€457 million Crossrail contract tendered
23 September 2011
UK government-owned rail developer Crossrail has put a £400 million (€457 million) track and tunnel equipment design contract out to tender for the Crossrail rail link in the country's capital, London.
The developer is seeking expressions of interest for the major fit-out of the new rail tunnels, construction of which begins in the spring of 2012 when the first tunnel boring machines are launched from Royal Oak.
Construction of over 21km of twin-bore tunnel, stretching across the capital via central London and Docklands, is scheduled for completion by late 2014.
After the tunnelling phase, the tunnels will need to be fitted out in time for the project to be operational from 2018. This will include the installation of over 40km of track, overhead electric conductor rails to power the trains as well as ventilation and drainage systems.
The new Crossrail tunnels will also require over 50 ventilation fans, 40km of walkways, 60 drainage pumps, 30km of fire mains as well as lighting throughout the entire length.
The procurement notice was placed in the Official Journal of the European Union, and Crossrail said the contract would most likely be awarded in late 2012.
TBM manufacture
Herrenknecht is building all eight tunnel boring machines (TBM) that are needed for the Crossrail project. The German manufacturer was awarded the contract for the final two TBMs in September -machines that will dig Crossrail's Thames Tunnel in south-east London.
As the TBMs advance forward, precast concrete segments will be built in rings behind them. Crossrail has already awarded contracts worth a total of £1,2 billion (€ 1,5 billion) for the construction of the tunnels.
Meanwhile, a joint venture between Costain and Skanska was chosen in July to construct the Crossrail Paddington Station - one of seven new underground stations to be built for the project. It will be a key interchange with the existing Network Rail services at the Paddington Mainline station and with London Underground.
