Rear end of Le shuttle, cars being loaded, the first door leads upstairs and the second downstairs. On arrival you simply drive straight through the train and out at the front side exit.There are 38 locomotives in total, one at each end of a train and the pair are capable of working trains up to 2400 tonnes at speeds of up to 140kph over gradients as steep as 1 in 90 in atmospheric conditions that can change from freezing, outside the tunnel, to hot with 100% humidity inside.They are able to run on the continental railways, without the wagons, and were endurance tested in the Czech Republic.The drivers were recruited from a wide selection of people and trained by the best methods available. They must speak English and French. Their ranks include several women.

Inside a double decked shuttle.The lighting does not show correctly on this photograph, as it was taken without flash. It is actually much brighter. The doors are just being closed. You can see the left doors and also the yellow saftey barrier has been raised. On my recent trip these yellow barriers have been replaced by rubber bumpers on the dividing doors. This has also enabled the deck to be smoother and should allow cars with a lower chassis to board without fear of grounding. When the left and right doors are closed a shutter comes down to complete the closure.

The single decked shuttles are for vehicles over 1.8 metres high. Flash photography is NOT allowed, hence the yellow hue instead of white. Notice the vast amount of room inside.

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