Work to prepare the Connaught Tunnel for Crossrail has been completed.
The tunnel, which runs below the Royal Docks, was built in 1878 and has not been used since 2006.
The only existing tunnel that will be re-used for Crossrail, it needed three years of work to deepen, widen and strengthen it for modern trains.
Linda Miller, Connaught Tunnel Project Manager said: “It’s great to know that, thanks to our work, this 135 year old tunnel will once again have a vital role to play in London’s transport network.
“Once Crossrail opens in 2018, up to 12 trains an hour will pass through the tunnel beneath the Royal Docks, hugely improving links between southeast London and the rest of the capital.”
The tunnel isn’t ready for use yet though - tracks, overhead cables and communications systems will be installed next year.
Its 135 year history has seen it serve ships in the Royal Docks and survive a bombing during the Second World War.
Read more:
George Osborne unveils Crossrail Thames Tunnel in North Woolwich
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