Work Begins On Northern Line Extension
With major excavation work at Nine Elms
Boris Johnson last week signalled the start of major works that will see the excavation of 600,000 tonnes of earth for the construction of the Northern line extension.
A specially-designed 300m long conveyor belt will transport the equivalent in weight of 50,000 new Routemaster buses to the banks of the River Thames where it will be loaded onto barges, as part of the project to extend the Northern line from Kennington to Battersea via Nine Elms.
Two new 3.2km tunnels will be constructed and two new stations built - one at the heart of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment and another at Nine Elms to the east, serving new developments such as the US Embassy and the redevelopment of New Covent Garden Market, as well as existing communities.
Waste generated by the construction of the station and tunnels will be taken to Goshems Farm in East Tilbury in Essex, where it will be used to create arable farmland. Tunnelling for the Northern line extension is due to begin in early 2017 and will take six months to complete. At its peak, up to 26 barges a week will leave the Battersea site, each carrying around 1,000 tonnes of earth to Essex by river.
The project is being funded entirely through the private sector.
Extending the Northern line to Battersea and Nine Elms is a core part of a range of works taking place to improve service levels on the line. Once it opens London Underground is planning to increase train frequencies on the Northern line to at least 30 trains per hour with the introduction of new trains. The extension will cut journey times to the West End and the City to just under 15 minutes
Boris Johnson said, “The whirring into action of this fantastic machine marks a key moment in the delivery of the Northern line extension. This gigantic conveyor belt will enable a staggering 600,000 tonnes of material to be excavated from beneath south London and transported safely by barge on the Thames.
“Once built, the extension of the Northern line will act as a major spur to regeneration and growth in the area. It will open up the Tube to thousands more Londoners, cut journey times and act as a catalyst for the creation of much-needed new homes and jobs. It is one of a number of major ongoing investments we’re making into improving London’s transport infrastructure, which will be ever more important as our city continues to grow.”
Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council, said,“This Tube extension is transforming the fortunes of north Battersea. Around these new underground stations we’re building more than 6million square feet of new commercial and cultural space which will make Nine Elms a lively and exciting new addition to London’s South Bank. The regeneration programme is one of the greatest sources of new jobs and homes in the country and this would not be possible without the Tube link.”
The London Assembly Member for Wandsworth, Richard Tracey, said, " This is the great start to the enhanced transport for Nine Elms, an historic new rail line."
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November 30, 2015