Case Study

Deep-Level Engineering: The Lee Tunnel Beckton

The Lee Tunnel project, valued at £500m, was the first phase of the Thames Tideway upgrade, built to prevent sewage overflow from the Abbey Mills Pumping Station. Working for the Morgan Sindall, VINCI Construction, and Bachy Soletanche (MVB) Joint Venture between 2010 and 2017, Tunnelcraft supported the construction of the deepest tunnel ever bored in London. This ambitious project required navigating complex geology at significant depths, involving both advanced TBM technology and massive shaft construction.

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Client

Thames Water

Main Contractor

Morgan Vinci Bachy

Duration

2010 – 2017

Contract Value

£500m

Overview

The project was driven by a massive 9.2m OD Slurry Shield TBM, specifically designed to handle the high hydrostatic pressures of tunnelling through the Chalk layer at depths of up to 80 metres. Our scope involved managing the TBM drive alongside the construction of five Diaphragm-Wall (D-Wall) shafts, some of the largest in Europe with internal diameters up to 44m. Following the primary bore, we delivered the in-situ secondary lining for both the tunnel and shafts, as well as complex RC Slipforms for stair cores and central walls.