Crossrail Tunnelling: Completion of running tunnels in Docklands & southeast London

Описание: Crossrail's Programme Director, Simon Wright gives an overview of the tunnelling milestones reached so far and the challenges that lie ahead.

Crossrail’s train tunnels in Docklands and southeast London are now structurally complete, following the breakthrough by tunnel machine Ellie at Victoria Dock Portal in east London.

Tunnel machine Elizabeth has started the final push west from Whitechapel that will see her and sister machine Victoria complete Crossrail’s train tunnels at Farringdon next year.

Tunnel machine Ellie had one of Crossrail’s shortest but most complex drives, 900m from Limmo Peninsula, near Canning Town, to Victoria Dock Portal. Ellie successfully navigated the Docklands Light Railway, Jubilee line and utilities, all in close proximity to the River Thames and River Lea. She completes a set of Crossrail tunnels in east and southeast London that stretch from Plumstead to Whitechapel, with an additional spur between Stepney Green and Stratford.

It is Ellie’s second drive, having already completed a 2.7km stretch from Pudding Mill Lane to Stepney Green. She will now be dismantled and returned to manufacturer Herrenknecht, with the parts recycled for future projects.

Tunnel machine Elizabeth is 60% through Crossrail’s longest drive, a distance of 8.3km from Limmo to Farringdon. She has already successfully negotiated Canary Wharf Crossrail station and Stepney Green cavern, before waiting in Whitechapel ahead of the completion of a shaft beneath Durward Street. The drive to Farringdon will reach the deepest point on the Crossrail route, approximately 40m beneath street level near the Barbican in the City of London.

Each of Crossrail’s eight tunnel boring machines weighs 1,000 tonnes, is up to 150 metres long and 7.1-metres in diameter. They are staffed by teams of 20 working around the clock. Crossrail’s eastern tunnels are built by Dragados Sisk Joint Venture.

Crossrail’s eight tunnel boring machines are undertaking 10 separate drives to construct a total of 42km of tunnel. Crossrail began tunnelling in May 2012 when the first tunnel machine, Phyllis, launched from Royal Oak in west London. Six of Crossrail’s eight tunnel machines have now completed their journeys under London.

For more information visit:
http://www.crossrail.co.uk

Video released in 2014