WESTERN TUNNELS - ROYAL OAK TO FARRINGDON
The western tunnel drive, between Royal Oak and Farringdon, was the first of five drives required to construct the Crossrail tunnelled section. It is the point at which the existing Network Rail services on the western section of the route will enter the tunnels under central London.
Parts of Crossrail's two tunnel boring machines, Phyllis and Ada, began arriving in London in late 2011 and assembly of the two giant machines got underway at the Western Tunnels logistics site in Westbourne Park.
The two machines began tunnelling from the Royal Oak Portal towards Farringdon in May and August 2012 respectively, constructing 6.8 km of new tunnels beneath the busy streets of London's West End. The western tunnel drives were the second longest on the Crossrail project.
The tunnelling machines passed successfully underneath the Network Rail tracks west of Paddington Station en route to the Crossrail station sites at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, and on to Farringdon.
Laid to rest in Farringdon
Phyllis was the first Crossrail tunnelling machine to break ground on the project and also the first machine to complete her drive, arriving in Farringdon in October 2013. She was joined in Farringdon by sister machine Ada, who completed her journey in January 2014.
Upon completion of their drives, Phyllis and Ada were dismantled and their 130 metre long trailer systems removed from the tunnel via the Fisher Street shaft, leaving just the front “can” and cutterhead in situ - 30 metres below ground in Farringdon.
Gallery - Crossrail's western tunnels progress
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Tunnel eyes installed at Royal Oak Portal, August 2011 -
Construction completed at Royal Oak Portal, September 2011
Construction of Royal Oak Portal, the first of five new tunnel portals to be constructed for Crossrail, commenced in January 2010 and was completed ahead of schedule in September 2011. The portal structure will be used for the construction of the new twin-bore tunnels between Royal Oak and Farringdon. -
Chief Engineer Chris Dulake unveils Crossrail's first tunnel boring machine, December 2011
To construct the 21km of twin-bore tunnel required for Crossrail, eight tunnel boring machines will undertake ten individual tunnel drives to construct the 6.2m diameter rail tunnels. -
Crossrail's first tunnel boring machine unveiled, December 2011
Crossrail unveils the first of eight, 1,000 tonne tunnel boring machines (TBM) that will construct the new Crossrail tunnels under central London. -
Crossrail tunnel boring machine cutterhead
The cutterhead of each Crossrail tunnelling machine is 7.1 metre in diameter. -
Cutterhead for first Crossrail tunnelling machine delivered to Westbourne Park, Jan 2012
The cutterhead for Crossrail's first tunnel boring machine is delivered as assembly of the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) progresses at Westbourne Park. -
Cutterhead lifted into place for Crossrail's first tunnelling machine, January 2012
The cutterhead for Crossrail's first tunnel boring machine is lifted and lowered into place. -
Cutterhead lowered into place, January 2012
Assembly of the first Crossrail TBM is complete and it is now due to undergo testing ahead of the start of tunnelling. -
Screw conveyor of first Crossrail tunnelling machine installed, January 2012
The giant screw conveyor is secured to the TBM. As the tunnelling machine progresses underground the excavated material from the cutting face is removed by the screw conveyor. -
Old Oak Common concrete segment factory, February 2012
The new tunnel segment manufacturing facility begins full operations in west London, pouring the first batch of 250,000 concrete segments that will line 42km (26 miles) of Crossrail tunnels. -
Prime Minister David Cameron visits Westbourne Park to view tunnelling machines, February 2012
Prime Minister David Cameron visits Crossrail’s Westbourne Park site in west London to view the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) ahead of Crossrail tunnelling commencing. The Prime Minister was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to meet engineers and construction workers. -
Giant tunnel boring machines ready to start Crossrail dig, March 2012 -
Crossrail tunnelling launch event, March 2012
The Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport today reveal the giant 1,000 tonne tunnel boring machines that will carve Crossrail’s tunnels under the capital. -
Mayor of London and Secretary of State for Transport turn on cutterhead, March 2012
Mayor of London and Transport Secretary reveal the first of eight tunnel boring machines that will carve 21 km of twin-bore tunnels under London and start the cutterhead for the first time. -
TBM Phyllis cutterhead turning for first time, March 2012 -
TBM Phyllis unveiled at tunnelling launch event, March 2012
According to tunnelling tradition, a TBM cannot start work until it is given a name. Following a public vote held in February 2012, Crossrail's first pair of TBMs have been named Ada and Phyllis. -
TBM Phyllis undergoes final testing ahead of launch, April 2012 -
TBM Phyllis moved into position at Royal Oak Portal,
Less than 36 hours since the visit by the Mayor and Secretary of State for Transport, Crossrail's first tunnel boring machine, Phyllis, is moved to the Royal Oak Portal site ahead of the start of tunnelling. -
Crossrail's first tunnel boring machine breaks ground at Royal Oak Portal, May 2012
Crossrail’s first giant tunnel boring machine (TBM), Phyllis, breaks ground at Royal Oak to construct the first section of tunnel between Royal Oak and Farringdon. The machine will be slowly pushed into the ground on her journey towards Farringdon. -
First trainload of excavated material from Crossrail’s tunnels leaves London for Kent, May 2012
The first trainload of excavated material from Crossrail’s western tunnels leaves west London via rail to be delivered to Northfleet in Kent. -
Crossrail's second TBM, Ada, moved to Royal Oak portal to start tunnelling, A
Tunnelling machine Ada breaks ground at Royal Oak Portal on 21 August and commences tunnelling towards Paddington. -
Crossrail western tunnels begin to take shape beneath London
Image of Crossrail eastbound rail tunnel between Royal Oak portal and Farringdon. -
Old Oak Common concrete segment factory, August 2012
Vast quantities of concrete segments are stockpiled at Old Oak Common. The factory will create in the region of 75,000 tunnel segments are required in total to line the western tunnels between Royal Oak and Farringdon. -
Entrance to Crossrail western tunnels, September 2012
Each Crossrail tunnel is 6.2 metres in diameter - significantly larger than existing London Underground tunnels. -
Crossrail western tunnels, October 2012
Image of Crossrail eastbound rail tunnel between Royal Oak portal and Farringdon. -
Concrete segments being installed in new Crossrail tunnels, September 2012
The concrete segments are delivered to the front of the TBM by locomotive. The TBM lifts each segment and secures it into place, creating the rings that line the tunnels. -
Crossrail western tunnels, November 2012
Image shows 1000th tunnel ring constructed by Crossrail's first tunnelling machine, Phyllis, beneath Hyde Park at the end of November 2012 -
Crossrail western tunnels, December 2012
Image of Crossrail eastbound tunnel between Royal Oak portal and Farringdon under construction. -
Crossrail western tunnels, December 2012 -
Entrance to western tunnels, August 2013
