The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Dizerens5 on June 12, 2010, 11:34:38 AM
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This might interest those overseas (from our point of view!)...photo is my R65 parked on the cliff top above the Channel Tunnel terminal about 10 minutes from my house. This is where you drive your bike or car on to the train for the 30-minute undersea journey to France. If you have a car you sit in it. If you are a motorcyclist you just stand next to your bike, or sit on the floor! The tunnel operates 24 hours, usually with 2 or 3 trains each hour. There are plenty of passenger trains too but they don't stop here. Most go without stopping from London to Paris or Brussels, either takes about 2 1/2 hours, max speed around 150 m.p.h. There are freight trains too so it's pretty busy.
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Never having seen the rail cars that transport autos and motorcycles, are they enclosed or open ?
I was thinking that being open, a 150 mph wind would be a bit much if you are standing next to your bike !!!
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Cool!
Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=51.097162,1.132364&spn=0.026142,0.055189&t=k&z=14
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This is one from one of the Gabfesters trips i believe Steve Hawkin who is on this forum went on that trip as you can see it looks pretty comfortable....
Lou
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A lot better conditions than I thought it would be .
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Responding: the 150 m.ph. is for passenger trains but only outside the tunnel on the high speed track. Inside the tunnel, which is about 30 miles long, speed is around 75 I believe. The tunnel is not straight, it curves quite a bit. This is due to builders following the easiest rock strata for tunnelling. But being all chalk it was not too difficult, except for the length of it.
Two types of railcars are used, one is shown on Luke's photo, that one is a full-height one used mainly for buses and high cars/vans, ---and motorcycles usually get put in there as you can see. Others are double deck for normal size cars. The second type is not closed in, it does have steel-mesh sides, it's used for trucks. Truck drivers don't stay in their cabs, there is a passenger coach for them.
The regular passenger trains (London-Paris) are completely different, more like the US Amtrak trains I imagine but designed for high speed.
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Fascinating!
One of these days, I swear I'm going to make my way over to England and see the tunnel in person!
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Fascinating!
One of these days, I swear I'm going to make my way over to England and see the tunnel in person!
John if your going to drag your dodgy knee over here dont waste your time on a train..... ride the high country up north it can be arranged.
Hawes to Devil bridge at Kirby Lonsdale
http://www.kirkbylonsdale.co.uk/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=92 best bacon butties in England......bike waiting
Lou
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That is fascinating. I had no idea how it worked.
Nice to see a picture of it with the R65 in the foreground. 8-)