Europorte Channel
Encyclopedia
Europorte Channel is a rail freight train operator which operates rail freight services between France and the United Kingdom through the Channel Tunnel
. It is a subsidiary of Eurotunnel
's Europorte freight division.
In 2009 Europorte's parent company Eurotunnel acquired the French operations of Veolia Cargo
leading to the rebranding of Europorte 2 as Europorte Channel, a subsidiary of the combined Europorte division of the Eurotunnel group.
.
After renewal of its licence by French Minister of Transport
Dominique Perben
on 13 February 2006, which allows Europorte 2 to operate goods trains throughout Europe, and its own financial restructuring and the new investors requiring additional revenues; Eurotunnel's board approved operations of Europorte 2 to offer a high performance traction service to freight train operators who wish to cross the Channel. Europorte 2 services will provide:
, south of Lille
. Europorte 2 is also looking for suitable freight terminals in the UK, which would be served in partnership with another operator.
locomotives were built by a consortium of Brush Traction
, and ABB Traction
between 1993 and 1996. Initially the fleet was split between Railfreight Distribution
, SNCF
French Railways and British Rail European Passenger Services (now Eurostar (U.K.) Ltd.
) for operations through the Channel Tunnel.
The locomotives attached to London and Continental Railways
were for operations of the Nightstar
international sleeper services. Introduction of the sleeper services were delayed and then fully cancelled. During 2000, Eurostar (UK) Ltd. offered their seven Class 92 members (92020–21, 32, 40, 44–46) for sale—being surplus to requirements. No immediate buyer could be found, so the locomotives were decommissioned and stored at Crewe International
electric depot.
In February 2007, following a tender exercise, the seven locomotives were purchased by Eurotunnel for £2 million, for use by Europorte 2. Five of the purchased locomotives were designated to be refurbished at Brush Traction
's Loughborough facility. Subject to getting safety approval from the French National Office for Railway Safety (EPSF), Brush Traction were to fit the locomotives with the French KVB
signalling and protection equipment, to enable operation of the locomotives beyond Calais and into France.
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
. It is a subsidiary of Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel
Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
's Europorte freight division.
In 2009 Europorte's parent company Eurotunnel acquired the French operations of Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo was a European rail freight transportation company that operated mainly in France and Germany.On 2 September 2009 the company was acquired by Eurotunnel and SNCF the deal being finalised on 1 December 2009.-History:...
leading to the rebranding of Europorte 2 as Europorte Channel, a subsidiary of the combined Europorte division of the Eurotunnel group.
Objectives
Europorte 2 is part of the corporate and strategic objective of Eurotunnel to provide open and equitable access to the Channel Tunnel. Before its financial restructuring, although a licence was held to operate Europorte 2, Eurotunnel decided not to operate Europorte 2 as it neither had the financial resources or want to upset its partners EWS or SNCFSNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
.
After renewal of its licence by French Minister of Transport
Minister of Transportation (France)
The Minister of Transport is a cabinet member in the Government of France. The position was created in 1870 as a modification of that of the Minister of Public Works...
Dominique Perben
Dominique Perben
Dominique Perben is a French politician. Born in Lyon, he was French Minister of Transportation from 2005 to 2007. He was previously Minister of Justice , Minister of Civil Service and Administration and Minister of Overseas France .Perben has been a Deputy in the National Assembly for the fifth...
on 13 February 2006, which allows Europorte 2 to operate goods trains throughout Europe, and its own financial restructuring and the new investors requiring additional revenues; Eurotunnel's board approved operations of Europorte 2 to offer a high performance traction service to freight train operators who wish to cross the Channel. Europorte 2 services will provide:
- Short and medium length journeys from CalaisCalaisCalais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
(return the same day) - Collaboration with the existing operators on low or medium density traffic
- Serving port and private infrastructures
Operations
On 13 June 2007 Europorte 2 signed a strategic partnership agreement to operate rail services on behalf of the Port Autonome de Dunkerque (see French wikipedia article). Europort 2 will also operate trains between the port and the Delta 3 logistics terminal at DourgesDourges
Dourges is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:An ex-coalmining commune, now a light industrial and farming town, situated some east of Lens, at junction 17 of the A21 and the A1 autoroutes...
, south of Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. Europorte 2 is also looking for suitable freight terminals in the UK, which would be served in partnership with another operator.
Traction and rolling stock
A fleet of forty-six Class 92British Rail Class 92
The British Rail Class 92 is a dual-voltage electric locomotive which can run on 25 kV AC from overhead wires or 750 V DC from a third rail. It was designed specifically to operate services through the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France...
locomotives were built by a consortium of Brush Traction
Brush Traction
This article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
, and ABB Traction
Asea Brown Boveri
ABB is a Swiss-Swedish multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, and best known for its robotics. ABB operates mainly in the power and automation technology areas. It ranked 143rd in Forbes Ranking ....
between 1993 and 1996. Initially the fleet was split between Railfreight Distribution
Railfreight Distribution
Railfreight Distribution was a subsector of British Rail created by the division in 1987 of British Rail's previous Railfreight sector. It was responsible for non-trainload freight operations, as well as Freightliner and Intermodal services. In its early years the division was occasionally...
, SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
French Railways and British Rail European Passenger Services (now Eurostar (U.K.) Ltd.
Eurostar (U.K.) Ltd.
Eurostar International Limited is the operator of the Eurostar service operating between London, Paris and Brussels. It was formed on 1 September 2010 and is owned by London and Continental Railways , NMBS/SNCB and SNCF...
) for operations through the Channel Tunnel.
The locomotives attached to London and Continental Railways
London and Continental Railways
-History:Created at the time of the privatisation of British Rail it bid for and won the contract from the UK government in 1996 to build and operate High Speed 1 between London and the Channel Tunnel...
were for operations of the Nightstar
Nightstar (train)
The Nightstar was a proposed overnight sleeper service from various parts of Britain to continental Europe, via the Channel Tunnel. To run alongside the Eurostar and north of London day time Regional Eurostar services, the Nightstar was the last part in a round the clock passenger train...
international sleeper services. Introduction of the sleeper services were delayed and then fully cancelled. During 2000, Eurostar (UK) Ltd. offered their seven Class 92 members (92020–21, 32, 40, 44–46) for sale—being surplus to requirements. No immediate buyer could be found, so the locomotives were decommissioned and stored at Crewe International
Crewe Electric TMD
Crewe Electric TMD is an AC electric locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated to the north of Crewe railway station. The depot is situated on the south side of the Crewe to Chester railway line opposite Crewe Works on Victoria Avenue. The depot is operated by EWS...
electric depot.
In February 2007, following a tender exercise, the seven locomotives were purchased by Eurotunnel for £2 million, for use by Europorte 2. Five of the purchased locomotives were designated to be refurbished at Brush Traction
Brush Traction
This article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
's Loughborough facility. Subject to getting safety approval from the French National Office for Railway Safety (EPSF), Brush Traction were to fit the locomotives with the French KVB
Contrôle de vitesse par balises
KVB or Contrôle de Vitesse par Balises is a train protection system used on the French railways and in London St Pancras station...
signalling and protection equipment, to enable operation of the locomotives beyond Calais and into France.
See also
- Rail transport in Great BritainRail transport in Great BritainThe railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive-hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2010, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines range from single to double, triple, quadruple track and up to twelve...
- History of rail transport in Great BritainHistory of rail transport in Great BritainThe railway system of Great Britain, the principal territory of the United Kingdom, is the oldest in the world. The system was originally built as a patchwork of local rail links operated by small private railway companies. These isolated links developed during the railway boom of the 1840s into a...
- Euro Cargo RailEuro Cargo RailEuro Cargo Rail is a French rail freight operator formed in 2005 as a subsidiary of English, Welsh and Scottish Railway .-History:Euro Cargo Rail was founded in February 2005, in April 2005 EWS InternationalEWS International was the division of EWS responsible for operations through the Channel...
- GB RailfreightGB RailfreightGB Railfreight is a British freight train operating company. Formerly called First GBRf, its new owner Eurotunnel bought the company in May 2010.-History:...
External links
- Europorte official company website