The Kent manufacturer produces bespoke precast concrete segments to very tight tolerances, which fit together to form tunnel rings.

The order for the Morgan Sindall, Balfour Beatty and BAM Nuttall joint venture is for 4,086 precast concrete tunnel rings, which are 7.1m in diameter and will line 6.95 kilometres of the tunnel.

The Ridham team will produce 50 tunnel rings a week, and consists of 45 people working over two shifts.

Production will continue to July 2019, providing local employment opportunities.

The completed ring segments will be transported by road to a local dock then by barge along the River Thames direct to the Tideway Carnwath Road Riverside work site in south west London.

Other major projects recently completed by the factory include the production of 4,000 rings for the 7.8m diameter Lee Tunnel project in London, and 3,300 rings of 5.5m diameter for the Northern Line Extension in Battersea.

David Hicks, senior operations manager at the Ridham Precast Facility, said: “This is an important order for Ridham, giving two years of work for the factory.

“We look forward to a successful partnership with Thames Tideway and the joint venture on this high-profile project.”