Crossrail tunnel boring machine (TBM) Elizabeth has broken through into the Canary Wharf station box, marking a major milestone in the project’s tunnelling works beneath the capital.
TBMs Elizabeth and Victoria were launched from the Limmo site in east London late last year and have gradually been making their way under the River Lea to Canary Wharf.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Many thought it would never happen, it seemed almost unimaginable. But now, with the arrival of this gigantic tunnelling machine in the heart of Canary Wharf, grubby with mud and rubble, we can be in no doubt it’s on its way.
“This new railway is adding vital new capacity to our transport network and creating thousands of jobs all over the UK. It is the perfect example of how investment in London benefits the entire country.”
Elizabeth will undergo maintenance before continuing tunnelling works.
