A periodical look at the construction of the Northern line extension to Battersea.
Battersea Power Station (station)
The rail team have now completed the installation of 1500 metres of low vibration track, along with the safety walkway, covering the stretch from Nine Elms to Battersea in both the south and northbound tunnels.
Within the main station, the pre-cast platform and first stage concrete track slab have now been completed which will allow the rail team to begin laying the track in the station box.
The western core – the structure now visibly above the hoarding – has been built from basement level -4 to level 3.
The team are at the final stages of installing the supporting walls and columns for the 1.5 m thick roof slab which will make this structure reach a height of 35m. The western core will house the future western entrance to the station and will form the base foundation for the over site development (OSD) building
The first main fit out package has been the block work which starts to form the rooms and corridors within the station, slowly turning the concrete structure into the future underground station.
Nine Elms Station
The east headwall which is the wall around the tunnel eyes is now complete. The tunnel eyes were cut to profile using a remote controlled demolition machine.
At the moment, one of the main activities taking place on site is the installation of the precast platform at basement level -3, made up of 577 precast elements (walls and slabs).
Works have also started to create the superstructure in the east of site (towards
Wandsworth Road). This will be a two storey reinforced concrete structure that will rise approximately 12m above ground level and will house the future ticket hall entrance to the station.
Kennington Park construction site
The acoustic enclosure has now been completely dismantled at Kennington Park site and they have removed the first concrete slab that was forming the floor of the site.
The teams are now excavating the site to form the basement of the future Head House. Once this is complete, construction of the main structure of the Head House with start, which will continue into next year.
Kennington Green construction site
Big changes have been taking place at Kennington Green this summer. The excavation of the basement that will form the structure of the future KG Head House basement floor is now 11.5m deep.
Regarding tunnelling works, the teams have now completed 700m of railing. The construction of the cross passages along the route is ongoing. These cross passages are smaller tunnels that will connect the main northbound and southbound tunnels and will be used for emergency access.
All photos (c) TfL
This post is so interesting. Thank you. It is much appreciated and makes Londoners living diagonally across the capital feel informed. An above-ground diagrammatic illustration of what is happening where would be also very helpful for those of us north of the River.
I think there’s something wrong here:
“for the 1.5 m thick roof slab”
What is this? A bunker?
Unless you want the tower block going on top to fall into the basement, then a big slab is needed.
Excellent update. So pleased Battersea is getting a direct link to the Underground.
Cross passages triggered a major leak on the Perth Airport railway project in Australia. It’s often the little things that catch us out!!
Nice!
It’s coming along very nicely. A lot of good progress is happening with the extension to Battersea that the Northern Line will soon start operating once the extension is completed. I’d still remember when the Jubilee Line extension to Stratford happened and it cut through the River Thames connecting not just Westminster, Canary Wharf and North Greenwich but also West Ham and Stratford.
Which I find the Jubilee Line much quicker than using other tube lines except Waterloo & City Line. But the Northern Line will still be as busy once the Battersea extension is completed.
Shame that it cannot continue to Clapham Junction where passengers can change from Northern Line to London Overground and National Rail services which passengers would avoid London Waterloo.
Why they don’t connect the Northern Line to Clapham Junction is a mystery. It’s an absolute no brainer.
It wouldn’t be able to deal with the mass of people using it. Trains would be overcrowded from Clapham which would make the rest of the Charing cross branch almost unusable. You’ve got so many services at Clapham junction, a single small bore tube line wouldn’t be able to deal with it that’s why they’re waiting on crossrail 2 because then there’d be a wide bored line as well so it wouldn’t be as bad. I was as confused as you are when I first heard it wouldn’t go to Clapham but it makes sense.
As for the Northern Line to/from Clapham Junction, what’s wrong with just changing at Balham, for a Southern service, or the Northern Line, depending on the desired further connections?
(Although, not everyone from outside of South London is aware of that connection, it seems).