CTRL Contract 320 Thames Tunnels
Two rail tunnels under the river Thames using Slurry TBM’s, as part of the High-Speed Rail Link between Channel Tunnel at Cheriton and Ashford.
Year: 2000
Country: United Kingdom
Contract Value (US$): 300 Million
The CTRL Contract 320 (now HS1 Thames Tunnels) formed the highest-risk section of the high-speed rail link connecting the Channel Tunnel with central London. The twin tunnels beneath the Thames Valley and River Thames were driven through extremely challenging ground conditions, including soft clays, water-bearing gravels, and chalk with heavy flint bands. For the first time in the UK, slurry TBMs were deployed to manage these complex geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions, marking a major technical milestone in British tunnelling and enabling safe construction beneath sensitive urban and river environments.
Andreas Tauschinger served as Project Director for the Joint Venture responsible for delivering these critical works. Under his leadership, the project overcame substantial geological and engineering risks and was successfully completed in early 2002. The works received the British Tunnelling Society Award in 2001, recognising excellence in underground construction and the successful delivery of one of the UK’s most technically demanding rail infrastructure projects.