The largest project ever undertaken in the UK water industry, London’s 25km ‘super sewer’ will clean up the River Thames for future generations.

Delivering heavy civil engineering, tunnelling and complex marine infrastructure on space-limited sites in a busy capital presents an array of logistical and environmental challenges. For Tideway, our experience of delivering large-scale projects in major cities has led to innovative solutions. 

For example, we are fabricating significant elements of the job off site, such as the steel reinforcement cages, precast panelised river walls and the large hydraulic installation.

We have also employed digital engineering and modelling extensively, enabling us to accomplish unique feats of civil engineering safely, efficiently and ‘right first time’. Notable was the construction of a 3,700-tonne concrete and steel culvert, floated into position under the Grade II listed Blackfriars Bridge. 

This operation took place just 7m above the Waterloo & City tube line, and in proximity to a gas main and service tunnels serving more than 25,000 Londoners.

The result 

Collaboration with our client, joint venture (JV) partners, myriad London authorities and the public is integral to the success of this complex project.

The client has praised our health and safety engagement and our innovation and named our joint venture with Ferrovial Construction ‘JV of the Year’ in 2020.

We have been recognised for employing virtual reality (VR) to enhance safety and quality. VR has also been a captivating learning tool for STEM sessions with schools, whose pupils have been able to virtually walk through one of the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) as it operated, giving a greater understanding of the job and our industry.