THE CHANNEL TUNNEL: 1751-1975

THE HISTORY IS REVIEWED ON RESEARCH AND PREPARATION OF THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. A DESCRIPTION IS GIVEN OF STUDIES CARRIED OUT IN RECENT YEARS, CONCLUDING WITH SOME COMMENTS ON THE IMPLICATIONS, FOR THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION, OF THE FINANCING BY PRIVATE MEANS OF A PROJECT WHICH HAD BEEN THOUGHT TO BE OF SUCH MAGNITUDE THAT IT HAD TO BE ACCOMPLISHED ON A GOVERNMENTAL BASIS. VALID ROUTES HAVE BEEN DELINEATED FOR EITHER A BORED TUNNEL THAT WOULD BE EMBEDDED IN THE LOWER CHALK, OR AN IMMERSED TUBE LAID IN A TRENCH DREDGED IN THE SEA BED. THE DECISION AS TO THE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION MAY DEPEND UPON THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SUBMITTED BY CONTRACTORS. TWENTY-FOUR HOUR SERVICE WILL BE AVAILABLE, WITH TRAINS DEPARTING EVERY FIVE OR TEN MINUTES DURING PEAK PERIODS. COSTS OF THE TUNNEL ARE REVIEWED.