1325:
1288:
1251:
1222:
1188:
1154:
1122:
1088:
1054:
1018:
984:
948:
917:
875:
839:
790:
750:
713:
678:
639:
602:
568:
529:
499:
462:
425:
391:
349:
311:
277:
241:
212:
178:
148:
111:
72:
1428:
London's abundance of river tunnels has resulted from a number of factors. For historical reasons, the city centre has relatively few railway bridges. Only three railway bridges exist in central London, only one of which provides through services across the capital. Consequently, railway builders
1452:
provides the only way to cross the Thames by road between London and the sea. The width of the river downstream meant that tunnels were the only options for crossings before improvements in technology allowed the construction of high bridges such as the Queen
Elizabeth II Bridge.
974:
Originally rail tunnels, now disused. The world's first electric tube railway, with tunnels only 10 feet 2 inches (3.10 m) in diameter, became disused in 1900 when new 11-foot-6-inch (3.51 m) tunnels to the east replaced
1429:
have had to tunnel under the river in the city centre rather than bridge it. By contrast, railway bridges are relatively common to the west of the inner city.
26:, which, thanks largely to its underlying bed of clay, is one of the most tunnelled cities in the world. The tunnels are used for road vehicles, pedestrians,
1540:
908:. The world's first underground tube railway. A rail tunnel for 3 months only, then a foot tunnel. Currently carries pipes and fibre-optic lines.
1569:
1552:
615:
1750:
1134:
1393:
is a new Thames river crossing proposed to supplement the existing
Blackwall Tunnel, which will join the Greenwich Peninsula with West
832:
1075:
1541:
https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/education/educational-images/barking-power-station-creekmouth-barking-11049
1404:, due for completion in 2025, will be a 25 km (16 mi) long tunnel running mostly under the tidal section of the
1584:
961:
538:
1462:
969:
1570:
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/construction/tunnelling/railway-tunnels/thames-tunnel-plumstead-to-north-woolwich
1601:
Knights, M.; Mathews, J. L. R.; Marshall, R. (August 2001). "Revealed: London's network of power tunnels".
581:
471:
935:
1644:
993:
927:
611:
542:
522:
492:
1556:
1441:
726:
577:
286:
171:
141:
1436:, which until the 1980s required large ships to be able to access the river as far upstream as the
1375:
1167:
290:
1640:
1632:
1101:
1067:
1005:
623:
298:
1636:
84:
1313:
Two tunnels run under the Thames from the station and arrive on either side of
Chelsea Bridge.
1401:
1197:
1163:
1097:
1063:
997:
905:
632:
205:
1654:
1318:
1201:
957:
820:
722:
475:
342:
8:
1467:
1033:
775:
376:
65:
1627:
743:
196:
27:
30:
and railway lines and utilities. Several tunnels are over a century old: the original
1666:
1658:
1449:
1390:
1386:
used it for cabling at one point; it was large enough for a person to walk through.
1336:
1287:
1250:
1221:
1187:
1153:
1121:
1087:
1053:
1017:
983:
947:
916:
824:
815:
712:
677:
601:
567:
528:
498:
461:
424:
310:
276:
240:
177:
147:
110:
1324:
838:
102:
kV circuits; depth 46 metres (151 ft), only accessible by authorised personnel
71:
1719:
1691:
1674:
1610:
1523:
1496:
874:
811:
789:
749:
666:
556:
211:
638:
390:
348:
901:
453:
2.8-metre (9 ft 2 in) diameter, only accessible by authorised personnel
436:
252:
1614:
1437:
1433:
1368:
1331:
1294:
1257:
1228:
1128:
1024:
881:
845:
684:
431:
406:
384:
362:
332:
324:
247:
218:
78:
1744:
1670:
1662:
1628:
1379:
1209:
1109:
896:
783:
397:
120:
31:
1500:
1445:
1405:
1340:
1175:
868:
734:
589:
483:
132:
1527:
1348:
1238:
1141:
1041:
859:
803:
759:
700:
448:
264:
228:
93:
1394:
1274:
892:
256:
124:
337:
Tunnel construction completed in 2015; rail service began 24 May 2022.
1603:
Proceedings of the
Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering
1363:
The figure and list above leaves out a tunnel to the site of the old
1299:
1279:
Used to carry steam under the Thames to the
Churchill Gardens estate.
1262:
1133:
Bankside substation to
Charing Cross substation, partly runs beneath
850:
763:
652:
550:
513:
192:
162:
1678:
1383:
1364:
1029:
689:
660:
648:
440:
402:
370:
358:
320:
1303:
1266:
799:
693:
1413:
1409:
23:
1444:
at
Dartford in 1991, the easternmost bridge on the Thames was
1648:
1417:
1374:
There is also a tunnel between
Cottons centre and the old
1432:
Another historical factor has been the presence of the
823:. The world's first underwater tunnel, now part of the
416:
Service tunnel only accessible by authorised personnel.
1600:
1487:
Haswell, C.K. (December 1969). "Thames Cable Tunnel".
1344:
1307:
1270:
1234:
1205:
1171:
1105:
1071:
1037:
1001:
965:
931:
888:
855:
807:
767:
730:
656:
619:
585:
546:
509:
479:
444:
410:
366:
328:
294:
260:
224:
188:
158:
128:
89:
1050:Northern line (Charing Cross branch) tunnels
98:1,675 metres (5,495 ft) long, carries two 400
1489:Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers
1742:
1412:to capture, store and convey almost all the raw
1367:power station on the east side of the mouth of
1596:
1594:
944:City & South London Railway tunnels
1591:
1323:
1286:
1249:
1220:
1186:
1152:
1120:
1086:
1052:
1016:
982:
946:
915:
873:
837:
788:
748:
711:
676:
637:
600:
566:
527:
497:
460:
423:
389:
347:
309:
275:
239:
210:
176:
146:
109:
70:
1563:
1534:
1420:that currently overflows into the river.
1118:Bankside–Charing Cross cable tunnel
913:Northern Line (Bank branch) tunnels
833:New Cross to Finsbury Market Cable Tunnel
34:was the world's first underwater tunnel.
853:Substation - Wellclose Square Substation
1486:
564:Isle of Dogs Jubilee line tunnels
1743:
1514:Anon (May 1970). "Cables Down Under".
1218:Wimbledon – Pimlico cable tunnel
980:Waterloo & City line tunnels
1714:
1712:
1621:
1317:
1283:
1246:
1217:
1183:
1149:
1117:
1083:
1049:
1013:
979:
943:
912:
867:
831:
782:
742:
708:
673:
631:
597:
563:
521:
491:
457:
420:
383:
341:
306:
272:
236:
204:
170:
140:
106:
87:↔Eastcourt Marsh sealing end compound
64:
1579:
1577:
1513:
1150:Jubilee Line Extension tunnels
1076:Northern line (Charing Cross branch)
598:Docklands Light Railway tunnel
273:Docklands Light Railway tunnel
1751:Tunnels underneath the River Thames
13:
1709:
827:network. Originally a foot tunnel.
421:Millennium Dome cable tunnel
37:
18:The table below lists many of the
14:
1762:
1574:
1448:in central London. Even now, the
884:, tube railway, pedestrian tunnel
1440:. Until the construction of the
1358:
962:King William Street tube station
1284:Battersea exhaust tunnels
539:London Borough of Tower Hamlets
1684:
1545:
1507:
1480:
756:Road tunnel, pedestrian tunnel
20:tunnels under the River Thames
1:
1473:
1463:Crossings of the River Thames
1423:
970:City and South London Railway
1247:Battersea steam tunnel
926:London Bridge tube station,
582:North Greenwich tube station
472:North Greenwich tube station
7:
1615:10.1680/cien.2001.144.3.121
1456:
1184:Victoria line tunnels
1084:Bakerloo line tunnels
1014:Bankside Cable Tunnel
936:Northern line (Bank branch)
674:Deptford cable tunnel
10:
1767:
1553:"Crossrail Project Update"
994:Bank and Monument stations
928:Bank and Monument stations
709:Jubilee line tunnels
543:Royal Borough of Greenwich
523:Blackwall Tunnel (western)
493:Blackwall Tunnel (eastern)
458:Jubilee line tunnels
237:Barking cable tunnel
107:High Speed 1 tunnels
1720:"Open Infrastructure Map"
1692:"Open Infrastructure Map"
1442:Queen Elizabeth II Bridge
727:Canary Wharf tube station
578:Canary Wharf tube station
172:Dartford Tunnel (western)
142:Dartford Tunnel (eastern)
1376:Billingsgate Fish Market
1168:Westminster tube station
1006:Waterloo & City line
1724:Open Infrastructure Map
1696:Open Infrastructure Map
1516:Electronics & Power
1501:10.1680/iicep.1969.7250
1102:Embankment tube station
1068:Embankment tube station
774:The chief engineer was
665:The chief engineer was
624:Docklands Light Railway
375:The chief engineer was
307:Crossrail tunnels
299:Docklands Light Railway
1637:Robert Barrington-Ward
1402:Thames Tideway Tunnel
1198:Vauxhall tube station
1164:Waterloo tube station
1098:Waterloo tube station
1064:Waterloo tube station
998:Waterloo tube station
906:James Henry Greathead
633:Greenwich foot tunnel
206:Dartford Cable Tunnel
85:Tilbury power station
1655:Times Newspapers Ltd
1528:10.1049/ep.1970.0161
1319:London Power Tunnels
1202:Pimlico tube station
958:Borough tube station
723:Canada Water station
476:Canning Town station
343:Woolwich foot tunnel
1468:Subterranean London
776:Maurice Fitzmaurice
377:Maurice Fitzmaurice
66:Thames Cable Tunnel
744:Rotherhithe Tunnel
197:European route E15
1450:Dartford Crossing
1391:Silvertown Tunnel
1356:
1355:
1135:Hungerford Bridge
816:London Overground
645:Pedestrian tunnel
355:Pedestrian tunnel
1758:
1735:
1734:
1732:
1730:
1716:
1707:
1706:
1704:
1702:
1688:
1682:
1681:
1625:
1619:
1618:
1598:
1589:
1588:
1581:
1572:
1567:
1561:
1560:
1559:on 22 June 2019.
1555:. Archived from
1549:
1543:
1538:
1532:
1531:
1511:
1505:
1504:
1484:
1408:through central
1328:
1327:
1291:
1290:
1254:
1253:
1225:
1224:
1191:
1190:
1157:
1156:
1125:
1124:
1091:
1090:
1057:
1056:
1021:
1020:
987:
986:
951:
950:
920:
919:
878:
877:
842:
841:
812:East London line
793:
792:
753:
752:
716:
715:
681:
680:
667:Alexander Binnie
642:
641:
605:
604:
571:
570:
557:Alexander Binnie
532:
531:
502:
501:
465:
464:
428:
427:
394:
393:
352:
351:
314:
313:
291:Woolwich Arsenal
280:
279:
244:
243:
215:
214:
181:
180:
151:
150:
114:
113:
101:
75:
74:
42:
41:
1766:
1765:
1761:
1760:
1759:
1757:
1756:
1755:
1741:
1740:
1739:
1738:
1728:
1726:
1718:
1717:
1710:
1700:
1698:
1690:
1689:
1685:
1626:
1622:
1599:
1592:
1583:
1582:
1575:
1568:
1564:
1551:
1550:
1546:
1539:
1535:
1512:
1508:
1485:
1481:
1476:
1459:
1426:
1361:
1322:
1285:
1248:
1219:
1185:
1151:
1119:
1085:
1051:
1015:
981:
945:
914:
902:Peter W. Barlow
872:
836:
787:
747:
710:
675:
636:
599:
565:
526:
496:
459:
437:Millennium Dome
422:
388:
346:
308:
274:
238:
209:
175:
145:
108:
99:
69:
40:
38:List of tunnels
12:
11:
5:
1764:
1754:
1753:
1737:
1736:
1708:
1683:
1641:Tony Gallagher
1620:
1609:(3): 121–127.
1590:
1585:"Foot tunnels"
1573:
1562:
1544:
1533:
1506:
1495:(4): 323–340.
1478:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1471:
1470:
1465:
1458:
1455:
1438:City of London
1434:Port of London
1425:
1422:
1369:Deptford Creek
1360:
1357:
1354:
1353:
1351:
1346:
1343:
1334:
1332:Utility tunnel
1329:
1315:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1297:
1295:Utility tunnel
1292:
1281:
1280:
1277:
1272:
1269:
1260:
1258:Utility tunnel
1255:
1244:
1243:
1241:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1229:Utility tunnel
1226:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1207:
1204:
1195:
1194:Railway tunnel
1192:
1181:
1180:
1178:
1173:
1170:
1161:
1160:Railway tunnel
1158:
1147:
1146:
1144:
1139:
1137:
1131:
1129:Utility tunnel
1126:
1115:
1114:
1112:
1107:
1104:
1095:
1094:Railway tunnel
1092:
1081:
1080:
1078:
1073:
1070:
1061:
1060:Railway tunnel
1058:
1047:
1046:
1044:
1039:
1036:
1027:
1025:Utility tunnel
1022:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1003:
1000:
991:
990:Railway tunnel
988:
977:
976:
972:
967:
964:
955:
954:Railway tunnel
952:
941:
940:
938:
933:
930:
924:
923:Railway tunnel
921:
910:
909:
899:
890:
887:
885:
882:Utility tunnel
879:
865:
864:
862:
857:
854:
848:
846:Utility tunnel
843:
829:
828:
818:
809:
806:
797:
796:Railway tunnel
794:
780:
779:
772:
769:
766:
757:
754:
740:
739:
737:
732:
729:
720:
719:Railway tunnel
717:
706:
705:
703:
698:
696:
687:
685:Utility tunnel
682:
671:
670:
663:
658:
655:
646:
643:
629:
628:
626:
621:
618:
612:Island Gardens
609:
608:Railway tunnel
606:
595:
594:
592:
587:
584:
575:
574:Railway tunnel
572:
561:
560:
553:
548:
545:
536:
533:
519:
518:
516:
511:
508:
506:
503:
489:
488:
486:
481:
478:
469:
468:Railway tunnel
466:
455:
454:
451:
446:
443:
434:
432:Utility tunnel
429:
418:
417:
414:
412:
409:
407:North Woolwich
400:
395:
385:Thames Barrier
381:
380:
373:
368:
365:
363:North Woolwich
356:
353:
339:
338:
335:
333:Elizabeth line
330:
327:
325:North Woolwich
318:
317:Railway tunnel
315:
304:
303:
301:
296:
293:
284:
283:Railway tunnel
281:
270:
269:
267:
262:
259:
250:
248:Utility tunnel
245:
234:
233:
231:
226:
223:
221:
219:Utility tunnel
216:
202:
201:
199:
190:
187:
185:
182:
168:
167:
165:
160:
157:
155:
152:
138:
137:
135:
130:
127:
118:
117:Railway tunnel
115:
104:
103:
96:
91:
88:
81:
79:Utility tunnel
76:
62:
61:
58:
55:
52:
49:
46:
39:
36:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1763:
1752:
1749:
1748:
1746:
1725:
1721:
1715:
1713:
1697:
1693:
1687:
1680:
1676:
1672:
1668:
1664:
1660:
1656:
1652:
1651:
1646:
1645:James Harding
1642:
1638:
1634:
1630:
1629:John Witherow
1624:
1616:
1612:
1608:
1604:
1597:
1595:
1586:
1580:
1578:
1571:
1566:
1558:
1554:
1548:
1542:
1537:
1529:
1525:
1521:
1517:
1510:
1502:
1498:
1494:
1490:
1483:
1479:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1460:
1454:
1451:
1447:
1443:
1439:
1435:
1430:
1421:
1419:
1415:
1411:
1407:
1403:
1398:
1396:
1392:
1387:
1385:
1381:
1380:London Bridge
1377:
1372:
1370:
1366:
1359:Other tunnels
1352:
1350:
1347:
1342:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1326:
1320:
1316:
1312:
1310:
1305:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1289:
1282:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1268:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1252:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1223:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1210:Victoria line
1208:
1203:
1199:
1196:
1193:
1189:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1169:
1165:
1162:
1159:
1155:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1123:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1110:Bakerloo line
1108:
1103:
1099:
1096:
1093:
1089:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1055:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1019:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
999:
995:
992:
989:
985:
978:
973:
971:
968:
963:
959:
956:
953:
949:
942:
939:
937:
934:
929:
925:
922:
918:
911:
907:
903:
900:
898:
897:optical fiber
894:
891:
886:
883:
880:
876:
870:
866:
863:
861:
858:
852:
849:
847:
844:
840:
834:
830:
826:
822:
819:
817:
813:
810:
805:
801:
798:
795:
791:
785:
784:Thames Tunnel
781:
777:
773:
770:
765:
761:
758:
755:
751:
745:
741:
738:
736:
733:
728:
724:
721:
718:
714:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
695:
691:
688:
686:
683:
679:
672:
668:
664:
662:
659:
654:
650:
647:
644:
640:
634:
630:
627:
625:
622:
617:
613:
610:
607:
603:
596:
593:
591:
588:
583:
579:
576:
573:
569:
562:
558:
555:Engineer was
554:
552:
549:
544:
540:
537:
534:
530:
524:
520:
517:
515:
512:
507:
504:
500:
494:
490:
487:
485:
482:
477:
473:
470:
467:
463:
456:
452:
450:
447:
442:
438:
435:
433:
430:
426:
419:
415:
413:
408:
404:
401:
399:
398:Flood barrier
396:
392:
386:
382:
378:
374:
372:
369:
364:
360:
357:
354:
350:
344:
340:
336:
334:
331:
326:
322:
319:
316:
312:
305:
302:
300:
297:
292:
288:
287:King George V
285:
282:
278:
271:
268:
266:
263:
258:
254:
251:
249:
246:
242:
235:
232:
230:
227:
222:
220:
217:
213:
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169:
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164:
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121:West Thurrock
119:
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86:
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80:
77:
73:
67:
63:
59:
56:
53:
50:
47:
44:
43:
35:
33:
32:Thames Tunnel
29:
25:
21:
16:
1727:. Retrieved
1723:
1699:. Retrieved
1695:
1686:
1649:
1623:
1606:
1602:
1565:
1557:the original
1547:
1536:
1519:
1515:
1509:
1492:
1488:
1482:
1446:Tower Bridge
1431:
1427:
1406:River Thames
1399:
1388:
1373:
1362:
1341:Kensal Green
1271:20th century
1176:Jubilee line
869:Tower Subway
735:Jubilee line
590:Jubilee line
484:Jubilee line
133:High Speed 1
22:in and near
19:
17:
15:
1349:Power cable
1239:Power cable
1142:Power cable
1042:Power cable
1034:Blackfriars
860:Power cable
821:Marc Brunel
804:Rotherhithe
768:12 Jun 1908
760:Rotherhithe
701:Power cable
547:22 May 1897
535:Road tunnel
505:Road tunnel
449:Power cable
367:26 Oct 1912
265:Power cable
229:Power cable
189:18 Nov 1963
184:Road tunnel
154:Road tunnel
94:Power cable
28:Underground
1653:, London:
1633:Flora Shaw
1522:(5): 175.
1474:References
1424:Background
1395:Silvertown
1345:2018, 2011
1275:Water pipe
893:Water pipe
889:2 Aug 1870
825:Overground
616:Cutty Sark
257:Thamesmead
125:Swanscombe
1671:992611467
1663:0140-0460
1650:The Times
1418:rainwater
1337:Wimbledon
1300:Battersea
1263:Battersea
851:New Cross
771:A101 road
764:Limehouse
653:Greenwich
551:A102 road
514:A102 road
193:A282 road
163:A282 road
1745:Category
1729:23 March
1701:23 March
1675:Wikidata
1647:(eds.),
1457:See also
1384:Citibank
1378:near to
1365:Ferranti
1030:Bankside
690:Deptford
661:Footpath
649:Millwall
441:West Ham
403:Woolwich
371:Footpath
359:Woolwich
321:Woolwich
159:May 1980
57:Carries
51:Between
1304:Pimlico
1267:Pimlico
800:Wapping
694:Wapping
253:Barking
83:Former
54:Opened
1679:Q50008
1677:
1669:
1661:
1414:sewage
1410:London
1321:
871:
835:
786:
746:
635:
525:
495:
387:
345:
208:
174:
144:
100:
68:
60:Notes
24:London
1308:1920s
1038:1940s
261:1920s
48:Type
45:Name
1731:2020
1703:2020
1667:OCLC
1659:ISSN
1416:and
1400:The
1389:The
1235:1996
1206:1971
1172:1999
1106:1906
1072:1926
1002:1898
975:them
966:1890
932:1900
904:and
856:2017
808:1843
731:1999
657:1899
620:1999
586:1999
510:1967
480:1999
445:1999
411:1984
329:2014
295:2009
225:2005
129:2007
90:1970
1611:doi
1607:144
1524:doi
1497:doi
1747::
1722:.
1711:^
1694:.
1673:,
1665:,
1657:,
1643:;
1639:;
1635:;
1631:;
1605:.
1593:^
1576:^
1520:16
1518:.
1493:44
1491:.
1397:.
1382:.
1371:.
1339:,
1302:,
1265:,
1200:,
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996:,
960:,
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814:,
802:,
762:,
725:,
692:,
651:,
614:,
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474:,
439:,
405:,
361:,
323:,
289:,
255:,
195:,
123:,
1733:.
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1617:.
1613::
1587:.
1530:.
1526::
1503:.
1499::
778:.
669:.
559:.
379:.
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