Have a look at how the French tested the smoke and fire detectors in their part of the tunnel. They used a preserved steam loco which reversed down one tunnel to the crossover then came forward through the other tunnel. There are some great photos of it coming out at Coquelles in a great cload of smoke and steal, apparently it did set off all the alarms.
Nice video, and yes, I was one of those people with my special ticket for a journey into the tunnel that day, along with a friend of mine. It was most disappointing when the train turned around again.
Some years back the Meridian class 222, the trains to be replaced by the class 810 unfortunately for EMR, also made the trip from Bruges through the tunnel, which is also fairly unique to see. Since most uk trains are built in the uk itself, ferrying trains through the tunnel is a somewhat rare sight
Reading the last financial statement, it looks like they still owe the banks about €5bn and various other debts take that upto €9bn. They're paying €250m a year to service that debt. 😮
@@LiveFromLondon2 It always used to be £60 for a day or one night return up until Covid hit and I could even book it for the next day at that price. Unfortunately those days are no more. If I look at the Eurotunnel site right now, a mid-week trip for 3-4 weeks in advance is £130 for a return. Used to go over with the family on Eurotunnel for random day trips quite often, but just stick to the ferry now. Yes it takes longer, but the extra hour of travel time each way is no big deal when there's no rush.
a trip to france as a passenger on P&O costs £9 but they've taken away the Dover train station so you now need a taxi or bus to connect with the ferry, making it super annoying
Completely valid points, unfortunately images and/or footage of the units within the tunnel or nearing it seems to be extremely rare when researching the story
Rail Magazine did an article about it in 1994. I cannot remember the issue number but it had a blue cover with yellow rail text on it. Might be able to find it on eBay or something. I lost mine back in 2015 in a flood so I cannot show it sadly but this event was real.
I remember seeing the plaque on one of these as it was in service for Southern and thinking this must have been a real disappointment. Imagine being told that you getting to be a VIP on the first ever trip through the Channel Tunnel and thinking, ooh, is it going to be a TGV, a shiny new Eurostar train, perhaps? No, it's one of these crappy little commuter trains from south London. 🤦Didn't the queen ride on one of these trips for the tunnel's official opening?
That's one of those dubious rules that seems mostly intended to stop competition on the route. The idea is the train is always at an emergency exit as they're every 375m but it's flawed in a number of ways. 1) If there's a fire halfway down the train one half would be evacuating along the tunnel anyway. 2) Most other long tunnels don't even have a service tunnel and you're expected to evacuate through the main tunnel, sometimes for miles. 3) Unless the train was catastrophically damaged the driver could stop next to an emergency exit no matter the train length. 4) Even a 200m train is at most going to be 88m from an exit.
Not anymore, that requirement has been dropped. But as already said it was a dubious rule to hinder newcomers, requiring specially made trains. Since usually high-speed trains are about 200m. And you can always couple 2 sets together if capacity for 900 passengers (or 1200 passengers if you couple 2 duplex trains).
The dubious nature of that rule aside I would have thought these would have operated under special instruction and rules anyway. So what is the norm doesn’t really apply.
I would like to see 319008 (now 769008) to be preserved at somewhere like the East Kent Railway. Porterbrook owns them so I was wondering if they could donate 769008 to that or a heritage Railway where it could be saved? It has a unique history so I think it deserves to be preserved.
Yes it was and in November 1993, 319008 was used on a VIP only service for BR staff and those involved with the Channel Tunnel. It was not a public operation as far as I am aware.
I wonder if there was an open access operator that used the Class 319 from London to Calais. Or was it used as a test train before the Channel Tunnel was completed and Eurostar was born with Class 373 E300s were built to be operate from London to Paris and Brussels. As of today that Eurostar continues to run high speed continental Europe services.
wtf thats just stupid. why a 319? at least use a train with comfortable seating like 730. the 319s are commuter trains and certainly shouldn't be in this route. admittedly the 730s are like regional express but it's a bit better
Suppose you are right. Thameslink used to have the Class 319s before they were replaced by the Class 700 and people say that the Class 319 had comfortable seats compare to the seats on the Class 700 that aren’t as comfortable.
Yes - I remember seeing the 319s going to France on the BBC London news. It seemed incredible!
did they actually?
Have a look at how the French tested the smoke and fire detectors in their part of the tunnel. They used a preserved steam loco which reversed down one tunnel to the crossover then came forward through the other tunnel. There are some great photos of it coming out at Coquelles in a great cload of smoke and steal, apparently it did set off all the alarms.
Historically worth saving and, rarely for EMUs, the conversion work on them means they would even be useful on heritage lines.
Nice video, and yes, I was one of those people with my special ticket for a journey into the tunnel that day, along with a friend of mine. It was most disappointing when the train turned around again.
They were named Cheriton and Cocqueels/ Higher panatograph fitted.
Some years back the Meridian class 222, the trains to be replaced by the class 810 unfortunately for EMR, also made the trip from Bruges through the tunnel, which is also fairly unique to see. Since most uk trains are built in the uk itself, ferrying trains through the tunnel is a somewhat rare sight
I did not know this - every day is a school day!!! 🤔🚂🚂🚂
Fascinating. I didn't know this had happened. Would make an interesting feature on a French layout (differences in scale aside).
Very interesting. Were any similar excursions organised from the French end?
Shame the Channel Tunnel is too expensive to use now. A day trip to France with a car on P&O costs £40. Eurotunnel costs £180. Why?
Because P&O don’t pay their staff minimum wage?
Reading the last financial statement, it looks like they still owe the banks about €5bn and various other debts take that upto €9bn. They're paying €250m a year to service that debt. 😮
Day trip on eurotunnel does not cost £180. More like £30-£50.
@@LiveFromLondon2 It always used to be £60 for a day or one night return up until Covid hit and I could even book it for the next day at that price. Unfortunately those days are no more. If I look at the Eurotunnel site right now, a mid-week trip for 3-4 weeks in advance is £130 for a return.
Used to go over with the family on Eurotunnel for random day trips quite often, but just stick to the ferry now. Yes it takes longer, but the extra hour of travel time each way is no big deal when there's no rush.
a trip to france as a passenger on P&O costs £9 but they've taken away the Dover train station so you now need a taxi or bus to connect with the ferry, making it super annoying
Nice vid, very interesting as usual
Did you know? Manche is the French word for sleeve.
Yes.
Daccord et tres bien as well as hyia!
Great story. Would have been interesting to see some images, or even footage?
Completely valid points, unfortunately images and/or footage of the units within the tunnel or nearing it seems to be extremely rare when researching the story
Rail Magazine did an article about it in 1994. I cannot remember the issue number but it had a blue cover with yellow rail text on it. Might be able to find it on eBay or something. I lost mine back in 2015 in a flood so I cannot show it sadly but this event was real.
I remember seeing the plaque on one of these as it was in service for Southern and thinking this must have been a real disappointment. Imagine being told that you getting to be a VIP on the first ever trip through the Channel Tunnel and thinking, ooh, is it going to be a TGV, a shiny new Eurostar train, perhaps? No, it's one of these crappy little commuter trains from south London. 🤦Didn't the queen ride on one of these trips for the tunnel's official opening?
i love how this video has 319 likes right now
I though trains had to be at least 400m to go through the Chunnel, for safety reasons
That's one of those dubious rules that seems mostly intended to stop competition on the route. The idea is the train is always at an emergency exit as they're every 375m but it's flawed in a number of ways. 1) If there's a fire halfway down the train one half would be evacuating along the tunnel anyway. 2) Most other long tunnels don't even have a service tunnel and you're expected to evacuate through the main tunnel, sometimes for miles. 3) Unless the train was catastrophically damaged the driver could stop next to an emergency exit no matter the train length. 4) Even a 200m train is at most going to be 88m from an exit.
Not anymore, that requirement has been dropped. But as already said it was a dubious rule to hinder newcomers, requiring specially made trains. Since usually high-speed trains are about 200m. And you can always couple 2 sets together if capacity for 900 passengers (or 1200 passengers if you couple 2 duplex trains).
The dubious nature of that rule aside I would have thought these would have operated under special instruction and rules anyway. So what is the norm doesn’t really apply.
@@ashleyw1393 tell that to the swiss and their even longer railway tunnel
I would like to see 319008 (now 769008) to be preserved at somewhere like the East Kent Railway. Porterbrook owns them so I was wondering if they could donate 769008 to that or a heritage Railway where it could be saved? It has a unique history so I think it deserves to be preserved.
Should be restored to the livery and configuration used at the time
Yes, a 319 did go through the tunnel to test wire and pantograph interface.
Superb lets send a 2+3 down the tunnel, had to be a 2+3 😂🎉🤦♂️
How comes that a Class 319 was used on the Channel Tunnel. Was it used as a test train.
Yes it was and in November 1993, 319008 was used on a VIP only service for BR staff and those involved with the Channel Tunnel. It was not a public operation as far as I am aware.
Ok. Thanks for the information 👍
surprised it didn't break down ahaha
I wish we had sent Pacers
Those were sent to Canada a few years earlier instead for Expo 86!
If they had sent pacers the French would of declared war on us!!!!!😂😂😂😂
I wonder if there was an open access operator that used the Class 319 from London to Calais. Or was it used as a test train before the Channel Tunnel was completed and Eurostar was born with Class 373 E300s were built to be operate from London to Paris and Brussels. As of today that Eurostar continues to run high speed continental Europe services.
wtf thats just stupid. why a 319? at least use a train with comfortable seating like 730. the 319s are commuter trains and certainly shouldn't be in this route. admittedly the 730s are like regional express but it's a bit better
Suppose you are right. Thameslink used to have the Class 319s before they were replaced by the Class 700 and people say that the Class 319 had comfortable seats compare to the seats on the Class 700 that aren’t as comfortable.
@@mudchute4dlr Seeing as it was in 1994, the dual voltage 319 was ideal.
I can see why you'd prefer to stay anonymous.