Canary Wharf Group began work on the new Canary Wharf station in May 2009, by creating a 250m-long and 30m-wide watertight dam in the waters of North Dock, using an innovative ‘silent’ piling method. The station box was then built ‘top down’, 28m below the water surface to create the ticket hall and platform levels. This was followed by the start of construction above the new station where Canary Wharf Group is building a four-storey retail development.
Canary Wharf will be one of the largest stations on the Crossrail route.
Work has been completed to prepare the four 7.6m-diameter ‘tunnel eyes’ at either end of the station box (pictured below). Through these will pass two tunnel boring machine (TBMs) that are currently tunnelling their way from Limmo Peninsula near Canning Town. The first TBM, Elizabeth, will break through into the Canary Wharf station box in the spring followed by sister machine Victoria shortly afterwards.
Work will begin next month to construct a temporary steel ‘cradle’ that will carry and support the TBMs as they move into the station box.
Once both TBMs have passed through the station box, work will start in mid 2013 to construct the passenger platforms
Meanwhile, station fit-out works are continuing, including escalators and the installation of ventilation, mechanical and electrical equipment, drainage and utilities. Architectural fit-out works are also under way with glass wall cladding being installed in the escalator tunnels
All public areas in the station’s ticket hall level will be substantially complete by summer 2013.
The main structural works for the retail development above the station are also complete and fit-out has begun. Opening is set for 2015, three years before the first trains are due to run.
Work on the Foster-designed timber lattice roof (pictured below) will begin in late 2013. This will sit above a rooftop garden level and the four-storey retail development.
Crossrail chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “The construction of Canary Wharf station is firmly on track and gives us an early glimpse of the world-class new stations, improved transport links and huge commercial development that Crossrail will deliver throughout London. With the upper station levels continuing to take shape, we are focussing on getting the station box below ground ready for the breakthrough of the first tunnelling machine in the spring, one of the biggest milestones on the Crossrail project so far.”
Canary Wharf Contractors executive director Cliff Bryant added: “It’s a privilege to be able to help deliver an infrastructure project that will transform our great city for generations to come. The construction team has done a terrific job delivering the station box five months ahead of schedule, ready for the tunnel boring machines to come through. Now we have the main structure in place above the station for an attractive new shopping development, roof-top park, and the impressive Foster-designed roof. We hope Londoners will eventually consider this to be one of the city’s finest train stations.”
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