By lyndamyer
Due to the tunneling process of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) Annie on Thames Tideway’s final major connection tunnel, tunnelling spoil is currently being transported with barges via Deptord Creek.
The linking tunnel will conjoin Greenwich Pumping Station with the basic 25km super sewer via Chambers Wharf. Previous December was the commencing date of TBM Annie’s 4.5km drive.
For the first time, barges are now leaving the Greenwich site loaded with spoil. Tideway’s river logistics strategy preferred carrying the tunneling spoil from sites by barge in comparison to road transportation.
According to project promoter Tideway, while it has not been possible to transport all dug spoil using barges on the Thames at Greenwich, like it has been at other sites, but it is committed to moving as much as it can on the river. At Greenwich Pumping Station, Tideway said its use of the river will decrease the quantity of lorries required on site by almost 26 per a week.
The material from Tideway’s eastern section, involving Greenwich Pumping Station, is moved by Marine freight specialist Walsh to the Rainham Marshes, where civil engineering firm Land & Water is delivering a wildlife habitat creation scheme along the Thames Corridor. RFS, in a JV with construction materials producer Aggregate Industries, is carrying out all the spoil handling from Tideway sites onto Walsh barges.
While TBM Annie before has crossed Tideway’s site in Deptford and now is driving towards Earl Pumping Station, this station is the final Tideway site before the machine arrives Chambers Wharf in Bermondsey.
The King Edward Memorial Park in Wapping at east London was the location of the latest shaft of the Tideway from 21 shafts and digging of a deep interception chamber at the Falconbrook Pumping Station was also completed.
