Crossrail TBMs will be manufactured in Germany

Date: 17/5/2011

Work on the UK's Crossrail project continues apace, with a company in Germany being announced as the manufacturer of the six tunnel boring machines (TBM) that will be used in its construction.

Herrenknecht AG will deliver the first two pieces of equipment in early 2012, where they will be launched at the Royal Oak Portal and used on the tunnels running to the west.

Limmo Peninsula will receive its two TBMs in the middle of next year to commence work on the eastern-running tunnels while two more of the apparatus will be sent to Stepney Green in the latter part of 2012.

It is estimated that at least seven TBMs will be required in total for the project and each is likely to be responsible for ten individual tunnel drives to build channels measuring six metres in diameter for the trains to pass through.

Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said: "This is an exciting step forward for the Crossrail project, which will revolutionise rail travel in the capital, create thousands of new jobs and deliver real benefits to the London and UK economies."

This week has also seen structural building work on the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy reach completion.

At least 3,500 people will be trained at the facility in order to work on Crossrail.

Posted by Mary Treen