Total foul-up by Eurotunnel

[amateur]

My wife and I were on the 17.50 (French time) Eurotunnel shuttle from Calais to Folkstone, fully expecting to be home by 19.00 UK time for a takeaway dinner.

The first indication that my wife had that there could be a problem was that we were ushered on to lane 13 at Calais.

The first indication that I had was that the train was vibrating badly as we set off from Calais.

After about 15 minutes, the train came to a gentle stop and some minutes later came a weak female voice on the Tannoy that the train had stopped under instructions from the management!

Soon the real reason came from the train manager that the driver had detected that the braking system was losing air pressure, and as a safety measure, had decided to stop the train, and also that a team of engineers were on there way to sort it out.

At 18.05 (English time I had a Eurotunnel text saying that there was a technical problem (no **** Sherlock, we had been living with it for an hour already)

The train manager apologised that the only working toilets and air-conditioning were in the last 2 carriages - (it was getting hot and smelly in our carriage), but I was reassured by a Eurotunnel text at 18.49 that the on-board toilets remained in service.

The only refreshments offered were some rather dusty plastic water bottles.

The train manager assured us that the problem had been found and that we would soon be on our way. At 19.06 I was texted that "the issue is too important to be fixed shortly. You're going to be transferred to a rescue train as soon as possible. Follow the instrcutions" sic.

The weak female instructions were inaudible, but the loudly jocular train manager told us to pack our valuables, leaving behind our belongings locked in our cars and be prepared for a short walk through the service tunnel to the rescue train which had been sent from Calais and that we would be reunited with our cars in Folkstone, once the stricken train had been extracted. We should all make a note of the carriage wherein which our cars were

Our way out was hampered by those who thought that their essentials included large suitcases. There were, of course, the unfortunates who needed wheelchairs (which did not fit the space between the cars and the train side) and a surprising number of dogs, none of which aided the swift evacuation of the train.

It was anything but a short walk, firstly alongside the stricken train, where the trackside had the usual train side grime, then down the warm and stuffy service tunnel, finally alongside the "rescue" train - again a dose of grime.

The rescue train was made up of the standard, large carriages usually used to carry coaches, and the only place to sit was on the grimy floor. People milled around, wondering what was to be next.

There were occasional inaudible weak female Tannoy announcements, drowned out by the general rumblings from the customers. Junior Eurotunnel staff proffered more water, but no information.

The disabled, some in a pretty poor state, were finally brought to the rescue train by a very solicitous equipage of French firemen.

We waited and waited and were told that the reason for the delay was that there were still people in the old train who had not understood the instructions - all foreigners, and not surprising since all the instructions has been in English.

At 22.06 "Eurotunnel apologises for the basic facilities on board, this is the quickest way to transport you to the Fench (sic) Terminal"

 

FRANCE!! We'd been told that we were going to England - still, they might be laying on some food and perhaps the use of a lavatory that did not resemble a cess-pit.

Ah, no, we would not be stopping, however briefly.

The train sets off at snail's pace - elf'n sayfty, cos the train isn't suitable for carrying passengers (again, no **** Sherlock) and I get another text at 22.46 "Dear Customer, Your (sic) are now moving towards the UK. On arrival you will be met by members of the Eurotunnel management team"

We were still heading to France.

 

We now started thinking about the problems of efficiently getting the 5-600 persons back to their vehicles, assuming that the train had been extracted. It was clear the ET management had not even considered it and the passengers were distributed at random in the rescue train

An announcement came over the Tannoy "You will be met by a fleet of coaches to reunite you with your vehicle"

Eh! how would that work? We had been told that the old train would be on the adjoining platform, so where were these coaches going?

The train is now going at a reasonable speed to England, but nobody had a clue how this would work out.

 

At midnight, we were met at Folkstone, not by coaches, nor even the promised Eurotunnel management, but by a squad of Kent police - presumably to prevent us from lynching the said management.

 

The old train with our cars was at least there, but with the doors still locked shut,

We milled around somewhat longer, then someone found the key and we started getting into our cars, hampering others trying to get past us to theirs. A disabled lady hopped her way through - no French firemen now.

Eventually the whole sorry lot of us were able to start our engines and leave.

 

I don't think that any lives were lost, but a lot of small children and dogs had their day's routines disrupted, and I missed out on my dinner

[oowee]

Thx for posting. A sorry state of affairs by the sound of it. Unfortunately the stuff does brake down fortunately not so often. All the worst when all as you want to do is get home and probably already tired. Not sure what else they could do?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Sod that for day out!

[malkiserow]

Sorry to hear this for you and your good lady.

 

Clearly there are folk who have long thought that we should have put a bit of a slope in the tunnel towards France so we can use it as a sewer overflow from Kent.

Edited July 1, 2016 by malkiserow

[geordieh]

That will teach you. Moral of the story, stay away from France LOL

[amateur]

Thx for posting. A sorry state of affairs by the sound of it. Unfortunately the stuff does brake down fortunately not so often. All the worst when all as you want to do is get home and probably already tired. Not sure what else they could do?

 

Yes, one accepts that things occasionally break down, but

 

1. There ought to be a coherent plan for train evacuation and passenger information management - the Tannoy announcements were either inaudible or amateurish and in English only. A pre-recorded multi-language tape on efficient evacuation procedures would have helped.
2. There were no facilities for the evacuation of the disabled at all
3. Had passengers been asked to group together by carriage number on the rescue train, and re-joined the stricken train together, the subsequent unloading of the cars would have been much, much quicker.
4. There was no evidence of anyone managing the situation at all. The younger train personnel were friendly, patted the dogs and dished out the water, but did not have a clue about what was happening. The "team leaders" just avoided doing anything apart from squawking into their walkie-talkies - certainly avoided eye contact and communication with passengers.
5. Although we had been stuck 5 hours before we had got on to the rescue train and most people had not eaten, there was no food available on the train. In fact, all Eurotunnel did was had someone thrusting baskets of sweets at us at Folkestone, some 2 hours later.
6. There was no provision for children at all.

 

That will teach you. Moral of the story, stay away from France LOL

 

The only evidence of any displays of professionalism came from the French firemen, whose care of the disabled, some of whom required oxygen and drips, was exemplary.

 

It amused some of us to note, however, that the trains are French made

 

Sod that for day out!

 

No, we were on the last leg of a long drive from the French Riviera. I'd just driven from Burgundy that day.

Edited July 1, 2016 by amateur

[oowee]

I hope you are going to make a formal complaint with your points, its the only way they learn.

On flight back from Africa in May the cabin crew did not do proper procedures and I made a complaint. Took some time but I hope the messages get through.

[amateur]

I hope you are going to make a formal complaint with your points, its the only way they learn.

On flight back from Africa in May the cabin crew did not do proper procedures and I made a complaint. Took some time but I hope the messages get through.

 

I certainly will

[amateur]

Well, the good news is that Eurotunnel have refunded our fare and offered a free return trip valid up to June next year.

 

Would it be churlish to send them my dry-cleaning bill due to the filthy state of their tunnels and trains?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Not at all!

[malkiserow]

Well, the good news is that Eurotunnel have refunded our fare and offered a free return trip valid up to June next year.

 

Would it be churlish to send them my dry-cleaning bill due to the filthy state of their tunnels and trains?

 

 

Excellent outcome ........ now you have that, go back about your soiled brogues

[ditchman]

for many years i used to take BA077 to Niarobi.....and we all know what the safety brief was like....i used to get board with it and i got to know the stewardesses quite well...when it came to the bit when they tell you to put the seat belt on and bend forward and put your head tween your knees cause we are going to crash.........i couldnt resist saying...quite loudly ...."say it like it is..we are going to crash so bend down and kiss your bum goodbye"...

 

big roar of laughter............needless to say i got lunch last !!!

[flynny]

Fly and get a hire car or get a ferry, lol lol

 

**** being stuck in a tunnel under the sea,

 

 

Sounds like a reet jolly day out,

 

Flynny

[Jaymo]

Well, the good news is that Eurotunnel have refunded our fare and offered a free return trip valid up to June next year.

 

Would it be churlish to send them my dry-cleaning bill due to the filthy state of their tunnels and trains?

 

So, shall I make sure the car is serviced for then :-)

 

Was going to text you this evening as I thought you were only setting of yesterday?

[amateur]

So, shall I make sure the car is serviced for then :-)

 

Was going to text you this evening as I thought you were only setting of yesterday?

 

Thanks, Jay for the fun day out last week. Is the car up and running now?

[Jaymo]

Collect it on Monday- all being well?

Then the fun and games will begin over settling the bill

[Catamong]

This is now sadly a typical day with Eurotunnel, as I am typing this I am stuck in a delayed queue to board a Shuttle train.

 

The rolling stock is now over 20 years old and completely knackered, breakdowns and delays are commonplace,

 

The quickest way to cross the Channel is now via the ferry.

 

Cat