Where is the new tunnel under the Thames?

We're building a tunnel under the Thames linking Silvertown to the Greenwich Peninsula in east London. The tunnel - which we plan to open in 2025 - will help reduce chronic congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel and allow for better public transport links, including more cross-river bus journeys.



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Today, trains continue to go through the railway tunnel several times an hour, making it difficult to see the original tunnel, but the Brunel Museum tells the story of the creation of the Thames Tunnel, on the site of the Engine House and the original tunnel shaft sunk into the ground.

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In 1825, French engineer Marc Brunel started work on the Thames Tunnel, the very first underwater tunnel anywhere in the world. Beset by financial difficulties, frequent flooding and several deaths, the project wasn't completed until 1843.

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The tidal Thames is a fast-flowing waterway and the busiest inland waterway in the UK accommodating over 20,000 ship movements and hosting over 400 events each year. It is for these reasons the PLA restricts swimming throughout the majority of its jurisdiction for the safety of swimmers and river users.

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Subterranean London refers to a number of subterranean structures that lie beneath London. The city has been occupied by humans for two millennia. Over time, the capital has acquired a vast number of these structures and spaces, often as a result of war and conflict.

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On 18 May 1827, after a rising tide, the Thames Tunnel's ceiling collapsed under the weight of the river and a torrent of water filled the structure. Brunel narrowly escaped with his life.

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The longest tunnel in the U.S., the Delaware Aqueduct, was constructed to transport water – not vehicles – to the city of New York. In some parts of the 85-mile tunnel, its depth runs 2,500 feet below the surface and the maximum diameter reaches 19.5 feet.

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In terms of underwater tunnels in general, though, the top honor goes to the Channel Tunnel, which connects England and France by rail. Its submerged portion runs for 37.9 kilometers, the longest of any underwater tunnel in the world.

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Further wooden supports are preserved in the mud a few hundred metres upstream, and are thought to be from a bridge structure on 1,500 BCE. Various human remains have also been found in the Thames from this distant era. Most recently, a 5,000-year-old thigh bone was recovered.

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London Underground train speeds vary across our network, from as slow as 15MPH, up to 60MPH. The speed of the trains can be impacted by a range of factors including the track infrastructure, the type of signalling system, the distance between stations, and the frequency of services in the timetable.

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