For Sale – a Model of the Rotherhithe Tunnel Shield

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An auction house is about to sell off something I wouldn’t mind buying if I had a more generous wallet – a scale model of the tunnelling shield used to dig the (road) tunnel at Rotherhithe.

“It’s a fabulous piece! It’s a 1:16 scale working demonstration model of the tunnelling shield which was used to excavate the Rotherhithe Tunnel in east London,” Auctioneer Charles Miller told the Hammersmith council website.

It has an estimate price of £1,500, which is at least a couple of zeros too many for me right now.

The model, made of brass and aluminium with working hydraulic arms, was shown to the Prince and Princess of Wales when the tunnel was formally opened in June 1908.

Photo courtesy of H&F News

Public viewing of the auction lots – including the scale model – take place on Sun 17th April (noon-4pm); Mon 18th (9am-7.30pm); Tue 19th (9am-5pm) and on the morning of the auction itself, the 20th April between 9am-noon

Charles Miller Ltd, 25 Blythe Road, London, W14 0PD (map link)

Lets out a wistful sigh.

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Tagged with: greathead shield, rotherhithe, tunnel

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