This section will run for 39 km from Southfleet Junction to Ebbsfleet and under the River Thames to West Thurrock and Dagenham from where it will be in tunnels 19 km long to London St Pancras. Design work commissioned by Union Railways North for tunnels under the Thames and east London and acquisition of land and underground rights are proceeding, all under a $440 million contract for preliminary works. Construction starts in mid-2001 with completion in 2007. June 1999.   Union Railways proposes to compensate landowners for subterranean rights of way by paying a guaranteed minimum of $850 each to avoid protracted negotiations. October 1999.   Invitation to qualify for list of contractors for 40 km of 7.8 m-diameter soft ground tunnels with 5 x 35 m-deep x 200-300 sq m ventilation structures. Five separate contracts: from King’s Cross station in central London to Stratford east of the city 2 x 7.5 km tubes requiring two TBMs and including two ventilation structures; construction of 1 km-long Stratford station 54 m-wide at 18 m depth; from Stratford to Barrington Road 2 x 4.7 km tubes requiring two TBMs and including two ventilation structures; from Barrington Road to Ripple Lane 2 x 5.3 km tubes using two TBMs and including a ventilation structure and a cut-and-cover section; and the twin-tube 2.5 km Thames tunnel between Swanscombe and Thurrock requiring a single TBM. Depositions should include details of the machines to be used. The first preferred contractors announcement in January, 1998 nominated Tracklink, a jv of Mowlem, Holzmann and Besix for Contract 210 London Tunnels West, and a jv of Nuttall, Wayss & Freytag and Kier for Contract 250 London Tunnels East. This programme was aborted by the government in favour of a two-stage approach that resulted in the North Downs tunnel and Kent stretch of the new line being built first. More information from www.ctrl.co.uk December 1999.   First contract awarded to AMEC Civil Engineering for preliminary works including three pipejack tunnels for electricity and gas main diversions, commencing January, 2000 value $1.6 million. Information from PXJESSEL@ctrl.co.uk January 2000.   The major construction companies have been invited to a London briefing on 29th February to outline the civil engineering contracts that will make up Section 2 of the CTRL between Southfleet in north Kent and St Pancras in central London. CTRL developer Union Railways and project manager and designer Rail Link Engineering will unveil the contract packages on which design work is well advanced and invitations to tender will be issued this summer. Work is scheduled to begin in mid-2001 for commissioning 2007. More from PXRAVENS@ctrl.co.uk March 2000.   Prequalification underway for supply of 26,700 rings comprising 9+1 segments with i.d. 7.15 m, thickness 35 cm, length 1.5 m and 700 rings comprising 7+1 segments with i.d. 6 m, thickness 30 cm. Contact through PXJESSEL@ctrl.co.uk March 2000. Rail Link Engineering announced that 12 organisations have been invited to tender for five contracts worth $900 million for 20 km of tunnels from St Pancras station, through east London, and under the Thames river into North Kent. Contract awards scheduled early 2001 with construction commencing mid-year. Contract 220 from St Pancras to Stratford: Balfour Beatty/Amec; Miller/Dumez GTM/B&M; Nishimatsu/Kvaerner; Necso/Galliford. Contract 230 Stratford Box: Carillion/Bachy Soletanche; Mowlem/Bouygues/Besix; Kvaerner; Necso/Galliford. Contract 240 from Stratford to Barrington Road: Balfour Beatty/Amec; Campenon Bernard SGE; Nishimatsu/Kvaerner; Costain/Skanska/Bachy Soletanche. Contract 250 Barrington Road to Ripple Lane: Nuttall/Wayss & Freytag/Kier; Miller/Dumez/B&M; Hochtief/Murphy; Costain/Skanska/Bachy Soletanche. Contract 320 Thames tunnels: Nuttall/Wayss & Freytag/Kier; Campenon Bernard SGE; Hochtief/Murphy; Mowlem/Bouygues/Besix. Information from PXRAVENS@ctrl.co.uk May 2000. Union Railways reports value of contracts as: contract 220, $280 million; contract 230, $135 million; contract 240, $170 million; contract 250, $143 million. Contact PXJESSEL@ctrl.co.uk May 2000.Tenders issued for CTRL contract 103 for civil works to build new tracks for CTRL and connections to West Coast and East Coast main lines to the north of Kings Cross and St Pancras stations, including realignment of the Midland main line and construction of new tunnels for Thameslink 2000 project. Four organisations will bid: Kier/Nuttall; Tracklink (Mowlem/Bouyges/Besix); Alfred McAlpine/Amec; and Hochtief/Norwest Holst. Contract award Spring, 2001 with work commencing six months later. Client is Union Railways (North) Ltd. Visit www.ctrl.co.uk August 2000. Prequalification underway for contract 105 for Union Railways at St Pancras to include deck extension of station and train shed, and refurbishment of station including Thameslink tunnels. For documents fax +44 (0)207 681 5546 or visit www.ctrl.co.uk November 2000. Contractor prequalification announced for design/construct contract 310, Thames to Dagenham as: Balfour Beatty; Eurolink (Miller/Dumez GTM/B&M); Hochtief/Norwest Holst; Necso/Galliford; Tracklink (Mowlem/Bouyges/Besix); and Alfred McAlpine/Amec. Preferred bidder will be announced late-2001 with site open Spring, 2002. Visit www.ctrl.co.uk and www.balfourbeatty.com 03/01. CTRL Shortlist AnnouncedUnion Railways (North) Ltd has announced the shortlisted tenderers for five contracts worth over $750 million to construct major elements of Section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL). The contracts include 20 km of tunnels that will carry the CTRL from north Kent under the Thames and through east London into St Pancras Station.The shortlisted organisations for each contract are:Contract 220 - West London Portal (edge of Kings Cross Railway Lands) to Stratford Box: Balfour Beatty Group Ltd/Amec Capital Projects Ltd; Nishimatsu Construction Co Ltd/Skanska Construction UK Ltd.Contract 230 - Stratford Box: Tracklink (J Mowlem and Co PLC/Bouygues SA/Besix SA); Skanska Construction UK Ltd.Contract 240 - Stratford to Barrington Road, Little Ilford: Nishimatsu Construction Co Ltd/Skanska Construction UK Ltd; Costain Ltd/Skanska Construction UK Ltd/Bachy Soletanche Ltd.Contract 250 - Barrington Road, Little Ilford, to Ripple Lane, Dagenham: Edmund Nuttall Ltd/Wayss & Freytag AG/Kier Construction Ltd; Hochtief AG/J Murphy & Sons Ltd.Contract 320 - Thames Tunnels including northern and southern approaches from Swanscombe to Thurrock: Edmund Nuttall Ltd/Wayss & Freytag AG/Kier Construction Ltd; Hochtief AG/J Murphy & Sons Ltd.Preferred bidders for C230 and C320 are scheduled to be announced later this month (January) with the three remaining contracts awarded in February. All are scheduled to start on site in mid-2001. 03/01.Shortlist for contract 103 to be awarded Spring, 2001 are Kier/Edmund Nuttall and Hochtief/Norwest Holst. Work involves new tracks, connections and realignment together with new tunnels for Thameslink. Visit www.hochtief.de 04/01. Award of contract 230 for Stratford station box to Skanska/Nishimatsu/Cementation, value $150 million. Contract 320 including 2.5 km-long Thames twin-tube bored tunnels awarded to Hochtief/Murphy, value $185 million. Visit www.ctrl.co.uk 07/01. Latest contracts awarded:Contract 135 (St Pancras - Highways and Utilities) - approx. value £11.5 million, let to Edmund Nuttall Ltd; Contract 220 (Stratford to West London Portal) - approx. value £145 million, let to Nishimatsu/Cementation Skanska; Contract 240 (Stratford to Barrington Road) - approx. value £125 million, let to Costain/Skanska/Bachy Soletanche; Contract 250 (Ripple Lane to Barrington Road) - approx. value £115 million, let to Edmund Nuttall/Wayss & Freytag/Kier. More from www.ctrl.co.uk 09/01. Announcement of 8.1 m-diameter TBM orders as follows: contract 220 (Nishimatsu, Skanska) Stratford to Kings Cross, two Kawasaki dual mode EPBs; contract 240 (Costain, Bachy Soletanche) Barrington Road to Stratford, two Wirth EPBs; contract 250 (Nuttall, W&F, Kier) Ripple Lane to Barrington Road, two Lovat dual mode EPB/Open; contract 320 (Hochtief, Murphy) Thames Tunnels, two Herrenknecht Mixshields. Machine deliveries start May, 2002. Visit www.ctrl.co.uk 27/01. Tunnelling on Contract 240 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) project was halted as engineers investigated the appearance of a huge crater across several gardens along the tunnel route. The collapse of old water wells built in the 1860s is believed to be the most likely cause of the landslip, which forced 50 people to evacuate their houses in Stratford, east London on 8th February. All but two of the households were allowed back on 10th February. The 10 m-deep crater happened more than a day after a 120 m-long TBM - nicknamed Hudson - boring a 8 m-wide tunnel passed below the houses on Lavender Street. The tunnel remained intact. A joint venture involving Costain, Skanska and Bachy Soletanche was awarded a £125 million contract for the section between Stratford and Barrington Road and started work last November. The tunnel is the first of two being bored at 85 metres per week by the 1,100-tonne machine carving through chalk, sand and London clay. A second TBM, named Brunel, is working in conjunction with Hudson. The tunnelling work, 20 m below the surface, is pending the outcome of an inquiry. Hundreds of tonnes of concrete were poured into the 10 m-wide hole. Officials said they knew of the wells but residents accused London and Continental Railways (LCR) of ignoring their warnings. The £5.2 billion CTRL is being constructed in two sections. Work on the 74 km stretch from the Channel tunnel entrance to Fawkham Junction in North Kent began in October 1998. It is now 92% complete and should open next year. The second phase - 39 km between Southfleet, North Kent, and the terminal at St Pancras - got under way in July 2001 and is more than a third finished. Visit www.ctrl.co.uk. 08/03. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has given the go-ahead for tunnelling to restart on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link west to east tunnel between Stratford and Barrington Road (contract C240). Digging work resumed on 30th April after a ground collapse damaged homes and swallowed gardens in Lavender Street, Stratford (east London) last 8th February. The decision has triggered protests from residents who say they have yet to receive any credible explanation as to why the first collapse happened, or guarantees that there will not be a recurrence.In a letter, the HSE says that "further anomalies in the ground ahead of the down line and up line tunnels cannot be ruled out" and adds "We recognise that there is no technique available for reliably determining the location of each and every significant anomaly that may be in this area". The HSE has told the contractors to improve testing and monitoring procedures and to be ready with "emergency procedures in the event of any sudden collapse of ground".The area being tunnelled is dotted with underground wells and streams. There are also believed to be a number of unexploded bombs from the second world war. Work on the 4.5 km stretch of tunnel in Stratford may be especially risky because the plan is now for one EPB tunnelling machine to overtake the other. Previously they were set so that one was always 50 metres behind to avoid too much ground disruption at the same point. One Wirth TBM is still underneath Lavender Street, where the ground collapse occurred. The other machine, which is the first to be reactivated, is 150 metres away, beneath the car park of a warehouse. The machine involved in February's ground collapse is expected to be reactivated in mid-May. 19/03.Second breakthrough completed 2.5 km-long Thames tunnel 50 days ahead of schedule. Hochtief-Murphy jv 8.15 m-diameter Herrenknecht TBM negotiated water-bearing alluvium, terrace gravels and chalk at rates up to 170 m/week at up to 40 m below surface of river. Total 560,000 cu m excavated in two tunnels. Visit www.herrenknecht.com 42/03.Nishimatsu-Cementation Skanska jv has passed the 5 km mark on the 7.5 km-long Stratford tunnels of Contract 220, from which 1.6 million t will be excavated to breakthrough in early-2004. Visit www.ctrl.co.uk 42/03.