DLR Completes Tunnel Extension to WoolwichThe tunnel extending the Dockland Light Railway (DLR) under the River Thames to Woolwich Arsenal in East London was completed on time on 23rd July, 2007 as the 540-tonne Lovat tunnel boring machine broke through the earth south of the Thames. The TBM, dubbed 'Carla', emerged to light after a one year tunnelling programme. The 1.8 km tunnel will link the DLR's King George V station north of the river with Woolwich to the south as part of the GBP180 million 2.5 km extension that is due to open in 2009. The TBM cost GBP5 million and has removed about 104,000 cubic metres of material. The tunnel runs as deep as 35 metres under the Thames. Visit www.lovat.com The link to it is being designed and constructed for Transport for London (TfL) by AMEC for Woolwich Arsenal Rail Enterprises (WARE), a joint venture between AMEC and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). The twin tunnel bores were designed by Halcrow and the project was overseen by AMEC. Visit www.amec.com and www.halcrow.comThe extension will be important in improving the whole transport network in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games. It will provide a direct link from Woolwich to central London (Bank station) in 27 minutes, London City Airport in five minutes, Canary Wharf in 19 minutes and Stratford in 20 minutes. In peak periods, trains could run every four minutes. Read E-News Weekly 4/2007. Click here and uk/19. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk and www.dlr.co.uk 31/07.