High Speed 1: The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL)

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- In the previous video, we talked about the Channel Tunnel which represents the first and only physical connection of continental Europe and Great Britain.

Now, we continue this series with the story about the high-speed rail line connecting the Channel Tunnel and London.

A proposal for a high-speed line similar to those in continental Europe was recognized by policymakers in Great Britain as early as 1971. However, the construction of the line was not authorized by the Parliament next two and a half decades, until the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act from 1996.

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link was later rebranded as High Speed 1, which is the name by which this project is well-known to the public today.

It is quite interesting in general, but especially from the perspective of planning, procurement of works, issues with financing, and organization and restructuring of concessionaire (London & Continental Railways) - which has all been discussed in detail in this video.

- If you enjoyed this video, SHARE it with your rail-loving friends to help us raise our community, and of course, leave your opinion in the COMMENT section and hit the LIKE button.
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[Notthecobracommander]

It took a while but we got there eventually. Less than 3 hours from London to Paris is a very good time and faster than using the airports. Not to mention the view from the window excluding the tunnels of course.

[raphaelamor]

I have travelled many times on the Eurostar before as well as after the opening of the HS 1. It was like day and night. Before the opening the train never travelled anything remotely close to 160 km/h. In fact, I do not think it even reached 100 Km/h (60 mph). It literally crawled through south London!!
After opening one just flies through the Kent countryside as in Europe - Amazing and wonderful.

[dzaki]

I love how all of your videos always have subtitle

[MATTY]

Great video.
I use to live in St. Pancras and HS1 completely changed the area mainly for the positive

[wishywish]

UK Gov : Let's not spend taxpayer's money to build national infrastructure
Also UK Gov : Let's use that taxpayer's money to bail out private companies that mismanaged their risks
Still UK Gov : Let's sell those nationalised infrastructure so that pension funds could get their returns

*sighs in the sound of trains*

[FabianEason]

Correction regards tunnels - the downs tunnel has a speed limit of 300km/h, the Ashford one is 270km/h. Only the London tunnels on phase 2 have a significant top speed reduction to 230km/h.

[lindavainomae]

Thanks for another informative video - I had no idea how complex the history of the HS1 is. I love your videos - a must for rail fans! :)

[asdsdjfasdjxajiosdqw]

Ironic that the UK invented the railways but had to get the French to help them get into the high speed era.

[iman]

Good lord. “Unacceptable” for the UK gov to spend public money on public transport infrastructure. I do despair at this country sometimes.

[rexsoloman]

I didn't know the history of this line, so this whole video as the project kept going into the 2000s I was worried that the line would be delayed by the GFC. I was actually getting kinda tense toward the end until you said the line was finished in 2007, just before the GFC. 😄 I felt like I was listening to a story. Informative video though.

[MrSvatantra]

Thank you Sir,

It was very informative video. Please do continue your endeavours.

Regards from India.

[viewwwwer]

Just another example of continental Europe's positive influence on the UK.

[adamwnt]

been following you for a couple of months and decided to subscribe, your work is very accurate and insightful, keep doing what you're doing and can't wait for more. Greetings from Poland. Ps: I believe you are a Slav like me judging by your accent (your English is excellent btw). Just a curiosity. Anyways, thumbs up my friend 👍🏻

[atmajadipha]

Amazing work man. but Can you make video detail about how freight train work at euro tunnel. I mean like what freight train can be use at eurotunnel, wagon, locomotif from UK to Euro.

[jermainetrainallen]

Great video about a great feat of engineering in the UK. I can't wait for the HS2 (High Speed 2) video. You could also do another video on HS3 or Northern Powerhouse Rail as it's often called.

[Parthochatt]

Hey guys can you make a video on how railway lines are designed for certain speed ? Like some lines are designed for 200 km/h, some are designed for 300 km/h so what are the differences in design of tracks or other things that bring about this speed increasw

[ironmantrains]

By the way HS1 isn't the first railway built in Britain in over 100 years, nor is it Britain's first high-speed railway, that title belongs to the Selby Diversion. Gareth Dennis has made a #RailNatter proving why HS1 is not Britain's first high-speed railway. Also when the original plans for the CTRL were drawn up the line would've gone through the south and into Waterloo. Also the CTRL was meant to have 8 through platforms built underneath Kings Cross station allowing trains to go from Paris and Brussels to London, Birmingham, Manchester and beyond. 4 platforms were intended for Eurostars, 2 for Network SouthEast domestic high-speed services (the planned predecessor to today's Javelins) and 2 for Thameslink.

[francishuddy]

At 8' 15" and 8' 30" that is unmistakably Tonbridge railway station, Kent.

[dawydd]

Great video as always and finaly i get why HS2;)

[rahadityap]

Ironic the LGV Nord,
A france high speed rail line connect paris to the channel tunnel rail link
are cost just €1.9 bilion for 333 km
long and constructed in just 4 years
from 1989 to 1993 and the line
was already planned since 1983

While in other hand,
High Speed 1 with just 100 km
link that already planned since
1970 are need for almost 20 years
for planning and aproval by British Parliament while construction was
commenced on 1994 aproved by british parliament, initial that line will be operational on 1997, and then
cause the project to much intervents by corrupt politician, Many times it was suspended and the line was opened on 2007 and entirely are completed on 2010 and it cost over
£9.3 bilion alone or almost 40 years
to operate by just one damn line