Eurostar Again Star-crossed In Freeze
- January 9th, 2010
- Posted by EUEditor
Another Eurostar train delayed in the Channel Tunnel marked the end of a bad Winter week for Northern Europe.
Temperatures in several parts well below -10 degrees C caused deaths, including nine homeless men in Germany, and in the United Kingdom especially, the closure of schools, cancellation of football matches and curtailment of transport services.
Thursday’s minimum in Britain was hailed by record-keepers as just two-degrees warmer than the North Pole.
A Eurostar train was delayed two hours getting into London, due to a break-down being attributed to snow affecting the machinery, or a problem with signals equipment.
The Eurostar, normally a highly efficient way to travel (2 hours 15 Paris – London), if not price competitive these days with air travel, suffered colossal failures during a cold snap before Christmas.
Five trains got stuck in the tunnel (18.12.10), (the tunnel itself in financial terms something of an elephant white as the abundant snow), holding up travellers for 16 hours and leading to three days of cancellations.
Reference
Emma Alberici, “Europe braces for worst of its big chillâ€, ABC Australia, 8.1.10. www.abc.net.au/news/ … (8.1.10).
Mark Deen and Steve Rothwell, Bloomberg, “Eurostar to resume limited service …â€, Business Week, London, 21.12.09. www.businessweek.com (8.1.10).
“Eurotrain delayed by signal problemâ€, IOL, 8..1.10. www.iol.co.za (8.1.10).
Pictures
Satelluite weather map (maidenhead-astro.net); Eurostar (Eurostar)