Monster shaft-sinker kicks off Grain–Tilbury power tunnel

Europe’s largest-diameter vertical shaft sinking machine has been fired up in Tilbury as Ferrovial BEMO JV begins sinking the first access shaft for National Grid’s new Thames power tunnel.
Named Verena, after pioneering mechanical engineer Verena Holmes, the German-built machine marks the start of major works on the £230m Grain to Tilbury upgrade – a central strand of the Great Grid Upgrade.
The 2.2km, 400kV cable tunnel will replace the ageing 1960s Thames Cable Tunnel