Crossrail tunnelling 87% complete

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Crossrail’s tunnelling programme is a step closer to the finish line, with tunnel boring machine (TBM) Ellie completing her part in the £14.8 billion project.

Tunnelling is now 87 per cent complete and the 21-kilometre twin-bored tunnel system is on course to come to an end in early 2015.

Ellie, one of eight TBMs constructing Crossrail’s tunnels, has now completed her second and final drive at Victoria Dock Portal in east London. At the same time, Elizabeth – named after HM Queen Elizabeth II – has begun her final drive from Whitechapel to Farringdon.

In her latest deployment, Ellie, which will now been dismantled and returned to manufacturer Herrenknecht, had to carefully navigate the Docklands Light Railway and the Jubilee line.

Simon Wright, Crossrail’s programme director, said: “The end is in sight for Crossrail’s tunnelling marathon. Having successfully delivered all bored tunnels west of Farringdon and east of Whitechapel, we now begin the final push to complete tunnelling at Farringdon next year.

“The next challenge is to fit out the tunnels and stations with systems to run Crossrail trains through central London in 2018.”

2 COMMENTS

  1. After the completion of the tunnelling. Tracks to be laid and overhead electrification to be erected aswell 3rd rail electrification to be installed and Crossrail to get 65 new Class 345 Bombardier EMU’s. I can not wait to see Crossrail to open in 2018.

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