The Channel Tunnel

Trams and cars in our town
Run up and down,
Run up and down.
Stop! Look at the light!
First look at the left,
Second look at the right!

Who told about this idea first?
Who built the tunnel?
Who made plans for the tunnel?

1802
A French engineer tells Napoleon about his idea. He wants to build a tunnel under the sea and link France and England.
Napoleon doesn't like the idea. He wants to fight with England.

1860
A French engineer, Thomas de Gamond and a British engineer, Sir John Hawkshaw make plans for the tunnel.

1880
Digging begins. A two - kilometre tunnel is ready, but work stops.
The First World War begins.

1960
The British and French goverments start a new project.

1975
The governments of France and England close the project. They don't have any money for it.

1980
The project starts again.
A private company gives money for it. The project costs ten billion pounds.

1987
They start work. A British team begins drilling in England and a French team in France. Fifteen thousand workers build the tunnel. The biggest problem for the builders is to meet under the sea.

1994
The British and French builders shake hands under the sea.
The tunnel is ready!