Crossrail have released another batch of photos related to their current tunnelling operations. Interestingly, these seem to focus more on activites beyond the main tunnel drives than the previous batch. It includes, for example, photos of Sophia – the first of Crossrail’s Slurry TBMs – and both Crossrail’s Thames Tunnel and Cable Tunnels at Liverpool Street. The pick of these images are included below. Tunnel Segments at Plumstead Sophia, one of two Slurry TBMs, at Plumstead Crossrail’s Thames Tunnel Digging … Continued

Although we have had a lot to say about the Thameslink Programme over the past few months news on the construction front has gone very quiet. There is a small amount of residual work at Blackfriars station that seems to be taking forever but is rumoured to be due to be completed by this June. Apart from that there has been an apparent lack of activity. In truth an awful lot has been going on at London Bridge but, because … Continued

The intention was to hold off from writing another article about Thameslink until the routes involved were finally decided. Our article in 2011 was rather speculative due to lack of decision making and definite information on decisions that have been made. It was felt at the time we would steer clear of an update until details were finalised which we thought would be fairly soon. We are nearly two years further on and to some extent the situation is unchanged. … Continued

To most Londoners, Crossrail remains hidden – at least as long as works aren’t inconveniencing a daily commute. The dock north of Canary Wharf has now been filled in by a beehive of workers, but the serious work of tunnelling and station building is largely hidden out of sight. 2013, however, arguably represents the point at which Crossrail’s visible profile will begin to climb, and so as the year opens this seems a good opportunity to take a look at the project again. In the first part of this series, we will therefore resort to a tried-and-trusted LR staple – the aerial photo

In Part 1 of this series we saw how and why the Tanners Hill Flydown came into existence. We also reported on the apparent need to double it in advance of enhanced Thameslink services, and the desire to do the work before major Thameslink construction at London Bridge commenced, during which fewer platforms would be in use at London Bridge. In July 2011 Balfour Beatty was awarded the contract to carry out the work. Work at the site started in … Continued

Our original plan was to write a piece on St Johns station. This would conclude with a short section on the work carried out over the Christmas holidays on the Tanners Hill Flydown. Like many plans produced by the London Reconnections Planning Committee this plan fell apart when events overtook us. Over the past few months Unravelled, LR’s “photographer-in-chief,” has been documenting the recent major railway engineering changes happening to the area just to the south of St Johns station, … Continued