Sandvik Bags Order for Hindhead Tunnel in the UKBalfour Beatty has appointed Sandvik Mining and Construction to supply the tunnelling jumbos for the 1.83 km Hindhead tunnel on the A3 in Surrey. The supply contract is for three Sandvik DT820-AC twin boom with basket boom drill rigs to be used on the tunnel which forms part of the new 6.7 km dual carriageway trunk road. Two of the jumbos will be used for installing self-drilling GRP piles and probe holes, with the third unit used for drilling steel canopy support tubes. Visit www.sandvik.com The Hindhead tunnel is one of the schemes in the UK government's targeted programme of trunk road improvements. The project will complete the dual carriageway link between London and Portsmouth and remove a major source of congestion, particularly around the A3/A287 traffic signal controlled crossroads. Construction of the project commenced in January 2007, and tunnelling is planned to start in January 2008. The Hindhead tunnel has been planned since 1983. The challenge was balancing environmental impact with user economic benefits. Almost all the scheme lies within an area of outstanding natural beauty and passes through land owned by the National Trust. Click here & uk/37. Read E-News Weekly 25/2007, 34/2006, 4/2006, 9/2005 & 2/2003. Visit www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/3832.aspx and view a video of the simulated journey through the tunnel at www.portsmouth.co.uk/video.aspx?VideoPath=PPP/hindhead%20tunnel%200106512k_stream.wmv&VideoID=2795&ArticleID=2921229 52/07-01/08.