18 November 1963: The Dartford Tunnel opens

On this day in 1963, the long-awaited Dartford Tunnel under the Thames opened. It cost £13m and was nearly a mile long.

The toll gate at the entrance of the Dartford Tunnel
Driving through the tunnel would set you back two shillings and six pence
(Image credit: © Harry Todd/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Travel back in time to 18 November 1963, to just before midday, when the newly excavated tunnel beneath the Thames at Dartford was to open, and you'll probably see a sight not unlike that you'd see today: a queue of cars waiting impatiently to go through it. There would, however, be one very telling difference: the 1963 traffic jam was made up of drivers who actually wanted to be there. In fact, they had been there for two hours before the grand opening.

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

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