Canal Tunnels

Canal Tunnels

Canal Tunnels northern entrance at Belle Isle Junction prior to opening
Overview
Line	East Coast Main Line
Location	Belle Island junction–Canal junction
Coordinates	51°32′22″N 0°07′36″W / 51.5395°N 0.1266°W / 51.5395; -0.1266
OS grid reference	TQ 30404 84602
Status	Original bore: operational Second bore: operational
System	National Rail
Start	Original bore: 2004 (2004) Second bore: 2004
No. of stations	None
Operation
Constructed	TBM
Owner	Network Rail
Operator	Thameslink
Technical
Design engineer	Tunnels: Halcrow Group for Rail Link Engineering; Fit-Out: Arup
Length	820 m (2,690 ft)
No. of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrified	25 kV 50 Hz AC
Width	6 m (20 ft)
Route map
[1]

The Canal Tunnels are a pair of single track railway tunnels in north London which connect the East Coast Main Line to the Thameslink route at London St Pancras International. Their name comes from the Regent's Canal, which they pass closely beneath.^[2]

Constructed as one element of the overarching Thameslink Programme, the Canal Tunnels enabled trains to travel directly from Peterborough and Cambridge to St Pancras, along with numerous other stations in London, Gatwick Airport and down to Brighton and Horsham. They were constructed between 2004 and 2006, while fitting-out was performed between 2013 and 2014. The first services were run through the Canal Tunnels during February 2018, while its official opening occurred three months later. The Canal Tunnels run from Belle Isle Junction, north of London King's Cross, to Canal Junction.^[3][1]