UK’s largest TBM rotated in reception chamber

The Herrenknecht machine, which has a 11.91m diameter, is the largest TBM to be used in the UK.

Last weekend engineers successfully turned the first section of the TBM 180 degrees in just one day, using an air cushion system developed by Herrenknecht and its partners.

TBM Jill finished the 1.1km southbound drive from Newham on February 15, reaching the 40m rotation chamber in Greenwich. The 82m-long TBM is now being rotated in sections before being reconfigured and reassembled to dig the second bore under the Thames to Newham.

“This impressive achievement would not have been possible without the teamwork of our 10 Herrenknecht service experts and the crew members of the Riverlinx JV. They worked hand-in-hand to ensure the machine was turned smoothly in the shaft after completing its first drive,” Herrenknecht says on LinkedIn.

The TBM was launched from Newham in September last year and made an average advance of 18m a day.

Once open in 2025, the twin-bore Silvertown Tunnel will link Newham on the north of the Thames to the Greenwich Peninsula on the south side, easing congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel.

The project is being delivered by the Riverlinx CJV, a joint venture comprising BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Construction and SK ecoplant. 

For a time lapse video of the TBM rotation, click here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/herrenknecht-ag/videos/]