19.11.13
‘Phyllis’ completes first Crossrail tunnel
The first Crossrail train tunnel under London has been completed, with stunning new photographs unveiled.
The tunnel boring machine (TBM) ‘Phyllis’ has now travelled 6.8km from Royal Oak to Farringdon. Another three TBMs are due to complete tunnelling in the coming year.
Chief secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander MP, after a tour of the site, said: “This first tunnel is a key milestone in the journey towards a better transport network in London. Crossrail will transform the way people travel, slashing journey times from the City to Heathrow by around 30 minutes and increasing London's rail capacity by 10%. Anyone who travels in London knows Crossrail can’t come soon enough and today shows that the project is on track to open in 2018.
Commercial secretary to the Treasury Lord Deighton added: “Big projects bring big rewards and Crossrail is another excellent example of the UK delivering on time and on budget to create world-leading infrastructure that will drive our economy. The project will create the equivalent of 55,000 new jobs, support thousands of business and produce lasting benefits for the whole country through the supply chain.
“With 90% of contracts going to UK firms and 62% outside London, it is a model that projects should be looking to follow so that we get the infrastructure the UK needs to compete in the global race.”
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The completion of the first section of Crossrail tunnel is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved in delivering this landmark infrastructure project. As well as creating thousands of jobs in the capital and across the UK, it is sending out a very strong message that London is planning for the future and delivering on a scheme that will revolutionise rail travel in our great city.”
Crossrail chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “Crossrail has finished construction of its first section of tunnel, showing that the UK can deliver big projects on time and on budget. In the process we are creating a new generation of tunnellers, with many of them training at the new £13m Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in east London, providing skills for not only Crossrail but future infrastructure projects. We have also helped more than 750 people move from unemployment into work.”
Photos copyright Crossrail Ltd, more available here: www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/crossrail-reveals-first-completed-train-tunnel
To see RTM’s extensive coverage of the Crossrail project, see here: www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Crossrail
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