when was the channel tunnel first thought of
Channel Tunnel Ideas for a cross-Channel fixed link appeared as early as 1802,[10][11] but British political and press pressure over the compromising of national security stalled attempts to construct a tunnel.[12] An early attempt at building a Channel Tunnel was made in the late 19th century, on the English side "in the hope of forcing the hand of the English Government".[13] The eventual successful project, organised by Eurotunnel, began construction in 1988 and opened in 1994. At £5.5 billion (1985 prices),[14] it was at the time the most expensive construction project ever proposed. The cost finally came in at £9 billion ($21 billion), well over its predicted budget.[15][16]
Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), now called High Speed 1, runs 69 miles (111 km) from St Pancras railway station in London to the tunnel portal at Folkestone in Kent. It cost £5.8 billion. On 16 September 2003 the prime minister, Tony Blair, opened the first section of High Speed 1, from Folkestone to north Kent. On 6 November 2007 the Queen officially opened High Speed 1 and St Pancras International station,[52] replacing the original slower link to Waterloo International railway station. High Speed 1 trains travel at up to 300 km/h (186 mph), the journey from London to Paris taking 2 hours 15 minutes, to Brussels 1 hour 51 minutes.[53]