The tunnel under the La Manche allows you to get from London to Paris or back in two and a half hours. At the same time, it takes from twenty minutes to half an hour to overcome the tunnel itself.
The movement is carried out in accordance with English rules: in left-hand mode.
Technical support of the entire distance of the track allows the train to develop a fairly high speed. The most amazing thing is that the grand tunnel under the Lamans is not at all the largest in the world. It is inferior to the Japanese Seikan and the Swiss
Gotthard Tunnel.
Some technical details
In fact, the Eurotunnel, as it is often called, consists of three parallel underground structures. Two are moving in opposite directions. And between them laid a third, smaller diameter. Every 375 meters it has exits to the main highways. The middle tunnel performs the functions of technical support and repair. It also allows you to establish stable ventilation throughout the underground space and to avoid the so-called piston effect - high air pressure in front of a moving locomotive. In addition, it is designed to ensure the safety of all transport communications. In the event of an emergency, passengers should be evacuated. Abnormal situations arose over two decades of the tunnel’s operation several times, but the system managed to prove its reliability during its operation.
Eurotunnel Opening
On May 6, 1994, in a festive atmosphere, a tunnel was opened under the Lamans. Photos from the shores of the strait went around all world news agencies, all leading world TV channels reported. The Eurotunnel was torn off by Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain and French President Francois Mitterrand. Many official delegations from around the world attended. The event caused a great public outcry.