14th January 1995

E.P.S.
(Special Train)

Route :

Notes :
(1) This was second of (at least?) two "emergency exercise" runs made prior to the public opening of the Channel Tunnel. The first detailed run was made on 11/06/94.

Source : Nick Lawford (on the train throughout)

Review
(from Nick Lawford)

This was the second of 2 Eurostar emergency exercises I was privileged to be invited to take part in.

This exercise was to test 2 further scenarios, first that of a train not being able to proceed into the tunnel and needing evacuation at Cheriton; then that of unable to run to Waterloo but diverted to Kensington Olympia.

Outwards the exercise simulated a failure detected on leaving BR tracks onto Eurotunnel tracks, halting at the entry to the tunnel, and setting back in Cheriton terminal emergency siding, detraining for the emergency services. Again, a Eurostar would not normally found in Cheriton terminal. Part of this exercise was staged for the benefit of the local Kent emergency services. These had an extended inspection and familiarisation of the train, while we were taken on a road tour of Cheriton terminal in a fleet of buses.

Re-boarding the train return route was to Kensington Olympia. This was partly to test crowd control - the date was deliberately selected to coincide with a major exhibition at Olympia itself to ensure maximum numbers of people were on the station. The train then returned to Waterloo via Sheepcote Lane chord. As far as is known, this was the first public passenger carrying train to traverse this route.

Nick Lawford

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