Tunnelling machine Elizabeth has broken through into the new Canary Wharf station box 28m below ground, marking a key staging post in the massive tunnel drive under London.
Crossrail Chief Executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “The entire Crossrail project is now more than a third complete. We are on track to deliver Europe’s biggest construction project on time and on budget.”
The project is now moving into the peak of construction between now and 2015.
The TBM will now undergo maintenance inside the Canary Wharf station box before resuming tunnelling towards central London. Sister machine Victoria is due to breakthrough into the station in the next few weeks.
Crossrail’s eastern tunnelling machines, named Elizabeth and Victoria, were launched from the Limmo site near Canning Town towards the end of last year to drive just over 5 miles of tunnels from east London to Farringdon – Crossrail’s longest tunnel section.
A marathon-equivalent 26 mile section of tunnels beneath central London will be built in total for Crossrail.
Over the past six months, both machines have been working round the clock to create the first section of new tunnels beneath the River Lea and east London towards the new Canary Wharf Crossrail station.
Tunnelling machine Elizabeth was the first to arrive and has now broken through into the huge Canary Wharf station box 28 metres underground – view the breakthrough moment here.
Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said: “This Government knows that by investing in transport projects like Crossrail we are investing in Britain. Over the past few years Crossrail has let contracts worth more than £6bn, more than half going to small and medium-sized businesses, which are supporting jobs across the country.
“Furthermore, through innovative schemes like the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy, Crossrail is providing thousands of people with new skills that will not only help transform the capital’s transport network but will allow this country to compete on a global stage for years to come.”
Progress report
- Crossrail’s construction kicked-off on the 15 May 2009 with the start of work on Canary Wharf station.
- The western TBMs Phyllis and Ada have reached Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street respectively.
- In south-east London, Sophia has reached the Woolwich station box with sister machine Mary now underway from Plumstead.
- Over 8,000 workers at more than 40 construction sites across London and the southeast
- More than 7½ miles of tunnels built so far
- Nearly 200 apprentices employed on the Crossrail project
- Refurbishment well underway at the 135-year-old Connaught Tunnel under the Royal Docks
- Work underway to create a new 1,500 acre nature reserve at Wallasea Island in Essex using excavated material from Crossrail’s tunnelling programme
Key milestones ahead
- Completion of the first Crossrail tunnels by the end of 2013 – the 6km western section between Royal Oak and Farringdon
- Crossrail’s final two TBMs launched later this year to begin further tunnelling work in Pudding Mill Lane, east London
