NEW THAMES TUNNEL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18955, 4 March 1936, Page 9

NEW THAMES TUNNEL

WORK BEGINS THIS YEAR z:\, iii)<),()(iii ruu.iKiT LONDON, .laif. 1 1. Work on the Thames tunnel between Dart ford, Kent, and I'urrieet, Kssox, will lie started this year. This was announced officially yesterday by ihe Miii si try of Transport,

The work will take approximately four years to complete. Continuous employment will be provided for hundreds of men. The cost is estimated at £3,000.000.

In addition, arterial roads will be milt linking the tunnel with existing lighways.

The tunnel will provide a niui'hiced artery from north to south of the iver, and relieve congestion in Blackball tunnel and on Woolwich ferry. It pill:.

Relieve traffic congestion in the City >f London.

Save the journey through East Loulon for traffic south of the lower rivei n the docks. Allow traffic to travel between eenres in the north to towns in the out Ii without touching London; and Increase the importance of the docks it Tilhurv.

The recent construction of arterial •oads between London and Tilbury on the north of the river, and between Krith. Hartford, Graveseiid and Strood on the south, increases the importance of the tunnel. PILOT SHAFTS The tunnel will be H miles east of I'urlleet and 1"> miles below Tower Rridge. It will link up directly with fhe London-Tilbury road on the north and the Hartford by-pass and Watliug licet on the south.

The first task will be the sinking of i pilot tunnel and shafts. The only engineering difficulties are expected on the north side of the river, where special works will be necessary owing o the unsatisfactory nature of the strata.

Details of the internal linings of he tunnel have not yet been worked nit fully, Tint a great deal of help will be derived from the experience gained in building the Mersev tunnel.

The depth of Hie tunnel below the I'liames will present an urgent problem. . One authority has suggested .hat :>."il't. would be sufficient, but the general feeling is thai 40ft. should lie ihe minimum.

a some pans of the world the dredging of estuaries has been interfered with by the presence of underriver subways. Such a situation will he guarded against in building the Thames lunnel.