61.   In April, the parent company of Connex won a franchise to run trains on another privatised rail line, Network SouthCentral.

62.   But London and Continental will be given ownership of the British arm of Eurostar, European Passenger Services, which runs high-speed trains from London to Paris and Brussels.

63.   Virgin is also a partner in the London Continental Railways consortium which runs Eurostar trains through the Channel tunnel from London to Paris and Brussels.

64.   LTS had been due to start running its trains Sunday as well.

65.   Operations executive Alain Bertrand told the paper that Eurotunnel would be asking for authorisation to run the trains by the end of the week.

66.   The consortium also runs Eurostar trains through the tunnel from London to Paris and Brussels .