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Crossrail tunnelling machines inch forward deep under central London Crossrail tunnelling machines inch forward deep under central London
(about 2 hours later)
In less than six years' time, 1,500 passengers will be whizzed through this dank space every five minutes. For now, a small locomotive pulls a few workmen, vats of grout and grease, pieces of tunnel wall and the Guardian down the growing tunnel from Westbourne Park in west London to the dead end 1.5 miles away. Amid the rattle and roar and the condensation dripping down in the gloom 30 metres (100ft) below Hyde Park near Speaker's Corner, a welcome glow finally appears ahead. It can only be Phyllis. In less than six years' time, 1,500 passengers will be whizzed through this dank space every five minutes. For now, a small locomotive pulls a few workmen, vats of grout and grease, pieces of tunnel wall and the Guardian down the growing tunnel from Westbourne Park in west London to the dead end 1.5 miles away. Amid the rattle and roar and the condensation dripping down in the gloom 30 metres (100ft) below Hyde Park near Speaker's Corner, a welcome glow finally appears ahead. It can only be Phyllis.
Phyllis is the name Crossrail gave to the first of its 148-metre-long, state-of-the-art boring machines to be put into action under London. This moving factory, carrying up to 20 miners and engineers, cuts through the earth and lines tunnel walls while spitting out London clay and laying new track beneath for works trains to pull up inside with more materials. At the front, the job is noisy, dirty and reserved for the most experienced workers. Every 160cm of excavation sees a new ring of tunnel wall created by an arm of the machine that sucks up the 3.5-tonne concrete segments and clicks them into place. Phyllis is the name Crossrail gave to the first of its 148-metre-long, state-of-the-art boring machines to be put into action under London. This moving factory, carrying up to 20 miners and engineers, cuts through the earth and lines tunnel walls while spitting out London clay and laying new track beneath for works trains to pull up inside with more materials. At the front, the job is noisy, dirty and reserved for the most experienced workers. Every 160cm of excavation results in a new ring of tunnel wall created by an arm of the machine that sucks up the 3.5-tonne concrete segments and clicks them into place.
A controller, monitoring an array of panels for utmost precision, uses a small joystick to start inching the cutting edge forward again, its hydraulic arms pushing off from the newly added tunnel wall.A controller, monitoring an array of panels for utmost precision, uses a small joystick to start inching the cutting edge forward again, its hydraulic arms pushing off from the newly added tunnel wall.
The scene is replicated day and night on four other monster machines across London, with three more to follow. Eventually they will dig out enough earth to fill Wembley stadium three times over. Crossrail, for decades the kind of far-off, controversial project that high-speed rail scheme HS2 appears today, is now unquestionably here, its stations and tunnels being hollowed out beneath Londoners' feet.The scene is replicated day and night on four other monster machines across London, with three more to follow. Eventually they will dig out enough earth to fill Wembley stadium three times over. Crossrail, for decades the kind of far-off, controversial project that high-speed rail scheme HS2 appears today, is now unquestionably here, its stations and tunnels being hollowed out beneath Londoners' feet.
The £14.8bn project, a 73-mile stretch of track with 25 miles of tunnel, will bring commuter trains under the heart of the capital along a west-east axis linking Heathrow to the West End, the City and beyond. Next month, the tunnelling machines will reach Canary Wharf, where tower block construction has recently impeded the view from the 26th-floor office of Crossrail's chief executive, Andrew Wolstenholme.The £14.8bn project, a 73-mile stretch of track with 25 miles of tunnel, will bring commuter trains under the heart of the capital along a west-east axis linking Heathrow to the West End, the City and beyond. Next month, the tunnelling machines will reach Canary Wharf, where tower block construction has recently impeded the view from the 26th-floor office of Crossrail's chief executive, Andrew Wolstenholme.
He stresses that Crossrail will also change the landscape above as well as below ground: "This is more than a railway."He stresses that Crossrail will also change the landscape above as well as below ground: "This is more than a railway."
And he doesn't just mean the new offices, buildings and miniature parks planned above the stations from Bond Street to Canary Wharf when he speaks of the project being transformative for London.And he doesn't just mean the new offices, buildings and miniature parks planned above the stations from Bond Street to Canary Wharf when he speaks of the project being transformative for London.
"There's a huge stimulus. We will be upskilling thousands of people and leaving world-class infrastructure to stimulate long-term growth." Property values, he says, have been raised by £5.5bn along the Crossrail route."There's a huge stimulus. We will be upskilling thousands of people and leaving world-class infrastructure to stimulate long-term growth." Property values, he says, have been raised by £5.5bn along the Crossrail route.
Crossrail is expected to join up with HS2 at a new Old Oak Common interchange when plans for the project are finally approved. It is regarded as the future fast link to Heathrow for high-speed passengers, after plans for a HS2 spur were omitted in the government's announcement last week. Wolstenholme is an HS2 believer but notes: "The advantage we have on Crossrail is that the economic case is very clear and the value to London is well-defined." Crossrail is expected to join up with HS2 at a new Old Oak Common interchange when plans for the project are finally approved. It is regarded as the future fast link to Heathrow for high-speed passengers, after plans for an HS2 spur were omitted in the government's announcement last week. Wolstenholme is an HS2 believer but notes: "The advantage we have on Crossrail is that the economic case is very clear and the value to London is well defined."
Not that it has been without controversy of its own, after protests by electricians made redundant and its association with contractors previously involved in blacklisting. Wolstenholme insists, however, there is "absolutely no evidence that blacklisting has occurred at Crossrail, and that is the way it will stay". He highlights the Target Zero campaign in response to safety concerns and says that the refuges created on the tunnelling machines – designed to seat 20 people for 24 hours with their own air supply in case of fire – is an example of setting a new industry standard. Not that it has been without controversy of its own, after protests by electricians made redundant and its association with contractors previously involved in blacklisting. Wolstenholme insists, however, there is "absolutely no evidence that blacklisting has occurred at Crossrail, and that is the way it will stay". He highlights the Target Zero campaign in response to safety concerns and says that the refuges created on the tunnelling machines – designed to seat 20 people for 24 hours with their own air supply in case of fire – is an example of setting a new industry standard.
The scheme may reignite broader political controversy over manufacturing again in March when the shortlist of bidders for the contract to build the trains is cut from four companies to two – very possibly leaving Siemens and Bombardier to face off as they did for the £1.4bn Thameslink contract that saw the latter's Derbyshire plant lose out, putting 1,600 British jobs at risk. The scheme may reignite broader political controversy over manufacturing again in March when the shortlist of bidders for the contract to build the trains is cut from four companies to two – very possibly leaving Siemens and Bombardier to face off as they did for the £1.4bn Thameslink contract when the latter's Derbyshire plant lost out, putting 1,600 British jobs at risk.
Crossrail is not due to be fully operational in central London until December 2018, but the campaign for Crossrail Two, a similar north-south addition to London's transport network, is already growing. On Tuesday the business group London First will be backed by mayor Boris Johnson and the man who started HS2, Lord Adonis, in unveiling proposals to build a new line running through Chelsea and Hackney and beyond – a possible answer to how Euston might deal with the headache HS2's arriving passengers will bring. Even with swift support, however, the route is unlikely to become a reality in the next two decades. Crossrail is not due to be fully operational in central London until December 2018, but the campaign for Crossrail Two, a similar north-south addition to London's transport network, is already growing. On Tuesday the business group London First will be backed by mayor Boris Johnson and the man who started HS2, Lord Adonis, in announcing proposals to build a new line running through Chelsea and Hackney and beyond – a possible answer to how Euston might deal with the headache HS2's arriving passengers will bring. Even with swift support, however, the route is unlikely to become a reality in the next two decades. Phyllis, though, will have done her work by the end of the year, when she reaches Farringdon station. After more than a mile of tunnelling, she is only 20mm off course. "That's world-class engineering," says Wolstenholme. "And she'll come back into line."
Phyllis though will have done her work by the end of the year, when she reaches Farringdon station. After more than a mile of tunnelling, she is just 20mm off course. "That's world-class engineering," says Wolstenholme. "And she'll come back into line."