Channel Sleepers

To Julius Caesar, St. Augustine of Canterbury, William the Conqueror and almost everyone else through the ages who has traveled between England and the Continent, the English Channel has been an annoying journey. This week marks a partial end of that ancient inconvenience. It is now possible to board a train in London, go to sleep, and wake next morning in Paris, as one of three big train-ferries carries the whole train across the 50 rough miles of water from Dover to Dunkirk.

Train ferries are not new. On the Channel, they were first tried during the War for freight only. The new passenger service required the building not only of new ferries, but of new railway cars. The cars are smaller than standard, to take up less room aboard ship, which also carries a garage. Although the ferries can accommodate twelve sleeping cars on four tracks, the first train tried on the run was made of only four cars. It left Paris at 11:30 p. m.. reached Victoria Station next morning. Cost of first class ticket: $27.30.

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