# Eurotunnel and gas



## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

Going on the eutotunnel tonight and I think I read that they only allow 2 cylinders up to 75% full max. Is this right and is it enforced? I have 2 full 6kg calorlite bottles (with gauges) and a half empty camping gaz. I know they don't allow fixed lpg cylinders.


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

They do allow fixed LPG gas tanks. It's LPG powered vehicles that are banned.

I think the max amount of gas you can carry is about 47 Kg (approx 90 litres)


Andrew


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## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

Actually the answer can be found in other posts sorry.....seems I'm right but they only care (and check) that they are turned off.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

hymerbeliever said:


> Actually the answer can be found in other posts sorry.....seems I'm right but they only care (and check) that they are turned off.


Yes thats right but also remember they dont let M/H's on till last so dont panic --as we did --thinking they had forgotten us


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

hymerbeliever said:


> Actually the answer can be found in other posts sorry.....seems I'm right but they only care (and check) that they are turned off.


Right about what? not about not allowing fixed tanks

Andrew


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

hymerbeliever said:


> Going on the eutotunnel tonight and I think I read that they only allow 2 cylinders up to 75% full max. Is this right and is it enforced? I have 2 full 6kg calorlite bottles (with gauges) and a half empty camping gaz. I know they don't allow fixed lpg cylinders.


Hi I think what you are asking is exactly where we went wrong on our first trip on the tunnel, I had read posts ref the gas being so many per cent full............so with two full gas bottles we thought we had to let some out :roll: this wasn't the case as apparently all new gas bottles are only so many per cent full in the first place.

Don't worry at all about your two bottles as all they will do is check that they are turned off.

Have a great time.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

They do allow fixed tanks - they just check they are turned off. We were a bit worried because we had a large tank but they didn't say anything about the size.

Also they have a service area on this side of the channel but not on the French side - seems the wrong way round to us!

Joe & Denise


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Mohomes are loaded on last so when the gas blows up the train gets to France faster. 8O 

Ha! enjoy your trip we are right behind you next week!

Greenie :lol:


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

All they want to see is whether the bottles are turned off, on the way out i had to open the locker door they did not physically check but on the way back they did check one bottle. On Tuesday morning at 8.50 we were only one of 3 vehicles on the whole train!


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## Tobysmumndad (Nov 12, 2007)

It's vehicles that are PROPELLED by LPG that they prohibit. The limit is 50KG.
They will physically check that the gas is turned off and attach a sticker on your windscreen, which confirms this to the train crew.

You will then sit and watch everyone drive off as the barriers on the other lanes are raised, leaving you and any other motorhomers in splendid isolation. Finally, within five minutes of departure time, the barrier on your lane will rise, and off you go.

EXCEPT that, on the French side, they did actually once forget about us, sat there in the howling wind and driving rain, and we had to wait for the next one! Also, again on the French side, in the shambolic aftermath of last year's fire, we got down last as usual to the train side. The conductor said that they'd squeezed a couple of last minute cars on and now there was no room for us. "Nobody told us you were a biggie!"

It was interesting watching the doors close and the thing leave without us.

:evil:


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

joedenise said:


> Also they have a service area on this side of the channel but not on the French side - seems the wrong way round to us!
> 
> Joe & Denise


There is a service area on the French side, seems like a fair bit of misinformation with this thread 

Andrew


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## Tobysmumndad (Nov 12, 2007)

I hope this link works, it's from the horse's mouth:

http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcP3Main/ukcPassengers/ukcTravel/ukpLPG

As I previously stated, the limit for multiple containers is 50kg.

There is indeed a service area on the French side, on the left as you come down the Avenue de France off the train. You might find the price of 'motion lotion' a tad disappointing, though. Correct me if I'm wrong, you can't then rejoin the Avenue de France and hence filter directly onto the A16. You find yourself on the Boulevard de Europe, amongst the throng milling to and from the Cité de Europe, negotiating several roundabouts until you can regain track. Welcome to France!

8O


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## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

Tobysmumndad said:


> You will then sit and watch everyone drive off as the barriers on the other lanes are raised, leaving you and any other motorhomers in splendid isolation. Finally, within five minutes of departure time, the barrier on your lane will rise, and off you go.


Exactly what happened to us coming back from France in June. The other half kept saying - " they must have forgotten us, go and tell someone" and me keep saying "no they haven't, just stop being paranoid", until I started to worry as well.

Mavis, I thought we were the only ones, so nice to know that many of us get wound up by the waiting. Needless to say we haven't been forgotten yet but I have come close to a divorce whilst waiting. 8O 8O


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Andrew

Where is the service area on the French side? We certainly didn't see one when we went over in June.

Joe & Denise


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## 118130 (Nov 11, 2008)

Tobysmumndad said:


> You will then sit and watch everyone drive off as the barriers on the other lanes are raised, leaving you and any other motorhomers in splendid isolation. Finally, within five minutes of departure time, the barrier on your lane will rise, and off you go.
> 
> EXCEPT that, on the French side, they did actually once forget about us, sat there in the howling wind and driving rain, and we had to wait for the next one! Also, again on the French side, in the shambolic aftermath of last year's fire, we got down last as usual to the train side. The conductor said that they'd squeezed a couple of last minute cars on and now there was no room for us. "Nobody told us you were a biggie!"
> 
> ...


Generally quite lucky with eurotunnel but this hits a raw nerve with an experience we had on the English side this Easter :evil:

Turned up on time, can't remember what was going on but we turned up on time and were given a crossing 2 hours later than our original scheduled crossing. Got into lane as soon as my letter came up, then sat and watched all the cars going, our barrier didn't raise - 1 train gone. Then loaded for the next train, correction, sat on the platform and watched the doors on the next train close and leave without me after it was stuffed with cars! Train number 3, and I was put to one side to allow more cars and coaches, you could say I had slightly heated words with the platform staff but I was assured there would be space for me as we watched coach after coach go by :evil: In fairness there was room, but only for me, everyone else had to wait for number 4.

Sorry for drifting off topic, but I do feel better to get that little rant off my chest :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## brianamelia (Mar 17, 2008)

*eurotunnel*

How long do you reccommend arriving before your train time
Bri


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

*Services on French side*

When we said "no services on French side" we meant on the way back to UK not arriving in France.

As we only have about half hour drive down to the Tunnel we don't need to dump on the way out - but it would have been handy to have been able to before boarding the train back!

Are there any services in France before boarding the train?

Joe & Denise


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## 118130 (Nov 11, 2008)

*Re: eurotunnel*



brianamelia said:


> How long do you reccommend arriving before your train time
> Bri


31 mins 

We usually aim for 1 hour before, but the flexibility of the tunnel is one of the great things about it, if you miss the 30 min checkin and it's not chocka, you'll get on the next train.


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

joedenise said:


> Andrew
> 
> Where is the service area on the French side? We certainly didn't see one when we went over in June.
> 
> Joe & Denise


Reading your later post, whether or not there are services rather depends on your definition of services and "dumping"

If you're talking about emptying your toilet, then I haven't noticed a facility at the French services, but neither have I on the UK side for that matter.

It would really surprise me if the UK had a facility and the French side didn't, but stranger things happen

Andrew


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

*Services on English side*

Andrew

on the english side they are in the left hand corner of the main car park as you drivei in just keep to the left hand side away from shopping area.

joe


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## Tobysmumndad (Nov 12, 2007)

When I referred to services leaving the train on the French side, I meant the filling station.

On returning via the A26 , the last filling station is the Shell Aire de St Hilare Cotts, 38 miles (60 km) before Eurotunnel check-in. Whether this is deliberate policy, to help prevent people boarding with tanks brimful, I dont know. In the early days they used to make an announcement to this effect:

"Thank you for using the Eurotunnel, and next time, please remember not to fill your fuel tanks to capacity."

The last aire at Zutkerque, which had toilet facilites, has now been closed for at least two years. As it had easy access across the fields from the village, I leave you to draw your own conclusions as to why.


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## 118130 (Nov 11, 2008)

These are the 2 I've used in the past, within a stone's through of the Eurotunnel terminal.


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## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

Having started this topic and having just returned, I'll post what we found so as to provide info for others.

UK Side:
Tickets: just insert your booking credit card into the toll booth machine or type your booking ref number in (eg if you paid with Tesco vouchers). No need to wait for the manned booth. Those lanes do seem awfully narrow tho!
Services: There's a service area once through the booths with shops and refreshment places. Don't know about MH waste points etc or fuel sales.
Gas: Once through the booths and after the services they pull MHs and caravans over and ask to check bottles are turned off. They were not concerned with (and did not check) fill levels of either 6Kg bottle or gas quantities: I didnt mention the spare camping gas bottle in the garage. They then put a sticker on your departure hanger.

Fuel on exit road French side. 1.13 Euros a litre, so on par with here now. Petrol is 1.30ish.

French Side:
Tickets: as above. Lanes seemed wider tho. 
Services: There's a service area once through the booths with shops and refreshment places. Don't know about MH waste points etc or fuel sales.
Gas: Once through the booths and after the services they check your departure hanger at another booth: the person there simply asks whether gas bottles are turned off. If you answer no, they get out and watch you turn them off. They were not concerned with (and did not check) fill levels of either 6kg bottle or gas quantities: again I didnt mention the camping gas bottle in the garage. They then put a sticker on your departure hanger.

Don't know whether you can "camp" once through the booths in UK or France but there is a dodgy looking (and freely accessible) waiting area on the French side signposted before the booths.

Quite an experience tho for first timers esp driving down endless carriages. The train travelled a bit slower than I'd imagined. Pretty seamless arrival and departure.

Hope this helps.


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