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Channel Tunnel rail services resume after power cut

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
Channel Tunnel rail services resume after power cut
Photo: AFP

Channel Tunnel rail traffic was back running as normal on Wednesday morning after Eurostar and Eurotunnel services were hit by five hour delays on Tuesday due to a power cut.

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Traffic through the Channel Tunnel between France and Britain was stopped in both directions for almost five hours on Tuesday after a power problem, before resuming mid-evening, managers said, adding that 17 trains had to be cancelled.

Both Eurostar passenger trains and Eurotunnel services, transporting cars and trucks through the tunnel, were suspended from around 1300 GMT to 1730 GMT, a Eurostar spokeswoman said.

"The two tunnels are now operating. Work finished around 1830 (1730 GMT) and services are now resuming," a Eurotunnel spokeswoman added.

No Eurostar or Eurotunnel trains were inside the tunnel when the stoppage began, a Eurotunnel spokesman said, adding traffic had been suspended "as a safety measure" owing to "concern about electrical power between an overhead
power line and the trains".

Eurotunnel teams were despatched to inspect the electrical equipment inside the tunnel, used by some 20 million people a year.

The stoppage forced the cancellation of five Paris to London services, four in the opposite direction and eight more travelling between London and Brussels.

After the service resumed, a Eurostar spokeswoman said operations were "gradually returning to normal."

French singer Renaud was forced to cancel a concert in London after he was stuck in Paris his Facebook page announced.

 

 

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