By Lynda Myer
Following break through of the TBM on the north side of the Thames River, digging process for London’s Silvertown Tunnel has been completed.
In September 2022, Newham was the commissioning location of this Herrenknecht machine, which has 11.91 diameter and is the largest TBM to be used in the UK. The 1.1km southbound journey of TBM Jill finished five months later, reaching Greenwich on February 15 this year.
In order to rotating the sections of the TBM in the reception chamber before it was reconfigured and reassembled to bore the northbound bore to Newham, at Greenwich, the Riverlinx JV used nitrogen skates. Also the air cushion system was developed by Herrenknecht and its partners.
According to Helen Wright, head of the Silvertown Tunnel program at Transport for London (TfL): “The TBM had arrived at Newham. The main tunneling works at Silvertown are now completed, which once open will support growth in the local area, provide new public transport connections across the river via zero-emission bus routes and address the chronic issues Londoners face at the Blackwall Tunnel. We remain committed to delivering this project with minimal impact to those living, working and visiting the local area and the project remains on target to be completed in 2025.”
Connecting Newham on the north of the Thames to the Greenwich Peninsula on the south side, the twin-bore Silvertown Tunnel is going to ease congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel.
Riverlinx JV comprises BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Construction and SK ecoplant.
