Tunnel fully built after final lid lifted into place

Our tunnel boring machine Selina started her 5.5km journey from Chambers Wharf in early 2021. In April 2022, Selina reached her last stop at Abbey Mills Pumping Station, marking the end of tunnelling for the super sewer. 

With the tunnel finished, the team built a 24m-wide circular concrete ‘lid’ close to the shaft. In March 2024 the lid was lifted and moved into position on top of the shaft. At 12,000-tonnes, this manoeuvre was the heaviest lift on the super sewer project – surpassing the lifting of Tideway’s six tunnel boring machines earlier in the programme. 

In May 2024 the team connected the newly built super sewer with the existing Lee Tunnel. The work involved removing a 1.5m thick wall separating the Lee Tunnel from the Thames Tideway Tunnel, to create a single system which will protect the entire tidal Thames. Now, those two tunnels are connected for the first time, creating the London Tideway Tunnels network.

In the coming weeks and months, the entire system will be carefully brought online with individual combined sewage overflows being connected to the new tunnel.

This commissioning and testing phase will take place over several months, with the project expected to be fully operational in 2025.

Our standard working hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm 
• Saturday: 8am to 1pm 

There is a 1-hour mobilisation period before and after the standard working hours.

The Tideway construction site sits within an existing Thames Water Pumping Station site. Once Tideway finishes construction the site will remain a Thames Water owned and operated site. 

Marina Willer of design studio Pentagram has been commissioned by Tideway to create a bespoke bronze plaque for Abbey Mills Pumping Station. It forms part of her wider commission for the design of 12 floor-based bronze plaques at sites across the main tunnel route to celebrate the transformational importance of the tunnel.