This article discusses the lighting of the British Terminal of the Channel Tunnel, at Cheriton near Folkestone. The terminal is about two miles long and three quarters of a mile wide, and it is crossed by main roads, service roads, parking areas, sidings, ramps, platforms, and a cut-and-cover tunnel. Thus the lighting requirements were very varied. They used conventional lighting according to British Standard BS5489, and the recommendations of the Council of Illumination Engineers (CIE). To reduce the lights' effect on the environment, the lighting design had to minimise spill light and glare. Several unique features of the site required unconventional lighting solutions. To meet very strict safety requirements, the lighting scheme and controls were designed for the most pessimistic emergencies. The article outlines electrical aspects, lighting and column design, and general requirements for site conditions, luminaires, road lighting and maintenance. It gives details of the special design solutions developed for: (1) overbridges; (2) ramps; (3) platforms; (4) the cut-and-cover tunnel; (5) stabling sidings; and (6) emergency sidings.
Abstract