# Channel Tunnel Closed



## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Channel Tunnel closed due to fire that broke out a 3pm on a freight shuttle near the French end.

No announcement saying when it might re-open.

SD


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

BBC News Website says 

The French train company SNCF said services would not resume until Friday.


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Apols for duplicate thread - 2 minutes too late!  

Mods please remove?

SD


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tunnel*

Mmmmm

I wonder what the ferry prices are at present...

Russell


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> I wonder what the ferry prices are at present...


Probably going up as we type!!


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

BBC 10 'o clock news says the fire is still burning.

I think it is going to be closed for quite a few months


Derek


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

If french have anything to do with it - am thinking not - it will be back up again within the week am sure!

Now if it was still half English ......!! 8O :roll: 

Greenie


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Tunnel*

According to some of the French forums, it is the UK side to blame for letting the truck on the train.

Amazing what some people know before the enquiry.

Trev.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Tunnel*



Rapide561 said:


> Mmmmm
> 
> I wonder what the ferry prices are at present...
> 
> Russell


Just done a rough check and they are running at double to triple usual prices for last minute bookings.

Example being P&O where by playing around with times you can usualy get out for £45 3MX7M Motorhome. Currently cheapest is £127.

Exception being SeaFrance with MHF Discount you can get away in the morning from £37.15

Trev.


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

According to the Today programme on BBC radio 4 this morning, the fire is under control but still burning, with temperatures of up to 1000 degrees. That sounded familiar - I was reminded of the big fire in 1996, when the concrete segments supporting the roof were severely damaged, and at one point partially destroyed, exposing the chalk marl above.

The 1996 fire was extinguished in about 9 hours. This one is still burning after 18 hours.

What might this mean for MHers who regularly use the Chunnel? The HGV shuttle service was only resumed in May 1997, after 6 months of repairs and safety improvements. I think we could be in for another long suspension of shuttle services, again. Meanwhile, priority will be given to the Eurostar trains, using single tunnel running along the undamaged South tunnel.

The ferry operators will be charging as much as the market will bear. :evil:

The big questions in my mind :?: are:

1. Why did Eurotunnel allow a HGV with a cargo of Phenol onto its freight shuttle? (If heated by say a diesel fuel fire, it is flammable; Phenol has a flashpoint of 79C).

2. How did the fire start, and could/ should it have been detected before the HGV shuttle entered the North tunnel?

3. What silly restrictions will now be imposed on MHs?

[All spods and geeks may now shoot me down on technical points if they wish  ]

SD


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## zoro (May 1, 2005)

Good questions
But my question is how am I going to get my MH over to France next Tuesday now?? 
Steve F


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## sennen523 (May 6, 2006)

Hi All,
I use the Eurotunnel and used to work in the Petro Chemical industry and have worked on a Phenol plant. I agree with SpeedyDux, I'm amazed that a Phenol tanker is allowed through the tunnel. The main problem is if it comes in contact with your skin.
Eurotunnel seem very strict with the control of LPG but they should ban all chemical tankers.


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## sennen523 (May 6, 2006)

Hi zoro,
We're booked on the Eurotunnel next week, so will be watching these posts. At the moment, I believe, EUROTUNNEL are sending people to the ferries if they have a booking.
Let's hope we can get sorted OK.

Regards.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

We are lucky  

We usually have a booking for the Tunnel in Sept but for a change this year we have booked on Brittany Ferries from Plymouth to Roscoff.

I can imagine the problems we would have at the Tunnel French side if we turned up and it was closed especially if the dog had had her treatment we would only have hours left to sort something out!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

It always amazes me that basic stuff like Phenol needs to travel between countries I thought it was a by-product of gas and oil refineries and there should be no shortage on either side of the channel.

Ah commerce .. what makes the world go round ... or not.


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

I'm booked Monday pm, have tried to contact Euro Tunnel, but not surprisingly no one is answering the phones.
If any one gets any info. on what they are doing, please post it, I don't want to book a ferry to find my Euro Tunnel bookings will do.

Charlie


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

Crikey Guys I am worried about my crossing in Dec, I feel really sorry for you folks all booked over the next few days....

...I was stuck in August 2007 fro 9 hours on the Dover side and whilst it does not help if they aren't answering the phones at present, the customer services, IMHO, are great and I did get a free crossing as compo from them for a 9 hr delay.

Fingers crossed for a quick soloution but at least there were no casualities.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Fire*

Well the fire is out!

Sky News

Trev


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## sennen523 (May 6, 2006)

Hi Chascass,
There is a customer service number to ring when you are 48 hours from departure. 08705 35 35 35.

Hope this helps. We are booked for the end of next week so VERY interested in what to do.

Hope you can get sorted.
Regards.


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

I have been trying that number all morning, but only get a recorded message saying lines are very busy, as you would expect.
If I have any more news I will post here.

Charlie


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

Anyone noted what date the fire happened? 9/11 

I personally would NEVER go through the tunnel after hearing what a civil engineer who worked on the project said about it.

And IF the fire was caused by a lorry carrying chemicals WHY was that allowed through when a vehicle running on LPG isn't?


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Invicta said:


> Anyone noted what date the fire happened? 9/11


There are 365 times more chance of you getting blown up by a terrorist on any other day of the year though. That's why I never pay attention to soothsayers - only tangible information. 

Dougie.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Invicta said:


> Anyone noted what date the fire happened? 9/11
> 
> I personally would NEVER go through the tunnel after hearing what a civil engineer who worked on the project said about it.
> 
> And IF the fire was caused by a lorry carrying chemicals WHY was that allowed through when a vehicle running on LPG isn't?


I honestly don't think there is going to be a sinister connection with the date, but of course I might be wrong, we will have to wait and see.

We used the tunnel earlier this year and felt just fine with it and would def do it again, I suppose you are as safe there as anywhere these days and look at the Townsend Ferrry that sunk all those years ago...........when I read some of the descriptions of what happened that day that was enough to put you off ferries for life, but I guess you have to look at the amount of planes that fly everyday, ferries that cross the sea, trains in the tunnel etc etc and you can only hope you are never in the wrong place at the wrong time.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Briarose said:


> I honestly don't think there is going to be a sinister connection with the date


Sinister connections are quite fearfully seductive - that's why conspiracy theories (including 9/11 ones) are so attractive. It's like saying, "There's something HORRIBLE over there - don't look." It appeals to the more basic non-rational part of us.

Reminds me of the man who was paranoid about having a bomb on his plane, so he goes to a mathematician & asks what the odds were. When told they were around 1 in 350,000, he says, "Not good enough. What do I have to do to reduce the odds?" The mathematician considers this, then says, "OK - I can reduce the odds to 1 in 4 million." The guy says, "Fantastic. What do I have to do?" The mathematician says, "Take your own bomb with you. The chances of two bombs being on the same plane are 1 in 4 million."

Can't odds it. A little off-topic, but hey-ho. :roll:

Dougie.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

asprn said:


> Briarose said:
> 
> 
> > I honestly don't think there is going to be a sinister connection with the date
> ...


As I said Dougie personally I don't think that there is any connection.......and also it won't put me off the tunnel.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Briarose said:


> As I said Dougie personally I don't think that there is any connection


And as I said, I entirely agree with you. :lover:

Dougie.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tunnel*

Hi

I personally think services will resume on Saturday or Sunday at the latest.

It is possible for a train to leave England and travel to France as normal. It can then cross over to the other track to pass the damaged area.

Alternatively, the service could operate with for example three departures just a few minutes apart Folkestone - Calais and then no more for two hours. When these three trains are clear of the tunnel, three can leave Calais for Folkestone - so effectively one track for both direction.

As far as I am aware, the track is bi-directional and is signalled as such.

Russell


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

I received this email from Euro Tunnel, make of it what you will.
I have now booked with Seafrance for Monday, and transferred my Euro Tunnel booking to next year ( payment by Tesco vouchers are non refundable, but can be transferred)

Charlie

Due to an incident at Eurotunnel on Thursday 11 September, we regret to advise 
you that our Passenger Service will be severely disrupted on Monday 15th and 
Tuesday 16th September. 

There will be a limited service available with only one departure every two 
hours. To avoid severe disruptions to your journey, we therefore strongly 
recommend that you make alternative travel arrangements.

Should you decide to maintain your booking with us, please expect severe delays.

Whilst we endeavour to resume our normal service as soon as possible, please 
accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.

To rebook your travel for an alternative date, please call our Customer Contact 
Centre at your convenience on 08705 35 35 35 or email
mailto:[email protected]

With our sincere apologies,


Jo Willacy
Commercial Director


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tunnel*

You may prefer to call Eurotunnel on 01303 282061 thus avoiding an "08" call.

Russell


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## WSandME (May 16, 2007)

Early reports said that a "lorry had overturned" on the train.
How the heck can that happen?

I hope the truck's insurance is up to the job of recompensing Eurotunnel :~)


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## 101776 (Nov 13, 2006)

Just to clarify a few things about haulage through the tunnel.

Hazardous goods are strictly controlled , so I can only assume that the driver did not declare contents of his load to tunnel officials (should have been flagged up on side of wagon with haz chem signs,), but whats to stop a crooked firm from saying its milk??? unless someone physically checks....
Hazardous loads are usually sent by sea, and only on certain ferries, they are usually the lorries parked out on the deck, not below.

A lorry cannot tip over in the shuttle cradle as there is barely enough space to get your door open to get out, let alone for a lorry to tip over.(If its tyres burst it might lean in situ,)

All lorry drivers are removed from the trucks prior to train moving, as they are taken by mini bus to front of train and put in a restraunt carriage, and remain there until train stops, they are then transported back to their own vehicle and 'dropped at the door' so to speak.

All lorries leave train in one long line in a forward direction, there is no room to manouvre (any driver who has done this will verify what I've said).

Any bodies found in lorries, will be either passengers of truck drivers or illegal immigrants, neither of which should have been in the vehicles.

Invicta, I have done the tunnel many many times as a woman lorry driver, and like you I was a bit scared at first, but I assure you it is a very safe way to travel and if like me sea sickness is a problem, the tunnel is great.... and it will be even better if I can ever get them to serve half decent meals in the lorry drivers carriage (the food is the most dangerous part of the journey!).

Travel by tunnel is far better for me as a trucker, cos the last thing I feel like doing after a long stint is getting on a ferry and having to cope with screaming kids and drunk louts....although we drivers have a restraunt of our own to sit in, we still have to get from lorry to there with all the other passengers. At least on the tunnel all we have to cope with is other drivers who can't shut up about the job and insist on doing another '200 miles 'talking about the job, instead of catching 40 winks!

the company I work for (German) will only let me use the tunnel when it is cheaper than the ferry or I have an urgent load and need a fast crossing...

For those of you that would like to see how lorries load here is a video showing how to do it......
http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcP3Main/ukcFreight/ukcsafetysecurity/ukpVideo.htm

When you see the white magnnum loading and brushing his tyres on the yellow 'stopper', sometimes a tyre bursts and it holds the train up for ages until they can get him off and out of the way (sometimes they make all the lorries in front drive through and go round again, so the damaged lorry can go through and get off the train...there is no room to reverse!)


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

Dougie wrote;

"OK - I can reduce the odds to 1 in 4 million." The guy says, "Fantastic. What do I have to do?" The mathematician says, "Take your own bomb with you. The chances of two bombs being on the same plane are 1 in 4 million." 

Now that is very funny :lol: :lol:


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

Bouncer thanks for the link I use the tunnel over the feries as a tesco clubcard user!! 

Tunnel; for me all the time./


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

We were booked to come back through the tunnel yesterday morning at 09.20 – so after seeing the fire on the news on Thursday evening were pretty uncertain what we’d find. However, we were very impressed by Eurotunnel’s handling of things – we arrived at the Calais terminal around 8ish, expecting to find long queues, but in the event there were shorter queues than usual. We were offered a transfer to a P&O ferry crossing at 9.45 (not sure if there were any other options) and an apology for inconvenience, and were in good time for that ferry, even though the ferry port was pretty busy (presumably P&O had a far greater volume of traffic than they expected.)

Dover seemed more chaotic mainly with congestion of freight traffic (the roads there are a lot more hemmed-in than at Calais.) As we came by the tunnel exit at Folkestone we noticed the slip road was coned off, so I’m not at all sure if/how anyone travelling from Folkestone would get a transfer ticket.

Well done to Eurotunnel, though, from our experience.


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## gdleeds (Mar 15, 2008)

*whats the latest, any ideas when it will re open*

Hi
anyone with info of when the Tunnel will be open for M/H booked for the 24th.. 10 days time, or do I look for alternative

regards


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tunnel*

My advice would be to call the Eurotunnel and ask the question if they ae prepared to refund you. Before you call them though, research the other options first to check prices etc so you know what you might be up against.

There are still a lot of crossing for £50 one way with P&O.

Russell


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*XL*

Hello,

Could be worse, but no fatalities and back open.

Could be worse, you could have been booked with XL Airlines!.

Trev.


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## sennen523 (May 6, 2006)

Hello All,

gdleeds, We were booked on Eurotunnel on the 24th, but because of the uncertainty have tranferred the booking to January for our Spain trip. I 've now booked a SEAFRANCE ferry for similar times and paid £66 return for a 7 metre van.

Russell, Rapide561, Thanks for the EUROTUNNEL NUMBER (avoiding 08 number) 01303-282061.

Regards.


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## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

Was booked on the 2000 hrs train from Calais yesterday evening. 
First we knew about any problem was when we arrived at the first booking point and noticed an empty euro tunnel! Although we had thought all looked a bit quite, when we were next door at Cite Europe, just before.

The girl in the booth explained that the tunnel was closed due to the fire and we where transferred to a Seafrance ferry. 
A bit of a traffic queue getting from the tunnel to the car ferry and then about an hour's wait in lane waiting for the ferry to embark, but we actually drove past the cheriton M20 turning only about 1 hr later than we would have normally been. 

All in all quite a reasonable end to a fortnight tour of Germany :lol:


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