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Channel Tunnel fully reopens after power fault | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The Channel Tunnel reopened fully after electrical supply problems but delays to rail services continued on Tuesday. | |
There was major disruption on Monday when an overhead power cable was damaged and one tunnel remained closed until just after midday on Tuesday. | There was major disruption on Monday when an overhead power cable was damaged and one tunnel remained closed until just after midday on Tuesday. |
Services are now running through both the main tunnels but there were delays of up to an hour on the Eurostar, and four trains were cancelled earlier. | |
There is a waiting time of about an hour for cars using Le Shuttle. | There is a waiting time of about an hour for cars using Le Shuttle. |
A Le Shuttle train, carrying 382 passengers in their cars, was the first train to be affected by the disruption, coming to a stop in the tunnel on Monday morning when the fault with overhead lines in the tunnel occurred. | A Le Shuttle train, carrying 382 passengers in their cars, was the first train to be affected by the disruption, coming to a stop in the tunnel on Monday morning when the fault with overhead lines in the tunnel occurred. |
Cables were damaged for several hundred metres and had to be replaced. | Cables were damaged for several hundred metres and had to be replaced. |
Repairs were carried out throughout the night and Eurotunnel had hoped to complete the work by the morning and have services running normally on Tuesday. | Repairs were carried out throughout the night and Eurotunnel had hoped to complete the work by the morning and have services running normally on Tuesday. |
But the work continued into the morning and it was only at 12:12 BST that the affected tunnel was reopened. | But the work continued into the morning and it was only at 12:12 BST that the affected tunnel was reopened. |
Eurotunnel spokesman John Keefe said: "What we came up upon once we'd removed the train was we found some of the hangers had come off as well, and so that added another layer of complexity. | |
"We had to clear out more material than we normally would have done, and then we had to install more than we normally would have done. | |
"And that was what gave us the extra length of time." | |
Eurostar runs more than 20 services in each direction through the tunnel on a normal week day. | Eurostar runs more than 20 services in each direction through the tunnel on a normal week day. |
It cancelled the 07:31 London to Paris train; the 08:52 Brussels to London; the 08:58 London to Brussels and the 11:43 Paris to London service, while other journeys have been delayed by up to an hour. | It cancelled the 07:31 London to Paris train; the 08:52 Brussels to London; the 08:58 London to Brussels and the 11:43 Paris to London service, while other journeys have been delayed by up to an hour. |
Passengers wanting to use Le Shuttle services - which carry people in vehicles from Folkestone to Coquelles, near Calais - have faced waiting times at the Kent terminal of up to three hours, though a spokesman said that was down to an hour by the afternoon. On Monday, the waiting time was up to six hours. | Passengers wanting to use Le Shuttle services - which carry people in vehicles from Folkestone to Coquelles, near Calais - have faced waiting times at the Kent terminal of up to three hours, though a spokesman said that was down to an hour by the afternoon. On Monday, the waiting time was up to six hours. |
The train affected by the loss of power on Monday, the 06:20 BST train from Folkestone, eventually reached France at 17:15 BST when the passengers, who had been taken to the French terminal after being led off the train, were reunited with their cars. | The train affected by the loss of power on Monday, the 06:20 BST train from Folkestone, eventually reached France at 17:15 BST when the passengers, who had been taken to the French terminal after being led off the train, were reunited with their cars. |
Eurotunnel has said it still managed to carry 4,860 passenger vehicles and 2,284 trucks through the tunnel on Monday, despite the problems. Fifty-one Eurostars and six freight trains also went through the tunnel. | Eurotunnel has said it still managed to carry 4,860 passenger vehicles and 2,284 trucks through the tunnel on Monday, despite the problems. Fifty-one Eurostars and six freight trains also went through the tunnel. |
Under normal circumstances trains run through two main tunnels - one operating from France to England and one from England to France. | Under normal circumstances trains run through two main tunnels - one operating from France to England and one from England to France. |
But when one tunnel is blocked, the other is used for trains in both directions, with a change of direction about every 90 minutes. | But when one tunnel is blocked, the other is used for trains in both directions, with a change of direction about every 90 minutes. |
On Monday there were also lengthy traffic queues in Dover as passengers tried to reach ferries. | On Monday there were also lengthy traffic queues in Dover as passengers tried to reach ferries. |