Eurotunnel prototypes
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• Commercial Motor has obtained pictures of Eurotunnel's new prototype Channel Tunnel railfreight wagons. They are the final designs and will almost certainly be used when the tunnel opens in mid1993.
The key difference between these and earlier mock-ups is their structure. Instead of a solid wagon, similar to those likely to be used for cars and passengers, the truck carriages will have open sides. This makes them lighter and capable of carrying lorries of up to 44 tonnes, which are likely to be legal within the lifetime of the rolling stock, says freight manager John Chapman.
A lowering of the proposed speed limit for trains in the tunnel to 130km/h (81mph) has also made it possible for opensided wagons to be used without any significant wind resistance, he adds.
Truck drivers will still spend the 35-minute journey in a separate 'amenity' wagon, which will be sound-insulated and air-conditioned. They will walk to the carriage, along the platform, after parking their trucks in the freight wagons.
The wagons have an internal width of 3.85 metres and will be high enough to take 4.2 metre-lorries. Each unit will be able to accommodate one artic or drawbar, with space for 28 on each shuttle.
Chapman says the amenity carriage is likely to be bought "off the peg", rather than built specially by Italian-based Breda-Fiat, which is making all the rolling stock.
Chapman still plans to offer drivers snacks rather than full meals while they are on board the train. He says there will be little time to eat, although there will be restaurants at both termini.
The design of the wagons still has to be passed by the inter-governmental commission which was set up by the UK and French governments. It also has to undergo windtunnel tests, but Chapman hopes they will be ready by the end of 1992.