Trains under English Channel
The Eurotunnel, or the Channel Tunnel, is one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century. The tunnel was opened on May 6, 1994. Eurotunnel connects the Foggy Albion, which for centuries was proud of its isolation, and continental Europe. Now the journey from London to Paris is a little over two hours. 20 minutes you will travel underground and under the ocean floor.
The width of la Manche, which in French means “sleeve”, or the English Channel, as the inhabitants of Britain called it, at the narrowest point between the English Dover and French Calais is 52 km. The depth in the fairway is about 25 m. At this point of the strait, they had long dreamed of digging a tunnel or building a bridge.
People thought about this in the 18th century, when a prize was instituted at the University of Amiens for someone who would present a tunnel project from France to England. Even then, digging the so-called gallery under the English Channel was considered a cost-effective enterprise, and no one doubted its reliability. One French specialist suggested not only dig, but also arrange the transportation of people in carriages. Also it was suggested to light the gallery by candles. To dig with shovels alone meant digging for decades, and to light with candles, it was necessary to build a special candle factory.
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