HS2 Tackles Materials Shortfall By Opening A New On-Site Rebar Components Facility
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from High Speed Two.
These are the three bullet points.
- A new facility on HS2’s Copthall tunnel site addresses materials shortages by making rebar products on site
- A team of 14 will make 92,000 rebar couplers needed for the Copthall tunnel in Hillingdon
- The innovative solution has created jobs, saves time and money, reduces waste and cuts lorry movements
These three paragraphs outline what was done.
HS2 has set up a rebar threading facility to address materials shortages at its Copthall tunnel construction site in Hillingdon – creating jobs, cutting waste and reducing lorry movements. The new facility will make 92,000 rebar couplers, needed to construct the Copthall tunnel.
The Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV) team constructing the tunnel were faced with delays due to a shortfall of available prefabricated fatigue rated rebar couplers, after suppliers had exited the market. To address this, the team has constructed a threading facility on site to produce the required quantities of the materials themselves.
As well as addressing supply shortfall, the threading facility has resulted in a significant financial saving on the project by reducing waste, costs and lorry movements, and overall creating a more efficient way of working.
This looks like the sort of solution that could be applied more often.
There’s also an excellent video.
I have definitely been impressed with the project management of High Speed Two.
Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles And Trains In Tunnels
In writing about the Silvertown Tunnel, I started to wonder, if hydrogen vehicles will be allowed in the tunnel.
Consider.
- I don’t think diesel-powered trains are allowed in the Channel Tunnel and the tunnels of the link to London.
- Some tunnels don’t seem to allow hydrogen-powered vehicles.
- In a few years, hydrogen-powered buses, cars, locomotives, trains, trucks and vans will be more common, than they are today.
But help is at hand, with a co-operation between UK and EU agencies called HyTunnel-CS.
It is over fifty years now, since I worked as an instrument engineer in an ICI hydrogen factory at Runcorn. Truckloads of hydrogen were filled and despatched all over the UK. I may be wrong, but in all those intervening years, I can’t remember a hydrogen emergency on the UK’s roads.
I am confident, that we will achieve a safety regime, that allows hydrogen-powered vehicles and trains to be certified to pass through tunnels.
The Southern End Of The Silvertown Tunnel
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the Southern end of the Silvertown Tunnel.
Note.
- The O2 Arena at the top of the map in the middle.
- The blue arrow below it, which indicates North Greenwich station.
- The two dotted white lines show the route of the Silvertown Tunnel.
- The two silver-grey lines that loop across the top part of the map are the Jubilee Line.
- The black dotted line between the Jubilee Line and the Silvertown Tunnel is the cable car.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the Silvertown Tunnel’s junction with the approach to the Blackwall Tunnel.
Note.
- The two dotted white lines show the route of the Silvertown Tunnel.
- Studio 338, which is a music and arts venue, is indicated by the double quaver.
- The site to the North of Studio 338 is labelled the East Greenwich Gas Works.
- The roads to the Northbound tunnel bores of both tunnels, split to the West of Studio 338.
- The roads from the Northbound tunnel bores of both tunnels, join to the West of Studio 338.
This Google Map shows the same area as the previous map.
Note.
- Studio 338 is clearly marked.
- To its North is a circular structure on the site labelled as the East Greenwich Gas Works on the previous map.
- Could this be the remains of a gas holder?
Could it be that the works to the West of the circular structure are the start of tunneling?
Conclusion
It looks to me, that the designers of the Silvertown Tunnel have been able to squeeze in a junction between the approaches to the two tunnels, that should be fairly free-flowing.
Through The Blackwall Tunnel In A 108 Bus
Around lunchtime today, I took a 108 bus from North Greenwich station on the Jubilee Line to Bow Church station on the DLR. It’s rather a roundabout way to get home from Bow Church station, so I walked to Bow Road station to get a train to Moorgate for a bus home.
I took these pictures of the journey.
Note.
- The first picture shows the Radisson Red hotel on Tunnel Avenue.
- The Northbound bus travelled through the old tunnel, which was built in 1897.
- It looks in good condition for its age in my pictures.
- Even at lunchtime on Christmas Eve, there are queues of traffic waiting to go through the tunnel from both directions.
- The dog in the last picture is better and less-threatening street art, than you get in some parts of the UK
Taking good pictures from inside a dirty single-deck bus is not the easiest task.
This paragraph from the Wikipedia entry for the Blackwall Tunnel, gives a snapshot of the tunnel’s development.
The tunnel was originally opened as a single bore in 1897 by the Prince of Wales, as a major transport project to improve commerce and trade in London’s East End, and supported a mix of foot, cycle, horse-drawn and vehicular traffic. By the 1930s, capacity was becoming inadequate, and consequently a second bore opened in 1967, handling southbound traffic while the earlier 19th century tunnel handles northbound.
Note.
- Both tunnels are not open to pedestrians, cyclists or non-motorised traffic.
- There is a four metre height limit on the Northbound tunnel, which also has sharp bends.
- The Southbound tunnel is straight and has a height limit of 4.72 metres.
- London’s iconic Routemaster and New Routemaster buses are 4.38 and 4.39 metres high respectively.
- The tunnel will be tolled, when the Silvertown Tunnel opens in a few years time.
- It looks like both Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels will have the same charge as the Dartford Crossing, which is currently two pounds if you pre-pay for a car.
The pictures and words give clues to why the Mayor has decided to build the Silvertown Tunnel.
It is very rare to get through the tunnel without being delayed in a queue of traffic.
Double deck buses can’t go through the Northbound Tunnel.
As a non-driver, who doesn’t need to use the Blackwall Tunnel, I don’t listen to traffic reports, but perhaps once a week whilst waiting for the news on Radio 5, I hear of problems at the tunnel. Sometimes, these are caused by over-height or over-long vehicles, which have got stuck in the Northbound tunnel.
Incidentally, my earliest memory of the tunnel is probably from about 1953, when my family was stuck in the tunnel for several hours in my father’s Y-type MG.
, My father’s car had the registration BNH 368.
I doubt I’ve driven through the tunnel this century, as I have rarely driven to South and South-East London since the 1970s, as I’ve generally taken the train across London. I can remember one trip in about 2008 though, when I took the Woolwich Ferry for the Southbound crossing.
As I was living near the top of the M11 in Suffolk, I may have gone home via the Blackwall Tunnel.
Construction Has Started On The Silvertown Tunnel
These pictures show that construction has started on the Silverton Tunnel.
Note that New Civil Engineer is reporting that tunnelling has started.
My Current Thoughts On The Silvertown Tunnel
In 2015, I wrote No To Silvertown Tunnel, which I started with these two paragraphs.
My personal feelings about the Silvertown Tunnel are that it is irrelevant to me, except that it might help some trucks bring goods that I buy online or at a local shop. Although as a sixty-eight year-old-widower living alone, I don’t think my transport needs through the tunnel will be high.
I don’t drive after my stroke and I like that lifestyle, except when last night it took me three trains, a coach and a taxi to get back from watching football at Ipswich. But that tortuous late night journey was caused because NuLabor spent my tax money on pointless wars that will haunt us for generations, rather than in extending and renewing our rail system, that will nurture and enrich our future.
But my objections to the Silvertown Tunnel have changed and expanded.
New Transport Infrastructure Attracts Passengers
This may seem obvious, but there has been several cases recently in London to prove my point.
- The London Overground has been a success beyond Transport for London’s wildest dreams and as an example the North London Line, that started with three x three-car trains per hour (tph) is now running eight x five-car tph. This is a four time increase in capacity.
- New buses and contactless ticketing have encouraged more passengers to use the buses.
- Electrification and new trains has transformed the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
- The expansion of Thameslink and new trains now carries a lot more North-South traffic through London.
- Every time, a new section of the Elizabeth Line opens more passengers are attracted to the new line.
- The remodelling of London Bridge station has increased passenger numbers. And shoppers!
On a personal note, I live on a bus corridor, that runs between North London and Moorgate for the Lizzie Line. Since the Lizzie Line has been fully connected, passenger numbers have risen by a big margin.
I don’t believe that the ability to attract more traffic of the Silvertown Tunnel will be any different.
More Traffic Means More Congestion And Pollution
I live close to the Balls Pond Road, which increasingly seems to be a truck route across North London.
The Silvertown Tunnel will be two lanes each way; one for trucks and buses, and one for smaller vehicles.
I can’t see that pollution and congestion around the Silvertown Tunnel and on the routes to the tunnel, will not increase.
There Is Little Or No Provision For Cyclists And Pedestrians
This will be a big problem. Especially, as the local traffic in the area will increase dramatically.
Does Central London Have Enough Parking For The Increased Traffic?
Parking in Central London is probably close to capacity now!
So What Would I Do?
Given that construction has already started, I feel it is too late to cancel.
Better Alternatives Than Driving
I feel measures should be adopted that provide better alternatives than driving.
Obviously, this won’t help with trucks, but it could reduce the total number of vehicles going through the tunnel.
These could include.
- Increase the frequency of trains on both the Lizzie Line and Thameslink.
- Increase the number of destinations on both the Lizzie Line and Thameslink.
- Add an extra car to Lizzie Line trains.
- Remove First Class on the shorter eight-car Thameslink trains.
- Add provision on some Lizzie Line and Thameslink routes for bicycles.
- Add a Silvertown station to the Elizabeth Line for London City Airport.
- Add one or more pedestrian and cycling bridges across the Thames.
- Expand of the Docklands Light Railway.
- Expand the Thames Clipper.
- Connect Barking Riverside station to Thamesmead and Abbey Wood station either by a rail or a fast ferry.
- Keep the cable-car.
I suspect there are other viable ideas.
Develop Incentives To Use Public Transport
Incentives could be in these areas.
- Better station and bus terminals encourage more to use trains and buses.
- Full free onboard wi-fi and phone charging.
- Special fares for some journeys.
An example of the latter could be a discount for certain cross-river journeys.
Make The Silvertown Tunnel Available For Zero Carbon Vehicles Only
This would surely cut pollution in London.
Conclusion
We should use the Silvertown Tunnel to improve London’s air quality.
Britain’s Longest Road Tunnel Could Be Built Along A27
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Argus.
These three paragraphs outline the scheme.
The longest road tunnel in the UK could be built as a long-term solution to congestion along the A27.
The tunnel, which would cost around £2 billion, has been touted as a way of addressing traffic and a way to improve local quality of life.
A new report by Transport for the South East (TfSE) said investing in such schemes is the only way carbon emissions from congested road traffic can be seriously tackled and improve.
The article also states, that the project is unlikely to be started before 2050.
These are my thoughts.
Where Will The Tunnel Be Built?
This Google Map shows Worthing.
Note.
- The A27 road runs roughly across the top of the map.
- The A27 has sections of dual-carriageway.
- There are two roundabouts, where the A27 connects with the A24 road between London and Worthing via Sutton, Dorking and Horsham.
- The West Coastway Line runs across the middle of the map.
- Four of the five stations in Worthing are visible.
- From East to West the stations are East Worthing, Worthing, West Worthing and Durrington-on-Sea, with Goring-by-Sea off the map to the West.
This Google Map shows the section of the A27 to the West of the A24.
Note.
- The A27 goes all the way across the map.
- There is a large junction with the A280 at the Western edge of the map.
- There is a large roundabout at the junction with the A24, at the Eastern edge of the map.
- The Western half of the A27 between the two junctions, appears to be dual-carriageway.
- The A27 continues in the West as a dual-carriageway between the junction with the A280, almost as far as Arundel.
I suspect the Western portal of the tunnel would be close to the junction with the A280 and for much of the route, it could be bored under the A27 to minimise noise and vibration for those living along the route.
This third Google Map shows the section of the A27 to the East of the A24.
Note.
- The A27 goes all the way across the map.
- It shares a route with the A24 between the two roundabouts towards the West of the map.
- The Eastern section of the A27 appears to be dual-carriageway.
- T27 continues in the East to the North of Shoreham and Brighton and the South of Lewes.
I suspect the Eastern portal of the tunnel would be close to the Western end of the dual-carriageway section to Lewes and for much of the route, it could be bored under the A27 and A24 to minimise noise and vibration for those living along the route.
As we’re good at tunneling in the UK, I don’t think this will be a difficult tunnel to bore.
What Should We Do In The Interim?
The article in the Argus says this.
Should the plans go ahead, the tunnel could be ready for construction by 2050, with a range of other measures proposed to cut congestion in the short term.
2050 is a long time to wait.
I haven’t driven in the area much in the last twenty years, as even before I didn’t drive, I’ve tended to take the train to places like Brighton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Southampton.
In my experience the East and West Coastway Lines along the South Coast have reasons, why people drive for preference.
- The trains are not frequent enough. There should be four trains per hour (tph) if possible.
- There needs to be more direct train services to London and Gatwick Airport.
- Some of the stations are not very passenger-friendly. More step-free access is needed.
- Some of the stations can’t handle twelve-car trains.
- The Class 313 trains, that are used to the West of Brighton, were built in the 1970s. Similar trains of that period in the rest of the UK, have either been replaced or will soon be.
- Is there enough car parking?
- Could some closed stations be reopened?
- Could Park-and-Ride facilities be built, where the A27 crosses the railway?
- Would it help, if the West and East Coastway Lines didn’t need a change at Brighton?
- Would a high speed service between Eastbourne and London via Hastings and High Speed One attract leisure passengers.
An improved railway might reduce traffic on the A27.
Perhaps the easiest improvement would be to replace all the East and West Coastway fleet with new or refurbished trains with the following specification.
- 100 mph operation.
- High-class well-designed interior matched to the passenger mix.
- Ability to handle the Marshlink Line and other sections without electrification.
- Wi-fi and power sockets.
- A refreshment trolley might be a good idea.
A marketing campaign might help.
HS2 Completes First Tunnel Cross Passages
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from High Speed Two.
This is the first paragraph.
As the tunnelling machines under the Chilterns approach the four-mile mark, HS2 completes the first of thirty-eight underground connections between the northbound and southbound tunnels.
This video from High Speed Two, shows the construction of the cross tunnels.
There appears to have been a resurgence of traditional tunneling methods, albeit it with the assistance of modern mechanised tools.
In London recently, these tunnels have been dug without the use of expensive tunnel boring machines.
- The running and station tunnels for the Bank Station Upgrade.
- The tunnel for the Paddington Bakerloo Line Link.
I suspect there will a lot more dug traditionally in the future.
Bank And Moorgate
The map from cartometro.com shows the plethora of lines at Moorgate and Bank stations.
Note.
- Moorgate station is served by the Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern and Northern City Lines.
- Bank station is served by the Central, Circle, District, Northern and Waterloo & City Lines.
- Bank station is also one terminus of the DLR.
I believe it would be possible to dig a long pedestrian tunnel with a travelator, between Moorgate and Bank stations under Moorgate, which connects the two stations.
City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s
I discussed this in A Pedestrian Connection Between City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s Tube Station.
HS2 Starts Work On First Pioneering ‘Green Tunnel’
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release on the High Speed Two web site.
These three paragraphs introduce the work at Chipping Warden.
HS2 today [Friday 10th June] announced the start of construction at the site of its first innovative ‘green tunnel’, designed to blend the high speed railway into the landscape and reduce disruption for communities.
Unlike a normal underground tunnel, the one-and-a-half mile (2.5km) Chipping Warden green tunnel in Northamptonshire is being built on the surface using a pioneering off-site manufacturing approach to speed up construction and improve efficiency.
This approach will see more than five thousand giant concrete tunnel segments made in a factory in Derbyshire before being assembled on site. The completed tunnel will then be covered by earth, with trees, shrubs and hedgerows planted to fit in with the surrounding countryside.
Note.
- High Speed Two are building five of these tunnels between London and Birmingham.
- I know from talking to engineers at Custom House station, which was also built in a factory, that the quality is excellent.
- But is it also cheaper and quicker, as all segments on the five tunnels are identical, no expensive tunnel boring machine is required and conventional equipment can be used?
These are some images from High Speed Two, which show the erection of the first segments of the green tunnel.
There is also this video, which shows more about the green tunnels.
I suspect we’re going to see a lot more of these tunnels.
The New Track Layout At Bank And Moorgate Stations
This map from cartometro.com shows the new track layout through Bank And Moorgate.
Note.
- Crossrail is shown in purple.
- The Central Line is shown in red.
- The Circle, Hammersmith and City and the Metropolitan lines are shown in yellow and mauve.
- The Circle, District lines are shown in yellow and green stripes.
- The Northern Line is shown in black.
- The Northern City Line, that terminates at Moorgate is also shown in black.
The routes of the Northern Line are now clear from the map.
The Northbound Route Of The Northern Line
The Northbound trains pass through the following platforms.
- The Easternmost platform, which is numbered 4 at Bank station.
- The Western Northern Line platform, which is numbered 7 at Moorgate station.
This route of the Northbound tunnel will be identical before and after the works.
The Original Southbound Route Of The Northern Line
Until January this year, the Southbound trains passed through the following platforms.
- The Eastern Northern Line platform, which is numbered 8 at Moorgate station.
- The original Western Northern Line platform, which was numbered 3 at Bank station.
Note how the Northbound and Southbound tracks cross between the two stations.
The New Southbound Route Of The Northern Line
The new Southbound route is shown dotted on the map.
- The new Southbound platform is also shown dotted.
- The Northbound and Southbound tracks still cross between the two stations.
The tracks don’t return to standard left-hand running until South of Borough station.
After the line fully-reopens, some time in May this year, the Southbound trains will pass through the following platforms.
- The Eastern Northern Line platform, which is numbered 8 at Moorgate station.
- The new Western Northern Line platform at Bank station.
Effectively, the Southbound tunnel has been moved to the West to create more space in Bank station.
Conclusion
The design of the new tunnel appears simple, but I don’t think it was that easy to construct.
Final Tunnelling Gets Underway On Bank Station Blockade
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ground Engineering.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Four weeks into the closure of Bank Station for its capacity upgrade, main contractor Dragados is making good progress on all key activities, including final tunnelling works.
This has been traditional tunneling, that would have been familiar to those like the Victorians, where a lot of the digging has been done by hand, with the addition of smaller diggers and power tools.
The project seems to be on schedule for a mid-May opening.
The Anonymous Widower 