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Another major milestone ahead of Silvertown Tunnel tunnelling was achieved earlier this month, with the lowering of the first elements of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) into the launch chamber.
The first element to be lowered down was part of the TBM shield, followed by the 250t main drive of the TBM. Using a 600t crawler with a super lift, a four-point lifting and set down operation was undertaken.
Each lift takes approximately two hours to achieve and around 20 lifting operations will be required to fully lower all the parts into the launch chamber. Throughout the next month, the Silvertown tunnelling team will continue to lift parts into the launch chamber before final sign-off and start of tunnelling later this summer.
The TBM for the project is the largest diameter machine to be used in the UK and the front section alone weighs 1,200t. It passed the factory acceptance test successfully in December 2021 and since arriving in pieces to site has been prepared ahead of final assembly within the launch chamber.
Work is being undertaken by the Riverlinx CJV – a joint venture between Bam Nuttall, Ferrovial Construction and SK Ecoplant.
Following an internal competition among Transport for London (TfL) and Riverlinx employees, the TBM will be named Jill in honour of Jill Viner - the first female bus driver to drive a London bus in June 1974.
Riverlinx CJV project director Juan Angel Martinez said: “It gives me and the whole team an enormous sense of pride to have reached this important milestone for the Silvertown Tunnel project.
"There has been a lot of hard work involved to get us to this point, and the achievements so far are a great example of what collaboration and excellent teamwork can deliver.”
TfL Silvertown Tunnel head of delivery Helen Wright added: “The start of final assembly of the TBM within the launch chamber is a major milestone for the Silvertown Tunnel project as we prepare for the start of tunnelling later this year.
"I’m delighted that we will be naming the TBM after Jill Viner – a fitting name given how the tunnel will radically improve bus access across the river at this location.”
The Silvertown Tunnel involves the construction of a twin-bore road tunnel providing a new connection between the A102 Blackwall Tunnel Approach on Greenwich Peninsula, and the Tidal Basin Roundabout junction on the A1020 Lower Lea Crossing/Silvertown Way.
In May the Riverlinx CJV successfully placed the tunnel eye in its final position. The tunnel eye will guide the TBM as it makes the first drive on the start of its journey beneath the River Thames, towards Greenwich.
The launch chamber for the TBM has already been excavated ahead of tunnelling. Parts for the TBM started to arrive on site in London shortly before Christmas.
Despite efforts to use sustainable construction methods, the tunnel has caused controversy since its inception with opponents claiming that its construction will lead to higher levels of pollution in the area. In April last year, a group of 52 academics and campaigners called for an “emergency review” to be carried out to determine if the East London project is in line with the UK’s climate change objectives.
Riverlinx and TfL have, however, vowed to carry out the construction of the tunnel as sustainably as possible. Riverlinx has hired Keltbray to run its environmental services contract to ensure that sustainable construction techniques are being implemented onsite.
Keltbray has already begun removing construction waste from the Silvertown Tunnel project by barge as part of the contract. Barges will transport at least 55%t of all beneficial reuse excavated materials associated with the project by river, considerably reducing the total number of lorry movements.
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