ffutures: (Default)
[personal profile] ffutures
The latest on the big Crossrail project is that they are about to start on the first phase of the main excavation, digging out 20,000 cubic metres of soil to create the rail portal leading to the tunnels. This will involve 50 trucks a day from now until June (fortunately none of them will be going down this street), the construction of an overhead gantry crane to move things around, and digging in 50 support pillars.

Once they've done that they can lay the floor of the portal and start laying track - presumably they then bring in the giant tunnelling machine and start digging towards East London.

All of this will be happening more or less opposite my house, and I'll try to post occasionally as things develop.

Date: 2011-02-02 10:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gonzo21.livejournal.com
20,000 cubic meters, gosh, that's a big damn hole.

Date: 2011-02-02 02:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
Yup - I think the average density of soil, rubble, etc. is around 1.5 to 2, so say 30-40,000 tons. No wonder they need so many trucks!

Date: 2011-02-02 03:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gonzo21.livejournal.com
I wonder where they will be dumping it all. Flood prevention schemes maybe?

Date: 2011-02-02 05:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
No idea - I'm still a little boggled that they don't seem to be taking it out by rail.

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