The tests attracted attention of the governments of Britain and France, and the first railway using the Fell Centre-Rail System was a temporary one built in 1866-67 over the Mont Cenis Pass, the same Mont Cenis that had served as Fell's inspiration. This railway was used from 1868 to 1871, primarily to transport English mail to India as part of the All Red Route. It was replaced by the then in progress Mont Cenis Tunnel after only three years because improvements in tunnelling shortened construction time of the 13.6 kilometre tunnel.