Veteran racing driver John Surtees has become the first man to drive from Britain to France in an electric car.
John_Surtees_at_midpoint John Surtees at the Channel Tunnel's halfway point
Credit: David Barzilay
Surtees – the only man to ever win world championships on both four and two wheels – yesterday drove a prototype …
It's high time one of the service tunnels was opened to cyclists. Then we can stop all this John O'Groats to Land's End nonsense and do John O'Groats to Gibraltar!!!!!
"The racing veteran also stopped at the tunnel’s halfway point, where French and British diggers first met in 1990 for a photo call as they signed the tunnel’s wall."
The French and British tunnelers did not meet at the halfway point of the tunnel (well, not as commonly defined). The actual meeting point was 13.9 miles from the English Coast and 9.7 miles from the French. The reason being that the geographical conditions on the French side are less favourable to tunneling.
The speed limit in the service passageways is actually 30.87 MPH, but they rounded up for print.
The reason is that if they went any faster, the drag caused by the car passing through the air would generate too much heat, which when added to the friction of the trains going through the tunnel, would throw the tunnel's environmental systems out of equilibrium.
Of course there's an alternative explanation that the service passageways are just REALLY narrow, but that's just crazy talk...
Eurotunnel has a fleet of electric Peugeot 106s that are used in the service tunnels that lock onto a guidance rail in the floor so that they can pass easily in the narrow tunnel.
They also have a buzzer that goes off on the dashboard that you have to press a button to de-activate after a number of crashes caused by dozing drivers!
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E-car driven from Dover to Calais
Veteran racing driver John Surtees has become the first man to drive from Britain to France in an electric car. John_Surtees_at_midpoint John Surtees at the Channel Tunnel's halfway point Credit: David Barzilay Surtees – the only man to ever win world championships on both four and two wheels – yesterday drove a prototype …
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Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:03 GMT
The Indomitable Gall
New campaign: #
It's high time one of the service tunnels was opened to cyclists. Then we can stop all this John O'Groats to Land's End nonsense and do John O'Groats to Gibraltar!!!!!
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:03 GMT
Neil 21
Need more info #
Why is the limit 31 mph?
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:57 GMT
Andus McCoatover
Pity. #
Proof that 'leccy cars are down the tubes.
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:57 GMT
nicholas king
re neil 21 #
because 31mph is roughly equal to 50kph
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:57 GMT
Steven Jones
Not the halfway point... #
"The racing veteran also stopped at the tunnel’s halfway point, where French and British diggers first met in 1990 for a photo call as they signed the tunnel’s wall."
The French and British tunnelers did not meet at the halfway point of the tunnel (well, not as commonly defined). The actual meeting point was 13.9 miles from the English Coast and 9.7 miles from the French. The reason being that the geographical conditions on the French side are less favourable to tunneling.
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:57 GMT
Andy Mc
@Neil 21 #
31mph == 50kph
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:57 GMT
Robin
@The Indomitable Gall #
I'm in Gibraltar now, I'll start cycling up and by that the time I get there they should have opened up that tunnel!
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 16:57 GMT
theSensibleGeek
Speed Limit #
The speed limit in the service passageways is actually 30.87 MPH, but they rounded up for print.
The reason is that if they went any faster, the drag caused by the car passing through the air would generate too much heat, which when added to the friction of the trains going through the tunnel, would throw the tunnel's environmental systems out of equilibrium.
Of course there's an alternative explanation that the service passageways are just REALLY narrow, but that's just crazy talk...
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 22:16 GMT
ElNumbre
@Neil 21 #
its probably 50 km/h, which converted into mph is 'about' 31mph. Although why Europe gets to dictate the speed limit is beyond me.
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 22:16 GMT
Martin 6
31mph #
Eurotunnel safety manager Mr N Tuffnel explained that it was "1 faster" than 30mph
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 22:16 GMT
Martin Dunn
Not the first electric car from UK to France #
First electric car from UK to France.. rubbish!
Eurotunnel has a fleet of electric Peugeot 106s that are used in the service tunnels that lock onto a guidance rail in the floor so that they can pass easily in the narrow tunnel.
They also have a buzzer that goes off on the dashboard that you have to press a button to de-activate after a number of crashes caused by dozing drivers!
Posted Wednesday 18th November 2009 22:16 GMT
Anonymous John
@ Need more info #
The tunnel is 31 miles long. And if you ask why they wanted the trip to last one hour, I don't know.
Posted Monday 23rd November 2009 14:02 GMT
Matt 13
French side less favorable to tunneling?? #
nothing to do with too much cheap vino and bre slowing the workforce down!!!
This topic is closed for new posts.