TBM Ursula has officially broken into the shaft at Bermondsey finishing her 7.6km journey from Battersea to Bermondsey and completing the central section of the Tideway in London, delivered by a joint venture of Ferrovial and Laing O'Rourke.   

As part of its drive, TBM Ursula excavated over a million tonnes of spoil, all of which was removed from site using barges on the Thames – preventing more than 250,000 HGV trips.  

Around 240 barges were also used to transport concrete segments to site. These segments slot together underground to form the rings which make up the tunnel. This section of tunnel is formed of 4,227 rings.  

TBM Ursula has tunnelled at incredible depths, encountering a real mix of geology – through clay, sand, gravel and chalk.   

The TBM will remain in place at the bottom of the shaft while the team at Chambers Wharf prepares to launch TBM Selina, which will create the final and easternmost section of the super sewer.  

More than 19km of the Thames Tideway Tunnel has now been completed, with work on the remaining 5.5km section due to begin very soon.  

For archive information please click here and uk/54. There is further information by visiting https://www.tideway.london/. 49/20.