# Thames Tideway, London



## callumcrom00 (Sep 4, 2022)

The Thames Tideway is a massive infrastructure project to excavate a deep level interceptor sewer to store and transport waste water across London, much of which currently overflows into the River Thames. The deep level tunnel will run from Acton to Abbey Mills - a distance of around 25 kilometres. The tunnel depth at Acton is about 30 metres, descending to 66 metres at its terminus. The tunnel has a diameter of 7.2 metres. At the Abbey Mills terminus, the waste water will enter the existing Lee Tunnel and will be treated at Beckton Sewage Works.

Construction is taking place using six Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) and a total of 24 construction sites have been established. The giant TBMs were built in Germany and France and after arriving on site by barge were assembled on site. Many of the spoil extraction points are adjacent to the River Thames and barges are also being used to remove the spoil and minimise the impact on London’s roads.

One of the largest construction sites is adjacent to Blackfriars Bridge, near to where the culverted River Fleet flows into the Thames. The map marker pin has been located here, where a drop shaft will take the Fleet flow down to the new sewer.

The project is being managed by Bazalgette Tunnel Limited (BTL), a consortium whose name is a refrence back to the original creator of London’s sewer network. The project has an estimated cost of £4.1 Billion and is scheduled for completion in 2025.


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## BikinGlynn (Sep 6, 2022)

Thats a really cool explore, id like to know more about how u did this one?


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## Hayman (Sep 7, 2022)

It doesn't look very derelict to me! Give it fifty years . . .


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## callumcrom00 (Sep 7, 2022)

Hayman said:


> It doesn't look very derelict to me! Give it fifty years . . .


Yeah it's not derelict but it still comes under urbex. We had to scale down the 50 metre shaft to get in.


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## HistoryBuff (Sep 7, 2022)

callumcrom00 said:


> Yeah it's not derelict but it still comes under urbex. We had to scale down the 50 metre shaft to get in.


That's pretty amazing! Awesome explore.


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## HughieD (Sep 7, 2022)

callumcrom00 said:


> Yeah it's not derelict but it still comes under urbex. We had to scale down the 50 metre shaft to get in.


Respect! Cool report...


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## Hayman (Sep 8, 2022)

callumcrom00 said:


> Yeah it's not derelict but it still comes under urbex. We had to scale down the 50 metre shaft to get in.


Well done. How easy was the entry? These days it's either CCTV or everything is locked up or high spikey fencing.


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## Jondoe-264 (Dec 22, 2022)

This _should_ be right up my street. I _should_ be fawning over it as the next phase of evolution of London's Main Drainage network. As an engineering project alone I _should_ find it inspiring. Yet I struggle to even feign interest in it. The explore on the other hand, I tip my hat to you, kudos due for sure; no doubt a buzz and a half! I just find the tunnel itself a little soulless. Maybe I'll give 150 years.


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## night crawler (Dec 23, 2022)

Awesome, take my hat off to you guys.


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## callumcrom00 (Dec 23, 2022)

night crawler said:


> Awesome, take my hat off to you guys.


Cheers mate


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## Hayman (Dec 23, 2022)

Jondoe-264 said:


> This _should_ be right up my street. I _should_ be fawning over it as the next phase of evolution of London's Main Drainage network. As an engineering project alone I _should_ find it inspiring. Yet I struggle to even feign interest in it. The explore on the other hand, I tip my hat to you, kudos due for sure; no doubt a buzz and a half! I just find the tunnel itself a little soulless. Maybe I'll give 150 years.


Marc and Isambard Brunel would be marvelling at how tunnelling is done today.


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## callumcrom00 (Dec 23, 2022)

Hayman said:


> Well done. How easy was the entry? These days it's either CCTV or everything is locked up or high spikey fencing.


Cheers mate  entry was not easy after a few failed attempts due to on site security, cctv on every corner and 20ft fences we found a weak point and went for it.


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## Roderick (Dec 25, 2022)

Bloody brilliant, did you have to SRT up 50m to get out too? Genuinely stunning pics of London's Cloaca Maxima and I thought only the romans could build things that size. Thanks so much for sharing, it quite made my Christmas eve as I somehow missed it when you first posted it!


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