http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/d ... p?page=all
Snow brings travel chaos across UK as Eurostar trains suspended
Engineers examine Eurostar trains' failure and air and road travel disrupted during country-wide cold snap
Martin Wainwright
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 December 2009 13.32 GMT
Specialist engineers are to examine Eurostar's usually trouble-free trains to crack the puzzle of why they failed so disastrously, after running unaffected in previous cold snaps.
The firm has blamed the sudden contrast for the high speed engines between freezing temperatures above ground and the heat of the tunnel's 25C (77F).
Slower freight trains on the Eurotunnel service were not affected, and the contrast will form part of the company's investigation. Experts are also expected to focus on the fact that the failures were in London-bound services, which spend longer overground in France before the tunnel than trains going south.
"It's all a bit of a mystery and the company, and indeed a lot of people, appear baffled by it," said Nigel Harris, managing editor of Rail magazine. "But the fact that the problem has affected London-bound trains rather than ones leaving St Pancras may have been due to the fact that those heading away from London have less time to get cold.
"They pass through miles of tunnel through London and then go under the Thames and they just don't have time to get exposed to the very cold temperatures before going into the tunnel. But what is really puzzling about this is the fact that it is happening now, even though the trains have been exposed to cold weather over the last few years."
The Eurostar trains are similar to the French TGV high-speed locos, which have not suffered from cold weather problems, although they do not face the abrupt temperature contrast of the tunnel run in conditions such as those this weekend.
An incoming flight from Qatar was diverted from Manchester airport this morning because of snow on the only runway in use over the Christmas period. The plane landed at Birmingham, but a spokesman for Manchester airport said that the airport was open after two snow-clearing and de-icing runs during the course of the morning.
Belfast and Inverness airports were closed this morning but both were planning to reopen later today. EasyJet asked customers to check flights in advance and to apply for refunds in the event of cancellations. A spokesman said that many continental airports were restricting incoming flights and the chances of rebooking in the next few days were slim.
Empty test trains gingerly started running on Eurostar's crippled Channel tunnel link today, as thousands of travellers counted the cost of ruined trips.
Snow and ice continue to cause problems and police are warning against unnecessary journeys in many parts of the country, especially the Kent hinterland of the tunnel and on both sides of the Scottish border.
Winter sunshine is relieving the misery of the last three days across most of the UK, but temperatures remain arctic and the Met Office warns of further snow to come. This is likely to fall in a broken pattern across southern Scotland, Cumbria and Yorkshire until late tomorrow night.
Eurotunnel vehicle trains continue to run, but are so full that current terminal delays are up to two hours and unbooked travellers are being turned away. The port of Dover has reopened and ferries are running normally, except that tourists and car travellers are getting priority over freight until the huge backlog built up yesterday is cleared.
The Eurostar passenger service is completely out of action and the firm's chief executive Richard Brown admitted that staff were "not adequately prepared" for the winter weather.
Five services broke down, causing hours of delay for exhausted passengers, and angry scenes as people queued for lavatories and children fainted. Nirj Deva, Conservative MEP for the south east of England, called on Brown to resign as a result of "Eurostar's astonishing incompetence". He described the £150 refund offer to victims of the delays as "paltry and proof of how out of touch the management of this company really is".
Special overnight trains to relieve the backlog of would-be passengers that built up in both Paris and London were cancelled. Brown visited St Pancras and told people queueing that he was "very, very sorry", but few were appeased.
"Train staff did a dreadful job," said Alison Sturgeon, from Ascot, Berkshire, whose return from Disneyland Paris to St Pancras took nearly 16 hours. "They were useless at giving us information. There was no communication at all."
Two off-duty police officers, Caroline Lowe of the Sussex force and her partner Anton Menzies of the Met, helped evacuate one train when tempers flared. Around 800 passengers were left with just two toilets and some relieved themselves on the floor. Others were sick or suffered breathing problems and panic attacks as all 18 carriages were left in darkness in the tunnel.
"It became very hot due to no air conditioning," said Lowe, whose training included knowledge of the Channel tunnel layout and emergency exits. "After several hours, we decided to open the emergency doors to allow air to circulate through the train." Helped by another off-duty police officer and a paramedic, the pair then helped passengers transfer to a freight train stopped alongside.
Relief is gradually coming to roads approaching Dover, after yesterday's port closure added to the misery caused by the tunnel breakdowns. Cars spent the whole of Saturday making journeys which would normally have taken minutes, as roads jammed solid outside the town and neighbouring Folkestone.
A spokesman for the port of Dover said that all ferry services from Dover to Dunkirk, Boulogne and Calais were running with an "intensive shuttle" to clear the backlog. He said: "Traffic is still very busy, running on both the A2 and the A20 routes into Dover following the earlier problems with the adverse weather and closure of the port of Calais.
"The roads in France remain passable with the exception of the A16 and N42 eastbound from Calais, which are currently closed to lorries but remain open to cars. On this side of the Channel Operation Stack is in place for freight, and lorry drivers are advised to go to Maidstone and join the stack on the M20 at junction 8. Car and coach customers intending to sail are advised not to set out for the port without checking with their operator first."
Eurostar travellers' frustration was echoed on the gridlocked M20 where Czech visitor Rony Kovora and her two pre-primary school daughters spent more than 16 hours within a mile of junction 12 near Cheriton and Folkestone. Her brother-in-law Roy Konarski, expecting the family for Christmas, said: "It makes you embarrassed to be English. I think it's disgusting that nothing's been done. I phoned Kent police and they said they were doing everything they can."
The sheer weight of traffic overwhelmed officers until freight lorries were diverted and others stacked in a queue for ferries and Eurotunnel services. French authorities have indicated that no freight will be allowed into the country until later today, when the car backlog should be cleared.
Forecasters said that temperatures last night fell to between -2C (28F) and -7C (19F) causing problems with icy roads. Councils and the Environment Agency continue to grit main routes and there have not yet been any reports of supplies running low.
Snow is predicted in the north-west today, crossing to Yorkshire in the afternoon, with another weather front threatening as much as 10cm in East Anglia.
Kent's assistant chief constable, Andy Adams, said: "There is now some snow on the M20 and we are working with the Highways Agency to grit the road so that we can continue with the progress already made to clear the backlog of vehicles. We expect further delays to motorists this morning using the M20 and would therefore reiterate the need to travel only if necessary and, if so, to drive prepared with warm clothing and food."
The usual clutch of Christmas travel surveys meanwhile found that Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl is the tune drivers most appreciate when stuck in Christmas jams. Another poll suggested that clean underwear was rated more important than a toothbrush in such circumstances.
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