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52-607: LeShuttle (formerly Eurotunnel Le Shuttle and also known as The Shuttle ) is a railway shuttle service between Calais in France and Folkestone in the United Kingdom . It conveys road vehicles (including cars, bicycles and motorcycles) and passengers (including some animals) by rail through the Channel Tunnel . Freight vehicles are carried in separate shuttle trains hauled by the same locomotives, that also contain

104-436: A loop of track . On arrival at the terminal, having booked beforehand or not, vehicles can check in (in separate freight/passenger booths). If the vehicle is too early for its booked train, the passengers may visit the terminal building with cafés and duty-free shopping, driving onto the train once called to do so. En route to the train, passengers travel through the juxtaposed control area and are led into queues to drive onto

156-413: A large proportion of the area chosen for construction was marshland, with anything from 3 to 10 metres (9.8 to 32.8 ft) of peat on top of the solid ground. As a consequence, 12,000,000 cubic metres (420,000,000 cu ft) of material had to be removed to provide solid foundations, before work could begin on building the actual facility. The main parts of the passenger terminal to be built were

208-557: A locomotive at each end, just a driving cab at each end, as a rescue locomotive could assist a stricken train and the train does not need to split into sections. On the other hand, to stop the spread of fires, the formerly full lattice steel freight shuttle wagons now only cover the cab, and checks are carried out at each end of the tunnel to stop the risk of another fire happening in the future. www .eurotunnel .com /uk / www .eurotunnelfreight .com /uk / Eurotunnel Calais Terminal The Eurotunnel Calais Terminal

260-401: A locomotive on each end, 31 or 32 mostly open vehicle-carrying wagons (train cars), three loading/unloading wagons (one on either side of the train and one in the middle), and a single passenger carriage called the "club car" which is 25.72 m (84 ft 5 in) long. The vehicle-carrying wagons are 20 m (65 ft 7 in) long and have a metal frame that places a metal roof over

312-421: A parked train from inadvertent movement, especially while unmanned. Before the development of locomotive-actuated train braking systems in the late 19th century, American railroads employed brakemen to move about the tops of cars, setting hand brakes on the engineer's signal in an effort to stop the train in a timely manner. This process was imprecise and extremely dangerous. Many brakemen lost life and limb as

364-686: A passenger carriage, known as the Club Car. The service is owned and operated by Getlink , the owner of the Channel Tunnel. Both terminals are provided with vehicle check-in booths and juxtaposed controls (where pre-boarding immigration and customs checks are carried out by the French Border Police , French Customs and the UK Border Force at the same location), a large convenience outlet, long loading platforms and

416-401: A universal feature is either one or two of the warning lights which appear on the dashboard when the parking brake is engaged. The most common placement of the parking brake is in the center console of the vehicle, in between the driver and front passenger seats. Operating the brake is performed by pulling the lever up (which is connected to a ratchet ) until there is tension. To disengage

468-669: Is a railway terminal built for the transport of road-going vehicles on specially constructed trains through the Channel Tunnel . The station is located in the commune of Coquelles in the Pas-de-Calais department near the city of Calais . It is the terminal for the France and by extension the rest of Continental Europe . On the British side is the Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal located at Cheriton , near Folkestone . The passenger service building at

520-514: Is about 775 metres (2,540 ft) long and made from stainless steel . The carriages used for the shuttle have a larger loading gauge than either British or French railways. As a result, they cannot travel outside the tunnel and its two terminals onto the national railways. LeShuttle has nine car shuttle trains for passenger vehicles, each with a locomotive at each end and a series of fully enclosed vehicle carrying wagons (train cars) in between, each 26 metres (85 ft 4 in) long. The train

572-571: Is effective when there are multiple driving axles: all driven wheels are braked at once. A line lock is a temporary parking brake that makes use of the vehicles standard hydraulic brakes. They are often used for off-road conditions or when stopping on steep grades is required. By trapping hydraulic pressure in the brake lines, all four wheels can be locked. Large vehicles are usually fitted with power operated or power assisted parking brakes. Power assisted parking brakes are usually found on large vans as well as some older heavy vehicles. These operate in

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624-488: Is equipped with manually operated mechanical hand brake devices that set and release the brakes. Most of these involve a chain linked to the brake rigging, most often at the brake cylinder, that when tightened pull the piston out against the releasing springs, thus applying the brakes on the car (if there is only one brake cylinder per car) or bogie (if there is more than one cylinder per car). Newer locomotives have electric systems that simply place an electric motor in place of

676-405: Is made up of two sections coupled together. One section is single deck and the other is double deck. Each section has a total of 14 wagons, 12 which carry vehicles plus a loading/unloading wagon on either side. Between cars are fire resistant doors that open during vehicle loading and close for travel through the tunnel. Loading/unloading wagons also have plates that allow vehicles to travel between

728-497: Is more difficult than single piston calipers. Another less common setup for rear discs is the use of a separate, smaller, cable actuated caliper (such as the Wilwood MC4), which is used exclusively for the parking brake. This is sometimes used as an alternative to a separate drum parking brake when multi-piston main calipers are used. Hudson automobiles used an unusual hybrid hydraulic-mechanical dual-brake system which operated

780-489: Is mostly in a cut-and-cover tunnel, whereas the loop at Coquelles goes anti-clockwise and out in the open. This evens the wear on the wheels of the shuttle locomotives and carriages, as each set (left or right) spends only half the time at the outer edge of the line traversing the curves. Depending on traffic, each hour there are between two and four passenger vehicle shuttle train departures and between four and seven heavy goods vehicle shuttle departures. A LeShuttle train

832-410: Is undertaken within the small, self-contained Channel Tunnel rail network, with the major work carried out at the large maintenance facility at Coquelles. Parking brake In manual transmission vehicles, the parking brake is engaged to help keep the vehicle stationary while parked, especially if parked on an incline. While automatic transmission vehicles have a "Park" gear that immobilizes

884-424: Is when the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light , a pedestrian crossing , or simply waiting to turn in front of oncoming traffic. The parking brake would ensure the car is secure, should another vehicle come into physical contact from behind, causing the car to jolt forward. It is not recommended to use the parking brake when the vehicle is in-motion, unless there is a problem with the main brakes, as this can lock

936-620: The Eurotunnel Calais Terminal is called the Charles Dickens Terminal , named for the British author Charles Dickens . As part of the Channel Tunnel project, the plan for services included the use of dedicated shuttle trains that would carry both passenger and freight vehicles between Britain and France, which would compete with the cross-channel ferries . In order to accommodate these services, it

988-552: The Motor on Caliper (MoC) system. Many car manufacturers such as Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, Renault, Subaru and Volkswagen sell models whereby the parking brake automatically engages when the vehicle is stopped and is released when the gas pedal is pressed, eliminating the need for the driver to operate a button. An extension of this system, known as hill-hold or hill-assist, prevents the vehicle from rolling back when moving-off on an uphill gradient. In vehicles with rear disc brakes ,

1040-604: The UK in 1991, juxtaposed controls have been established. Travellers going from Coquelles to Cheriton clear French exit checks as well as UK entry immigration and customs checks before boarding the train in Coquelles, rather than on arrival in Cheriton. The terminal consists of ten island platforms , with four overbridges connecting each platform to the autoroute. The overbridges are located at approximately equidistant points along

1092-559: The UK). Safety regulations require two locomotives for all shuttle trains through the tunnel, one at the front and one at the back, and both must be staffed so that the train can be reversed out in case of a blockage. On shuttle trains, two Class 9 locomotives handle a single shuttle train. Each locomotive is capable of hauling the train on its own if its partner fails. Should both locomotives fail, another train with two fully functioning locomotives has sufficient power to move both its own load and

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1144-464: The added benefit of making it much harder or even impossible to release the parking brake when insufficient air pressure is available to operate the brakes. A reservoir or accumulator is usually provided so a limited amount of power assistance is available with the engine off. Power operated parking brakes are fitted to heavy commercial vehicles with air brakes, such as trucks and buses. These are usually spring applied, with air pressure being used to hold

1196-434: The back wheels and cause a skid. This is known as a handbrake turn , which is often performed in street racing and rallying to initiate rear wheel drift . In the event of hydraulic brake failure, the parking brake can be used to slow a vehicle. In such cases, the lever should be slowly engaged to prevent locking up the wheels. The position of the parking brake differs between vehicle models and manufacturers. However,

1248-424: The brake and pressing it again will release it. A pull handle variation also exists; by pulling or releasing the handle, this engages and releases the parking brake, respectively. Many vehicles have a combination of the two; a pedal to engage the brake and a handle to release it. A recent development is the electronic parking brake, also known as an electric park brake. Introduced to the mainstream market in 2001, it

1300-418: The brake off and powerful springs holding the brakes on. In most cases, a small lever in the cab is connected to a valve which can admit air to the parking brake cylinders to release the parking brake, or release the air to apply the brake. On some modern vehicles the valve is operated electrically from a lever or button in the cab. The system is relatively safe since if air pressure is lost the springs will apply

1352-403: The brake, the button is held while simultaneously pulling the lever up to disengage the ratchet and then pushed all the way down with the button still held. In older vehicle models, a stick lever may be used instead which is located under the instrument panel . Some vehicles have the parking brake operated by a small foot pedal, located by the other pedals. Depressing the foot pedal would engage

1404-427: The brakes. Also, the system prevents the parking brake being released if there is insufficient air pressure to apply the foot brake. A disadvantage to this system is that if a vehicle requires towing and cannot provide its own air supply, an external supply must be provided to allow the parking brake to be released, or the brake shoes must be manually wound off against the springs. Virtually all railroad rolling stock

1456-467: The cab of the lorry (the most likely location for a fire to ignite), but the rest of the vehicle is not enclosed. Drivers load their own lorries onto the trains, and once they are in place and secured with wheel chocks they are taken to the club car at the front of the train by minibus. The club car offers free Wi-Fi, toilets and vending machines with drinks and snacks. At the end of the journey, drivers are taken back to their vehicle so they can drive off

1508-404: The chain winding mechanism. This brake acts independently of the action of the automatic air brakes , which function collectively when coupled in a train and are under the control of the locomotive driver / engineer. Manual hand brakes serve to keep a piece of rolling stock stationary after it has been spotted in a rail yard or at a customer for unloading or loading. They are also used to secure

1560-414: The disabled train through the tunnel. Diesel locomotives are also on hand at both terminals in case they are needed to help a train out. There are also attendants in shuttle trains that manage the vehicles, loading and interior functions. On freight vehicle shuttles, the attendants ride in the passenger carriage at the front of the train with the truck drivers; in the passenger vehicle shuttles, they patrol

1612-409: The eastern end are for those disembarking. The island platforms are separated by single track, allowing vehicles to access the train from both sides. The terminal is located at the end of a loop connected to the route from the tunnel; trains exiting the tunnel travel anti-clockwise around this loop and then pull into the terminal, meaning the locomotive that pulled the train will remain at the front for

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1664-422: The event of a parking brake failure. Similarly, on a downhill gradient, the front wheels should face the curb for the same reason, and the wheels should face to the side of the road on which vehicles are driven on an uncurbed road regardless of orientation. In a manual transmission, leaving the car in first gear (or in reverse if pointing downhill) is also advised, as the engine will prevent the car from rolling if

1716-469: The gradients in the tunnel (16 km (9.9 mi) of continuous slope at 1.1% on the English side) mean there is a dangerous possibility that vehicles could roll back and/or forward if the drivers forget to turn on the parking brake . Lorries (trucks) are carried on HGV (heavy goods vehicles) shuttles separate from passenger vehicle shuttles. LeShuttle has a fleet of 15 HGV shuttle trains which each have

1768-440: The length of the platforms so that vehicles have to drive for as little distance as possible along the platforms themselves; vehicles unloaded from the front to the middle of the train would use the furthest bridge, while those unloaded from the centre to the rear would use the next bridge in, and vice versa for those vehicles embarking. The bridges at the western end of the platforms are intended for embarking vehicles, while those at

1820-442: The location of a parking brake, its application or release. In manual and automatic transmission vehicles, the parking brake can also be used for various driving situations which require the vehicle to be momentarily stopped. For example, the brake can be engaged when moving off an uphill slope, as this allows the driver to hold the accelerator and clutch pedals steady without the vehicle rolling backwards. Other common situations

1872-553: The next but then close automatically. Eurotunnel has been criticised for failing to implement measures to prevent or extinguish fires in the open-framed large-goods-vehicle-carrying wagons; recommendations made by the Fire Brigade Union in 1996 following a fire in the Channel Tunnel – that closed wagons should be used to prevent the spread of fire – were not acted upon. Newer safety regulations have been tightened and relaxed. For one, trains are no longer required to have

1924-456: The next service through the tunnel. The terminal at Cheriton also has a loop arrangement, but instead trains travel clockwise; this is intended to ensure equal wear on the flange of the wheels. The terminal has a larger loading gauge than the rest of the French network owing to the oversized trailers used to carry the road going vehicles. As a consequence, all maintenance of the rolling stock

1976-412: The parking brake either actuates the disc calipers (with much less force) or a small drum brake housed within the hub assembly (the inner circumference of the disc is often used instead of a separate drum). This secondary drum parking brake is often referred to as a banksia brake. It is usually used in conjunction with rear disc brakes employing multi-piston calipers, as mechanically actuating these calipers

2028-410: The parking brake fails. The parking brake in most vehicles is still completely mechanical. Traditionally engaged by pulling a lever, the cables manually engage part of the car's braking system, usually the rear disk or drum brakes. The mechanical nature allows the driver to apply the brake even if the main hydraulic brake system fails. Pictograph symbols and/or lights may be used to indicate

2080-623: The platforms and overbridges that connect it to the A16 , and thence to the rest of the autoroute network . The tunnel was officially opened on 6 May 1994, with services between Cheriton and Coquelles beginning in July the same year, when the first freight shuttles started running. Passenger services then started in December 1994. As a result of the Sangatte Protocol signed between France and

2132-432: The rear brakes through the otherwise conventional mechanical parking brake system when a failure of the hydraulic system allowed the pedal to travel beyond its normal limit. A number of production vehicles, light and medium duty trucks, and motor homes have been made with a separate drum brake on the driveline; called a transmission brake . This has an advantage of being completely independent of other braking systems. This

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2184-424: The same way as a conventional parking brakes, but pulling the lever operates a valve that allows air or hydraulic pressure or vacuum into a cylinder which applies force to the brake shoes and makes applying the parking brake easier. When releasing the parking brake, the same mechanism also provides assistance to the driver in disengaging the ratchet. Particularly on commercial vehicles with air operated brakes, this has

2236-707: The terminal areas. The system consists of two parts, RTM (Rail Traffic Management) manages all rail traffic in the tunnels and in the terminal areas, and the EMS (Engineering Management System), which manages fixed equipment such as ventilation, lighting, feeding electricity to the catenary wires. The Road Traffic Control Centres (TCC) are responsible for managing the movement of vehicles for Passenger and Freight services as they circulate around each terminal, presenting tolls, moving through border controls, boarding trains and exiting trains onto motorways (the A16 in France and M20 in

2288-592: The train and onto the French A16 autoroute or the British M20 motorway with no further controls. During busier periods the complete journey takes at least 1 hour and 30 minutes between the highways, with the platform-to-platform crossing being 35 minutes long. During quieter periods it may be possible to board an earlier-departing train resulting in a complete journey time between the highways of just over an hour. The rail loop at Folkestone runs clockwise and

2340-433: The train carriage and the platform. Double-deck loader wagons also have a ramp that allows vehicles to access the upper level. Vehicles under 1.85 metres (6 ft 1 in) in height are typically loaded onto the double-deck portion of the shuttle. Higher or longer vehicles, such as motorhomes, coaches and vehicles pulling a trailer are loaded onto the single deck portion of the shuttle. Ordinary cars can also be placed in

2392-487: The train to continue their journey. Rail and road traffic control centres are operated 24/7. The overall management of the Channel Tunnel transport system is carried out from a railway control centre, the RCC. There are two control centres, one at each terminal, and each is capable of taking control of the system. The RCC manages all rail traffic (shuttles and trains) circulating on the Channel Tunnel infrastructure, including in

2444-447: The train. Once boarding is complete, safety announcements are played through the public address system and the train departs once the loading wagons are prepared for departure. After a train emerges from the tunnel, about 22 minutes later, it travels around the loop and stops at the terminal platform. It is then unloaded and reloaded with a new set of vehicles just over half an hour. Meanwhile, for passengers, they drive their vehicles off of

2496-426: The train. The trains are also long enough so that no matter where in the tunnel, the length of the train spans two evacuation doors into the service tunnel adjacent to the rail tunnels. Passenger carriages are pressurised and sealed off with fireproof doors. These doors are closed once all vehicles are loaded. They include smaller pedestrian doors that may be opened when the train is in motion to move from one carriage to

2548-412: The transmission, it is still recommended to use the parking brake, as the parking pawl in the gearbox could fail due to stress or another vehicle striking the car, causing the car to roll. When parking on an uphill gradient, it is recommended that the front wheels face away from the curb . This would prevent the car from rolling into the roadway by using the curb to block the front passenger tire in

2600-542: The unused portion of single deck wagons. Eurotunnel will occasionally run the double-deck carriages at "half full", closing the top deck to reduce staffing costs. Once boarded, drivers and passengers can exit their vehicles to stretch their legs or use the toilets, but there are no onboard services. Toilets are provided in every third carriage in the double-deck section and in the loading carriages' single-deck section. Passengers are advised not to walk between parked vehicles in areas that are not designated crossing areas, because

2652-418: Was first used in the 2001 BMW 7 Series (E65) . Two variations are available: In the more-traditional "cable-pulling" type, an electric motor simply pulls the parking brake cable on the push or pull of a button rather than a mechanical lever or pedal in the cabin. A more complex unit (first seen on the 2003 Audi A8 ) uses a computer-controlled motor attached to each of the two rear brake calipers referred to as

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2704-463: Was planned to build a brand new vehicle terminal on each side of the tunnel that would allow cars and lorries to be loaded quickly onto the trains. The site chosen for the French terminal was Coquelles , near Calais , not far from the French tunnel portal. The site chosen was a large greenfield area of more than 1700 acres , which provided significantly more space than the British terminal. However,

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