The Channel Tunnel Rail Link: Introduction
What is the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - CTRL?
The CTRL is the first major new railway to be constructed in the UK for over a century and the first high-speed railway. The 109km track of the CTRL will stretch from St. Pancras, central London to the Channel Tunnel complex at Cheriton in Kent, connecting Britain directly with Europe's expanding high-speed rail network and significantly reducing journey times.
The CTRL has been built in two separate sections. Section 1 runs for 70km from the Channel Tunnel through the county of Kent. Section 2 links to Section 1 and continues for a further 39km onto St. Pancras Station in London. The CTRL will serve the new international stations along its route at Stratford in east London and Ebbsfleet in north Kent and the existing Ashford International station. CTRL will provide the catalyst for the substantial redevelopment around St. Pancras and Stratford stations.
The route of the CTRL
Map showing the route of the CTRL – courtesy of LCR
Construction of Section 1 began on 5 October 1998. Section 1 was formally opened by the Prime Minister on 16th September 2003, with commercial services starting on 28th September 2003. Section 2 is scheduled for completion in summer 2007 and is expected to open for commercial services on 14th November 2007.
Section 1: Channel Tunnel to Fawkham Junction
Section 1 follows the existing railway from the Channel Tunnel terminal to Ashford, and serves Ashford International station. West of Ashford the CTRL follows the M20 motorway to a point north of Maidstone, where it passes beneath the North Downs in a 3km tunnel adjacent to the M2 motorway south of Rochester and follows the motorway across the River Medway at Strood. The route continues alongside the M2/A2 to Gravesend and then turns south along the alignment of the former Gravesend West branch line.
Viaduct crossing over the River Medway
Section 2: Southfleet Junction to St. Pancras
Section 2 runs from Southfleet Junction near Gravesend to central London. The line travels northwest through the Ebbsfleet Valley to a new international and domestic station at Ebbsfleet and a new junction with the existing North Kent Line. North of Ebbsfleet the CTRL route passes beneath the River Thames to emerge at West Thurrock
Eurostar emerging from North Downs Tunnel
close to the QEII road bridge across the Thames. It continues beneath the bridge approach spans and over the exit from the parallel Dartford Tunnels through Purfleet, Rainham and onto Dagenham, where there is a new connection to the existing railway for potential use by freight trains.
The line enters 11km of tunnel at Ripple Lane to emerge at Stratford's new international and domestic station in east London. It then re-enters the tunnel to emerge 9km later just east of the East Coast Main Line railway, which it crosses before swinging south towards St Pancras.
Why a Thames crossing was preferred
In the late 1980s the original proposal was to develop the route approaching London from the southeast, broadly following the A20/M20 corridor as far as Hither Green. From there, an ambitious tunnelling scheme was to provide access to both Waterloo and a terminus proposed in the King's Cross area. However, by the middle of 1991, Government opinion was that this proposed route would not realise the full potential of the international connection for London, nor provide any significant regeneration benefits. Furthermore, it would have had considerable environmental impact on southeast London. Consequently, the Government announced in October 1991 that an approach to London from the east was preferred. The northern half of the originally proposed route was abandoned in favour of a Thames crossing of some kind in the Dartford area and an approach roughly along the A13 corridor before entering tunnelling to terminate around King's Cross.
CTRL's connections beyond the borders of London
Easy interchange between inter-city services and Eurostar will be achievable at St Pancras International. Midland Mainline services to the East Midlands and South Yorkshire will continue to run from St Pancras. A new station is being fitted out below ground at St Pancras for cross – London Thameslink services to replace the current King’s Cross Thameslink station and connections to London Underground lines at King’s Cross are being improved.
Great North Eastern Railway services from King's Cross to Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland, are adjacent to St Pancras at Kings Cross station. And, Virgin West Coast's services, from Euston Station to the West Midlands, North West and Scotland are a short distance by tube bus or on foot.
