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| The Launch of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link |
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September saw Fisher Productions involved with one of the most logistically challenging events ever staged in the UK.
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From building a Temporary Station to creating innovative graphics delivering the key messages, Fisher ensured it was a memorable event.
To launch the first section of the new high speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Eurostar wanted to produce an event that would ‘wow’ the guests and create a frenzy of media interest. Fisher Productions joined Moving Venue Management (MVM) from the pitch stage through to the delivery of the event, providing all the production elements.
The brief behind the event was fourfold: acknowledgement of the opening; to increase the profile of the companies involved; to highlight the success of the public-private partnership with the government; and to get across the success of completing the build on time and on budget.
3,800 guests were to be entertained and educated, these included journalists, TV crews and VIPs. The event took place at a number of different locations - Waterloo, Sandling, Ashford and Leeds Castle. At Sandling we built a temporary station where the first rotation of guests were transported from Waterloo for the official launch. Meanwhile, the next rotation of 1,200 guests arrived at Ashford on a series of Eurostar trains from Waterloo, Paris, Lille and Brussels and were then transported via coach to Leeds Castle for a reception, lunch and presentation before being linked up via satellite for the official launch at Sandling.
Fisher Productions faced numerous challenges working at Sandling, right alongside the new line. Building a temporary platform and station involved meeting with engineers, health and safety officials and railway consultants every 2 weeks for 3 months. We could only get equipment to the site by cross loading from trucks onto flatbed locomotives, slowly moving the wagons into position and then unloading between the lines – all done over night once the Eurostar high speed driver training had ceased and the overhead power cables had been isolated. We overcame train driver industrial action, miscommunication between the various railway parties about what we were allowed and not allowed to do – all par for the course, and we were certainly grateful for the time contingency allowed within our schedules!
For the actual unveiling of the train, it was essential they arrived at our temporary station on time with the VIP guests. The 1,200 guests at Leeds Castle witnessed the reveal live via satellite to Sandling with not only the train, but the guests seated and our main speaker, Alastair Darling, ready to reveal the line to the waiting press and audiences in both locations.
At the Leeds Castle site the whole exhibition area was researched and designed by Fisher Productions – it involved much foraging in railway warehouses, and collating of anecdotes from various suppliers on the construction of the line. Stories varied greatly from the providers of all the native saplings planted along the line to the naturalists who relocated bats and dormice from the construction sites!
Fisher spent two months scripting all of the presentations for the 14 speakers, together with shooting and editing all of the show video content.
Each day had a completely different feel – one day was heavily focused on the engineering and the track, the second day was more about Eurostar and travel. We decided to use the Watchout graphics system so that at the push of a button we could change colour and imagery on our 10m wide projection surface. Watchout also gave us a fantastic tool to show beautiful imagery, maps, hero shots of trains and tracks in a large format – it also enabled us to run the show videos within constantly altering moving backgrounds.
Overall the event was deemed to be a huge success by all involved including Eurostar;
“…A marvellous event to celebrate the occasion…”
“…A day with a real buzz of excitement…”
“…A superbly well put on programme…”
These are just some of the responses from guests who attended the event. Internally the results included boosted staff morale, staff retention and increased awareness of the corporate objectives. Externally Eurostar deepened its market share and gained a great deal of publicity through those in attendance. The client is delighted and is already looking to 2007 and the next launch.
CTRL Facts
3800 guests
200 food & beverage staff
65 event co-ordinators
60 chefs
50 technical crew
47 journalists
26 coaches
25 build days
17 TV crews
14 speakers
10 data processors
9 scheduled Eurostars
8 exclusive Eurostars
7 event directors
6 MPs
5 international railway stations
4 hotels
3 countries
2 government ministers
1 castle
…and a Prime Minister
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