High Speed 1

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act is passed by British parliament.

The Channel Tunnel Act receives Royals Assent. Waterloo is identified as England's first international train terminal.

King's Cross is chosen as second terminal by British Rail to provide additional capacity to cope with Channel Tunnel trains.

Four potential routes are identified by British Rail.

The UK government decides to involve the private sector and six consortia are invited to tender for a BOT scheme.

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link Team is set up within British Rail.

British Rail chooses the preferred corridor.

The Government decides on an alternative route developped by Ove Arup & Partners using an easterly approach.

Public consultation.

The UK Government confirms most of the route and decides on Saint Pancras as the London terminus.

Further public consultations.

Nine bids are received to pre-qualify for a competition to select the private sector BOT promoter for CTRL.

Official opening of the Channel Tunnel.

Four consortia are pre-qualified and invited to tender: Green Arrow (JV of Hochtief, Costain, Nishimatsu, Siemens), Eurorail (BICC, GEC, HSBC Holdings, National Westminster Bank, Seeboard, Trafalgar House); LCR (Arup, Bechtel, Blue Circle, Halcrow, National Express, Virgin, Warburg); Union Link (AEG, WS Atkins, Philipp Holzmann, Mowlem, Spie Batignolles, Taylor Woodrow).

The UK Government announces an intermediate station at Ebbsfleet. The competition is launched to find the BOT consortium to build the CTRL.

Introduction of the CTRL Bill to the House of Commons.

The LCR and Eurorail consortia are shortlisted.

The announcement of the winner is postponed to allow for more time to review and revise bids.

The Channel Tunnel Treaty is signed by Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterand.

The UK Government and the LCR consortium sign the contract to design, build, finance and operate the CTRL. Ownership of European Passenger Services Ltd, the UK arm of the Eurostar train operations, is transferred to LCR.

The CTRL bill receives Royal Assent.

Creation of the Rail Link Engineering (RLE) consortium.

First tenders are issued.

Begins of advance works diverting 15 km of electricity cables und der the A2 near near Gravesend (Kent).

Construction of Section 1 begins.

Contract 420 for mid-Kent section is awarded to Hochtief/Norwest Holst, valued at around 85 million pounds.

Systemwide constact 570 (valued at 120 million pounds) for design and supply of track, overhead lins and electrical and mechanical systems for Section 1 is awarded to AMEC Spie Rail Systems.

The last contract for Section 1 - systemwide contract 550 valued at 56 million pounds - is awarded to the CCA consortium made up of CSEE Transport, Corning Communications and Amey Rail. The contract is to procure, install, test and commission the signalling, train control and communication systems.

Bridge House, a 16th century listed timber-framed house, is moved sideways (55 meters) to a new location away from the alignment of the CTRL route.

Construction of Section 2 begins.

First major contracts are awarded for Section 2. Contract 230 is awarded to Skanska Construction UK, Contract 320 to Hochtief and J Murphy & Sons.

Contracts 135, 220, 240 and 250 are awarded.

First dedicated tracks are laid at Fawkham Junction (Kent).

Completion of North Downs Tunnel, 5 months ahead of schedule and 5 million pounds below budget.

Groundbreaking for Section 2 by Transport Minister John Spellar in Stratford.

Saint Pancras extension, contract 105, is awarded. The contract is later combined with no. 108.

Contract 342 worth 120 million pounds is awarded. It covers the construction of 3.5 km of the CTRL between Thames Tunnel and Section 1 interface at Pepper Hill.

Contract 588 for the mechanical and electrical systems of Section 2 is awarded.

Track and overhead catenary systems contract 576 is awarded to ACT Joint Venture.

Carillion Rail is awarded the first maintenance contract M01 for Section 1.

Tender invitations are sent out for contracts 232 and 340 which include the Stratford and Ebbsfleet stations, respectively.

Section 1 is energized. The overhead current of 25 000 Volts powers the trains between Fawkham Junction and Channel Tunnel.

The Camden Council transport depot (contract 125) is opened.

The UK rail an speed record is broken by a Eurostar train reaching 334.7 km/h on Section 1.

Opening of the first section to regular train traffic.

Testing to begin on Section 2.

Construction of Section 2 complete.