New Map Shows Progress of Giant Machines Creating Super Sewer Beneath the Thames

A new, interactive map has been launched showing the progress of the giant underground machines creating London’s new super sewer below the River Thames. Four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are currently digging the 25km Thames Tideway Tunnel, under construction to stop sewage pollution in the River Thames.

The new online map shows the TBMs have tunnelled more than 9km so far and passed under six road bridges, with Ursula – the machine creating a central section of the tunnel – approaching Westminster Bridge, and Rachel – digging in the west – recently passing beneath Putney Bridge.

Jackie Roe, Tideway’s Deputy Programme Director, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to see the good progress being made by Tideway’s tunnelling machines under London as they pass some of our city’s most famous landmarks, showing how we’re getting closer every day to a cleaner River Thames.”

Updated weekly

Developed by tech specialists on the project, the new map – which is updated weekly - allows users to see how far each machine has tunnelled, including the total length of built tunnel. It also includes a 300m tunnel from Hammersmith Pumping Station that has already been constructed and will eventually connect to the main super sewer.

Tideway is using six tunnel boring machines in total to create the 25km super sewer and its connection tunnels. The final two TBMs will start digging the east section of the tunnel next year.

The first section of the main tunnel is close to completion, as TBM Millicent approaches Fulham after digging almost 5km from Battersea. Last month a smaller TBM, Charlotte, which is digging the Frogmore Connection Tunnel in Wandsworth, broke through the ground at King George’s Park.

The machines are all named after women from history who lived or worked near Tideway’s construction sites.